While the news over the weekend including frequent updates on lawmakers who had tested positive for the coronavirus, DC wondered if this would lead to the delay in the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Democrats have called for the vote to be pushed back, and have argued that given the importance of filling the lifetime Supreme Court Justice seat, the hearing should not be done virtually. 

But Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to move the process forward without a delay, and his lawmakers are on the same page. Senator Ron Johnson, who tested positive for the virus, said he would do anything possible to vote on October 22nd, and that when there’s a will, there’s a way. In an interview with 630WHO, he said lawmakers have “learned to conduct the business of the Senate over the internet. There's no reason we can't confirm Judge Barrett, even quite honestly if we had to vote electronically. We can certainly hold the confirmation hearings electronically. We all use the internet, it's a great device. So is the telephone.”

Johnson said he willing to take extreme measures if he has to be on the Senate floor to vote. He said, “But if we have to go in and vote, I've already told the leadership, I'll go in in a moon suit. We think this is pretty important."

He also said that everyone could get tested ahead of the vote to ensure safety. He said, “You can go into the medical clinic, you can take precautions and do it safely, but we wouldn't be able to do that on the floor of the Senate? You know, where there's a will, there's a way, we can do these things.”

Senator Tom Cotton agrees with his colleague, and told Fox News the Republican senators are eager to get back to work. He said, “Everyone is eager to be at work when they need to be at work, none of this should have any impact on the schedule of the Senate.”

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