If Confirmed, Gorsuch Would Work to Restore Judicial Independence

Supreme Court nominee wants to overturn Chevron decision that requires judges to defer to agencies

Judge Neil Gorsuch testifies during the second day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill on March 21. MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

During sometimes tense confirmation hearings, senators grilled Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch in an attempt to draw out how he would shape future decisions. Perhaps the most consequential of Gorsuch’s views is his belief that a 1984 Supreme Court decision should be overturned.

At issue is the Supreme Court’s Chevron decision (Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.), which deals with the authority that federal agencies have to make rules.