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Senate panel votes to confirm Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett

By Daniel Uria   |   Updated Oct. 22, 2020 at 9:29 AM
Amy Coney Barrett is sworn in as a U.S. Supreme Court justice in a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on Monday, October 26, 2020. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI Barrett will take the official oath tomorrow at the Supreme Court on Tuesday, allowing her to begin work on the court and establishing a 6-3 conservative majority. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI Supporters rally for Judge Amy Coney Barrett as the Senate voted 52-48 in favor of confirming her nomination to the Supreme Court. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI Protesters oppose Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court, as Democrats have criticized Republicans for rushing the confirmation ahead of November's election. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks on the steps of the U.S. Capitol at a news conference after Democrats boycotted the Senate Judiciary Committee vote on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court on October 22. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks during her weekly news conference at the U.S. Capitol after Democrats boycotted the vote on Barrett. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI Images of people who've been helped by the Affordable Care Act occupy the seats of Democratic senators who boycotted the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Barrett. The Republican-dominated committee voted to advance her nomination to the full Senate. Pool Photo by Caroline Brehman/UPI Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., presides next to an image of people who've been helped by the Affordable Care Act occupying the seat of ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who along with fellow Democratic committee members boycotted the meeting. The high court will soon hear a challenge to the ACA. Pool Photo by Hannah McKay/UPI Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, takes a cellphone photo of the empty Democratic senators' seats. Pool Photo by Caroline Brehman/UPI "Handmaids Brigade" protesters stand in front of the Supreme Court prior to the committee's vote on Barrett's nomination. The costumes are a reference to the Hulu adaptation of the Margaret Atwood novel, "The Handmaid's Tale," which depicts a world in which women are stripped of their rights. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI Barrett meets with senators on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on October 21. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI A full Senate vote on Barrett's confirmation has been scheduled for October 26. Pool Photo by Greg Nash/UPI Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz, (L) meets with Barrett on October 21. Pool Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI Barrett wears a protective mask as she meets with Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on October 21. Pool Photo by Stefani Reynolds/UPI Barrett (L) meets with Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. Pool Photo by Jacquelyn Martin/UPI Kristen Clarke testifies via video during the last day of confirmation hearings for Barrett before the Senate Judiciary Committee on October 15. Pool Photo by Susan Walsh/UPI Supporters rally in support of Barrett's nomination outside the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., during the committee's final day of hearings. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI Demonstrators wear "Handmaid's Tale" costumes as they protest outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. The costumes are a reference to the Hulu adaptation of the Margaret Atwood novel, which depicts a world in which women are stripped of their rights. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., speaks before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Pool Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI Professor Saikrishna Prakash of the University of Virginia School of Law testifies in favor of Barrett's confirmation. Pool Photo by Shawn Thew/UPI Laura Wolk, a former law clerk for Barrett, testifies to the committee. Pool Photo by Susan Walsh/UPI Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., takes part in a meeting before witness testimony. Pool Photo by Mandel Ngan/UPI American Bar Association representative Pamela J. Roberts (R) testifies before the committee on Barrett's legal qualifications to ascend to the high court. Pool Photo by Shawn Thew/UPI Senator Cory Booker, D-N.J., delivers remarks during the confirmation hearing. Pool Photo by Jonathan Ernst/UPI Graham (L) and ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., attend the committee's executive business meeting. Pool Photo By Tom Williams/UPI Barrett answers questions on the third day of her confirmation hearing, though she declined to state her views on many issues. Pool Photo by Drew Angerer/UPI Barrett's family members are seated behind her during the hearing. Pool Photo by Susan Walsh/UPI Graham (L) confers with Feinstein during the third day of Barrett's confirmation hearings. Pool Photo by Michael Reynolds/UPI Barrett smiles as she answers questions. Pool Photo by Michael Reynolds/UPI Sen. John Cornyn (L), R-Texas, and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., participate in the third day of hearings. Pool Photo by Drew Angerer/UPI Barrett answers questions on the second day of her confirmation hearing on October 13. Pool Photo by Leah Millis/UPI Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, wears a face mask designed like the Texas flag as Barrett appears before the committee. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI Barrett refused to answer questions about her opinion of the 1973 Roe vs. Wade ruling that legalized abortion. "It would be wrong for me to do that as a sitting judge," she said. Pool Photo By Tom Williams/UPI Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., speaks with a tweet displayed from President Donald Trump during the hearing. Pool Photo by Patrick Semansky/UPI Barrett told the committee members she would be able to set aside her own strong religious beliefs and rule with impartiality on all legal matters presented to the high court. Pool Photo by Shawn Thew/UPI Cruz speaks during the hearing. Pool Photo by Patrick Semansky/UPI Barrett sits in front of her family. Pool photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI Barrett removes her face mask when she returns from a break. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., (R) speaks at the hearing. Pool Photo by Erin Schaff/UPI Barrett introduces members of her family to the committee. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI Her husband, Jesse Barrett (R), and son John Peter sit behind her. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI Graham (L) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., speak before the hearing. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI Barrett delivers her opening remarks on October 12. Pool Photo by Erin Schaff/UPI Barrett, 48, removes her mask to speak. Pool Photo by Win McNamee//UPI Barrett's youngest daughter, Juliet Barrett (L), stands with her father, Jesse Barrett, behind the judge. The Barretts have seven children. Pool Photo by Leah Millis/UPI Barrett is sworn in for the hearing. Pool Photo by Greg Nash/UPI The hearings are expected to last four days. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI Ranking Judiciary Committee member Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., said Barrett's nomination is a threat to the Affordable Care Act. A challenge to the healthcare law is to go before the Supreme Court in November. Pool Photo by Stefani Reynolds/UPI Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., who is running for vice president, speaks via video during Monday's hearing as Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., listens. Harris criticized the decision to hold the hearing during the coronavirus pandemic. Pool Photo by Patrick Semansky/UPI Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., defended the decision to go ahead with Barrett's confirmation hearings as a constitutional duty. Pool Photo by Stefani Reynolds/UPI Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, wears a face mask depicting Ginsburg at Monday's hearing. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI Demonstrators rally in front of the Supreme Court in support of Barrett's nomination. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI Demonstrators rally in front of the Supreme Court in support of Barrett's confirmation. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI Barrett goes to the U.S. Capitol to meet with Republican senators ahead of her confirmation hearing on October 1. Pool Photo by Caroline Brehman/UPI Barrett (L) meets with Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, on September 30. Democrats have refused to meet with Barrett, citing opposition to moving ahead with her confirmation so close to the Nov. 3 presidential election. Pool Photo by Tom Williams/UPI Barrett (L) listens as Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., answers reporters' questions before a meeting in the Mansfield Room of the Capitol on September 29. Pool Photo by Chip Somodevilla/UPI Barrett, 48, has seven children under age 20. Pool Photo by Greg Nash/UPI Barrett (L) meets with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has vowed to push ahead with her confirmation. The move follows his refusal to grant the same courtesy to President Barack Obama's nominee after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia before the 2016 election. Pool Photo by Susan Walsh/UPI Demonstrators with the Poor People's Campaign walk to the Hart Senate Office Building on September 29 as Barrett meets with Senate Republicans. The group was demonstrating against her nomination. Photo by Stefani Reynolds/UPI From left to right, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, Barrett, Vice President Mike Pence and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows escort Barrett to the Senate for meetings. Pool Photo by Susan Walsh/UPI Barrett and Pence walk up the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Pool Photo by Erin Schaff/UPI Barrett (C) meets with Pence (L) and McConnell. Pool Photo by Erin Schaff/UPI Barrett (L) walks to the White House Rose Garden as President Donald Trump announces her as his nominee to the Supreme Court on September 26. Photo by Shawn Thew/UPI Trump is nominating Barrett to fill the vacancy left by Ginsburg's death on September 18. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI If confirmed, Barrett will be Trump's third appointment to the Supreme Court and the fifth woman to serve. Photo by Shawn Thew/UPI

Oct. 22 (UPI) -- About a month after President Donald Trump nominated her for the U.S. Supreme Court, the Senate judiciary committee on Thursday approved Judge Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation and sent it to the full Senate for a final vote.

Her nomination now approved by the committee, it will advance for a full Senate vote, which Republican leader Mitch McConnell said will occur on Monday.

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The panel's 12 Republican members voted in favor of Barrett's nomination and all 10 Democratic members boycotted the hearing and did not vote.

Trump nominated Barrett to the high court on Sept. 26 to succeed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died a week earlier.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer tweeted Wednesday that Democrats in the chamber would boycott the "illegitimate markup" of Barrett's nomination and not provide the required quorum. But Republicans had the ability to make a procedural change and approve the appointment.

Schumer also said he would force a vote to adjourn the Senate until after the Nov. 3 election, a move aimed at preventing the chamber from giving Barrett a final vote.

"We are not going to have business as usual here in the Senate while Republicans try to use an illegitimate process to jam through a Supreme Court nominee," he wrote.

Democrats have accused Republicans of hypocrisy after McConnell blocked former President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland in 2016, arguing that no justice should be nominated in a presidential election year.

Republicans have argued that Barrett's nomination is different because they control both the Senate and the presidency.

Before she died, Ginsburg also expressed a wish that her successor be chosen by whoever wins the presidency on Nov. 3.

Barrett, a 48-year-old judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, last week was grilled by Democrats about her stances on various issues, including the landmark abortion rights case Roe vs. Wade and the Affordable Care Act, as her confirmation would grant conservatives a 6-3 majority on the high court.

Her nomination has also been a regular topic during presidential debates, where Democratic nominee Joe Biden has opposed her confirmation.

"The American people have a right to have a say in who this Supreme Court nominee is and that say occurs when they vote for United States senators and when they vote for president of the United States," Biden said during the first debate in September. "They're not going to get that chance now because we're in the middle of an election already."

At a town hall event in Miami last week, Trump made a different argument, saying "the whole ball game changed" because Democrats staunchly opposed his nomination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 over accusations of sexual assault.

Ultimately, Barrett has received overwhelming support from Republicans who are expected to vote for confirmation. Democrats have refused to meet with her on Capitol Hill in recent weeks due to their opposition.

"This is the first time in American history that we have nominated a woman who is unashamedly pro-life and embraces her faith without apology and she's going to the court. A seat at the table is waiting on you," judiciary committee chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Barrett during one of the meetings last week.

Graham has particularly been accused of hypocrisy, after publicly stating twice in 2017 that Republican senators would never favor a Supreme Court nominee if a vacancy came open before the 2020 election. He's in a close battle to keep his Senate seat in a race with Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison.