Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyThe Hill's 12:30 Report: Ginsburg lies in repose Top GOP senators say Hunter Biden's work 'cast a shadow' over Obama Ukraine policy Read: Senate GOP's controversial Biden report MORE (R-Iowa) said on Thursday that a bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE from getting fired should get a vote on the Senate floor.

“It’s legitimate that the bill be brought up,” he said. “It would satisfy me if it became law because I voted for it.”

The Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act passed out of the Judiciary Committee in April with a 14-7 vote.

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Grassley, who voted for the legislation when it passed out of the Judiciary Committee, made his comments after he had to hold over judicial nominees at a committee business meeting because of opposition from Sen. Jeff Flake Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeHow fast population growth made Arizona a swing state Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Republican former Michigan governor says he's voting for Biden MORE (R-Ariz.).

Flake says he will block judicial nominees from coming to the floor until the special counsel protection bill gets a vote on the Senate floor.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellFEC flags McConnell campaign over suspected accounting errors Poll: 59 percent think president elected in November should name next Supreme Court justice Mark Kelly: Arizona Senate race winner should be sworn in 'promptly' MORE (R-Ky.) on Wednesday blocked an effort by Flake and Sen. Christopher Coons Christopher (Chris) Andrew CoonsMurkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight Sunday shows - Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death dominates MORE (D-Del.) to call up the legislation for a floor vote.

Grassley said on Thursday that while he’s not at the “forefront” with Flake in pressuring McConnell, he thinks the legislation should pass.

“I’m not going to be in forefront with Flake advocating that the leader do so and so, but I wouldn’t do anything to stop it,” he said. “Usually, a chairman of a committee if he doesn’t want a bill brought up can … object to unanimous consent.”

Flake on Thursday said the legislation would pass if it came to the floor.

“There are some who are not on the committee who will vote for this,” he said of Senate GOP colleagues. “It will pass on the floor.”

He said McConnell doesn’t want to bring it to the floor because he’s worried about angering President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE.

The legislation would codify existing Department of Justice regulations requiring that the special counsel can only be fired for good cause by a Senate-confirmed Justice Department official.

It would also create a 10-day window for a judge to decide whether any termination of a special counsel is for good cause and stop the firing if it fails to meet the cause requirement.

Trump on Thursday renewed his criticism of Mueller’s investigation into his administration.

“Universities will someday study what highly conflicted (and NOT Senate approved) Bob Mueller and his gang of Democrat thugs have done to destroy people,” the president tweeted.

Flake on Thursday reiterated his position that he will block judicial nominees, even those he supports, in the Judiciary Committee until the special counsel protection bill comes up for a vote.

The committee is narrowly divided with 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats. As a result, Flake can stop nominees from being reported with favorable recommendations.

Grassley said he won’t be able to move nominees to the floor as a result, though he noted there are already 30 nominees that have already been passed through committee and are waiting for floor action.

He said that some judges may be able to move with Democratic votes but conceded that he “wouldn’t get them all out.”

Grassley discounted the possibility of McConnell moving nominees directly to the floor without favorable committee votes.

“That’s never been done as far as I know,” he said. “I don’t think that would be done.”

Updated at 12:37 p.m.