The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to advance Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Senate floor for a full confirmation vote.
The vote was 12-0, with zero Democrats present. Democrats on the committee boycotted the committee vote on Barrett and instead filled their seats in the committee with life-sized posters of people who could be hurt if the Affordable Care Act were to be repealed. Democrats have been saying if Barrett is confirmed, she will be the one to give the deciding vote on repealing the Affordable Care Act.
Images of people who have been helped by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) occupy the seats of Democratic senators boycotting a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to be an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court on October 22, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Caroline Brehman – Pool/Getty Images)
In early October, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats will not “supply quorum” for votes in the Senate as a way to try and block the confirmation of Barrett before the election. (RELATED: Schumer Says Democrats Will Try To Block Barrett Confirmation By Not Giving Republicans Quorum)
A quorum is the minimum number of members present either in a committee or the entire Senate to hold votes, Fox News reported. The quorum in the Senate is 51 members.
“We will talk about when the actual vote occurs in committee and on the floor. Democrats will not supply the quorum,” Schumer said during the press conference. “Period.” (RELATED: Senate Will Vote To Confirm Amy Coney Barrett October 26, Announces Senate Majority Leader McConnell)
During that press conference, Schumer slammed Republicans for pushing Barrett’s confirmation forward, saying Senate Democrats will do everything they can to prevent Barrett from being confirmed.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday that the Senate would vote Oct. 26 to confirm Barrett.