Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead in a hunting resort in West Texas Saturday morning.

Scalia served as a member of the Supreme Court since 1986 after being appointed by Ronald Reagan. He was known for his always literal interpretation of the constitution, leading to controversy for his views of abortion, gay, marriage, and affirmative action.

With his recent passing, the Supreme Court now contains eight members, meaning that any decisions being made, could end in a 4-4 tie. If this were to happen, the decision would then be given back to the minor courts original decision.

As it currently stands, it is Obama’s job to appoint the newest member of the Supreme Court. However, the Senate must also agree with his choice. With Obama’s presidency coming to an end within the next 11 months, Republicans have made it clear they are prepared to block any decisions he makes.

 Despite this pushback, Obama will still appoint the member he sees best fit.

“There is plenty of time for me to do so, and for the Senate, to fulfill its responsibility, to give that person a fair hearing, and a timely vote. These are responsibilities that I take very seriously, as should everyone,” Obama said.