By: MPAC Policy Bureau
By a vote of 53–47, the Senate has just confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court. She will also be the first justice to have previously served as a public defender. The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) applauds this groundbreaking confirmation and congratulates Justice Jackson for this historic accomplishment.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black female Vice President, presided over the confirmation vote, a powerful reminder of the strides we as a nation have made under the Biden Administration in advancing greater, more meaningful representation of the rich diversity of Americans. Justice Jackson had the support of every Democrat and three Republicans, Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Mitt Romney (R-UT).
Justice Jackson will be replacing retiring Justice Stephen G. Breyer, for whom she clerked in 1999. Like her predecessor, Justice Jackson is committed to achieving fairer and more equitable sentencing. As a public defender, she has earned a reputation for her conviction for protecting civil rights and promoting racial justice. While her confirmation will not change the ideological makeup of the court, her background brings a much needed perspective to the court that reflects our current reality.
In addition to what she will bring to the highest court in the land, we hope she can serve as a role model for young women across every race and religion and remind them that they can achieve anything.
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