WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate Judiciary Committee voted on Monday to advance the nomination of Merrick Garland, President Joe Biden’s nominee for attorney general. The committee voted 15 to seven at a meeting. Garland is a federal appeals court judge who was snubbed by Republicans for a seat on the Supreme Court in 2016. He’s among Biden’s most widely supported nominees. The committee’s vote puts him on track for a quick confirmation, potentially within days. The committee’s chairman, Sen. Dick Durbin, praised Garland as a highly qualified and honorable jurist who is uniquely qualified to lead the Justice Department after a tumultuous four years under former President Donald Trump.