npr--2020-10-12--Lakers Win NBA Finals; No Coronavirus Cases Reported In Bubble

For some people one event brought home the impact of the coronavirus pandemic : March 11 .
The day the NBA shut down its season .
Resuming four months later , players , coaches and staffers lived in a bubble , sequestered from the outside world .
All games among 22 teams were played at Walt Disney World in Florida .
It was an experiment that some believed would never work .
It did .
As the final game of the season concluded Sunday night , no coronavirus cases inside the bubble were reported .
The league had detailed over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread .
Closing the NBA 's socially distanced season , the Los Angeles Lakers won 106-93 over the Miami Heat Sunday in Game 6 , taking the league championship .
`` Working together , teams and players , we found a way to play through a pandemic , keep everyone safe and put a spotlight on these critically important issues , '' NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said prior to the Lakers ' trophy presentation .
`` For that , every team deserves to be celebrated . ''
LeBron James had a promise to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' forward led Los Angeles to their 17th championship , ending a 10-year drought .
The 35-year-old superstar became the only player in NBA history to be named MVP in league finals while playing for three teams .
He averaged 29.8 points , 11.8 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game during the finals .
The Lakers showcased relentless defense and reached a 30-point lead during the matchup .
`` We just want our respect , '' James said after winning his fourth championship ring .
`` And I want my damn respect too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a protective bubble .
In a season like no other , players and the league also grappled with issues of race and inequality like many organizations across the nation .
Following the death of George Floyd , the NBA formed a social justice coalition , dedicated league arenas as polling locations and included advertising spots in each playoff game that promoted civic engagement .
`` Black Lives Matter '' was emblazoned across the bubble stadium 's court .
Many players , including James , were outspoken against racism and calling for change .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ play a scheduled game following the police shooting of Jacob Blake , a Black Wisconsin man .
`` This season restart was always about something bigger than basketball .
It was about resilience and ingenuity .
But it was also about racial equality and social justice , '' Silver , the NBA commissioner , said Sunday .
After its first championship win since 2010 , the Lakers ' 17 NBA titles tied the Boston Celtics for the most in league history .
As the Lakers celebrated inside the bubble with confetti and champagne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Los Angeles .
Police arrested 76 people Sunday night after bouts of violence and vandalism .
It was a hard-fought win following a year where the team did n't make the playoffs .
Last year , the first season James played with the Lakers , he suffered his worst injury — a strained groin that forced him to sit out 17 consecutive games .
The Lakers missed the playoffs for a sixth time in a row .
`` The Laker faithful do n't give a damn what you 've done before until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on Thursday .
`` You 've got to do it with them as well . ''
`` I told [ team owner Jeanie Buss ] when I came here that I was going to put this franchise back in the position where it belongs , '' James said during his finals MVP acceptance speech .
And the team believed him .
`` When you have a guy who has been to the finals nine times in the last 10 years , it 's hard not to believe him , '' teammate Anthony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's hard not to believe that he 's ... going to get there . ''

Lakers Win NBA Finals; No Coronavirus Cases Reported In Bubble
Enlarge this image toggle caption Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
For some people one event brought home the impact of the coronavirus pandemic:
March 11. The day the NBA shut down its season.
Resuming four months later, players, coaches and staffers lived in a bubble, sequestered from the outside world. All games among 22 teams were played at Walt Disney World in Florida.
It was an experiment that some believed would never work. It did.
As the final game of the season concluded Sunday night, no coronavirus cases inside the bubble were reported. The league had detailed over 100 pages of guidance to prevent the spread.
Closing the NBA's socially distanced season, the Los Angeles Lakers won 106-93 over the Miami Heat Sunday in Game 6, taking the league championship.
"Working together, teams and players, we found a way to play through a pandemic, keep everyone safe and put a spotlight on these critically important issues," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said prior to the Lakers' trophy presentation. "For that, every team deserves to be celebrated."
The Game
LeBron James had a promise to keep.
And he did: Lakers' forward led Los Angeles to their 17th championship, ending a 10-year drought.
The 35-year-old superstar became the only player in NBA history to be named MVP in league finals while playing for three teams. He averaged 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game during the finals.
The Lakers showcased relentless defense and reached a 30-point lead during the matchup.
"We just want our respect," James said after winning his fourth championship ring. "And I want my damn respect too."
And it all happened in a protective bubble.
Black Lives Matter
In a season like no other, players and the league also grappled with issues of race and inequality like many organizations across the nation.
Following the death of George Floyd, the NBA formed a social justice coalition, dedicated league arenas as polling locations and included advertising spots in each playoff game that promoted civic engagement.
"Black Lives Matter" was emblazoned across the bubble stadium's court.
Many players, including James, were outspoken against racism and calling for change.
In August, NBA players refused to play a scheduled game following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black Wisconsin man.
"This season restart was always about something bigger than basketball. It was about resilience and ingenuity. But it was also about racial equality and social justice," Silver, the NBA commissioner, said Sunday.
A Historic Championship
After its first championship win since 2010, the Lakers' 17 NBA titles tied the Boston Celtics for the most in league history.
As the Lakers celebrated inside the bubble with confetti and champagne, hundreds of fans flooded the streets in Los Angeles. Police arrested 76 people Sunday night after bouts of violence and vandalism.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brandon Bell/Getty Images Brandon Bell/Getty Images
It was a hard-fought win following a year where the team didn't make the playoffs.
Last year, the first season James played with the Lakers, he suffered his worst injury — a strained groin that forced him to sit out 17 consecutive games. The Lakers missed the playoffs for a sixth time in a row.
"The Laker faithful don't give a damn what you've done before until you become a Laker," James said on Thursday. "You've got to do it with them as well."
"I told [team owner Jeanie Buss] when I came here that I was going to put this franchise back in the position where it belongs," James said during his finals MVP acceptance speech.
And the team believed him.
"When you have a guy who has been to the finals nine times in the last 10 years, it's hard not to believe him," teammate Anthony Davis said after the win. "It's hard not to believe that he's ... going to get there."


npr--2020-10-12--Trump Hits The Trail With Florida Rally, A Week After COVID-19 Hospital Stay

Trump Hits The Trail With Florida Rally , A Week After COVID-19 Hospital Stay President Trump was back on the campaign trail on Monday , telling a packed outdoor rally in Florida that he feels `` powerful '' after his bout with the coronavirus .
Trump spoke for about an hour to an enthusiastic crowd , at an event that his campaign billed as the start of a breakneck stretch of travel leading up to the Nov. 3 election .
Trump stuck to much of his usual stump speech , but he did touch on the illness that led to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago .
He said he 's feeling good now .
`` I feel so powerful .
I 'll walk into that audience .
I 'll walk in there , I 'll kiss everyone in that audience , '' Trump said .
In a memo released shortly after Trump left Washington , White House physician Sean Conley said the president had tested negative for the coronavirus on consecutive days .
Conley said those negative results , combined with data that White House doctors have collected from other various tests , show that Trump is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent rallies , the Florida event was held outside .
But , as usual , there was no social distancing and many in the audience did not wear masks .
Trump was released just a week ago from the hospital , where he had been treated and monitored after catching the coronavirus .
His doctors had cleared him for travel even before his consecutive negative test results .
`` Look , the president — even this morning in our morning conversation — was getting on my case for not having enough rallies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ready to go , '' said Jason Miller , a senior adviser .
Miller told reporters that Trump will do `` two to three events per day , '' and even more , leading up to Election Day .
Trump trails his Democratic challenger Joe Biden in the polls and is under pressure to make up for lost time — particularly after the cancellation of the second in a series of presidential debates , planned for Thursday , which was canceled due to concerns about his health status .
As millions of Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also has picked up the pace of campaign events .
On Monday , he was in Toledo and Cincinnati , Ohio , and on Tuesday he will be in Pembroke Pines and Miramar , Fla. Trump 's campaign plans rallies in Pennsylvania , Iowa and North Carolina in coming days .

Trump Hits The Trail With Florida Rally, A Week After COVID-19 Hospital Stay
Enlarge this image toggle caption Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 9:05 p.m. ET
President Trump was back on the campaign trail on Monday, telling a packed outdoor rally in Florida that he feels "powerful" after his bout with the coronavirus.
Trump spoke for about an hour to an enthusiastic crowd, at an event that his campaign billed as the start of a breakneck stretch of travel leading up to the Nov. 3 election.
Trump stuck to much of his usual stump speech, but he did touch on the illness that led to him being hospitalized just over a week ago. He said he's feeling good now.
"I feel so powerful. I'll walk into that audience. I'll walk in there, I'll kiss everyone in that audience," Trump said.
In a memo released shortly after Trump left Washington, White House physician Sean Conley said the president had tested negative for the coronavirus on consecutive days. Conley said those negative results, combined with data that White House doctors have collected from other various tests, show that Trump is not infectious.
Like many of his recent rallies, the Florida event was held outside. But, as usual, there was no social distancing and many in the audience did not wear masks.
Trump was released just a week ago from the hospital, where he had been treated and monitored after catching the coronavirus. His doctors had cleared him for travel even before his consecutive negative test results.
"Look, the president — even this morning in our morning conversation — was getting on my case for not having enough rallies and public events scheduled. So he's ready to go," said Jason Miller, a senior adviser.
Miller told reporters that Trump will do "two to three events per day," and even more, leading up to Election Day.
Trump trails his Democratic challenger Joe Biden in the polls and is under pressure to make up for lost time — particularly after the cancellation of the second in a series of presidential debates, planned for Thursday, which was canceled due to concerns about his health status.
As millions of Americans have already cast their ballots, Biden also has picked up the pace of campaign events. On Monday, he was in Toledo and Cincinnati, Ohio, and on Tuesday he will be in Pembroke Pines and Miramar, Fla.
Trump's campaign plans rallies in Pennsylvania, Iowa and North Carolina in coming days.


npr--2020-10-12--15-Year-Old Computer Whiz Who Died In 2006 Could Become 1st Millennial Saint

15-Year-Old Computer Whiz Who Died In 2006 Could Become 1st Millennial Saint A teenage computer gamer and programmer from Italy who devoted the final years of his life to the church until his death in 2006 was beatified over the weekend , making him the first millennial to be put on the path to Catholic sainthood .
A portrait of Carlo Acutis , who died of leukemia at age 15 , was unveiled at the beatification ceremony at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi .
In it , he is wearing a red polo shirt and his curly hair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light .
Acutis has been called the `` patron saint of the Internet . ''
He created a website to catalog miracles and managed sites for local Catholic organizations .
`` Carlo used the internet in service of the Gospel , to reach as many people as possible , '' Cardinal Agostino Vallini , the papal legate for the Assisi basilicas , said during his homily .
Vallini kissed the boy 's mask-wearing parents , Andrea Acutis and Antonia Salzano , after reading the proclamation decreed by Pope Francis .
`` He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother told Vatican News .
`` But what did he do ?
He did n't use [ computers ] to chat or have fun . ''
She told an Italian newspaper that from age from age 3 her son would ask to visit churches the family passed in Milan .
''There was in him a natural predisposition for the sacred , '' she said .
Acutis was born in 1991 in London and moved with his parents to Milan .
As a teenager , he was diagnosed with leukemia after which he offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Church , according to the Catholic News Agency .
He asked to be buried at Assisi because of his love for St. Francis of Assisi .
He was canonized in 2013 and made `` Venerable '' in 2018 .
With his beatification , he is designated `` Blessed , '' according to CNA .
The next step is sainthood , which requires two miracles verified by the Church .
However , the second miracles can be waived by the pope .
Acutis ' first miracle was proclaimed in 2013 when the Vatican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the life of a Brazilian who was suffering from a rare pancreatic disease .
Although it is rare for someone so young to become a saint , two Portuguese shepherd children living in the early 1900s who reported seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary were proclaimed saints in 2017 .

15-Year-Old Computer Whiz Who Died In 2006 Could Become 1st Millennial Catholic Saint
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gregorio Borgia/AP Gregorio Borgia/AP
A teenage computer gamer and programmer from Italy who devoted the final years of his life to the church until his death in 2006 was beatified over the weekend, making him the first millennial to be put on the path to Catholic sainthood.
A portrait of Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia at age 15, was unveiled at the beatification ceremony at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Assisi, Italy. In it, he is wearing a red polo shirt and his curly hair is ringed by a faint halo of light.
Acutis has been called the "patron saint of the Internet." He created a website to catalog miracles and managed sites for local Catholic organizations.
"Carlo used the Internet in service of the Gospel, to reach as many people as possible,'' Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the papal legate for the Assisi basilicas, said during his homily.
Vallini kissed the boy's mask-wearing parents, Andrea Acutis and Antonia Salzano, after reading the proclamation by Pope Francis.
"He was considered a computer genius," his mother told Vatican News. "But what did he do? He didn't use [computers] to chat or have fun."
She told an Italian newspaper that from age 3 her son would ask to visit churches the family passed in Milan.
''There was in him a natural predisposition for the sacred," she said.
Acutis was born in 1991 in London and moved with his parents to Milan. As a teenager, he was diagnosed with leukemia after which he offered his sufferings for then-Pope Benedict XVI and the church, according to the Catholic News Agency. He asked to be buried at Assisi because of his love for St. Francis.
He was named a Servant of God in 2013 and declared Venerable in 2018. With his beatification, Acutis is named Blessed.
The final step, should it come, is canonization, or sainthood, which requires two miracles verified by the Church.
Acutis' first miracle was attributed to him earlier this year. The Vatican says he interceded from heaven in 2013 to save the life of a Brazilian who was suffering from a rare pancreatic disease.
Although it is rare for someone who died so young to be declared a saint, two Portuguese shepherd children living in the early 1900s who reported seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary were canonized in 2017 at the Shrine of Fatima in Portugal.


npr--2020-10-12--Wisconsin Judge Upholds Governor's Statewide Mask Mandate

A judge in Wisconsin has ruled that Democratic Gov .
Tony Evers has the authority to impose a statewide mask mandate following a challenge by a conservative legal group .
In his ruling Monday , St. Croix County Judge Michael Waterman sided with Evers and a series of executive declarations granting him emergency powers and denied a temporary injunction requested by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty .
Plaintiffs argued that in issuing successive emergency declarations , which granted him powers to issue the mask mandate , Evers had violated state law as such orders are limited to 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well within Evers ' authority to continually issue new orders even for the same public health emergency .
`` The 60-day limit provides an important check against run-away executive power , but it does not prevent the governor from issuing a new executive order when the emergency conditions continue to exist , '' Waterman wrote in his three-page decision .
Waterman also noted that the state 's Legislature could terminate Evers ' order if lawmakers were `` unconvinced that a state of emergency does exist '' but had not done so .
Waterman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the plaintiffs were private citizens `` seeking redress for injuries '' they claimed to have suffered under Evers ' executive order .
The judge contended that an injunction would go `` well beyond their private interests , though . ''
`` If granted , the temporary injunction will affect every person in Wisconsin by a judicial act that usurps the governor 's power to declare a state of emergency and the legislature 's power to end one , '' Waterman wrote .
Rick Esenberg , president of the Wisconsin Institute for Law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking forward to making an appeal `` on this critical constitutional matter . ''
`` It is with regret that the Judge held that the Governor of the State of Wisconsin can rule the state by decree for an unlimited amount of time with the acquiescence of the legislature , '' Esenberg said in a statement posted to Twitter .
Wisconsin Public Radio reports that some Republicans have said they 'd like to override the orders but that leadership in both chambers has resisted calling lawmakers back for a vote .
Evers declared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and renewed the order in July when state lawmakers did n't extend it .
At the time , the governor also issued an order mandating that face coverings be worn by anyone over the age of 5 while in enclosed spaces , with personal residences exempt .
As cases surged in September — attributed , at least in part , to outbreaks at colleges and universities — Evers extended the mask mandate to Nov. 21 and issued another emergency declaration .
On Monday , Evers applauded Waterman 's ruling , noting that as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had reached 150,000 .
`` Today 's ruling is a victory in our fight against COVID-19 and our efforts to keep the people of Wisconsin safe and healthy during this unprecedented crisis , '' Evers said in a statement .
On Sunday , Wisconsin 's Department of Public Health reported 2,676 new cases of COVID-19 .
The lawsuit was not the first challenge to Evers ' efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus in his state .
In May , Republican lawmakers argued that members of his administration had exceeded their legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order .
The state 's Supreme Court agreed and required future orders to be approved by the Legislature .

Wisconsin Judge Upholds Governor's Statewide Mask Mandate
Enlarge this image toggle caption Wisconsin Department of Health Services via AP Wisconsin Department of Health Services via AP
A judge in Wisconsin has ruled that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has the authority to impose a statewide mask mandate following a challenge by a conservative legal group.
In his ruling Monday, St. Croix County Judge Michael Waterman sided with Evers and a series of executive declarations granting him emergency powers and denied a temporary injunction requested by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty.
Plaintiffs argued that in issuing successive emergency declarations, which granted him powers to issue the mask mandate, Evers had violated state law as such orders are limited to 60 days. Waterman ruled that it was well within Evers' authority to continually issue new orders even for the same public health emergency.
"The 60-day limit provides an important check against run-away executive power, but it does not prevent the governor from issuing a new executive order when the emergency conditions continue to exist," Waterman wrote in his three-page decision.
Waterman also noted that the state's Legislature could terminate Evers' order if lawmakers were "unconvinced that a state of emergency does exist" but had not done so.
Waterman, in his final point, also said the plaintiffs were private citizens "seeking redress for injuries" they claimed to have suffered under Evers' executive order. The judge contended that an injunction would go "well beyond their private interests, though."
"If granted, the temporary injunction will affect every person in Wisconsin by a judicial act that usurps the governor's power to declare a state of emergency and the legislature's power to end one," Waterman wrote.
Rick Esenberg, president of the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, said the organization was looking forward to making an appeal "on this critical constitutional matter."
"It is with regret that the Judge held that the Governor of the State of Wisconsin can rule the state by decree for an unlimited amount of time with the acquiescence of the legislature," Esenberg said in a statement posted to Twitter.
Wisconsin Public Radio reports that some Republicans have said they'd like to override the orders but that leadership in both chambers has resisted calling lawmakers back for a vote.
Evers declared a public health emergency on March 12 and renewed the order in July when state lawmakers didn't extend it. At the time, the governor also issued an order mandating that face coverings be worn by anyone over the age of 5 while in enclosed spaces, with personal residences exempt.
As cases surged in September — attributed, at least in part, to outbreaks at colleges and universities — Evers extended the mask mandate to Nov. 21 and issued another emergency declaration.
On Monday, Evers applauded Waterman's ruling, noting that as of Sunday, cases in the state had reached 150,000.
"Today's ruling is a victory in our fight against COVID-19 and our efforts to keep the people of Wisconsin safe and healthy during this unprecedented crisis," Evers said in a statement.
On Sunday, Wisconsin's Department of Public Health reported 2,676 new cases of COVID-19.
The lawsuit was not the first challenge to Evers' efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus in his state. In May, Republican lawmakers argued that members of his administration had exceeded their legal authority in issuing an April 16 stay-at-home order.
The state's Supreme Court agreed and required future orders to be approved by the Legislature.


npr--2020-10-12--Republicans Slam 'Religious Test,' 'Bigotry' In Counterattacks Defending Barrett

Republicans condemned what they called inappropriate criticism and questioning about Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett 's Catholic identity as her confirmation hearing opened on Monday .
Democrats did not bring up her faith in Monday 's hearing .
Barrett is a devout Catholic , alumna of Notre Dame and member of a small , conservative faith group called the People of Praise .
Her sponsors and defenders on the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected what they called innuendo and other attempts by Barrett 's opponents to raise questions about her Catholic faith as though it might disqualify her from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice of religious bigotry — because that 's what it is , when you tell somebody they are too Catholic to be on the bench , when you say they will be a Catholic judge , not an American judge — that is bigotry , '' said Sen. Josh Hawley , R-Mo .
`` The practice of bigotry from members of this committee must stop and I would expect that it be renounced . ''
Sens .
Ben Sasse , R-Neb.
, and Sen. John Kennedy , R-La.
, echoed those comments with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kennedy 's telling , the nominee herself had been the one so maligned .
`` I know it must hurt for someone of deep Christian faith like yourself to be called a religious bigot and to have it implied that because you are a devout Christian that you 're somehow unfit for public service , '' Kennedy said .
Hawley invoked a past comment by a top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee , Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California , about how `` the dogma lives deeply '' within Barrett — Hawley charged on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term `` dogma '' was a smear intended to discredit Barrett because of her beliefs .
Hawley also alleged that Delaware Sen. Chris Coons ' opening statement — which alluded to a 1965 Supreme Court Case , Griswold v. Connecticut , that involved married couples ' use of contraception — was a coded religious attack against Barrett given Catholics ' religious opposition to it .
Much of the news coverage of Barrett 's candidacy also has focused on her Catholic identity , which Republicans on Monday associated with Democrats and their opposition .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ how much further Democrats intend to try to press the issue beyond the complaints already leveled by Republicans .
During a break in the hearing on Monday afternoon , Sen. Dick Durbin , D-Ill. , was asked about Republicans ' defense of Barrett 's religion and whether the minority had any intention to continue bringing it up .
`` Not at this point , '' he said .
Five of the Supreme Court 's current justices are Catholic ; Justice Neil Gorsuch also is a Christian .
The high court 's two other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bader Ginsburg , who died last month creating the vacancy that Barrett is expected to fill , also was Jewish .

Republicans Slam 'Religious Test,' 'Bigotry' In Counterattacks Defending Barrett
Enlarge this image toggle caption Susan Walsh/AP Susan Walsh/AP
Republicans condemned what they called inappropriate criticism and questioning about Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett's Catholic identity as her confirmation hearing opened on Monday. Democrats did not bring up her faith in Monday's hearing.
Barrett is a devout Catholic, alumna of Notre Dame and member of a small, conservative faith group called the People of Praise.
Her sponsors and defenders on the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected what they called innuendo and other attempts by Barrett's opponents to raise questions about her Catholic faith as though it might disqualify her from the high court.
"This pattern and practice of religious bigotry — because that's what it is, when you tell somebody they are too Catholic to be on the bench, when you say they will be a Catholic judge, not an American judge — that is bigotry," said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. "The practice of bigotry from members of this committee must stop and I would expect that it be renounced."
Sens. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., and Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., echoed those comments with statements of their own — though in Kennedy's telling, the nominee herself had been the one so maligned.
"I know it must hurt for someone of deep Christian faith like yourself to be called a religious bigot and to have it implied that because you are a devout Christian that you're somehow unfit for public service," Kennedy said.
Hawley invoked a past comment by a top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, about how "the dogma lives deeply" within Barrett — Hawley charged on Monday that Feinstein's use of the term "dogma" was a smear intended to discredit Barrett because of her beliefs.
Hawley also alleged that Delaware Sen. Chris Coons' opening statement — which alluded to a 1965 Supreme Court Case, Griswold v. Connecticut, that involved married couples' use of contraception — was a coded religious attack against Barrett given Catholics' religious opposition to it.
Much of the news coverage of Barrett's candidacy also has focused on her Catholic identity, which Republicans on Monday associated with Democrats and their opposition.
It isn't clear, however, how much further Democrats intend to try to press the issue beyond the complaints already leveled by Republicans. During a break in the hearing on Monday afternoon, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., was asked about Republicans' defense of Barrett's religion and whether the minority had any intention to continue bringing it up.
"Not at this point," he said.
Five of the Supreme Court's current justices are Catholic; Justice Neil Gorsuch also is a Christian. The high court's two other justices are Jewish, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last month creating the vacancy that Barrett is expected to fill, also was Jewish.


npr--2020-10-12--How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress

How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress Updated on October 12 at 2 p.m .
ET The coronavirus pandemic continues to upend the daily work of Congress , which has seen a series of outbreaks .
Most recently , President Trump , First Lady Melania Trump and several others tested positive following a White House Rose Garden ceremony to announce his nominee , Judge Amy Coney Barrett , as Supreme Court justice .
At least nine Republican members of Congress attended , and several individuals tested positive for the coronavirus infection or were sidelined in quarantines in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sens .
Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina , who had attended Senate business the week after the ceremony , then tested positive .
Soon after , Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson , who was n't at the Rose Garden event , also tested positive .
Several more members tested negative , but entered quarantines after exposure at the event , including Sens .
Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Ted Cruz of Texas and Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson .
The new outbreak forced the Senate to recess for two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full chamber vote to allow Republicans to confirm Barrett .
The House was already slated to be away .
This is n't the first spread of the illness for Capitol Hill .
The pandemic sidelined Congress since its March beginnings , as House and Senate leaders delayed bringing back members for several weeks in light of public health guidelines recommending social distancing .
The Senate returned in May , but the much larger House still stayed mostly away as a result of advice from the attending physician to Congress .
That same month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing remote voting and hearings .
So far , the virus has infected about 20 lawmakers and forced dozens more to self-quarantine .
More than 100 members of their staffs and Capitol Hill workers have tested positive .
The initial rash of cases began March 8 , when two Republican lawmakers , Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona , were the first members of Congress to announce self-quarantines .
Both had attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor , Md.
, where an attendee at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , the first two members of Congress said they tested positive for the coronavirus .
Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah both said they developed symptoms after a March 14 vote on a coronavirus relief package .
By October , more than 120 Capitol workers reported a positive test or were presumed so , including more than 40 members of the U.S. Capitol Police .
Earlier this summer , Gary Tibbetts , a longtime staffer for Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida , died from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers have taken antibody tests to see if they were previously ill .
Among them , Democratic Sens .
Tim Kaine of Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania both said they tested positive months after experiencing symptoms in the spring .
To stem the flow of new cases , both chambers issued new social distancing guidance .
Also , the U.S. Capitol remains closed to public tours and open only to members , staff , press and official business visitors .
In late July , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also issued a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R-Texas , who has often rejected mask protocols , tested positive for the coronavirus .
Gohmert had attended several hearings a day before testing and returned to the Capitol following a White House screening that caught his infection .
Gohmert 's case triggered quarantines for five House members , including Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva .
Days later , Grijalva tested positive , but fully recovered symptom free .
Now , members can be forcibly removed by Capitol Police from House hearings and the floor if they are not wearing masks .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 .

Congress and COVID-19: members' cases and quarantines
Enlarge this image toggle caption Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Editor's note: This page is no longer updating as of Dec. 31, 2021.
A number of congressional lawmakers experienced breakthrough COVID-19 infections as coronavirus cases rose nationwide with the spread of the omicron variant.
Earlier in 2021, Congress went months with no coronavirus cases among its members. That came a halt amid a national surge driven by the delta variant, when Republican Reps. Vern Buchanan of Florida and Clay Higgins of Louisiana reported infections in July. Buchanan says he was fully vaccinated, but that was less clear for Higgins.
At least another dozen members followed throughout the fall with news they had also tested positive for coronavirus; many of those infections involving vaccinated Senate and House members.
Before these latest waves, Congress' nearly six-month case pause came after a majority of more than 500 lawmakers were fully vaccinated by January. The Capitol's attending physician then lifted much of the mask mandates that dominated the past year. However, a minority of House Republican members have refused to seek vaccination.
Lawmakers impact by the coronavirus
This new threat arrives after the coronavirus already exacted a large toll on the Capitol.
Last year, the pandemic upended daily work for months, sickening dozens of members and hundreds of workers. A sitting congressman, a member-elect and an aide died.
By February 2021, more than 60 lawmakers and 360 Capitol Hill workers had tested positive, or were presumed so, for the coronavirus, according to NPR's tracker and congressional aides.
Loading...
See a list of all members who tested positive or quarantined.
That same month, Rep. Ron Wright, R-Texas, became the first sitting member of Congress to die after a more than two-week battle with COVID-19. In December, Rep.-elect Luke Letlow of Louisiana died days before he was due to be sworn in for a seat that was later filled in April by his widow, Rep. Julia Letlow, following a special election.
And last summer, an aide to Buchanan died from COVID-19.
The rash of infections among members continued at a consistent pace since the pandemic began, with the longest stretch without any such cases lasting about three weeks during recess periods away from Washington, D.C.
But this past March, Capitol Hill began its first month-long stretch without any reported cases or quarantines among members. The most recent positive case before July was reported by Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., on Jan. 29, despite his having received his second dose of the vaccine days earlier.
Another member, House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., reported that she quarantined on Feb. 1. It ended Feb. 8 without a report of a positive test.
January 6 insurrection caused spike in cases on Capitol Hill
Up until this summer, the most recent outbreak of cases on Capitol Hill for members was triggered by the Jan. 6 insurrection, which forced members to cluster together in rooms for several hours. Some House Republicans were seen refusing to wear masks during the ordeal.
Later, Monahan told Congress that at least one of these holding rooms for House members included a lawmaker who was already positive.
More than a half-dozen members quarantined as a result, and several tested positive, including Democratic Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey and Brad Schneider of Illinois.
In all, January proved to be one of members' worst month for the coronavirus, with at least 16 lawmakers testing positive. Before the insurrection, the House met to launch a new session before reinstating rules allowing proxy voting.
This, as congressional leaders and lawmakers received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which became available to members in December. The doses were provided to meet long-standing requirements for continuity of government operations, Monahan told members in a Dec. 17 note.
Pandemic impacted congressional operations
Ahead of the vaccinations, both chambers of Congress recessed multiple times last year as the Capitol went largely without a widespread testing program.
The Democratic-controlled House installed emergency proxy voting and remote hearings in May 2020, and Pelosi extended the covered period several times due to the pandemic. It remains in place until at least until mid-August.
In November, Pelosi triggered a broader coronavirus testing program for Congress following new requirement for travelers to the Washington, D.C., area.
Pelosi has previously said with about 75% of House members vaccinated, and several Republicans who refuse to do so, she's unclear when Congress will fully get back to normal.
"One of the most substantial steps that can be taken is that everybody should be vaccinated," Pelosi told reporters in March, later adding, "We need 100% of the members vaccinated, because it just takes one to endanger others."
The pandemic delayed other rituals, such as President Biden's first address before a joint session of Congress, which was held with only 200 socially distanced guests on April 28.
Last year remains a reminder of how quickly outbreaks spiraled out of control among lawmakers.
In December, at least nine House members, including six Republicans, tested positive for the coronavirus. And November proved to be another one of the worst months of the pandemic for Congress, when at least 15 lawmakers said they were infected, including two of the oldest, Republicans Rep. Don Young of Alaska and Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
A previous outbreak in September was tied to a White House Rose Garden ceremony to announce Amy Coney Barrett as then-President Donald Trump's Supreme Court justice nominee. Trump, then-first lady Melania Trump and dozens of others in attendance tested positive, including Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
It was one of several instances forcing leaders to change the congressional schedule.
Starting in the first month of the pandemic, in March 2020, House and Senate leaders delayed bringing back members in light of public health guidelines recommending social distancing.
The Senate returned in May 2020, but the much larger House remained mostly away under the advice of Monahan, the Capitol's attending physician. That same month, the House approved its historic rule changes to allow remote voting and hearings.
The first spate of cases began March 8, 2020, when two Republican lawmakers, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, were the first members of Congress to announce self-quarantines. Both attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., where another guest fell ill.
The following week, the first two members of Congress said they tested positive for the coronavirus. Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and then-Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah both said they developed symptoms after a March 14 floor vote on a coronavirus relief package.
By last summer, dozens of Capitol workers reported a positive test or were presumed so, and Gary Tibbetts, a longtime staffer for Buchanan died from COVID-19 on July 24.
Some lawmakers also took antibody tests to see if they were previously infected. They include Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, who both said they tested positive months after experiencing symptoms in the spring.
To stem the flow of new cases, both chambers early on issued new social distancing guidance. Also, the U.S. Capitol closed to public tours and remained open only to members, staff, the press and official business visitors, and aside from the Jan. 6 breach by pro-Trump extremists, it has remained so.
In late July 2020, Pelosi also issued a temporary, new mask mandate after Texas GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert, who often rejected such protocols, tested positive. Gohmert had attended several hearings a day earlier and returned to the Capitol following a White House screening that caught his infection.
Gohmert's case triggered quarantines for five House members, including Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva. Days later, Grijalva tested positive but fully recovered symptom free. Until recent changes lifting the mask mandates, members could be fined or be forcibly removed by Capitol Police if they are not wearing masks.