Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday quickly dove into a debate over the abandoned “blue slip” process for circuit court nominees, as the first of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees who lacked home state support appeared for a confirmation hearing.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin opened the hearing for Andre Mathis, a nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, by noting the process of returning “blue slips” for appellate nominees—a process in which senators could block nominees for seats in their home states—ended during the Trump administration and as Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley chaired the judiciary committee.