Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, gave opening remarks March 21 as the Senate Judiciary Committee kicked off its Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. She said that any claims that Jackson is not qualified are offensive and condescending.
“Let me be clear: Your nomination is not about filling a quota, it is about time. It’s about time that we have a highly qualified, highly accomplished Black woman on the Supreme Court,” Hirono said.
Jackson was nominated by President Joe Biden in February to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. If confirmed, she will be the first Black woman on the high court.
“It’s about time our highest court better reflects the country it serves. It’s about time that Black women and girls across the country can finally see [someone] who look like them sitting on the highest court, making decisions that will impact their lives and they will know that it is possible for them to do the same. One cannot overstate the importance of representation,” Hirono said.
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