In this Jan. 28, 2015, file photo, Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington before the Senate Judiciary Committee. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
The vote on the nomination of Loretta Lynch as the U.S. attorney general took a huge leap forward on April 21, when U.S. Senate leaders agreed to terms on an anti-human trafficking bill. The bill, “The Justice for Victims of Trafficking,” had abortion restrictions that the Democrats thought were unacceptable but those issues were resolved when a compromise, negotiated by Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), was reached.
The anti-trafficking bill had nothing to do with the Lynch nomination but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said several weeks ago that her confirmation process wouldn’t move forward until there was an agreement on the legislation.
Lynch, who would be the first Black woman to be the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, has had to wait more than five months-a record-for a Senate floor vote on that position. It is believed by civil rights groups that Lynch has enough votes to win confirmation.
McConnell said that her process will proceed.
“As soon as we finish the trafficking bill, as I’ve indicated for some time now, we’ll move to the president’s nominee for attorney general-hopefully in the next day or so,” McConnell said.