Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Senate Vote To Discharge The Nomination Of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson From The Judiciary Committee

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor in advance of a vote on the motion to discharge the nomination Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court from the Judiciary Committee. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks:

In a few moments, the Senate will begin to make history this week by voting to discharge the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson out of the Judiciary Committee, so we can confirm her as the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

This procedural step should be entirely unnecessary. There is no question—no question—that Judge Jackson deserves a strong bipartisan vote in committee, but sadly despite the Judge’s qualifications not a single Republicans on the Committee voted to report her out of Committee.

So we shouldn’t have to be taking this step, but we are moving forward all the same without delay.

Despite Republicans opposing her in Committee, and despite this procedural vote tonight, the end result will remain unchanged: Judge Jackson ultimately has enough support to get confirmed on a bipartisan basis and the Senate is going to keep working until this nomination is complete.

In closing I want to emphasize something I said earlier today. This is a joyous and history-making moment for the Senate, a historic one: one hundred fifteen individuals have come before this chamber for consideration to the highest court in the land, but none – none – were like Judge Jackson.

Like many before her Judge Jackson is brilliant, she is esteemed, she is highly accomplished.

But never—never—has the Supreme Court had a Black Woman bear the title of “Justice.” Imagine the impact this will have on our democracy. Imagine what it will mean for young people across the country to look at our courts and see them better reflect our nation’s makeup. Judge Jackson’s brilliant record will surely light a fire of inspiration for others to follow in her footsteps, and our country will be all the better for it.

So let us move forward with this brilliant, this resoundingly qualified, this historic nominee to the highest court in the land. And let us work together to finish the job of confirming the Judge by the end of this week.  

###