WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Republicans in the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to advance the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court despite a boycott by Democrats.

The result of the hearing, at which all the 10 Democratic members of the committee were absent, greenlighted a full Senate vote scheduled for Monday in which the Republicans, who hold the majority in the chamber, have enough votes to confirm the nominee picked by President Donald Trump.

Pictures of people who rely on the Affordable Care Act were placed on the empty seats for the Democratic senators on the panel, a reminder of the Democrats' argument that if Barrett, a conservative judge, were to be installed on the high court, the Obama-era health care law will very likely be repealed as the court hears the case on its constitutionality on Nov. 10, one week after Election Day.

"That was their choice," said Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, referring to the Democrats' decision to boycott the hearing. "It will be my choice to vote the nominee out of committee. We're not going to allow them to take over the committee."

"I've never seen anyone more capable than Judge Barrett," said Graham, whose 11 fellow Republicans on the panel also unanimously voted to approve the nomination.

Since the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whom Barrett will succeed should she be confirmed, Democrats have opposed nominating a new justice so close to the presidential election, arguing that a nominee should instead be decided by the president-elect chosen by the American people.

With regard to Barrett, Democrats have criticized the 48-year-old appellate court judge for her opposition to Obamacare as well as conservative views on abortion rights.