Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Want a daily digest of the top Nashville news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Nashville newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Columbus news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Columbus newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Dallas news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Dallas newsletter.
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that she doesn't have a judicial "agenda" on abortion — and declined to answer if she believes that Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided and can be overturned.
Why it matters: Barrett, whose confirmation would tilt the balance of the Supreme Court to a 6-3 conservative majority, is under pressure by Senate Democrats to outline how she would rule on health care, elections and abortion cases. In 2006, Barrett signed an open letter calling Roe v. Wade "barbaric" and "an exercise of raw judicial power."
What she's saying: "I completely understand why you're asking the question, but, again, I can't pre-commit or say, 'Yes, I'm going in with some agenda,' because I'm not. ... I have an agenda to stick to the rule of law and decide cases as they come."
The big picture: Barrett's confirmation process began in the Senate on Monday and is on track to take less than a month.
- Her opening statement noted that "policy decisions and value judgments of government must be made by the political branches elected by and accountable to the People" — not the judicial branch.
- "Courts have a vital responsibility to enforce the rule of law, which is critical to a free society. But courts are not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life," Barrett said at Monday's hearing.
Go deeper: How Amy Coney Barrett would change the way the Supreme Court works