▁President ▁Joe ▁B iden ▁each ▁met ▁separately ▁with ▁Sid ney ▁Thomas ▁at ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁to ▁discuss ▁the ▁vac ancy . ▁El ena ▁K agan ▁was ▁interview ed ▁the ▁following ▁day , ▁and ▁D iane ▁Wood ▁the ▁following ▁week ▁on ▁May ▁ 4 . ▁ ▁M err ick ▁Gar land ▁nom ination ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Ob ama ▁nominated ▁M err ick ▁Gar land , ▁Chief ▁Judge ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als ▁for ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁Circ uit , ▁to ▁replace ▁Anton in ▁S cal ia . ▁On ▁February ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁ 1 1 ▁Republican ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁Jud ici ary ▁Committee ▁signed ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁Senate ▁majority ▁leader ▁Mitch ▁Mc Con nell ▁stating ▁their ▁intention ▁to ▁with hold ▁consent ▁on ▁any ▁nom ine e ▁made ▁by ▁President ▁Ob ama , ▁and ▁that ▁no ▁hear ings ▁would ▁occur ▁until ▁after ▁January ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁when ▁the ▁next ▁president ▁takes ▁office . ▁The ▁ 1 1 ▁members ▁are ▁Committee ▁Chair ▁Ch uck ▁Gr ass ley , ▁Iowa ; ▁Or rin ▁H atch ▁and ▁Mike ▁Lee , ▁Ut ah ; ▁Jeff ▁S essions , ▁Alabama ; ▁Lind sey ▁Graham , ▁South ▁Carolina ; ▁John ▁Corn yn ▁and ▁Ted ▁Cruz , ▁Texas ; ▁Jeff ▁F la ke , ▁Arizona ; ▁David ▁V itter , ▁Louisiana ; ▁David ▁P erd ue , ▁Georgia ; ▁and ▁Thom