Judge Amy Coney Barrett testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Oct. 14 in Washington, DC. Photo: Anna Moneymaker-Pool/Getty Images
Judge Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination will move forward with a committee vote on Oct. 22, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced Thursday, following standard procedure.
The big picture: Senate Republicans have said they plan to confirm Barrett with a full floor vote before Election Day — only 12 days after the committee vote.
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The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday advanced the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court despite a boycott by Democratic senators.
The big picture: The 12 Republicans on the panel voted in favor of advancing the nomination while the committee's 10 Democrats submitted no votes. Democrats instead placed enlarged photos of Affordable Care Act beneficiaries in their seats, drawing attention to the upcoming Supreme Court case on the legislation. A full Senate vote on Barrett's nomination is set for Oct. 26.
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Joe Biden told CBS' "60 Minutes" this week that, if elected, he would put together a bipartisan commission to study the federal court system and make recommendations for reform.
Why it matters: Biden has come under pressure to clarify his position on court packing after some Democrats suggested expanding the court if Senate Republicans confirm President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
People stand in line to vote early in Fairfax, Virginia in September. Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
Americans have cast more than 47.1 million ballots in the 2020 presidential election, surpassing the total early-vote count for 2016 with 12 days left until Election Day, according to a Washington Post analysis of voting data.
Why it matters: The election is already underway, as many states have expanded early and mail-in voting options because of the coronavirus pandemic.