By Derrick Bangura
The US Senate confirmed President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson ln Thursday in a historic vote that paves the way for her to become the first Black woman to serve on the highest court in America.
The tally was 53-47, with Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Mitt Romney of Utah and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joining Democrats to vote in favor.
The confirmation represents a significant victory for Democrats, which they can tout as bipartisan, and a way for the President to deliver on a campaign promise at a time when the US faces a number of challenges at home and abroad, including soaring inflation and the crisis in Ukraine. Democrats broke out into loud applause and cheers when the vote was gaveled.
The vote also marks a major milestone for the Supreme Court and the federal judiciary, although Jackson’s confirmation won’t change the ideological balance of the court.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black woman to serve as vice president, presided over the chamber during the historic vote in her capacity as president of the Senate.
Jackson will be sworn in after Justice Stephen Breyer retires sometime this summer.