Senate will move closer to confirming Amy Coney Barrett to Supreme Court with procedural vote just 10 days before Election Day
The Senate is scheduled to hold a vote Sunday afternoon on ending the debate on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, paving the way for a smooth ride toward a confirmation vote Monday.
The upper chamber plans to move closer toward a final confirmation vote on President Donald Trump's controversial nominee just 10 days before Election Day.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced last week that he would hold the vote Monday to confirm Barrett following a contentious hearing process with not a single Democrat showing up to vote Barrett out of committee.
Barrett’s confirmation is almost certain as Republicans control the Senate 53-47 and there is no indication of an internal revolt against the conservative appeals court judge taking up a lifetime appointment to the highest U.S. court despite Democrtic opposition.
The Republican-majority Senate will move Sunday to vote on ending debate over Amy Coney Barrett's nomination, paving the way for her confirmation on Monday
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell scheduled a vote on President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee on Monday despite Democratic opposition
One of two Republicans who had opposed the swift confirmation, Senator Lisa Murkowski, said Saturday that she would vote to confirm Barrett despite reservations regarding the rushed process
"I have no doubt about her capability to do the job and to do it well," the Alaska senator said.
The vote Sunday afternoon will end debate on Barrett’s nomination, teeing up the final vote that is likely to take place on Monday evening.
With Barrett, the Supreme Court would have a solid 6-3 conservative majority that could last for years – as her confirmation to take late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat would dramatically change the makeup of the court.
In the short term, Barrett could weigh in on election and voting cases involving the Trump campaign before or after Election Day.
Trump has said he believes the Supreme Court will decide the election's outcome and has made clear he wants Barrett on the bench for any election-related cases.
Barrett is also likely to participate in the Nov. 10 oral arguments in which Trump and fellow Republicans are asking the court to strike down the Affordable Care Act, the health reform law known as Obamacare.
A favorite of Christian conservatives, Barrett frustrated Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats during her confirmation hearing this month by sidestepping questions on abortion, presidential powers, climate change, voting rights, Obamacare and other issues.
Democrats boycotted the committee vote on Thursday that advanced the nomination to a final vote on the Senate floor.
Barrett, nominated on Sept. 26 to succeed Ginsburg, has criticized previous rulings upholding Obamacare but said during her confirmation hearing she has no agenda to invalidate the measure.
Democrats were incensed that Republicans moved forward with Barrett's confirmation process so near an election after refusing in 2016 to allow the chamber to act on a Supreme Court nomination by Trump's Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, because it was an election year.
Republicans are hoping Barrett's confirmation can give a boost to Trump and incumbent senators in the party facing tough re-election fights.
Barrett, 48, has been a federal appeals court judge since 2017 and previously was a legal scholar at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.