Las Vegas, Nev. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) issued the following statement after President Trump announced his intention to nominate Amy Coney Barrett to fill Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the Supreme Court, a lifetime appointment, less than 40 days before the 2020 presidential election.
“President Trump has chosen to ignore the will of American voters today. Americans are already voting in this election and I continue to believe that the American people should have their say on a Supreme Court vacancy occurring so close to a presidential election.
“Based on my review of Judge Coney Barrett’s record during her recent confirmation for the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, I’m certain that this nominee would be the deciding vote that rips away protections for preexisting conditions for over one million Nevadans, and millions of Americans. This nomination is nothing less than an attempt by Senator Mitch McConnell and President Trump to ram through a lifetime appointment onto the Supreme Court before oral arguments on the Affordable Care Act are heard on November 10th. We’re in the middle of a global pandemic that has taken the lives of over 200,000 Americans. This is a lifetime appointment to the highest court in our nation and nothing less than access to quality, affordable health care is on the ballot. I will vote ‘no’ on this nomination to try to stop this latest Republican attempt to rip away health care.”