▁fill ▁the ▁vac ancy ▁created ▁by ▁the ▁ret irement ▁of ▁Justice ▁David ▁H . ▁S outer . ▁S ot om ay or ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁on ▁August ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁by ▁a ▁vote ▁of ▁ 6 8 – 3 1 . ▁The ▁second ▁appointment ▁was ▁that ▁of ▁Sol ic itor ▁General ▁El ena ▁K agan ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁retired ▁John ▁Paul ▁Stevens . ▁K agan ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁on ▁August ▁ 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁by ▁a ▁vote ▁of ▁ 6 3 – 3 7 . ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁final ▁year ▁in ▁office , ▁Ob ama ▁had ▁an ▁opportunity ▁to ▁fill ▁a ▁third ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁vac ancy , ▁following ▁the ▁February ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁death ▁of ▁Associ ate ▁Justice ▁Anton in ▁S cal ia . ▁On ▁March ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁he ▁nominated ▁M err ick ▁Gar land , ▁the ▁Chief ▁Judge ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als ▁for ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁Circ uit ▁to ▁the ▁Court . ▁However , ▁Republican ▁leaders ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁planned ▁to ▁with hold ▁voting ▁on ▁any ▁potential ▁nom ine e ▁until ▁a ▁new ▁president ▁was ▁elected . ▁Senate ▁Democr ats ▁respond ed ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁sufficient ▁time ▁to ▁vote ▁on ▁a ▁nom ine e ▁before ▁the ▁election . ▁Con sequently , ▁no ▁action ▁was ▁taken ▁on ▁the ▁nom ination