In her opening statement, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, lambasted Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination ceremony at the White House as a "superspreader" event, calling the White House a "Covid-19 hotspot driven by the president's denial of how serious this pandemic is."

Trump, the first lady, multiple Republican senators and others close to the president in attendance at that late-September event tested positive for the coronavirus in the days that followed.

Hirono said Congress should be taking up additional legislation to provide coronavirus relief rather than considering a Supreme Court vacancy this close to the election, a confirmation she deemed a "hypocritical, illegitimate process."

Like other Democrats, Hirono focused on the possibility that Barrett could be the deciding vote in overturning the Affordable Care Act.

She spoke about her personal experiences with health care: her kidney cancer diagnosis.

U.S. Capitol Police say they arrested 21 demonstrators outside the Dirksen Senate Office Building, where Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearings are taking place, on Monday morning.

Police spokesperson Eva Malecki said those arrested were charged with "crowding, obstructing or incommoding" and one person was charged with "unlawful conduct."

Graham announced that the hearing has recessed until 12:20 p.m. ET, at which point they will return to senators' opening statements.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., delivered his opening statement remotely because, like fellow GOP Sen. Mike Lee, who is attending the hearing in person, he also recently tested for Covid-19. 

The GOP senator, who is facing a tough re-election race, defended Barrett's record and echoed the argument made by his fellow Republicans that Democrats want the judiciary to uphold the policies that can't pass in Congress.

"She's not a legislator. That's our job," he said. "However, when the minority can't get their bad policies passed in Congress, they turn to the courts to demand that judges interpret the law, not as written, but as they prefer." 

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said that Barrett should recuse herself if any election-related case comes before the Supreme Court after the upcoming election, assuming she's confirmed by then. 

"You must recuse yourself," he said. "It's a break-the-glass moment."

Trump has suggested that if he loses the election, the results might need to be challenged in court, potentially the Supreme Court, because of mass mail-in ballot programs in some states. 

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., attacked Democrats in his opening remarks, claiming that some have implied that Barrett's Catholic faith would be an issue in her decisions if she's confirmed. 

Hawley said it's "an attempt to bring back the days of the religious test."

"We all know that she and her husband have chosen to raise their family according to their Catholic beliefs and faithful fellowship with other Catholics," he said. "We all know that 65 million Americans are Catholics, and many many millions more are Christians of other persuasions. Are they to be told that they cannot serve in public office, that they are not welcome in the public sphere unless the members of this committee sign off on their religious beliefs? I, for one. do not want to live in such an America, and the Constitution of the United States flatly prohibits it."

Democrats on the panel have not raised Barrett's faith as an issue, focusing largely on their concerns she might vote to strike down the Affordable Care Act.