The Senate will vote Monday on confirming President Trump’s nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, to the Supreme Court.
“With regard to the Supreme Court justice … we’ll be voting to confirm justice-to-be Barrett next Monday,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said during a weekly press conference, confirming the timing of a final vote on her nomination.
“I think that will be another signature accomplishment in our effort to put on the courts, the federal courts, men and women that believe in the quaint notion that maybe the job of a judge is to actually follow the law,” McConnell added.
Top GOP senators and aides had previously indicated to The Hill that they were likely to set up the final vote for Monday, allowing vulnerable GOP senators to spend the final week before the election back on the campaign trail.
To set up a final vote on Monday, McConnell is expected to tee up Barrett’s nomination Friday, a day after the Judiciary Committee is expected to sign off on her nomination.
The Senate will then hold a procedural vote Sunday. After that, senators could still debate her nomination for an additional 30 hours.
Republicans appear confident they will have the votes to put Barrett on the Supreme Court, setting a new record for the closest to a presidential election a nominee has been confirmed. Though other judicial nominees have been confirmed in a fewer number of days, they were further away from Election Day.
Because Republicans hold 53 Senate seats, Barrett could lose three GOP senators and still be confirmed by letting Vice President Pence break a tie. If Pence is needed, it would be the first time a vice president has had to weigh in on a Senate Supreme Court confirmation vote.
Only Republican Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) has said she will oppose Barrett because she does not believe a nominee should be considered before the election. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has said she does not believe a nominee should be taken up, but hasn’t said how she will vote on Barrett’s nomination.
Murkowksi is expected to meet with Barrett this week.