Democrats on the panel, who plan to fill their seats during the polls, are drawing attention to a court case over the constitutionality of the 2010 Health Care Act, relying on the Affordable Care Act.
“This has been a shameful process from the beginning,” the Senate Democrats said in a statement. “During the global epidemic and the ongoing election, Republicans are rushing to the Supreme Court Justice to confirm that they will take care of the health of millions of people and implement the ultimately and deeply ingrained obsolete agenda that they have been unable to achieve through Congress.”
Lindsay Graham, chairman of the Republican Senate Judiciary of South Carolina, said the G.O.P. Moving on with the vote, Monday’s confirmation vote by the full Senate is being set up, and one of the fastest nomination procedures in modern times.
“Judge Amy Connie Barrett is one of the most deserving people to be nominated as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court,” Graham said in a statement. “It will confidently apply the law to facts without a personal agenda and fully understand the difference between an impartial judge and a political activist.”
Democrats accused Graham of breaking the Judiciary Committee rule Thursday, saying two members of a minority party should be present “for the purpose of conducting a transaction.” But Republicans denied that another, said in the Senate ruling, only required a majority of the committee to be present to physically inform the nominee.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has led a Republican strategy to change the judiciary, confirming more than 200 candidates since President Donald Trump’s inauguration. In spring 2016, McConnell blocked Obama’s candidate for the vacant seat of Sclia, Judge Merrick Garland, arguing that since it was an election year, the country should choose a new president to choose a lifelong appointment.
Last week, Republicans denied their rhetoric, blocking a proposal from Senate Democrats to postpone nomination proceedings indefinitely. McConnell said Republicans plan to confirm Barrett by the end of the month. “We have votes,” he said.
The story has been updated on Thursday with additional developments.
CNN’s Manu Raju and Ted Barrett contributed to this report.
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