Judge Amy Coney Barrett is now in her second day of questioning by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The high-stakes marathon hearings are touching on everything from abortion, to healthcare and the possibility of a disputed election.
ABC's Andrew Dymburt reports.
QUESTIONING BY MEMBERS OF THESENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.THE HIGH-STAKES MARATHONHEARINGS ARE TOUCHING ONEVERYTHING FROM ABORTION, TOHEALTHCARE AND THE POSSIBILITYOF A DISPUTED ELECTION.ABCS ANDREW DYMBURT REPORTS.JUDGE AMY CONEY BARRETT FACINGANOTHER ROUND OF QUESTIONINGFROM SENATORS TODAY - AFTER THEPRESIDENT'S SUPREME COURT PICKSAT THROUGH NEARLY 12 HOURS OFINTERROGATION BY LAWMAKERS ONTUESDAY.GRAHAM: SO FROM A CONSERVATIVEPOINT OF VIEW, GENERALLYSPEAKING, WE WANT LEGISLATIVEBODIES TO MAKE LAWS, NOTJUDGES, IS THAT CORRECT?BARRETT: THAT IS CORRECT.NOW, SENATORS WITH A SECONDOPPORTUNITY TO GRILL BARRETT ASSHE INCHES CLOSER TO SERVING ONTHE NATION'S HIGHEST COURT FORLIFE.FEINSTEIN: JUSTICE SCALIAQUESTIONED THE STRONGCONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT FORRE-ENACTMENT OF THE VOTINGRIGHTS ACT.// WHAT IS YOURYOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THEHISTORY OF THE VOTING RIGHTSACT?
BARRETT: WELL, WHEN ISAID THAT JUSTICE SCALIA'SPHILOSOPHY IS MINE, TOO, ICERTAINLY DIDN'T MEAN TO SAYTHAT EVERY SENTENCE THAT CAMEOUT OF JUSTICE SCALIA'S MOUTHOR EVERY SENTENCE THAT HE WROTEIS ONE THAT I WOULD AGREE WITH.DURING TUESDAY'S HEARING -DEMOCRATS FOCUSING THEIRINQUIRIES ON ISSUES OF GREATINTEREST TO MILLIONS OFAMERICANS, FROM THE AFFORDABLECARE ACT?
SOT HARRIS SOT:WOULD YOU CONSIDER THE 135MILLION PEOPLE WHO GAINEDPROTECTION UNDER THE AFFORDABLECARE ACT WHEN DECIDING THE CASETHAT CHALLENGES THAT LAW?"BARRETT SOT: I WOULD CONSIDERALL THE PROTECTIONS THATCONGRESS PUT IN PLACE.TO ABORTION RIGHTS.BARRETT, RECOUNTING SEVERALCASES CONSIDERED SUPER-PRECEDENTS, WHICH SHE BELIEVESCANNOT BE CHALLENGED.BUT ROE V.WADE WAS NOT ONE OF THEM.BARRETT SOT: ROE IS NOT A SUPERPRECEDENT BECAUSE CALLS FOR ITSOVERRULING HAVEN'T CEASED BUTIT DOESN'T MEAN ROE SHOULD BEOVERRULED.IT MEANS IT DOESN'T FALL UNDERTHE SMALL HANDFUL OF CASES THATNO ONE QUESTIONS ANYMOREAND WITH THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONLESS THAN THREE WEEKS AWAY,PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID HE'SCOUNTING ON BARRETT AND THECOURT TO "LOOK AT THE BALLOTS."ASKED WHETHER SHE WOULD RECUSEHERSELF FROM AN ELECTIONDISPUTE CASE, BARRETT NOTRULING IT OUT.BARRETT SOT I WOULD CONSIDER ITAND I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT ALLMEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE HAVEMORE CONFIDENCE IN MY INTEGRITYTHEN TO THINK THAT I WOULDALLOW MYSELF TO BE USED AS AFLOOR VOTE IN ABOUT TWOWEEKS?JUST DAYS BEFORE ELECTIONDAY.ANDREW DYMBURT ABC NEWS THECAPITOL.ADLIB WITH JUSTINWE'LL GET BACK TO THE LOW 90STHIS AFTERNOON WITH PLENTY OF
President Donald Trump's newest Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, could be confirmed as early as this evening.
