Or that it violates the clear president of the senate is simply false. The effect of the attacks on the members of this committee, on the republican side, and frankly against the president , it says that we are trying to engage in Court Packing. That is a novel one because it is actually the Senate Following standard procedure with regard to a vacancy that is now being accused of being Court Packing when my colleagues on the others are actually proposing Court Packing. That is statutorily, and with the signature of the president , changing the law to add more members of the court. Fdr tried this, and his effort was rejected. Threatening to pass a law and change the courts Court Packing. What were the arguments that were actually leveled against judge merrick . Well, the standard arguments. She is going to overturn all protections for women, she is going to change all of the laws in the country that protect Peoples Health care, and everyone in this country who has a preexisting condition or has any kind of way worry about getting support needs to worry that she is going to be an activist judge and go in there and change the law. She is not, and we all know that. This is simply the tired, worn out argument that is constantly made every time a republican president nominates a candidate for the bench, for the Supreme Court of the United States. True, and never been it will not be true with judge barrett. Well, thee attack is, republicans dont care about Peoples Health. They wont even try to get covid belief out. In thein a hearing Judiciary Committee when we ought to be passing covid relief , and i have heard many of my colleagues say the republicans are refusing to help when it comes to addressing the covid crisis. This coming from colleagues who a month or so ago voted unanimously to filibuster a 600 billion dollar covid relief package in the senate, a covid belief package i asked my staff to give me a quick summary of it that put somewhere between 500 billion and 600 billion into more Small Business loans, agriculture and farming assistance, Postal Service assistance, Education Assistance both at the Higher Education level and at k12, Health Care Assistance for pandemic preparation for strategic stockpiles for testing, for contact tracing, billions for vaccine and therapeutic and diagnostic development, and the list goes on. We were stopped from proceeding with this legislation by a filibuster of those who know accuse us of not wanting to try to do something. We stand ready. If you bill simply let us go to the legislation and pass it. Judge barrett, let me talk about you. You have exemplary conventionals, and you are exemplary you are qualified to be on the Supreme Court. You have written for the u. S. Of court of appeals for the district of columbia and the Supreme Court. Knows,cked, as everyone for none other than the late Justice Antonin Scalia a. Here barrett reflected on clerkship for him, citing his incalculable influence on her life. She also stated that his judicial philosophy is hers, too, and that a judge must apply the law as written. Thats what we need in our next Supreme Court justice. Rather than the activist justice that you are being accused of being. Judges are not policymakers, and they must be resolute in setting aside policy views that they may hold. I know you know that. Should we not take judge barrett at her word . As a judge, Supreme Court or otherwise, she must be dedicated to interpreting the law as written with an unparalleled commitment to our constitution. I have visited with her privately, i have reviewed her record, and i have seen nothing that would indicate that she is not telling the truth when she says that is her view of how a judge should conduct herself. Ofave met with a number Supreme Court nominees in my service in the senate, and throughout have continued to maintain an emphasis on following the law and upholding our constitution. And that that must be essential characteristic of the justices we select for this highly influential part of our government. Judges have a great responsibility to carefully exercise their authority within the limits of the law. Our court system has the responsibility to preserve our Constitutional Rights, and sure limited government, and provide speedy and fair justice. Following her clerkships, judge barrett spent time in private practice before beginning her tenure as a professor. Her cat that makes scholarship and lengthy analysis of issues make her uniquely well qualified to serve on our nations highest court. In particular, judge barretts thoughtful exploration of the president and the doctrine demonstrates that she is intellectual and deliberative in her understanding of the law. Moreover, it is evident that she understands the role of a fair and proper judge. In september 2017, judge Amy Coney Barrett came before the senate Judiciary Committee, this committee come after being nominated to the u. S. Circuit court of appeals for the second circuit. She repeatedly expressed her commitment to independent and unbiased decisionmaking. I was proud to support her confirmation to the court of appeals in both the committee and on the senate floor. Judge barretts remarkable resume shows she is a pioneer in the legal field. She will be the fifth woman at the first mother of schoolage children to serve on the Supreme Court. In many ways, she is the ideal candidate to fill this current vacancy. Esther chairman, i look forward to hearing more from the nominee mr. Chairman, i look forward to hearing more from the nominee. We will discuss with her at length the proper role of the judge in our legal system. I look forward to this hearing. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you. I believe, senator harris . Hello . Hello . We hear you. Mr. Chairman, this hearing wait one second. We dont see you. You dont see me . Congratulations with being on the ticket. There you go. Can you see me now . I see you, i hear you. The floor is yours. I appreciate it. Thank you, mr. Chairman. This hearing has brought together within 50 people inside of a closeddoor room for hours while our nation is facing a deadly airborne virus. The committee has ignored common what peoplets for face including not requiring testing for all members despite a coronavirus outbreak amongst senators of this very committee. A response to the recent senate outbreak, the leaders of Senate Republicans rightly postponed business on senate floor this week to protect the health and safety of senators and staff. Mr. Chairman, for the same reason, this hearing should have been postponed. The decision to hold this hearing now is placing workers, janitorial staff at risk. Not the senate should be prioritizing Coronavirus Relief and providing Financial Support for families. Havemerican people need to health, to make rent or their mortgage payments. We should provide Financial Assistance to those who have lost their jobs and help parents put food on the table. Asll businesses need help, do cities, towns, and hospitals that this crisis has pushed to the brink. The house bill comeau chupps family of Small Businesses get through this crisis but Senate Republicans have not lifted a finger for 150 days, which is how long that bill has been here in the senate. Yes, the committee is determined to rush a Supreme Court confirmation hearing through in 16 days. Senate republicans have made it Crystal Clear that rushing a Supreme Court nomination is more important than supporting the American People who are suffering from a deadly pandemic and a devastating economic precedent. Their priorities are not the American Peoples priorities. But for the moment, Senate Republicans hold a majority in the senate and determine the we are. , so here the constitution of the United States and trusts the senate with the solemn duty to carefully consider nominations for Lifetime Appointments to the United StatesSupreme Court, yet the Senate Majority is rushing this process and jamming President Trumps nominee through to the senate while the people are actually voting, just 22 days before the end of the election. E than 9 billion americans more than 9 million americans have already voted, and millions more will as this illegitimate process is underway. A majority of americans want whoever wins this election to pick the seat. And my republican colleagues know that. Yes, they are willingly defying the will of the people. 2017 remember, in President Trump and Congressional Republicans repeatedly tried to get rid of the Affordable Care act. People from all walks of life spoke out and demanded republicans stop trying to take away the american Peoples Health care. Republicans finally realized that the Affordable Care act is too popular to repeal and process, so now they are trying to bypass the will of the voters and have the Supreme Court do their dirty work. That is what President Trump nominated judges who will get rid of the Affordable Care act. Will be instration front of the Supreme Court on november 10 to argue that the entire Affordable Care act should be struck down. That is in 29 days. That is a big reason why Senate Republicans are rushing this. They are trying to get a justice on the court in time to ensure they can strip away the protections of the Affordable Care act, and if they succeed, it will result in millions of people losing access to health care as they were at the worst possible time, in the middle of a pandemic. 23 million americans could Lose Health Insurance altogether. If they succeed, they will eliminate protections for 130 5 million americans with preexisting conditions like diabetes and asthma, heart disease, cancer. That no now effect over 7 million americans who have contracted covid19. Insurance companies who deny coverage want to sell you a plan that wont pay a dime toward treating anything related to preexisting conditions. If the Affordable Care act is struck down, you will once again have to pay things like pay for things like these are not abstract issues. We need to be clear how overturning the Affordable Care act will impact the people we all represent. Andexample, 11yearold in southern california. A girl scout,eing i skinny, reading, eating pasta iceskating, reading, eating pasta. The only reason she can live the life that she does now is because the Affordable Care act guarantees that her health deny her does not coverage or limit her care. She has a congenital heart defect. She goes to multiple specialists throughout the year and gets an mri every six months. At just 11 months old, her family had already spent 50,000 in medical expenses, and her biannual mri costs were 15,000 a session. Family hads old, her 500,000 in medical expenses. If republicans succeed in striking down the Affordable Care act, Insurance Companies will be able to deny coverage to children of various conditions. As parents, they will be on their own. No one should face financial ruin to get their child or their spouse or their parent the care that they need, and no family should be kept from seeing a doctor or giving treatment because an Insurance Company says treatment is too expensive. In america, access to health care should not be determined based on how much money it has. Health care and access to health care should be a right. Micah and millions of others who are protected by the affordable they knowhat thisis at stake with Supreme Court nomination. Throughout our history, americans have brought cases to the United StatesSupreme Court in an ongoing fight for civil rights, human rights, and economic justice. Decisions like brown versus the board of education, which opened up Educational Opportunities for black boys and girls, roe v. Wade, which opened up a womans right to control her own body. Lovenizing that love is and that Marriage Equality is the law of the land. The United StatesSupreme Court is often the last refuge for equal justice when our Constitutional Rights are being violated. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg devoted her life to fight for equal justice, and she defended the constitution. She advocated for human rights and equality. She stood up for the rights of women. She protected workers. She fought for the rights of consumers against big corporations. She supported lgbtq rights. She did so much more. Thenow her legacy and rights she fought so hard to protect are in jeopardy. By replacing justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with someone who will undo her legacy, President Trump is attempting to rollback americans rights for decades to come. Every american must understand that with this nomination, equal justice under law is at stake. Stake. Ing rights are at workers rights are at stake. Consumer rights are at stake. The right to a safe and legal abortion is at stake. And Holding Corporations accountable is at stake. Again, there is so much more. So, mr. Chairman, i do believe this hearing is a clear attempt to jam through a Supreme Court nominee who will take Health Care Away from millions of people during a deadly pandemic that has already killed more than 214,000 americans. Protect theirust access to health care and weight to confirm a new Supreme Court justice until after americans thede who they want in white house. Thank you. Thank you, senator harris. This committee is gathered today for what i consider one of its most solemn duties and one take seriously. Federal judges, senators, the president of the United States, we all take an oath to uphold the constitution. We make promises to do justice, to tell the truth. At its core, thats what judges do, right . Figure out the truth, figure out justice