Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., asked Garland if he had insight into any shortfalls of the investigation into former financier Jeffrey Epstein who died by suicide in federal custody in New York in August 2019.

"He obviously should have been vigorously prosecuted substantially earlier but I don't know the why," he said.

When asked by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., about defunding the police, he said he doesn’t believe in it.

"We saw how difficult the lives of police officers were in the body cam videos we saw when they were defending the Capitol," Garland said. "I do believe and President Biden believes in giving resources to police departments to help them reform and gain the trust of their communities,."

-ABC News' Luke Barr

Garland became emotional when discussing his motivations for confronting hatred answering a question from Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., choking up when discussing his grandparents who fled from religious persecution.

"So, you know, I come from a family where my grandparents fled anti-Semitism and persecution. The country took us in, and protected us, and I feel an obligation to the country to pay back and this is the highest, best use of my own set of skills to pay back. And so, I want very much to be the kind of attorney general that you're saying I could become," Garland said. "And I'll do my best to try to be that kind of attorney general."

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., kicked off his line of questioning by asking Garland what his position is on police-worn body cameras to ensure accountability and trust between law enforcement and citizens. Garland said he believed personally "that body cams are a very important tool to protect both officers and the citizens." He specifically noted that body cams have helped the public see what officers were enduring on Jan. 6 when Trump supporters were attacking law enforcement officers.

Coons then asked Garland whether he believes the Justice Department has a role in working with the Congress to find solutions to spreading misinformation online and how it contributes to radicalizing domestic extremists. Garland said he didn't know of any legislation in that area but does think "that an important part of the investigation of violent extremist groups is following their activities online and getting an idea of what kind of information and misinformation is being put out."

When asked whether an independent commission into the events at the Capitol is appropriate, Garland said he believes Congress has the authority to pursue appointment of such a commission but that if confirmed he would ask that it not "interfere with our ability to prosecute individuals and entities that caused" the storming of the Capitol.

-ABC News' Luke Barr

Biden's pick for attorney general, Merrick Garland, was questioned by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, about his views on the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Garland cited Supreme Court precedent saying the right to bear arms in his belief is one that is "subject to some limitations," citing former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. He wouldn't answer directly whether he supports "universal background checks" for all firearms owners but said that he believed it is important for checks to ensure that people like felons or other potentially dangerous individuals are not permitted to buy guns.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, used his line of questioning to raise concerns about the Justice Department being "politicized and weaponized" under the Obama Administration and cited former Attorney General Eric Holder's comments that he saw himself as a "wingman" to former President Barack Obama. Asked whether Garland viewed himself as a "wingman" to Biden, Garland said he didn't want to comment on any of his predecessors but said he "could assure you that I do not regard myself as anything other than a lawyer for the people of the United States."

When asked about the federal death penalty, Garland said the death penalty gives him "great pause" because of the racial disparity and number of exonerations that come from death penalty cases.

"I have had a great pause about the death penalty. I am very concerned about the large number of exonerations that have occurred through DNA evidence and otherwise, not only in death penalty convictions, but also in other convictions, I think, a terrible thing occurs when somebody is convicted of a crime that they did not commit," Garland said.

-ABC News' Luke Barr

Rep. Ted Budd, R-N.C., had a message for Democrats last summer about their proxy voting system set up during the pandemic: it was an "unconstitutional scheme."

"If you use Nancy Pelosi's proxy to skip work, you shouldn't get paid. It's as simple as that," he said in a June 30 Facebook video introducing his new bill withholding member pay for proxy voting.

Budd wasn't alone: A handful of House Republicans previously critical of the proxy vote system submitted letters to have colleagues vote for them, while they were scheduled to appear at CPAC.

Freshman Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., tweeted last summer that leaders "show up no matter how uncertain the times are," and that Democrats were "cowards for hiding" and proxy voting.

He was also in Orlando on Friday, telling conservatives activists, "If we sit on the sidelines, we will not have a country to inherit."

"If we do not get involved and say that it is our duty to make sure that our country is responsible, that our country doesn't take away our liberties, then my friends, we will lose this nation," Cawthorn said.

Others Republicans scheduled to appear at CPAC on Friday who also planned to vote by proxy included Reps. Greg Steube of Florida, Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, and Matt Gaetz of Florida, who was one of the first Republicans to support proxy voting.

Curtis Kalin, a spokesman for Budd, said the congressman still opposes proxy voting, and will donate his salary for the days he used the system to a restaurant relief fund, given his bill last year, "The No Pay for Proxy Voting Act."

The Republicans who attended CPAC aren't alone in their questionable use of the proxy voting system -- established by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., last year to cut down member travel to Washington during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., was caught voting during a Transportation Committee hearing from a boat during a family trip to Utah. Stanton later apologized and said he "messed up." And several House Democrats voted by proxy last May in order to attend a SpaceX rocket launch in Florida.-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel