Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer took to the chamber floor during a rare Saturday session to demand Republicans take up COVID relief bills instead of continuing to process Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation.
The New York Democrat touted the HEROES Act, which the Democratic-led House passed months ago, noting schools need money to reopen safely and people need to be protected from evictions during the pandemic.
“If Leader McConnell and his Republican majority had an ounce of concern for average American families, they would halt this sham Supreme Court process and join us in taking up the critical pieces of legislation which my colleagues and I will be putting on the floor all afternoon,” Mr. Schumer said.
Republicans, though, rebuffed the Democratic leader’s efforts, saying they have put forward their own COVID relief negotiations but Democrats have been rejecting those efforts to compromise.
“It’s about trying to block a well-qualified judge to the Supreme Court simply because they don’t like the process and I understand that but this is a constitutional process — this is a vacancy,” said Sen. John Thune, South Dakota Republican.
He said Democrats have already moved to adjourn multiple times this past week, arguing they will try to claim the GOP is blocking coronavirus relief but Democrats have wanted to halt Senate business to stop the high court confirmation.
Democrats have been frustrated that the GOP has moved forward with the high court nominee weeks before the Nov. 3 elections. They were hoping to delay the process so that if Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden wins, he could fill the high court vacancy.
The Senate is expected to vote on Judge Barrett’s confirmation on Monday.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.