Can Congress delay the appointment for over a year? I don't mean to say whether they'd want to or not, but don't Supreme Court justices have to be replaced with some level of speed?
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If it's delayed until a Senate recess, then Obama would be able to appoint anyone to the vacancy (at least, until the end of the next Senate).
Simple solution: Congress should pass an eight justices amendment.
No need for a ninth.
The Constitution gives Congress the power to decide how many seats there are on the Supreme Court. In 1789, there were only six.
Congress could reduce the number of Supreme Court justices from the current nine to eight.
There has been as many as ten.