"I believe the Senate majority is on the precipice of making a colossal and historic mistake by rushing this nomination through the Senate only eight days before a national election," Schumer said in a floor speech before making the motion to employ the extraordinary move.
Barrett's confirmation proceedings will amount to one of the quickest for a Supreme Court nominee in modern times -- just more than a month since she was chosen to fill the seat of the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- and comes despite the GOP refusing to even have a hearing for President Barack Obama's pick in 2016 because they argued it was too close to the election.
But Republicans, arguing the situation is different now with the GOP in control of both the White House and the Senate, have rallied behind Barrett in their push to shift the court further to the right.
If confirmed, Barrett would give the court a 6-3 conservative majority, a shift that could usher in sweeping changes to health care, abortion, voting and gun rights.
This story is has been updated with additional information.