Senate Judiciary Cmte. Chairman Graham at Judge Barrett's confirmation hearing: "I think I know how the vote’s gonna come out, but I think Judge Barrett is required for the good of the nation to submit to your questions and ours. This is gonna be a long, contentious week."
Sen. Durbin on Pres. Trump’s refusal to commit to a peaceful transition of power:
"This president, in his vanity and constitutional recklessness refuses to commit to accept the will of the American electorate."
Sen. Whitehouse asserts that Republicans are appointing Judge Amy Coney Barrett to strike down the Affordable Care Act:
"Please don't tell us this isn't about the Affordable Care Act."
Sen. Blumenthal says he will oppose Judge Barrett's nomination because "it is about the Republican goal of repealing the Affordable Care Act."
"Republicans have turned again to the court to try to achieve judicially what they cannot achieve legislatively."
Live now on @MSNBC: Senate confirmation hearing for US Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
Sen. Booker: "This is a charade when they say this is a normal Judiciary Cmte. hearing for a Supreme Court nomination ... It's not normal that Senate Republicans are rushing through a confirmation hearing, violating their own words."
US Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett delivers opening statement at Senate confirmation hearing.
BREAKING: President Trump says he won't participate in the 2nd presidential debate after the CPD announced that the debate would take place virtually in the wake of the president's Covid-19 diagnosis. on.msnbc.com/3nwaqHy
Joe Biden "looks forward to speaking directly to the American people and comparing his plan for bringing the country together," his campaign says after the CPD announces that the debate will be virtual, and President Trump says he won't participate.
"The safety of all involved can easily be achieved without canceling a chance for voters to see both candidates go head to head," Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, who has also tested positive for coronavirus, says of CPD to hold virtual debate.
@SRuhle Speaker Pelosi to @SRuhle: We receive news of the president's and First Lady's diagnoses with sadness, and I always pray for the president and his family that they are safe.
@SRuhle Speaker Pelosi: Maybe now that they see the president, with all the protection that he has, still having this exposure, it might be a learning experience. But it has to be something that is acted upon. This is tragic, but going into crowds was sort of brazen invitation for this.
JUST IN: VP Pence and the Second Lady have tested negative for Covid-19 this morning, a spokesperson says.
Treasury Sec. Mnuchin "tested negative for Covid-19 this morning and will continue to be tested daily," spokesperson says.
Joe Biden: "Jill and I send our thoughts to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a swift recovery. We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family."
BREAKING: Texas Gov. Abbott orders counties to stop accepting hand-delivered absentee ballots at more than one location, issuing a proclamation that could make it harder for residents to vote early. on.msnbc.com/3ikVmZy
Texas has 254 counties, the largest of which is rural Brewster that covers 6,193 square miles, larger than the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined.
Harris County, which includes much of the city of Houston, has a population of more than 4.7M people, according to Census Bureau. The county is home to 25% of the state's Black residents and 18% of the state's Hispanic population.