Senate Democrats on Wednesday forced the Senate to adjourn shortly after 1 p.m. to protest the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, although the move did not disrupt the ongoing confirmation hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Under Senate rules, unanimous consent is required for committees to hold hearings after 2 p.m. But Democrats withheld that consent, and without it, Republicans had to choose between either keeping the Senate in session and shutting down Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing, or adjourning the Senate so the hearing could continue.