Senate Judiciary Committee to Vote on Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court Nomination Thursday

What’s the story?

• The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote Thursday on advancing Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination to the Senate floor ahead of an expected confirmation vote on Monday, October 26th.
• In his announcement of the committee’s vote, Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said of Barrett that, “I have had an opportunity to witness several people apply for the job of Supreme Court Justice. I have never met a more amazing person in my life than Judge Barrett.” He added:

“There is a seat waiting for Judge Barrett on the Court, and God-willing she will be voted out of committee and confirmed swiftly.”

• Senate Democrats haven’t indicated whether they will attempt to deny a quorum for votes on the nomination in the committee or on the floor, but Republicans have said they will respond in a way that allows it to proceed if that transpires. 

What happens after the committee vote?

• Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Tuesday provided an update on Judge Barrett’s confirmation timeline:

“We’ll be voting to confirm Justice-to be Barrett next Monday, and I think that will be another signature accomplishment in our effort to put on the federal courts men and women who believe in the quaint notion that the job of a judge is to follow the law.”

• Under McConnell’s timeline, after the committee’s vote on Thursday he will file a cloture motion on Barrett’s nomination on Friday. The motion will have to “ripen” for an intervening day before it can receive a vote, so in this case the intervening day is Saturday. 
• At a time to-be-announced on Sunday, the Senate will vote to “invoke” the cloture motion and limit further debate on Judge Barrett’s nomination to 30 hours. It only takes a simple majority to invoke cloture on nominations, and there are at least 51 votes among Senate Republicans in favor of Barrett’s nomination.
• The timing of Judge Barrett’s confirmation vote on Monday will depend on the timing of Sunday’s procedural vote, but will likely occur in the late afternoon or evening. 

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— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Barrett: Rachel Malehorn - smugmug.com via Wikimedia / Creative Commons | Supreme Court: iStock.com / crbellette)