Amy Coney Barrett grilled on Day 2 of Senate confirmation hearings

Here are highlights of her more than 11 hours of questioning Tuesday.

ByLibby Cathey
Last Updated: October 14, 2020, 6:23 AM EDT

The high-stakes confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett continued Tuesday with the Supreme Court nominee facing questions for more than 11 hours.

Senate Republicans are keeping up their push for a final vote before Election Day despite Democratic calls to let voters decide who should pick a new justice.

Trump nominated Barrett to fill the seat left by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

The four days of Senate Judiciary Committee hearings are unprecedented, with some members participating virtually and in-person. Barrett is appearing at the witness table to face questions.

Hearings begin at 9 a.m. each day and will be live streamed on ABC News Live.

In opening statements Monday, Democrats argued the nomination puts the health care of millions of Americans at risk amid an ongoing pandemic and some called on Barrett to recuse herself from any presidential election-related cases. Republicans, who say they already have the votes to confirm Trump's pick, defended Barrett's Roman Catholic faith from attacks which have yet to surface from inside the hearing room.

Barrett, 48, was a law clerk to conservative Justice Antonin Scalia and follows his originalist interpretation of the Constitution. She practiced law at a Washington firm for two years before returning to her alma mater, Notre Dame Law School, to teach. She was nominated by Trump in 2017 to the Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and confirmed by the Senate in a 55-43 vote.

Headlines:

Here's how the news developed. All times Eastern.
Oct 13, 2020, 9:21 AM EDT

Senators appear virtually and in-person as questioning kicks off

The first question and answer round in the confirmation hearings for Judge Barrett has kicked off in the Senate Judiciary Committee with Chairman Graham opening the proceedings. 

Barrett, who wore a black mask for five hours Monday, took it off at the witness table in anticipation for the rapid-fire round.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, who appeared virtually Monday due to his recent COVID-19 diagnosis, appeared in-person Tuesday with what he said was clearance from his personal physician. Tillis joins Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who also recently tested positive for COVID-19, inside the hearing room.

Democrats on Monday used their opening statements to highlight the stakes of Barrett's confirmation -- which would give conservatives a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court and potentially imperil elements of the Affordable Care Act, as a challenge to the Obama-era law is scheduled to come before the court in November. 

Republicans repeatedly returned to Barrett's Catholic faith, launching a pre-emptive strike against Democrats potentially criticizing her on the grounds of her religion.

Barrett’s family, as they did Monday, took seats in the audience. 

The children of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett arrive for the second day of her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Oct. 13, 2020.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Oct 13, 2020, 8:58 AM EDT

Barrett arrives on Capitol Hill 

Barrett arrived on Capitol Hill about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday with her children and extended family following in a line behind her. 

Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett arrives for the second day of her Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill, Oct. 13, 2020, in Washington, D.C.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

The first question and answer round in the confirmation hearings for Judge Barrett will kick off shortly in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Oct 13, 2020, 8:24 AM EDT

Breakdown for Day 2

Senators will have the opportunity to grill Judge Barrett Tuesday on her judicial philosophy in what is expected to be a marathon question and answer session. Committee aides tell ABC News to expect the day to last between nine and 12 hours.

All 22 members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are allotted 30 minutes each to question the nominee in the first round, making the total run time 11 hours -- but Graham may decide to break up round one of questioning into Wednesday.

PHOTO: Preparations are made prior to a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett in Washington, D.C., Oct. 12, 2020.
Preparations are made prior to a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett in Washington, D.C., Oct. 12, 2020.
Greg Nash/Pool via Reuters

Graham will give an introduction and swear in Barrett around 9 a.m. to begin the hearing. 

Democrats are expected to press Trump's nominee on the Affordable Care Act and the precedent of Roe. v. Wade.

-ABC News' Trish Turner and Allie Pecorin

Oct 13, 2020, 7:56 AM EDT

Key takeaways from 1st day of Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday spent roughly five hours hearing opening statements from lawmakers and Judge Amy Coney Barrett, as they began considering her nomination to the Supreme Court.

While the outcome of the process is not in doubt -- Republicans have the votes and the political will to report her nomination to the full Senate chamber and tee up a final vote before Election Day -- senators previewed their strategies for handling the controversial confirmation process unfolding as Americans are already voting in states across the country.

Here are five takeaways from day one

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