Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Senate’s Confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding his vote in opposition to the Senate’s confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to serve on the Supreme Court: 

“Today is a bleak day for the United States Senate and the country. This day will long be remembered as the moment when Republicans tore up their own rules to ignore the will of the American people and pack the Supreme Court with right-wing ideologues who will compromise Americans’ rights and civil liberties. They were hell-bent on installing a Trump nominee whose record demonstrates she is a threat to vital health care for millions of Americans, women’s reproductive freedoms, voting rights, and could jeopardize measures on criminal justice reform, climate change, and much more. And they’ve forced this nomination through in an unprecedented, rushed, and illegitimate process – despite over 50 million Americans having already voted in the presidential election.  

“In eight days, the American people will render a verdict on the gross abuse of power we have witnessed in the Senate time and again. They will not be fooled and will not forget how Republicans ignored their pressing needs during the pandemic and instead chose to ram through a nominee whose record shows she will strip away important protections and constitutional rights. I voted no on Judge Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court tonight and will never stop fighting for the tens of millions of Americans whose rights are now at much greater risk. 

“But throughout this process, I’ve found hope as I’ve seen so many Marylanders speak up and speak out. We cannot stop now. Together, we must keep working to secure equal justice, equal rights, and equal opportunity for all. This is not over.”