Historic Confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has been confirmed to the Supreme Court of the United States. As the first Black woman to sit on the nation's highest court, she’ll be bringing unmatched experience -- as a public defender, on the federal bench, and as a clerk for Justice Breyer. With her long overdue addition to the Court, we’ll be one step closer to our highest judicial body actually looking like the rest of the country.In 2009, President Obama nominated Jackson to be Vice Chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission and three years later to the U.S. District Court for D.C., confirmed both times with bipartisan support. President Biden nominated Jackson to fill the vacancy left by Attorney General Merrick Garland on the D.C. circuit court before naming her as his nominee to the Supreme Court.Judge Jackson comes from a family that exemplifies a true American success story -- built on hard work and determination. Her parents went to segregated schools and lived through the Jim Crow South as kids. But through hard work and perseverance, they graduated from college and became public school teachers. And now their daughter is poised to make history.The United States Supreme Court has existed for over 200 years, and its rulings have impacted the lives of millions of Americans across generations. For far too long the composition of justices have not reflected the ever growing diversity of the American public. This has no doubt hindered the pursuit of equal justice for all and led to decisions that overlook people’s lived experiences.At a time where we should come together and celebrate this brilliant judicial mind, Texas Republicans Ted Cruz and John Cornyn made a mockery of the confirmation process by using their time to peddle baseless conspiracy theories and racist attacks to pander to their primary base. We can’t forget how many systemic barriers are embedded in our institutions.For far too long, people of color have not seen themselves reflected at the highest levels of American politics. Judge Jackson's rise to the highest court means that children across the country will see someone who looks like them, their mothers, and their sisters. Her nomination will inspire a new generation of judicial minds and prove that while we still have much more progress to make – together we are building a more perfect union.