WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement upon President Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States:
“The Progressive Caucus is thrilled to congratulate Judge Brown Jackson on her nomination, and President Biden on this laudable and historic choice.
“Judge Brown Jackson is eminently qualified, with a deep jurisprudence that covers a wide scope of the law. She brings decades of varied experience across the legal profession, from trial lawyer to the federal bench. She served as a clerk for federal judges who were appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents, including Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. She also brings experience on the federal bench, having served on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and then the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit since 2012.
“During her career, she has embodied one of the highest principles of American law — that everyone has the right to due process and legal representation. As a public defender, she represented those who could not afford to hire a lawyer. As Vice Chair of the Sentencing Commission under President Obama, she worked to alleviate harsh and unfair sentences for those convicted of drug crimes. She has worked to advance reproductive rights, bring justice to the all-too often unjust criminal legal system, and uphold the collective bargaining rights of workers.
“As the first Black woman and first public defender to serve on the high court, Judge Brown Jackson will bring a never-heard — and sorely needed — perspective to the bench. And this historic nomination carries with it a profound symmetry: Judge Brown Jackson will be the first on the bench with public defense experience since Justice Thurgood Marshall, the Supreme Court’s first-ever Black justice.
“We join with those across the country who are celebrating this nomination today, and look forward to seeing her confirmed.”
