Senate Panel Advances Amy Coney Barrett Supreme Court Nomination

WASHINGTON, DC — The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to approve the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett on Thursday, setting up a confirmation by the full Senate on Monday.

All 12 Republican members of the committee voted in favor of the Barrett nomination while the Democrats were not present for the vote, skipping it in protest.

In a statement Wednesday with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, the committee Democrats said they will “not grant this process any further legitimacy by participating in a committee markup of this nomination just twelve days before the culmination of an election that is already underway.”

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Barrett could be confirmed by a full vote of the Senate on Monday. Republicans have control of both the panel and the full Senate.

She could be sworn in as a justice almost immediately, just a week before the election.

Republicans are expected to easily confirm Barrett once her nomination reaches the Senate. They control the chamber by a 53-47 margin, and only one Republican, Maine Sen. Susan Collins, is a certain “no” vote. A second Republican, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, has said she opposes filling the seat before the election.

Still, senators will have to pass through several procedural steps before the final tally. In addition to boycotting the committee hearing, Democrats objecting to the nomination are expected to force multiple floor votes over the weekend, potentially keeping Republican senators in Washington who would otherwise be at home campaigning.

President Donald Trump nominated Barrett to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the nation's highest court. Ginsburg, a Supreme Court justice since 1993, died last month at age 87.

A confirmation of Barrett would cement a 6-3 conservative majority on the court.

Watch a replay of the committee vote in the video player above or on the PBSNewsHour YouTube channel.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.