Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., says COVID-19 infections among two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee shouldn’t halt the confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
“I don’t think it’s a big deal. The Senate has been conducting virtual committee hearings in the House, as you know, all proceedings have been subject to proxy participation without being physically present, so Sen. Tillis and Sen. Lee can participate that way,” Bishop said Monday during an appearance on Newsmax TV’s “Spicer & Co.”
“And I see no reason at all that it should slow anything down. As Sen. (Mitch) McConnell has said, ‘full steam ahead’ and I believe that’s what the American people are expecting.”
Two committee members, Republicans Thom Tillis and Mike Lee, tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days. Both were at the White House on Sept. 26 when Trump introduced Barrett as his nominee to replace Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last month.
Senate Republicans are pushing to quickly confirm Barrett in the few weeks they have before the Nov. 3 election. The Senate Judiciary Committee, which is charged with the consideration of all Article III judicial nominations, needs 11 Republicans present at the committee's markup hearing to move Barrett's confirmation to the Senate floor.
Important: See Newsmax TV now carried in 70 million cable homes, on DirecTV Ch. 349, Dish Network Ch. 216, Xfinity Ch. 1115, Spectrum, U-verse Ch. 1220, FiOS Ch. 615, Optimum Ch. 102, Cox cable, Suddenlink Ch. 102, Mediacom Ch. 277, or Find More Cable Systems – Click Here.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.