The U.S. Supreme Court starts a new term today,
and while some significant cases are pending - it is still unknown what
lies ahead following the death of Justice Ruth
Bader Ginsburg.
Senate Republicans are trying to quickly confirm Supreme Court nominee
Amy Coney Barrett as the successor for Justice Ginsburg. "I’ve
been a leader on getting conservative judges on the Supreme
Court, and the best is yet to come," says Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South
Carolina).
A week after the presidential
election, the court will hear arguments in a bid by the Trump administration
and Republican-led states to overturn the Obama-era health care law. The court
is also confronting cases related to the election and to religious rights.
In an email obtained by CNN, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told his
Republican colleagues he needs all of them back on Oct.
19 to ensure a quorum.
However, once again,
COVID-19 is a factor. "Think
about the health risks involved here. I mean Dianne Feinstein, the
ranking Democrat, is 87 years old. Chuck Grassley who is on the Judiciary
Committee is also in his mid-80s," says CNN Chief Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin.
Several senators, including
Republicans Thom Tillis, Ron Johnson and Mike Lee, have
recently tested positive for the virus.
Democrats are calling on
McConnell to put the process on hold.
"Even though he has
said it's not safe for the Senate to meet in session, but it's OK to have the hearings?" wonders Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer
(D-NY).
Some Republicans say things can move forward safely. "I've got a job to do and I'm pressing
on," says Sen. Graham.
While some analysts say work on Capitol Hill presents risks. "There is COVID
swirling through the United States Senate, and they
are expecting these senators to sit right next to each other, hour after hour,
day after day," says Toobin.