Supermajority’s Statement on the Confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court

Tonight’s news that the Senate pushed through the appointment of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States is despicable.

This was a sham confirmation process from the start, motivated by the President’s and the Republican Party’s desire to ram through their deeply unpopular agenda by any means necessary.

Instead of focusing on economic relief for the millions of Americans who are suffering through a catastrophic pandemic right now, they spent their time and energy on this appointment.

Instead of protecting and expanding healthcare for millions of Americans in the middle of a long and deadly outbreak, the President and Republicans rushed through confirming a Supreme Court Justice who will almost certainly be the deciding vote to gut the Affordable Care Act. This will leave tens of millions of Americans – including those with preexisting conditions – to fend for themselves, all while the number of COVID-19 cases rise, hospitals fill up, and hundreds of thousands of Americans continue to die. 

Instead of listening to the will of the people, who overwhelmingly supported waiting until after the winner of the presidential election was sworn in, the President and Republicans rammed through this lifetime appointment. An appointment that, based on her record, also threatens racial justice, LGBTQ rights, and reproductive rights. 

Make no mistake, our lives – especially those of black and brown women – are at risk with this appointment.