A woman who made sexual assault allegations against Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee has agreed to give evidence to the Senate.
University professor Christine Blasey Ford has accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in 1982 when they were teenage students at a high school in Maryland.
On Saturday, the 51-year-old's lawyers said she agreed to tell her story before a Senate panel, but it is not known if it would be open to the public.
US Senate judiciary committee chairman Chuck Grassley had set a Saturday afternoon deadline for the California professor after she made the allegations, to decide if and how she will give evidence.
In a statement, her lawyers Debra Katz and Lisa Banks said: "Dr Ford accepts the committee's request to provide her first-hand knowledge of Brett Kavanaugh's sexual misconduct next week."
The lawyers added that they are "hopeful that we can reach agreement on details" of Ms Ford's appearance.
Ms Ford's lawyers previously said she had "been the target of vicious harassment" in the wake of her claims and was forced to leave her home.
The clinical psychology professor accused Mr Kavanaugh – Mr Trump's Supreme Court nominee – of pinning her to a bed at a party in Maryland in the early 1980s when she was 15.
Mr Kavanaugh, a District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals judge, has repeatedly denied the accusation and pledged to testify.
Mr Trump has cast doubt on the sexual assault allegations made against Mr Kavanaugh, saying the judge had been treated "very, very tough".
He tweeted on Friday: "I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local law enforcement authorities by either her or her loving parents.
"I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!"
I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018
Vice President Mike Pence called the Supreme Court nominee "a man of integrity with impeccable credentials".
He said the judge's record and career deserved "the respect of every member of the United States Senate".
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Earlier this week, Ms Ford's lawyers said that she would not appear before the Senate until the FBI had investigated the allegations.
But FBI officials have said they are not looking into the matter.
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