WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) released the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to become an associate justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

“The Judiciary Committee spent 20 hours questioning Judge Barrett, and that made at least two points crystal clear. First, by virtue of her intellect, judicial temperament and integrity, this judge is exceptionally qualified to join the highest court in the land. Second, because of her intellect, judicial temperament and integrity, Democrats have no legitimate objection to her nomination. Instead, they’ve pulled political stunts in order to distract from the truth Americans already recognize: The Senate is doing its Constitutional duty in filling a Supreme Court seat with a jurist who will be loyal to the Constitution.”