McConnell: ‘Very Confident’ Govt. Won’t Shut Down, Gorsuch Will Be Confirmed

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell R-Ky., speaks to a gathering of the Jeffersontown Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell R-Ky., speaks to a gathering of the Jeffersontown Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Sunday said that he is “very confident” that the government won’t shut down and that the Senate will confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.

“We’re going to confirm Judge Gorsuch this week,” McConnell said on “Fox News Sunday.”

“You say that he’ll be confirmed one way or another, so does that mean if you can’t stop a filibuster, that you will go to the nuclear option and change the Senate rules so that you can cut off debate with 51 votes and confirm him?” Chris Wallace asked.

“Look, what I’m telling you is that Judge Gorsuch is going to be confirmed. The way in which that occurs is in the hands of the Democratic minority,” McConnell said. “And I think during the course of the week we’ll find out exactly how this will end, but it will end with his confirmation.”

McConnell also said that he’s “very confident” the government will not shut down as a result of a congressional battle over government funding.

“I’m confident Senate Democrats are not going to want to shut down the government,” McConnell said. “Every time we’ve had a government shutdown situation, it’s been the Congress that’s been blamed and not the president.”

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