The Senate Judiciary Committee set an Oct. 22 vote on advancing the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett despite objections from Democrats who say the matter should wait until the next president takes office.
Senators voted along party lines, 12-10, to move forward with the vote next week. The vote sets in motion the likely confirmation of Barrett in the days before the Nov. 3 election.
Minority Whip Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, first objected by arguing the proceeding lacked a proper quorum of at least two minority members of the panel.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, told Democrats they would move ahead with a vote if they were in the same position.
“If we create this problem for you in the future, you are going to do what I’m going to do, which is move forward on the business of the committee.”
Lawmakers argued back and forth over whether Barrett’s nomination should proceed.
“Certainly you could have waited until the election was over, and then gone forward, but Republicans are willing to shred every principle of what this place has stood for,” Sen Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, said.
The vote followed two days of questioning of Barrett, a judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
On Thursday, lawmakers will hear from outside witnesses who support or oppose Barrett’s confirmation.
