The urgency has increased significantly with President-elect Donald Trump urging Republicans to obstruct the process.

The stakes are high: if Democrats fail to confirm Biden's picks, Trump will have the opportunity to appoint his own, likely more conservative, judges to the vacant positions. Judicial appointments were a major focus during Trump's first term, resulting in 237 confirmed judges, including three Supreme Court justices. These appointments have shifted the federal judiciary markedly to the right.

Republicans have a history of confirming judges during the final weeks of Trump’s presidency, and now Trump is pressuring his party to prevent a similar effort by the Democrats. The outcome of this battle could have lasting implications on the judicial landscape in the United States for years to come.