June 20 (Reuters) - A lawyer who argued on the losing side of the U.S. Supreme Court case that ended the national right to abortion won confirmation on Tuesday to a seat on a federal appeals court.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Julie Rikelman, a top lawyer for the Center for Reproductive Rights, to the Boston-based 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals by a vote of 51-43.
Rikelman represented Mississippi's last remaining abortion clinic in urging the Supreme Court to reaffirm the constitutional right to abortion and strike down a state law that banned the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Rikelman's nomination drew opposition from Republicans, who questioned her abortion rights advocacy during a September 2022 Senate hearing and described her position on the issue as extreme.
She is Biden’s third nominee to secure a seat on the court, whose active judges were all nominated by Democrats.
Persons:
Julie Rikelman, Susan Collins of, Lisa Murkowski, Rikelman, Dobbs, Joe Biden, Biden, Rikelman's, Andrew Goudsward, David Bario
Organizations:
U.S, Supreme, U.S . Senate, Center for Reproductive, Circuit U.S, Jackson, Health Organization, Republicans, Center for Reproductive Rights, Thomson
Locations:
Boston, Susan Collins of Maine, Alaska, Mississippi's, New York