I'm generally not in favor of meaningless gestures, but.....

[Tommy_Carcetti]

.....I wonder if Democrats should demand an up and down vote on Merrick Garland before any discussion of Gorsuch begins.

It would undoubtedly fail given the Senate makeup, but at least it would serve as an acknowledgement that a President should be entitled to consideration of a judicial candidate of his choosing that he submits to the Senate for approval.

[femmocrat]

1. Didn't his nomination expire when the new congress came in?

I remember a lot of people were calling for a recess appointment which had to be done before Jan. 3 (I think).

I don't think his nomination is still pending before the Senate.

Yep, I was right.....

Garland's nomination expired on January 3, 2017, with the end of the 114th Congress. The nomination remained before the Senate for 293 days, more than twice as long as any other Supreme Court nomination. President Donald Trump, a Republican, instead nominated Neil Gorsuch on January 31, 2017.
Merrick Garland Supreme Court nomination - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrick_Garland_Supreme_Court_nominatio