"She Has Been Preparing For This Her Entire Life:" Beatty Extols Judge Jackson in Judiciary Committee Testimony
Statement
Today, on the final day of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court confirmation hearings, U.S. Congresswoman and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty (OH-03) delivered testimony on behalf of Judge Jackson to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"As Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, I speak on behalf of 59 Members of Congress -- including 28 Black women and 31 Black men -- together representing 17 million Black Americans and 82 million Americans. For over two centuries since our country's founding, the Court consisted exclusively of white men. Of the 115 justices, 108 have been white men," said Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty. "As the nation has learned during these hearings, Judge Jackson is an exceptionally qualified jurist of unimpeachable character. And she would be only the sixth woman and first Black woman to serve on our nation's highest Court. If confirmed, she would shatter a glass ceiling that many Americans--including those who fought and died for voting rights, a more perfect union, and a just America--believed they would never live to see broken."
Beatty continued, "Judge Jackson's confirmation will send a message to Black women and little girls, like my granddaughter Leah--whose mother is the first Black woman to serve on the 10th District Court of Appeals. Leah's first known president was a Black man and now she sees a Black female Vice President. So, if a guidance counselor tells her, "your goals are too high,' she will remember how Judge Jackson soared against adversity as one of our nation's brightest legal minds. I want to be crystal clear, Judge Jackson will be a justice that all of America will be proud of."
A video of Congresswoman Beatty's remarks can be found here.
Following this week's hearings, the full Senate is expected to vote on Judge Jackson's nomination during the week of April 11. If she is confirmed by the Senate, Judge Jackson is expected to take the bench in October at the start of the next judicial term.
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