This piece was originally published in the June 30, 2022 edition of CAP Action’s newsletter, the Progress Report. Subscribe to the Progress Report here.
“It has taken 232 years and 115 prior appointments for a Black woman to be selected to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States, but we’ve made it! We’ve made it—all of us.” – Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
At noon today, Justice Stephen Breyer officially retired from the U.S. Supreme Court, opening the seat now occupied by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson—the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice.
Justice Jackson is the first Supreme Court justice since Thurgood Marshall to have once served as a public defender, representing defendants who couldn’t afford an attorney. Her perspective and experience will add a voice to the court that will advocate for civil and human rights; equity in sentencing reform; workers’ rights; women’s rights; democracy; and more.
Justice Jackson is joining a court whose MAGA majority has inflicted catastrophic harm in in rulings on abortion, climate change, guns, and more. Justice Jackson’s historic appointment will not only make the court more representative of the American people—it will help shape policy for decades to come.
Share the graphic below to congratulate Justice Jackson:
- The Supreme Court ruled today in West Virginia v. EPA that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lacks the authority to closely regulate emissions from coal-burning power plants under the Clean Air Act of 1963. The ruling calls into question not only environmental regulation authority but also the authority of numerous federal agencies to implement regulations.
- For the first time, President Joe Biden has signaled support for changing Senate rules to limit or eliminate the filibuster in order to codify abortion rights into law.
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This piece was originally published in the June 30, 2022 edition of CAP Action’s newsletter, the Progress Report. Subscribe to the Progress Report here.