⁍ Democratic senators painted President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett as a threat to the Obamacare healthcare law during a deadly pandemic.

---

⁍ Republican senators praised Barrett, an appellate court judge and a favorite of religious conservatives, as well qualified for a lifetime job on the high court.

---

⁍ Barrett’s confirmation would give the court a 6-3 conservative majority that could roll back abortion rights, expand religious and gun rights, and uphold Republican-backed voting restrictions.

---

– The confirmation hearing for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee kicked off Monday with Amy Coney Barrett wearing a black protective mask and speaking in front of a roomful of hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and water bottles, Reuters reports. “I believe Americans of all backgrounds deserve an independent Supreme Court that interprets our Constitution and laws as they are written,” Barrett said in her opening statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is considering her nomination to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Republican senators praised Barrett, an appellate court judge and a favorite of religious conservatives, as well qualified for a lifetime job on the high court and a worthy successor to the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Barrett wore a black protective face mask and sat at a table with bottles of water, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes within reach as senators—some present in the room and some on video links—made opening statements. Barrett, who had a bout with the coronavirus earlier in the year, removed her mask when she was sworn in to deliver her own opening statement. “I do believe this hearing is a clear attempt to jam through a Supreme Court nominee who will take away healthcare from millions of people during a deadly pandemic that has already killed more than 214,000 Americans,” Kamala Harris said, speaking via a video link. Harris, the running mate of Trump’s Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, said the hearing should have been delayed because of concerns about the H1N1 virus, but it is being held so close to an election.