Republican senators are looking to swiftly confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. In a 20-minute Rose Garden ceremony, Trump touted Barrett’s qualifications.
“Her qualifications are unsurpassed, and her record is beyond reproach. This should be a straightforward and prompt confirmation,” the president said, according to USA Today.
With the upcoming election rapidly approaching, Trump is attempting to appoint Barrett before a possible change in office.
“The White House has already set up meetings for Barrett on Capitol Hill, the traditional first step toward Senate confirmation,” USA Today reported.
The second step in this process is for the Senate Judiciary Committee to “vet the nominee and hold confirmation hearings,” according to CBS News. Barrett was already vetted by the committee in 2018 as a finalist for Justice Anthony Kennedy’s seat.
To confirm the nominee, the Senate must vote by a simple majority. In 2018, the vote for Brett Kavanaugh was 50 to 48, a very slim majority.
“Barrett’s confirmation would give conservatives a 6–3 majority on the Supreme Court and a lasting insurance policy in case Trump lost his bid for a second term,” The Atlantic reported.
According to The Atlantic, two Republican senators already planned to vote against Barrett before the Rose Garden ceremony.
“Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have said they oppose holding a vote to confirm a Supreme Court justice before the election,” the article said.
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell announced on Saturday that the Senate would not meet next week as scheduled, due to three senators testing positive for COVID-19.
“The Senate’s floor schedule will not interrupt the thorough, fair and historically supported confirmation process previously laid out,” McConnell said.
According to The New York Times, he added that the Senate Judiciary Committee had “successfully” met with senators appearing both in person and virtually since May.
The Times reported on Oct. 4 that “Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the Judiciary Committee chairman, said on Friday that his panel would begin four days of public hearings on Judge Barrett’s nomination on Oct. 12, as scheduled.”
