Today is the third anniversary of Justice Jackson’s confirmation by the Senate to serve on the Supreme Court
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor commemorating the third anniversary of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation by the U.S. Senate. With an outstanding resume and impressive judicial experience, Justice Jackson is the first Black woman and former public defender to serve on the Supreme Court.
“On April 7, 2022, our country made a monumental stride forward. The Senate confirmed a once-in-a-generation legal talent, a jurist with outstanding credentials and invaluable lived experience, and the first ever Black woman and former public defender to serve as a Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. Justice Jackson’s confirmation shattered the glass ceiling and paved the way for future women of color to follow in her footsteps. Her name will be remembered in history for generations to come,” Durbin began.
Durbin reflected on the history that led up to Justice Jackson’s confirmation, particularly the advancement of civil rights for people of color and women.
“When the Supreme Court first met in the Capitol building in February of 1801, there were a million slaves in this nation of five million people. This very building itself was built with the labor of enslaved people… America’s battle to end slavery continued through the Civil War and was followed by decades of efforts to break down lingering racial barriers. The efforts continue to this day,”Durbin said. “And our struggle to enfranchise and empower women did not end with the passage of the 19th Amendment. It continues to this day.”
“The confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court honored the history that came before it. It honored the struggles of the past and the men and women who fought for a future where skin color and gender are no longer a barrier to full participation in the American society, voting, or seeking the highest positions in our government,” Durbin said.
“In 1965, we ensured that the federal government could vigorously protect the right to vote, the right that protects all other rights for that matter, with the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Two years later, after passing that civil rights bill, we confirmed the first Black American to ever serve on the Supreme Court, Justice Thurgood Marshall,” Durbin continued. “And more than fifty years later, we took another step forward by confirming Justice Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on that Court.”
Durbin acknowledged President Biden’s commitment to nominating the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
“This was the initiative of Joe Biden, who made it clear when he was elected President, this was his highest priority when it came to the Supreme Court,” Durbin said. “President Biden kept his word.”
Durbin then spoke of Justice Jackson’s well-rounded resume, which was worthy of a seat on the Supreme Court.
“With Justice Jackson’s confirmation to the highest court in the land, we not only made history, but we also carried on a great American tradition – elevating our nation’s best and brightest legal minds to a sacred position of service. A seat she now occupies for life,” Durbin said. “She has devoted her life to serving our country, and she has done so at every level of the federal judiciary. And at every turn, she has upheld the Constitution and faithfully followed the rule of law. She is impartial, thoughtful, even-handed—evaluating every case from, in her words, a ‘neutral posture.’”
Durbin continued his remarks, speaking about Justice Jackson’s impact on the Court in the short time she has served.
“Since her confirmation, Justice Jackson [has] made her mark on the Court, establishing her status as a sharp and inquisitive questioner of the parties before her. And whether she authors majority opinions or dissents, she always demonstrates a brilliant legal mind,” Durbin said.
“Just a year into her tenure on the Court, Justice Jackson’s first major opinion reaffirmed that Medicaid patients unlawfully denied care or [who] are abused by health care providers can sue under Section 1983. Section 1983 is a law enacted following the Civil War as part of the Ku Klux Klan Act, which allows lawsuits by individuals whose civil rights have been violated. It is a powerful tool for Americans to seek accountability from local, state, and federal government officials,” Durbin continued. “At [a] time when President Trump and unelected co-President Elon Musk have vowed to cut Medicaid, it is more crucial than ever that we give those who need this program the legal recourse they need if they are denied care or otherwise abused by a provider.”
Durbin concluded his floor speech by recalling his experience chairing the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearing.
“It was one of the greatest honors of my life to preside over the confirmation hearing of Justice Jackson during my time as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Justice Jackson’s story is one of breaking barriers and paving the way for future women of color to follow in her footsteps. At a time when the President and his Administration are challenging the rule of law in our country as never before, Justice Jackson’s presence on the highest court in the land could not be more important,” Durbin said.
“I am incredibly proud of all she has accomplished so far during her time in the Supreme Court, and I know that Justice Jackson will continue to honor all those who came before her and sat on the bench,” Durbin concluded.
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
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