[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 36 (Monday, February 28, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S816]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  NOMINATION OF KETANJI BROWN JACKSON

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, now, next, on Judge Ketanji Brown 
Jackson, on Friday, Joe Biden--President Biden--made history, wonderful 
history, by announcing his nominee to replace Stephen Breyer on the 
U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.
  As promised, President Biden named, for the first time in history--
the first time in history--a Black woman to sit on the High Court. As 
promised, his nominee is beyond qualified and brilliant. And as 
promised, the Senate will now begin the work of quickly confirming 
Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States of America.
  Appointing individuals to the High Court, as we all know, is truly 
one of the awesome responsibilities of any President. And in choosing 
Judge Jackson, President Biden has hit a home run with an evenhanded 
and so gifted jurist.
  More importantly, I congratulate Judge Jackson for this historic 
honor--one that reflects her skills, her accomplishments, and, above 
all, her dedication to our democracy. I have been doing a lot of 
reading on Judge Jackson over the last month, and I cannot recall any 
one of her colleagues, anyone from her private life, or anyone in the 
public sphere say anything negative about her. It is amazing. That is 
how fine a person she is and how fine a mind she has. Judge Jackson 
encapsulates the two b's: brilliant and beloved. That is a rare 
combination. And her nomination is a cause for immense celebration.

  I will be meeting with Judge Jackson Wednesday when she comes to the 
Capitol for the first time. Meanwhile, I am working with Chairman 
Durbin to schedule confirmation hearings on Judge Jackson as soon as we 
can. Once the Judiciary Committee completes its consideration of Judge 
Jackson, I will move to have her nomination come immediately to the 
floor of the Senate so the Senate wastes no time fulfilling its 
constitutional duty. We are going to have a fair but speedy process 
where Members from both sides will get to ask their questions and 
explore the judge's record.
  Of course, Judge Jackson is no stranger to the Senate. This will be 
the fourth time--the fourth time--she comes before this body. In each 
previous instance, Republicans and Democrats together voted in favor of 
her various nominations. We voted last year to confirm Judge Jackson to 
the influential DC Circuit Court of Appeals, and she received support 
from all 50 Democrats and 3 Republicans. And, of course, the first time 
she came before us as a district court judge, it was a voice vote, 
which meant no one objected to her getting on the Federal bench--no one 
in the Senate, anyway.
  Judge Jackson's various nominations have won bipartisan support in 
the past, and her nomination now merits bipartisan support in the 
present. I hope both sides can work together in a fair and speedy way 
to make it happen.
  I will have more to say on Judge Jackson's remarkable profile in the 
days and weeks ahead, but today, I want to congratulate her on her 
nomination. I thank President Biden for selecting her, and I look 
forward to meeting with her on Wednesday when she arrives at the 
Capitol.

                          ____________________