This is a wonderful day, a joyous day and inspiring day.
With the Senate.
But the Supreme Court
And for the United States of America.
Today. We are here to vote to confirm.
Catania, Brown Jackson as the 116th justice of the United States
Supreme Court.
Now. A few days ago, I spoke with a group of eighth graders from
Cheektowaga, New York.
Many of them were students of color.
It was amazing.
When I mentioned that this week we were confirming the judge.
You could see them light up.
The unmistakable look in their eyes one day each
Young lady thought to herself. I can do it too.
You know, it's been a dark two years with Covid.
People getting sick and dying, many of whom we knew.
Stores, closing schools shutting their doors.
But even in the darkest times, there are bright lights.
Today is one of the brightest lights and let us hope it's a metaphor,
an indication
Of many more bright lights to come.
As I've said, over and over again, there are three words that I think
best fit.
Judge Jackson
Brilliant.
Be loved.
Belongs.
Judge Jackson is in every sense and by all measures of brilliant
jurists.
She is indeed a brilliant person.
By the judge's own telling, she first discovered her calling to the
law, not in a classroom or by reading a book or by talking to lawyers.
But by sitting at the kitchen table next to her dad.
Filling out coloring book while her dad poured through case law.
Years from now. Other parents and other daughters will do the same.
And it will be Justice Jackson's opinions.
That will lay open on the table.
The judges, parents.
Her entire family.
Should beam with pride.
That this day.
Has come.
At every step of her upbringing in career.
Catania Brown Jackson ranked among the highest of achievers.
And look, we should take a moment to note that Judge Jackson will
be the first and only justice with experience as a public defender.
We're proud of that, and America is proud of that.
It will enhance the court's ability.
To preserve a basic truth in our country.
That all deserve equal justice under the law.
From the privileged to the impoverished
In an imperfect world.
The judge considered so many hurdles, so the judge conquered so many
hurdles.
And today stands as one of the most experienced individuals ever
nominated to the Supreme Court.
For this reason, the judges also beloved
By individuals and organizations across the political spectrum.
I went through her record carefully and never did I find one instance
of appear
Or colleagues or associates say one negative word about her was incredible.
When we go through these records, you often find someone here and
there who will bad mouth the individual who knew them.
Not with just Judge Jackson.
Unless we forget
The judge is popular in the minds of the American people.
A Gallup poll released after her hearing showed nearly 60% of the
public supports our confirmation.
10 points above the historical norm.
And there is no question here. The country by and large wants the
Senate to confirm Judge Jackson.
Police chiefs want to confirm Judge Jackson
Conservative and moderate and liberal judges all want us to confirm
Judge Jackson.
And I thank my colleagues in this chamber.
Who worked in good faith.
To make sure the Senate can finish its work today.
Finally, as I've said many times the judge belongs on the Supreme
Court.
By that I mean something very specific.
In our nation's history. 115 individuals have been confirmed by this
body to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.
Of those 108.
Have been white men. Only four
Have been women.
Only two
Have been African American.
But Catania Brown Jackson will be the first African American woman
ever.
To hold the title of Justice.
Think about the impact.
That will have on our democracy.
Untold millions of kids will open textbooks and see pictures of Judge
Justice Jackson among the highest ranks of our public figures. How
many millions of kids in generations past
Could have benefited from such a role model.
How many would be justices, lawyers, doctors, generals, business
people.
Have been lost to history.
Precisely because their history books had few, if any role models
that they could relate to.
We certainly have a long way to go on the road to true justice.
But by confirming Judge Jackson today
We are taking a bold step forward towards reaching the full realization
of our country's promise.
We will make it far more likely than girls across America will feel
precisely what Judge Jackson felt herself when she was a kid.
Nobody can stop me. I can do this too. I am brilliant, too. I belong
to
For all these reasons, increasing the diversity of the court.
Has been of one, my one of my highest priorities and one of the highest
priorities of our Senate Democratic majority of whom I am so proud.
Justice. Jackson is the most important example. But we've been working
on this for over a year.
Of the 58 Senate confirmed federal judges. Since we took the majority
three quarters have been women.
Two thirds have been people of color.
And it's not just racial and gender diversity that matters. We have
strived to lift up judges that bring diversity through their experience.
More public defenders in our courts. More civil rights lawyers, more
election lawyers
When Americans of all walks of life come before the court.
They should have confidence that those who don the robes have the
ability to walk in their own shoes to see and understand their side
of the story.
And then apply the law properly, according to the facts.
One judge at a time one judge at a time.
This majority is expanding the possibility of whom merits consideration
to the bench.
And I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge my Republican colleagues
who joined us on this occasion over the year.
To achieve this goal.
In closing.
I want to thank chairman Durban.
For the beautiful, beautifully executing this nomination process.
It was equal parts fair, thorough and expeditious.
No easy feat.
In this modern Senate.
I want to thank all of my Democratic colleagues on the Judiciary
Committee. You were just fabulous. Every one of you.
For your respectful and insightful examination of the judge's record.
And I want to thank my Republican colleagues who chose to take this
process seriously, no matter which side you voted on.
The president sent us an impressive nominee.
She married a robust and thoughtful and lively examination.
I thank the members who did precisely that.
In short, Madam president.
This is one of the great moments.
Of American history.
At the time of our constitution's ratification.
In most states, you had to be a white male Protestant landowner.
To be considered part of American society.
So from the get go
Generations of Americans have sought to establish the United States
has a full democracy.
We affordable Luddy Civil war to end slavery Women, more women organized
and reached for the ballot, the civil rights movement brought in
into the vicious segregation.
Of the mid 20th century.
And today.
We are taking a giant.
Bold and important step.
On the well trodden path.
To fulfilling our country's founding promise.
This is a great moment.
For Judge Jackson.
But it is even great a greater moment for America as we rise to a
more perfect union.