chair durbin: 108 have been white men. none have been a black woman. you, judge committed can be the first. prepared to face i kind of heat,

scrutiny, the national spotlight, but your presence here today to brave this process will give inspiration to millions who see themselves in you. as i mentioned to you, i was on the steps of the supreme court this morning, and there were so many young african-american women who see your pursuit. the nominees that come before us, president biden, your qualifications are outstanding. and your experience tell us what kind of lawyer, what kind of person, guiding your life and work, but the constitution, not just the wealthy and powerful,

favoritism and the judiciary must live above the entrance, equal justice under law. so today is a proud day for america. we have come a long way, and we know that we still have to form a more perfect union. it is a moment something that the late senator said to judge ruth bader ginsburg, at her confirmation hearing, he said you face this committee, and that judgment is likely to revolve around the request that she restrict freedom, or did she expand it? judge jackson, i have no doubt we will remember you as a justice who will never stop working, but i also asked the members of committee, as the landmark confirmation process,

to consider each senator as we face our constitutional advice and consent. this moment, another trailblazer, barack obama, said while we cannot replace wisdom, i will seek someone who is similar, an independent mind, a record of excellence, integrity to the rule of law, and a keen understanding of the daily lives of america. you cannot replace justice breyer, but in you, we have a nominee who embodies the same qualities. you have an independent mind and understand the critical importance. your record of integrity, from the championship debate team, from senior high school, to harvard, to your three judicial

clerkships, a lawyer in private practice, a federal district judge and circuit judge. throughout your career, you have been championing for the rule of law, even at the risk of public criticism. the bipartisan group, reflective of american thinking on law enforcement, you set up with truly congressional intent with criminal sentencing fair, and you did it with common ground. during your tendon, 85% of the commission's votes were unanimous. the commission act, along with the -- reduce the sentencing disparity, and you joined every one of your colleagues to make that change to the sentencing guidelines once elected.

you bring a powerful speech, and the sentencing for another of the longest meetings and must carry on as if none of this has happened. the favor of this activity is the commission, republicans and democrats. we have gone to great lengths to explain how the law affects people. indeed, the nomination, the court, its role, and its decisions will be more understandable to the american public. in the time explaining decisions and the consequences, and just last year, for the d.c. circuit judge are in, you explained the extra care. you added, and i quote, i speak to them directly and not just to their lawyers. i use their names. i explain because i want them to know what is going on. it has made the law more

approachable. it can make it easy today, at its core, to have the service, and i am fairly confident you will serve americans from all walks of life, all backgrounds. there may be some who claim without a shred of evidence that you will be a rubber stamp for this president. for the critic's, i say, look at the record. your complete record has been scoured by this committee on four different occasions, 600 written opinions, read and reread, 12,000 transcripts, minutes, from the commission. your soaring testimony before the committee less than a year ago, everything published has been spoken, and for those who look for more, every number on the status of the committee, democrats and republicans, a

fair review on all of this makes clear the value that you have and principles. you have been before and against presidents of both parties, prosecutors, ruling for workers and for employeres, and you have been faithful to know political cause. once again, your record and the process is not an issue. to suggest that you already here merely -- are here merely because an organization supports you, president biden has a transparent selection process. the president and invited us. at the end of the day, the president alone chose you. he has put his faith in you to

deliver justice at the highest level of the court. while announcing the nomination, the president spoke to many, and noted the perspective, as the first justice since thurgood marshall with considerable criminal defense experience and -- considerable criminal defense

even though they know you are working in favor of the bill of rights and the constitution's promise. law enforcement officials and organizations, including the international association chief of the lease the national organization of law enforcement, and the fraternal order of police have endorsed your nominee. in closing, i want to share the words, if you will bear with me, of a man named abraham lincoln. in august 1864, at the height of the civil war, president lincoln addressed the 166 ohio regimen. and i quote, i have been

temporarily to occupy this white house, i am living witness, judge jackson, you are a temporary occupant of the seventh, the house, even with a lifetime appointment to the highest court. you are one of mr. lincoln's living witnesses of an america that is unafraid of challenge, willing to risk change, confident in our citizens, and you are a living witness to the fact that in america, all is possible. as i recognize my colleague and friend, the ranking member, senator grassley.

judge jackson's record and views. we won't try to turn this into a spectacle based upon alleged faults. good news on that front, we are off to a very good start. unlike the start to the cavanaugh hearings, we did not have repeated interruptions of chairman durbin during his opening statements, as democrats interrupted me for more than an

hour of my opening statement of the kavanaugh hearings. in the supreme court nomination, the most important thing that i look for is the nominee pose a few of the law, judicial. philosophy, in view of the role of our constitutional system. i will be looking to whether judge jackson is a defender of the constitution. we all know there is a difference of opinion about the role judges should play. some of us believe judges must interpret the law as understood, or at least not make new law or simply filling back in. those of us who share that view think that, under our constitution, congress and not

the federal courts are given the authority to make law and to set policies. now there are others who believe that the court should make policy. the so-called living constitution. they think that the constitution's picks and structures don't limit what they should do. to them, we say it is, quote unquote, "value judgment." one of the leading advocates for this approach explained that every judge needs the answer or essentially your value will tell you to reach. in other words, those who have this philosophy thank that the founders have the element.

and then with a bit of creativity, the judges can always find that element. that sounds like a good job description for legislators and not for judges, but at least for years, democrats have systematically voted against well credentialed nominees that were diverse professionally, diverse geographically, diverse religiously, and diverse ethnically. was it racist or anti-women for them to be so? i don't believe that it was. democrats did it because the nominees did not agree with living constitutionalism, just as republicans have opposed nominees based upon their judicial philosophy. there are lots of problems with living constitutionalism.

in the senate, we spending a lot of time writing legislation. we negotiate over how broad of an aero certain provisions and laws can be. if we can't convince our colleagues to adopt all of our ideas, we have been known to compromise every once in a while. we depend on judges to interpret laws as we write them. if judges impose their own policy preferences from the bench and essentially revise the law, it makes it harder for us to write good laws. sometimes we need to include a provision that is very broad to get a colleague's support. if a judge rewrites a law later, because of the mentions about fairness or equity or common good, that unravels all of our work here in the congress.

more importantly, the american people should be able to read the law and know what it means. they should not have to ask how a federal judge who disagrees with the law could reinterpret the words on that page. all of this leads to the conclusion as to why we must carefully examine federal judges' records, especially supreme court nominees. judge jackson has served as an assistant public defender, working in private practice, and served in the united states and as a she also served as the federal district court judge from 2013 to 2021. she served on the d sequence -- d.c. june of last year. i'm sure we will have questions for judge jackson about her

decisions since joining the d.c. circuit judge as record record, there have been some accusations that we tear it picked some of judge jackson's criminal cases. well, don't worry, we are going to talk about other cases as well. i was disappointed that we were not able to get bipartisan agreement, judge jackson's documents from her time as vice chair of the sentencing commission. the commission is an independent agency, created to advise and assist congress, and the development of the effective and efficient policy. unfortunately, it sounds like we will have to wait until those documents are required to be released, and that will be about 20 years from now. democrats have argued for time -- democrats have argued that judge jackson's time on the

commission was an important part of the experience that she will draw on as a judge. the democrats are right on that point, and that is why it would be good to see what her views were as the head of the commission, explained in letters to senator durbin, public documents turned over to this committee represent the consensus views of the commission and not necessarily judge jackson's own views. the obama white house sent us roughly 68,000 pages of material, but more than 38,000 of the 68,000 pages are repeated copies of emails that keep the track, keeping track of the tweets about the garland nomination. those emails contain just one

about judge jackson. more than 13,000 of the 16,000 pages were about the nominations. that leaves only 68,000 that we received from the white house that aren't obviously useless, like all the other documents we received. but, for comparison, the white house still withheld 148,000 pages under the presidential records. the useful records that we received from the obama white house, showed exactly why the commission documents would have been important. there are a number of dark money groups on the left that argue federal judges should make policy decisions based on judges' own values.

i talked about the troubling role of dark money groups, like what has played in this administration pose judicial selection process, creating the shortlist for president biden to pick potential nominees from, the running his campaign, casting independence from the judiciary. they strongly supported the so-called progressive prosecutors, who are tough on violent crime in the face of violent crime waves in cities like san francisco, philadelphia, boston, los angeles. now, what does that have to do with the nominee before us? the obama white house records indicate that they play an

important role in judge jackson's nomination to judicial court. the co-founder even interview judge jackson about the nomination. it. woul be helpful to know what the co-founder's work to that process and why they strongly support judge jackson cared however, it has not all been bad on the document front, i want to be clear. we asked for briefs that are not available online that judge jackson worked on as an attorney. at first, we were told they might not be available a few weeks, but to our pleasant surprise, we received them early, apparently from the white house, and asked for the documents as well. judging by timetables, we were given the briefs, that request was made after she was

announced. at the time, judge jackson was assistant federal public defender. democrats have vilified nominees who represent criminal defendants. that is just not the case, and i think that is a very unfair accusation. previous supreme court nominations have also represented criminal defendants on appeal. in an important criminal law case, he also helped represent an inmate in a florida death row. and justice barrett represented a criminal defendant, peeling their conviction, while she was in private prison. now, i have distinguished between two types of nominees, bill of rights attorneys who

want to protect defendants' constitutional rights. then there are what i call criminal defense lawyers who disagree with criminal laws. they want to undermine laws that they have policy disagreements with, and, of course, that is a very important difference. just a year ago -- no, maybe it is now two years ago -- democrats had no trouble opposing nominees based on arguments of these nominees made on behalf of clients. i can read off clients of democrats discussing trumpet nominees, but we only have a few minutes for these opening statements, and i have run out of time. a final note, during justice barrett's confirmation hearing, democrats said that she was, "a judicial torpedo, aiming

protections for pre-existing conditions." we heard that argument repeatedly. conservatives and anyone who actually looked at her it was strictly nonsense. the democrats were sure otherwise. well, when they finally decided, democrats were proven wrong. i'm sure that will not deter any of my colleagues from making some confident predictions of this time around as well. but the public record will remember their track record and perhaps take those claims with a grain of salt. they were wrong in their strong declarations of justice b errick's rule. judge jackson, congratulations on your nominee. i look forward to your views of the law, and your judicial philosophy.

thank you. >> to the office building to continue our conference of senate ketanji brown jackson. nominee judge jackson will address the committee for the first time. it appears that judge jackson will be making the statement shortly. senator kennedy looks like he has already taken his legs in the room, along with --his place in the room along with congresswoman from texas. many members of congress watching. c-span television you can watch the hearings on our website, and with the free c-span mobile app. if you want to know more about judge jackson, here is our coverage of the past hearings,

you can see it on our website or check the video library we have president reagan's nominations in 19 80 six. although we up to amy coney barrett to be associate justice in 2020. it is all in one place at c-span.org. [indiscernible speaking]

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>> senate judiciary committee will resume. next up opening statements. >> i welcome judge jackson and her family. i congratulate her on her nomination. this important occasion, the biden administration is waging war in the federal powers and constitution. the board of judges who thankfully apply the law, to understand the ongoing what is considered president biden's nominee to lead the department of justice.

thanks to the courage of some of my democratic colleagues, then nominee was with the job. the president was ever willing able to nominate someone to man ban every hunting rifle in america. and use it as a weapon to force virtually every american to get vaccinated are losing their livelihood. thankfully, the supreme court struck down the unlawful paragraph. look at the southern border, where secretary of security stepped down to reports our laws are as a result, 2 million illegal aliens around our border just last year.

the attorney general of the united states, a formal judge ordered federal prosecutors commit yet, even national security committe be mobilized against parents who poison their children known as article race theory. every banana republic has a bill of rights. with recognizing what the justice meant, it is not only running americans, but our constitutional government. those on the left, including some of my colleagues in the senate, including on the senate committee want to pass the supreme court. i would hope that anyone nominated to the court have no problem echoing the words of justice breyer.

those --both of these liberal lions have said that expanding the supreme court to achieve favored political and legal outcomes is a dangerous idea. the court should have nine justices and no more. as for some, political outcomes on the court are exactly their goal. the democratic leaders senator schumer, stood on the steps of the supreme court two years ago and yelled at specific justices quote "you have unleashed the man and he will pay the price". he will not know what hit you if you go forward with these awful positions. cheap just as likely condemned these words. heif justice condemned at these words.

every single institution in this country are at an here tree inherently racist, that is what she said. the direction of the rule of law are not theoretical. we are witnessing a breakdown of society. there may -- many americans who do not feel safe. parents are scared to walk down the streets that used to be free from crime. 2020 and artist, rioters, and malicious raged across the country. murders increased at the fastest rate in history. the first year the biden administration the crime got even worse.

states push to defund the police and reduce the punishment for criminal. career criminals are going free under the more equitable justice system. legal judges who have my sympathy for the victimizer than the victims are the problem. the biden administration is committed to these unsolved policies like ending cash avail to try a catch and release system for violent criminals. for those who are supported by the biden administration has known to destroy our criminal justice system from within. the consequences are obvious. skyrocketed violent crime and drug overdoses reaching numbers never before seen in american history. if a judge jackson is confirmed, her decision will have an impact on the american people.

we are going to look at her statements. because the best predictor of future performance is past performance. that brings us to today. we are to determine whether the president's nominee to supreme court is able to, and willing to meet these challenges. i'm joined with -- i had a meeting with judge jackson last week in my office. we had a good conversation. over the next few days, i will have more questions. let's be clear about this, the hearing is not an attempt to how many the nominees can filibuster, or how many questions they can avoid answering. it is true, of avoiding any stasis of how one mitral specific cases --one mitral there is reason for that. specific cases.

there's not enough to say that she will approach things with integrity and fairness and president set by higher courts. just as he would not hire a teacher who would refuse to say anything about their teaching philosophy, other than they would look at the curriculum. it is not enough to say one would only look at the facts and barely apply the law. that will tell us anything about how one plans to do the job, how one interprets the law, how one understands our constitution. it is no secret that i voted against judge jackson last year. i wanted to give her a opportunity to show us why i should but her this time. want to be clear about what could convince me to support any numbing. i am looking for justice who will uphold the constitution, not use it to event rights.

look for a justice that understand the constitution means what it says and does not mean that it does not say. someone who understand that it is not up to nine unaccountable, unelected politicians in black robes to decide to medium in constitution based on abuse of the legal elite. the i am looking for a justice who realizes that a living constitution means that the constitution is dead. instead, we should have a enduring constitution. i am looking for a justice who understands there's a process for updating the constitution. that process is by amending the constitution. i will not support anyone who seeks to rewrite the constitution from the bench, rather through our constitutional amendment process. i'm looking for a justice who understands that nobody is above the law and will not cower criminals to put illegal aliens

above citizens appeared i'm looking for a who will protect the right of a life of innocent t and friends. i'm looking for justice will make decisions based on the law, not based on their preferences, not on empathy, not on desire of political outcomes, but on the law and the constitution. if a judge jackson is confirmed, her job will be simple, leave the legislating to congress and to elected officeholders in our state and municipalities. protect the separation of powers, do not overturn a unless they violate the constitution. i look forward to these hearings. thank you very much. >> congressman booker of new jersey. >> thank you. it is very good to see you. forgive me when you are in our office, you focused on the hearings.

those were great questions. i was just joyous you were sitting in my office. forgive me, i grew up in a small black church where i was taught to make a joyous noise under the lord appeared this is not a normal day for america. we have never had this moment before. i just want to talk about the joy. i know tomorrow and the coming hearings we will have tough part hearings. let me just acknowledge the fact that this is not normal, it has never happened before. the senate is always right now to brace another barrier, we are on the president of shattering another ceiling, another glass ceiling. we are continuing to rise to our collective idea. i just feel the sense of overwhelming joy as i see you sitting there, as i see your family sitting behind you. you know, the greatness of

america is these imperfect geniuses in our founding are different than any before in human history. it was not because we all prayed the same, look the same. they put forth in a constitution the better hope for humanity. at the story of america, i think is a testimony to this world at what diverse people could achieve. we have had 115 supreme court justices. we should not diminish the accomplishments of a mostly 108 white men, they were patriots who helped shape this country. now we are seeing to the highest court in our land, the hopeful they like this, that so many of the people, so much of the rich talent of our nation, who cannot scarcely ever dream of sitting on the supreme court, now we are showing that we will indeed go deep into the waters of our

nation and full forward the best talent. extra ordinary legal talent comes from all background. i know that within our nation for the two hundred plus years of our history, there have an extraordinary talented like people, men and women from a muslim men and women from the founding of our nation we have seen extraordinary indigenous men and women who could add to the graces of the core, they were denied the opportunity. i believe we say these words justice for all. there were many of people who build those words have been diminished by the lack of representation, lack of avenues for talented people to extend to our courts. thankfully, to the sacrifices that while americans, people of both sides of the political aisle, we have again to see more and more diverse americans slowly get onto our federal court. my family celebrated that.

i was born in 19 60 nine, the year that president johnson nominated thurgood marshall, the first african-american to serve on the supreme court. it shook the wonderful foundations of our nation. it became a simple to all of us of what a supreme court justice could all be. then ronald reagan, 1981, put justice o'connor. that was not a normal moment. that was a moment to rejoice. now we seem president obama put justice tonya sotomayor, the first hispanic. when i am seeing in this congress, we are opening the doors of diverse talent to our court which we have never seen before. president biden has nominated the muslim judgment to our federal court. he nominated the first openly lgbtq woman to serve on our

court. he nominated a native american, asian american candidate to appear before this committee, incredibly talented individual. now to the benefit of our whole nation. they herald the truth of who we are as a country. they are inclusive. a multicultural nation that show the world the promise of a true democracy. in all, over two thirds of the confirm judges under the biden administration have come from groups have not been represented on our federal works. -- court spirit for those reasons, today is a day of joy. . today is a day of joy. today we should rejoice. president biden nominated someone of someone we have heard who is extraordinarily talented, who also happens to be a black woman. something we have never seen

before. judge jackson's nomination breaks and artificially confining mold of our past and opens up a promising potential future for us all as americans that signals that this nation will draw more deeply from all of our talent and benefit all americans. this is the america that most of our families began from all diverse backgrounds. a america were anybody can achieve anything, not because of the color of their skin, but because of the content of their character. god, i can't wait until america finds out your character. the next generation behind us looks at the highest court in the land, this idea will be made more real in the faces of the nine you'd you bring this wealth of experiences of excitement to me.

he sees only part of our legal system. i want to talk about your roles as public defenders because that is unprecedented. i have a friend here in congress, brian stevenson. we have a justices who treat you better if you're rich and guilty, then if you're poor and innocent. 80% of those who go before our nations criminal court cannot afford an attorney. a public defender should be looked at as one of the most honorable roles within our judicial system. never we have had a public defender, or anyone on our highest court. it unfortunately is lacking among all federal judges. you wrote, judge the role that public defender may do a better judge. you said it give you a chance to help people in need and to promote core constitutional values. the six amendment to the council

is guaranteed regardless of wealth and despite the nature of the accusation. i honor that more than you know, as someone who started in legal limits at yale. i had my empathy expanded, i had my understanding of the struggles of my fellow americans in ways that shaped my professional career. i loved the fact that you have been a bridge builder in so many ways. you have the support of republican appointed judges and democratic. you are confirmed by the senate in a bipartisan manner three times. i love the fact that you have the support of civil rights lawyers and the largest police organizations your it is a testimony to what the nation needs more up, that will find ways not to accentuate the lives of divine, but try to find more ties that bind us together. let me go one note more

personal. back to you sitting in my office. i can't tell you how before our meeting, how many people reached out to me. it was a very emotional moment. i cannot tell you what it meant to me. when you came to my office, i was kind of nervous even. then he started talking about your family and your parents. i want to say your parents. you and i are around the same age. both of our parents graduated from hbcus. my dad is also an eagle. they came to d.c.. my mom worked in the d.c. public schools, just like you. your story, the more you talk, americans from all backgrounds

know what it is to be underestimated and looked down upon. when they told me you were too ambitious for wanting to go to harvard. you are a mom that face career challenges at your private law firm. how many women can relate to that? the more you spoke about your personal story, the more i know it is an american story that folks from all backgrounds can relate to. there is that really moves me. behind you, your family is your daughter layla. when she was 11 years old, i love this. she wrote a letter to president obama urging him to nominate his mother, her mother, you, to the united states supreme court. in that letter, her recommendation that you judge jackson would be a great supreme court justice. i suspect after these proceedings, please god, after

confirmation of the supreme court, something new will happen in america. that letter from your daughter will not be exceptional. generations up a little young girls and generations of young boys, no matter who their parents are will have the audacity to write the president of the united states, whether they are daughters of a white parents, black parents, biracial parents, muslim and jewish parents, we are going to see a new generation of children talking about their mamas. and a daring to write to the president of the united states of america. that my mom should be on the supreme court your i want to tell your daughter right now, that dream of hers is so close to being a reality. it is a tough day ahead but i think it could happen. your grandparents generation, literally this week but in 1965,

when my parents were in washington dc, that week martin luther king began on this day of march from salem to montgomery. when he finally made it on the 25th of march, he talked to people who were losing faith in america, that we could be who we say we are. he says for those folks, how long will we have to wait, not long because the ark of the morally diverse is long and it bends towards justice. well today, america is witnessing the literal bending of the ark and the conducting of one's most sacred ideas of this country, justice for all. i think more people at the end of the greeks and after a senate vote, more people will --people at the end of these hearings, after the senate vote, we believe who we say we are in our

hearts. i think you and your family are giving a lot more people faith. >> thank you senator booker. >> senator kennedy of louisiana. >> hello, judge. if you're a lawyer or an american, i guess it does not get any bigger or better than this. congratulations. in addition to honoring the wonderful state of minnesota, and unless you correct me, i am going to assume that your purple

attire is also meant to honor lsu in my state. if i squint real hard, i might call it might colors of southern university in louisiana. i want to compliment you for selecting senator doug jones to advise you. senator jones knows the senate. the senate knows senator jones. we know him to be quite the intellect. but more important, we know him to be a person of judgment and goodwill. i'm glad that you have been listening to him. i hope we will be able to use of

this hearing today to talk about , if not implicitly, at least implicitly, two things. the first is the legitimacy of the united states supreme court. where does the court gets its legitimacy? what can we do to enhance it? judicial legitimacy is important. i do not need to tell you that. i am fond of the constitution, i know you are to. when members of the united states supreme court interpreted , i want the american people to believe them, i want the american people to say well, i may not agree, but the men and women who made the decision are intellectually honest and people with good faith.

one of the primary roles of the united states approved port uphold the rule of law --one of the primary rules of the united states is uphold the rule of law. sometimes a justices have to uphold the rule of law when it is not popular with the majority of americans. boy, that is tough. it is also important. sometimes, not generally, but sometimes the majority can mean just all of the fools are on the same side. that is what the courts are for. i am fond of the bill of rights too, i know you are as well. i never believed the bill of rights was therefore the high school quarterback, or the

prom queen. the bill of rights is they are to protect the rights of people who do not see the world exactly like everybody else. or who do not look exactly like everybody else. fortunately, the history we have had people who tried to degitimize. i remember the impeach earl warren. most of the people who want to delegitimize the supreme court

believe that members of the supreme court, they believe the united states supreme court ought to be a mini congress. they believe the law is not the law. a lot of folks just be politics practice in a different way. they believe in poor packing and they are wrong. number two, i hope today that we can use this as an opportunity to talk about, if not explicitly , that is what i'm trying to do. the appropriate balance between representative government and declarative government. now, in representative government, as you well know, people through their elected representatives make promises.

the declarative government, policy is made by the administrative state and federal dish area. judiciary. both are important. what is just as important as we have the appropriate balance between representative government and what i call clear to government. declarative government. in any of us think that it will get this big? is it healthy? is it really healthy to arrive at a circumstance where the administrative state passes 30 five a year to our one? is it really healthy to have a administrative state that makes its own laws, interprets is

on loss, enforces its own laws before courts. i think that is a fair question to ask. in terms of the declarative government and the supreme court, fellow judiciary. federal judges have enormous power. you are appointed for life. you can't be unelected. your salary can't even be reduced. you have to have that power. judicial power is important. so is judicial restraint. i believe that the appropriate role in the federal judiciary is upon federal judges do not make laws. they do not tell us what the law out to be, they tell us what the law is. i said primarily because of

course, sometimes federal judges make laws. i mean they make the law to case, you decide the case. you have to tell us what reasonable means in terms of procedures. you have to help us define restraint trade after we passed a statute. of course judges. i am talking about the proper balance. i will leave you with these last thoughts that i will yield back my time. i want you to hear the words in my opinion is one of the most distinguished supreme court justices. i am going to read his words. the american people love democracy. the american people are not fools. the people know their value

judgments are quite as good as those taught in any law school, maybe better. value judgments after all, should be voted on. not dictated. i look forward judge to getting to know you better. and congratulations mom and dad. >> thank you senator kennedy. >> thank you, mr. chair. >> judge jackson. welcome back to the senate judiciary committee. the last time you were before us, just a year ago, i recall you mentioned every once in a while, you make it a point to walk two blocks from your courthouse to the national archives. as you all know, the national

archives is where the declaration of independence, constitution, and the bill of rights are at. you shared that you go there and reflect of the office that you hold. it is a safe place, these archives to be reminded of our nation's highest ideals, our pursuit of a union that is more fair, that is more free as it striving to be more perfect. it is also a sight to see where two and a half centuries our democracies remained a worker progress appeared it is . it is incumbent on all of us to make the progress.

as a man who wrote our founding documents can never imagine that you would one day be here, a formal public defender, a college graduate of a public high school, a working mom, the first black woman nominated to serve the nation's highest court. our founding fathers could also never imagine that the senators sitting before judge jackson would include the first women who represent california, hawaii, tennessee, the first jewish man to represent georgia. the first hispanic man to represent texas, the first black man to represent new jersey. nor can they have imagined that the list will include me. i am here from immigrants from mexico who came to this country with little formal education.

but with big dreams. and a tremendous work can --work ethic. it is because of hard work and sacrifice, my dad, my mom is a housekeeper that i have enjoyed tremendous opportunities in my life. that includes the honor of representing the state of california as united states senate, and being the first latino to do so. like so many of us in the room, i am blessed to live the american dream. looking around, you can see the strike in our democracy has made towards strengthening our institutions by including more voices and more perspective. judge jackson, if you're confirmed, we will take other steps as making our government better reflect the america that it serves towards making the

promise of america more real. and we know that progress does not come easily. breaking barriers and being the first, means not just significant opportunities, but tremendous responsibilities. judge jackson, i also know you are equipped with a tremendous record of experience and accomplishments. you are ready to blaze this trail. a trail that your grandparents may have found unfathomable, but one that your daughters in my sons and future generations will now see as a natural part of the american story. judge jackson, even before your next opinion, your appearance before us today already begins a

new chapter in our nations history. i can say for certain by the end of these hearings, those watching across the country will know of your outstanding qualifications, experience and accomplishments. which bear repeating over and over again. the public education, including graduating from miami paul meadow high school, i see the smile. followed by degrees from harvard college and harvard law school. courtships as the federal district court, federal court of appeals in the united states supreme court. two years as a federal public defender. two years as a staff member of the united states sentencing commission. four years as its vice chair. you have been confirmed by the senate, not once, not twice, three times.

each on a bipartisan basis, including two lifetime judicial appointments. you bring nearly a decade of judicial experience, which by the way is more than the combined total of the currently sitting justices at the time they were nominated. again, you are clearly more than qualified to serve as the justice of the supreme court of the united states. yes, you welcome other experiences and expectations to the court your including as a working mother and a black woman. i look forward to speak forward about your background, on and off the bench. and your approach to the law. based on our conversations already, and my review of your record, i believe that you have the expertise, heart to

elevate the way these deliberations of the supreme court. every year the supreme court decides dozens of cases to shape the lives of the american people. only a small percentage of those cases will ever be highlighted in history but make the front page of newspapers, go viral on social media. the choices of the supreme court will certainly shape the future of labor rights, women's rights, criminal justice, immigration, technology, environmental protection and much more. i also want to be clear about something important. if you're confirmed, i do not expect you to agree with every detail with every decision you make. that is not my test, that is not our test. our job on this committee is to make sure that the next justice

will honor the rule of law and the principles of equal justice for all. we must ensure that the next justice will help the supreme court live up to its responsibility to the american people. yes, america is watching. america is watching these hearings to see what the future holds, not just for themselves, but for the court as well. judge jackson, like you i believe in the greatness and the promise of this nation. i believe that we can continue building on our dream of a more perfect union. that includes building a government that better reflects and represents the people that it serves. it is a dream we spent two and a half centuries struggling to realize. while this hearing may not be the last step on the journey, it is a momentous step moving forward indeed.

you're an outstanding nominee for the nation's highest court. i think you for your service. i thank you for sharing your safe in america's. you know how far our nation has come. mr. chair, before closing,, i would like to share a few words on the importance of this nomination. [speaking a different language]

judge jackson, i look forward to your testimony over the next few days. i think you mr. chairman. -- i thank you for mr. chairman. >> thank you mr. chairman and ranking member. it is a honor to anticipate in my fourth supreme court nomination. judge jackson, congratulations on your nomination. i feel like you and your family have every reason to be very proud. and your daughter, apparently has pretty weighty letter writing skills. we met together, i asked you about your family. i can understand why family

members, siblings --. now you have gone to do that in your public offender role in as a judge. we should be very proud of that. we should recognize the short nature of this event as the first african-american female to be put forth confirmation for the supreme court is extraordinary. i also want to recognize that when we had the meeting in my office, i asked you why on earth are you doing this because this week is not going to be particularly fun every moment of this. you are brilliant, your educated. there are so many other things you can do. you have set that it is really your profession. i guess in many respects this is a dream of yours, but i also

think that it is probably within reach for many young boys and girls, young men and women, the reality that they too can be here before the senate being considered for confirmation to the highest court of the land. you are not only for killing your dreams, your making the dreams of others fulfilling your dreams, your fulfilling the dreams of others. i think you have a strong track record of ethical values. honesty, integrity. in confirming the supreme court justice, it is one of the most responsibilities i think i have as the u.s. senator. the outcome of our decision will impact millions of lives and the structure of our constitutional republic. supreme court justices are finances to some of the most resting legal --pressing legal

questions at times. many of them do not have good answers, or at least easy ones. that is why it is critical whenever we confirm a supreme court, we understand the judicial philosophy and reconcile it with our conception of the best mindset to bring to the bench. in my opinion, the justices job is to interpret the words of the constitution as it is written and give them the original meaning. i reject the notion of the constitution as a living evolutionary document that changes based on the impulses of five unelected justices. a good judge understands that his and her job ridding their performed outcomes to statute. if the rights of the statute are clear, a good judge will reach a decision based on those words. even if it creates an outcome that they may this agree with

completely. in other words, chief justice roberts, a good justice has one job. nothing more, nothing less. sometimes that leads to rulings of republicans that light, the like and democrats hate. sometimes at least two rows that everyone hates. that is your job as supreme court justice. i had the opportunity to meet judge jackson. i want to thank you to your indulgence. i had all of my staff asked a number of questions. i was quite impressed how engaged you are with some of the formal members of the judiciary committee and other staff. one person had a question, he

you were very and diligent in your answer. i just thought we were honest and worth coming. after you have the right temperament based on how seeing you react to the questions, the statements today. i also appreciate how your unique perspective, a broom perspective and upgrading --numbering and shape your views. i do have some additional questions to ask about to weave together or reconcile my conception of the right mindset for a judge going to the supreme court. i am concerned, and will look into questions over the next couple of days. i will be here for the majority of the hearing to kind of put together the foundation that i need to make ultimately to make

a decision on your confirmation. to proceed with the hearing this week, i will be in attendance, most of the time except her breaks. i will focus on understanding your writings. i am in the middle of your thesis right now, should be finished by tomorrow morning. your political activities and opinions with a goal of determining your philosophy, whether or not it is within my conception of the right philosophy of somebody i would go to confirm. at the end of the week, i will ultimately have to conclude whether or not i am comfortable with putting someone in a lifetime position, and whether that person is likely to have the kind of philosophy that i want. i hope, i expected that they would take opinions that would make me mad. that is ok. i just wanted to know that they do it for the right reason.

i do not want an activist at either end of the spectrum, although i think some folks are ok with one end of spectrum, not the other. if we are talking about preserving the integrity of the court, there is no place on the supreme court for judicial activism. the best thing we could do here is to make sure we have justices that are going to be stored to the constitution, respectful of the measures that we have had and right spirit i look forward to the hearing tomorrow. you are going to get a lot of questions asked. i do think -- thank all of my colleagues in advance for being respectful, thoughtful and open-minded. i look forward to hearing your opening statement. thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you. ranking member grassley. judge jackson. good afternoon. good to your family. congratulations to your family. congratulations to you for your nomination and welcome back to

the judiciary committee. i engage in these proceedings with deep respect for the responsibility that the senate has two advice and content on the lifetime appointment of the supreme court justice. who would be responsible for interpreting and applying constitutional steps for a lot in the most complex and contested and a nationally significant cases. the constitution was a groundbreaking document when written, and still by today's standard as amended, considering the tierney that prevails in much of the world. it is guaranteed of liberties and due process are exceptional as a governing document. often in our history has followed to the court to the decision to ensure the enforcement of those guarantees. yet, our constitution's

guarantee that individual rights and equal protection under the law remain too often and for too many unfulfilled. for any colleagues who dealt with this, i remind them of ahmaud arbery's murder in georgia just two years ago. when a young black man was shot dead in cold blood on camera in the street. in the local authorities buried the case and look the other way. only a massive civil rights mobilization pressured state and eventually federal prosecutors to act. for any colleagues who doubt that those promises remain unfulfilled to too many, i remind them that in my state you can predict how long someone must wait to vote by where they live and the color of their skin. in practice, the promises made

in the plain text of the constitution are still too often broken, for too many of our fellow americans. the court remains essential to the national process of becoming of real-life what america is in text. to this hearing, judge jackson as evidence that this process continues. above all, a testament to you personally. that in a nation to transcend the legacy of slavery and segregation and institutionalized racism, though your brilliance and resilience and hard work and when you have already rendered great service to the nation as a federal judge. as a black woman, you have overcome deeply rooted obstacles to earn nomination to our nation's highest court for the first time in history. alongside our constitutions

exceptional guarantees of individual rights and protection is exceptional system of checks and balances. restraints on political power imposed by the diffusion of authority across three coequal branches between federal and state governments. with a president in a state legislator directly in kumble to accountable to voters. this constitutional system has endured and developed for nearly a quarter of a millennium. it is resilient. but democracy remains at the exception, not the norm in history and around the world and we cannot take the survival of our republic for granted. so i look forward to engaging with you, judge jackson to discuss your perspective on the separation of powers and the resilient of our constitution,

when threatened by political actors who will ignore the rule of law, or seek to seize power by illegal or extraordinary means. among the courts most challenging tasks are to grapple with unsubtle law when the states -- stakes are-- and to an faithfully over the long arc of history as the world changes in profound ways and the text of faithful constitutional interpretation meets new contacts and new technologies. judge jackson, you may serve well into the middle of the century. you will rule on cases whose contours we cannot yet imagine. i look forward to learning how you will consider protections against unreasonable search and

seizure in an age of ubiquitous surveillance, how you might approach disputes over war powers, how you will approach questions pertaining to freedoms of speech and of the press, and seek that confirmation that you will apply the law faithfully without regard for your own opinions. as a review of your extensive work to date demonstrates that i believe you will. this cost of additional process of advice and consent is vital to the integrity and legitimacy of the court. on behalf of my judgments, and look forward to engaging with you on this process. >> senator blackburn of tennessee. >> judge jackson, welcome.

you are indeed to be congratulated and your entire family. thank you for your time to visit. and to your daughters, her best job is being mom. she likes that one. we have talked it little about the momentous occasion that this is, because, unlike any other federal office, this is a lifetime appointment. the decisions that you are going to make are going to impact rights and freedoms of every single american citizen. president biden thinks you are the right person for the job, but it does not end there. we do have that role of advice and consent. it is up to us to carry that job

out. and have heard, this is going to be a fair and thorough, very respectful hearing. we are going to work through this process with some tough questions about do it in a manner with the respect that you deserve. we have talked some today of the treatment of justice thomas and justice kavanaugh, justice barrett, who was questioned about her faith and whether that made her suitable for the court. i know that your faith is important to you. we have also talked about janice rogers brown and the treatment that she endured here. we are going to be pleased to focus on the issue is that the american people want to focus on, because they want to know about you and help you are going

to approach your job and the decisions that that you have made in the past. i have a few areas i am going to want to delve further with you. we touched on some of these as we talked. when i talk to tennesseans, they bring up the issue of parental rights and wanting to be able to be or their children as they see fit. moms and dads are very concerned about this progressive agenda pushed into some public schools. educators are allowing biological males to steal opportunity from female athletes in the name of progressivism. just last week, and entire generations of young girls watched women those charged with protecting them allowed a

biological male to be a biological woman in some -- in collegiate sports. rather than defending our girls, those in power are teaching them that their voices do not matter. they are being treated like second-class citizens. americans need a supreme court justice who will protect our children and who will defend parents' constitutional right to decide what is best for their own kids. here, we need clarity. at a time when these parental rights appear under assault by the radical left, your public comments about the "t ransformative power of progressive education" are deeply concerning. they are on the board of a

school that teach kindergartners that they can choose their gender and teaches them about so-called white privilege. this school has hosted an organization called wo -- woke kindergarten and pushes and antiracist education. your endorsement of this indoctrination causes one great concern when it comes to how you may rule on cases involving parental rights. parents also know that it is only a matter of time before the next pandemic. they are concerned about more mask mandates or lockdowns that would harm mental health and extent development. the american people want a justice who will protect their families freedoms, not allow government overreach.

moms that i am speaking with raised the issue of crime. you have consistently called for greater freedom for hardened terminals. at the start of the pandemic, you advocated for "each and every criminal defendant in the d.c. corrections custody should be released." that would have been 1500 criminals on the street. you used the pandemic as justification to release a federal drug dealer, a bank robber addicted to heroin, and a convict who murdered a u.s. marshal into our communities, but your efforts to protect convicts began before the pandemic. you used your time and talent not to serve our veterans or

other vulnerable groups, but to provide free legal services to help terrorists. you also have a consistent pattern of giving child port offenders later sentences. on average, you sentenced them to five years below the minimum sentences recommended. you have stated publicly that is -- that it is a mistake to assume that child pornography offenders are pedophiles. restrictions on children and families and freedom for criminals. your philosophy, or lack thereof, may be the root of the problem. i was concerned during our decision when you told me you did not have a judicial philosophy. the american people deserve a supreme court justice with a

documented commitment to the text of the constitution and the rule of law, not a judicial activist who will attempt to make policy from the bench. without it judicial philosophy, a judge is legally adrift and it will be inclined to consider policy rather than law. you once wrote that every judge has "personal, hidden agendas" that influence how they decide cases. i can only wonder what your hidden agenda is. is it to let child predators back to the streets? is it to restrict parental rights and expand government into our schools and private family decisions? is it to support the radical left's attempt to pack the supreme court? you have praised the 1619

project and have made clear that you believe judges must consider critical race theory when deciding criminal defendants. is it your personal agenda to incorporate critical race area into our legal system? these are answers that the american people need to know. we are going to look at past statements, decisions, and seek clarification from this committee before we make our decision. let me close by congratulating you on your impressive career and your nomination to the nation's highest court. regardless of the outcome of the confirmation process, you and your family should be incredibly proud of all you have achieved. your story is a wonderful example of the american dream fulfilled. you are able to sit here today

because you were reared and built your career in a free country whose laws protect people justice and opportunity for all to ensure that future generations can expect the same blessings and opportunities you received, we need justices who will the dedicated to justice and the rule of law. our questions over the coming days are wearing to be tough but are tough by necessity because it is our duty to determine whether you will first and foremost uphold the constitution and our nation's founding principles. thank you for joining us. >> all committee members have now completed their opening statements. at this point, we are going to have some logistics. i will ask that the two introducers please come forward to the witness table.

judge jackson, you can take a break from the spotlight. we have two guests introducing judge jackson. we will hear from thomas griffith, who served on the court of appeals from 2005-2020, and lisa fairfax who serves as professor ed codirector of the institutional that institution for law and economics at the university of pennsylvania law school. judge griffith, we will start with you. >> i come here today as a retired federal appears court judge with 15 years of experience on the u.s. court of appeals for the d.c. circuit. i come as a jurist appointed by

george w. bush. i come here as someone who understands that there are few greater responsibilities under the constitution then serving as a justice on the supreme court. it takes a jurist of high character, keen intellect, deep legal knowledge, and broad experience to ensure that the judiciary placed its unique role , to uphold the rule of law impartially and not to be "par tisans in robes." i have the high honor to introduce judge ketanji brown jackson, a jurist who has all those qualities. when president biden introduced her, the american people got their first glimpse of judge jackson's character. she began her remarks with an expression of her faith in god

and her gratitude for this nation, which she rightly observed is the greatest beacon of hope and democracy the world has ever known. i first met judge jackson in 2013 after the senate has confirmed her as trial judge. two years later, she joined the d.c. circuit judge is appellate judge. i have had many duties to observe her work over the years. on several occasions, i reviewed her decisions on appeal. although we did not always agree on the outcome of the lot required, i respected her diligent and careful approach, her deep understanding, and collegial manner -- indispensable traits for a justice. about her collegial manner, that teacher is often overlooked. -- that feature is often

overlooked. although appointed by a different, justices have genuine fondness for one another. the civil manner in which justices debate the large, sexy issues before them is -- vexing issues before them is vital. the constitution requires that of all of us. stability of debate and respect for the views of others are lacking from our public life. judge jackson's life has modeled these qualities. judge jackson is independent and adjudicates based on the facts and the law and not as a partisan. time and again, she has demonstrated that impartiality,

sometimes ruling in favor of the government, sometimes against. her room is simple -- follow the law. i find it noteworthy that a former judge appointed by a republican president would enthusiastically endorse a nomination to the supreme court by a democratic president. that reaction is a member of the dangerous hyper partisanship that has seeped into every nook and coming of our lives and against which the framers of the constitution more us. there should be nothing unusual about my support of a highly qualified nominee. my former colleagues in the federal judiciary, michael chernoff, david leavy, andrew

elford, all highly respected judicial conservatives have voiced their strong support for judge jackson. there was a time when bipartisan support of a highly qualified jurist was of regular order. antonin scalia was confirmed 98-0, ruth bader ginsburg by 96 -3. the rule of a is a fragile possibility in the best of times. today, it is literally under attack in ukraine and threatened around the world and in our own country by autocrats and their sympathizers who give lip service to the rule of law but working to undermine it. as justice scalia taught us, the indispensable feature of the republic the constitution

created is an independent judiciary of judges who have taken an oath not to a president or a party but to the american people and to god that they will be impartial. judge ketanji brack -- ketanji jackson brown has demonstrated her unwavering commitment to that oath. i applaud this nomination which encourage the senate to confirm. >> thank. lisa fairfax. >> my name is lisa fairfax. i am a professor of law at the university of pennsylvania school of law. prior to my academic career, i worked at a large law firm. but before that, i was roommates and a very different at harvard

of jazz -- judge ketanji brown jackson, who i am honored to introduce to you today. kanji and -- ketanji and i met during our first days of college. she is the friend that make sure we all belong to. a woman of deep faith and in yielding love for family, ketanj i divides friendship. as our circle of friends new dutch group, she became the rock for us all. even though we are the same age, she is the role model. you can do it. here is how. she showed us how by the power of her example of hard work,

preparation, and excellence that transformed the seemingly impossible into the achievable. we poured our souls into our studies, graduating with honors and then doing it all over again when we merge with the law school with honors. we became sisters and saw each other's families at our own. we both met their husbands as students and were there with each other when we walked down the aisle, started our legal careers and lives as working mothers. my husband, roger fairfax, as described ketanjji's impeccable credentials. he also notes her as one of our children's most favorite people in the world. our roommate, nina simmons has described ketanji's unwavering work ethic. she puts her head down and get

it done, even, and perhaps especially, when no one is watching. our other college roommate has described ketanji as a coalition builder. we knew early on she could be anything she chose to be, but also that she seemed destined to be a judge because of her ability to see all sides. our group of friends also knows that there is more to ketanji beyond her brilliant mind. there is her sense of humor, gift of storytelling, heart of gold that shows from the first coat you make for advice to the first knock you hear on the door after learning your diagnosed with cancer. she is always there. above all, ketanji is humble enough not to pretend she knows how to have it all, but she does

know how to give it all. what she gives to her family, her friends, she also gives to the law and this country. a testament of her character is all the people of different background stand beneath -- beliefs who understand that essence of ketanji. we have seen that from endorsements. we will see it in the history she will make. she is honored and humbled by this moment. not for what it means for her, but for what it means for our amazing country. confirmation of the idea that america is a place in which all of us could get a sense of belonging and can reach our. potential. while challenging, i would summarize nearly 30 years of project in this way -- highlighting her faith in god

and country, her intellectual brilliance, her goodness and grace, and a work ethic that makes her perfectly suited for the serious task of serving on the supreme court. it is with love, pride, gratitude for her willingness to serve introduce to you my friend and exemplary of america's promise, judge ketanji brown jackson. >> thank you. professor fairfax and judge griffith, i am sure judge jackson and her emily appreciate you being here today. i want to add senator doug jones , who has introduced jeb -- judge jackson to many of us. doug, thank you for serving in this cause and helping the president and judge jackson. we are not going to move to the next phase of the program.

that is to hear from judge jackson. if we can set up a table -- before you sit down, judge, i am going to ask you to take the oath. please raise your right hand. do you affirm that the testimony will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? >> i do. >> let the record reflect that the judge has answered in the affirmative. you make now proceed. -- may now proceed. >> chairman at durban, ranking member grassley, distinguished members of the judiciary committee, thank you for convening this hearing and considering my nomination as

associate justice of the supreme court. i am humbled and honored to be here. i am also grateful for the generous introductions that my former colleague judge tom griffith and my close friend professor lisa fairfax have so graciously provided. i am also very thankful for the confidence that president biden has placed in me and for the kindness that he and the first lady and the vice president and second gentleman have extended to me and my family. today will be the fourth type i have had the honor of appearing before this committee to be considered for confirmation. over the past three weeks, i have had the honor of meeting each member of this committee separately. i have met with 45 senators in

total. your careful attention to my nomination dedicates your dedication to the crucial role that the senate place in this constitutional process. while i am on the subject of attitude, i must pause to reaffirm my thanks to god, for it is a faith that sustains me at this moment. even prior to today, i can say that my life has been blessed beyond measure. the first ever my blessings is the fact that i was born in this great nation is a little over 50 years ago in september 1970. congress had enacted two civil rights act's in the decade before. like so many who had experienced lawful racial segregation firsthand, my parents left their

hometown of miami and moved to washington, d.c. to experience new freedoms. when i was born here, my parents for public school teachers. to express both pride in their heritage and hope for the future, they gave me an african name -- ketanji anika, which they were told means a lovely one. my parents taught me that, unlike the barriers they had had to face, my path was clear, solidified work hard and believed in myself, i could do or be anything i wanted to be. like so many families, they worked long hours and sacrificed to provide their children every opportunity to reach their god-given potential.

my parents have been married for almost 54 years and are here with me today. i cannot possibly think them enough for everything they have done for me. my father there is responsibility for my interest in the law. when i was four, we moved back to miami so he could be a full-time law student and we lived on the campus of the university of miami. my mother pulled double duty come out working as the sole breadwinner while also guiding and inspiring four-year-old me. my earliest memories are of watching my father's study. he had his books on the kitchen table while i sat across from him with my coloring books. my parents also instilled in me and my rather the importance -- my brother the importance of

public service. after graduating from howard university, my brother started out as a police officer. after september 11, he volunteered for the army and eventually became an infantry officer, serving two tours of duty in the police he is here today, providing his love and support. speaking of unconditional love, i would like to introduce you to my husband, dr. patrick jackson. have not got that without him from that by my side from the very beginning, none of this would have been possible. we met in college. since then, he has been the best husband, father, and friend i could have ever imagined. patrick, i love you. william, patrick's identical twin brother, is here, along

with his wife. also here are patrick's older brother and his wife. last, but certainly not least, my in-laws, the matriarch and patriarch of the jackson family have traveled here from boston. i am seeking a special moment in this introduction for my daughters. girls, i know it has been easy. as i have tried to navigate the challenges of juggling my career and other, i fully in that they did not always get the balance >> i am saving a special moment

in this introduction for my daughters, talia and layla. girls, i know it has been challenging as i have juggled my career and motherhood. i know i have not always get the balance right. i hope that you see with hard work, determination and love, it can be done. i am so looking forward to seeing what each of you chooses to do with your amazing lives in this incredible country. i love you so much. there are so many others who are not here today but i need to acknowledge. i have a large extended family on both sides that are watching from florida, north carolina, new jersey, connecticut, new york, massachusetts, colorado and beyond. i also have incredible friends.

three of my college roommates came here today to support me and i have so many other boosters from all throughout my personal and professional life. i have also had extraordinary mentors, like my high school debate coach, may she rest in peace. she invested fully in me, including taking me to harvard. the first i had ever thought of it, to enter me into a speech. in the category of great mentors, it was also my great, good fortune to have the chance to have u.s. district judge,

appeals judge and supreme court justice susan breyer. at extraordinary people were exceptional role models. justice breyer not only gave me the greatest job that any law -- any young lawyer could hope to have, but he also exemplifies what it means to be a supreme court justice of the highest judge of the skill, integrity and grace. it is extremely humbling to be considered for justice breyer seats. i know i could never fill his shoes, but if confirmed, i would hope to carry on his spirit. on the day of his supreme court nomination, justice breyer said, "what is law supposed to do, seen as a whole?

it is supposed to allow all people to live together in a society where they have so many different views, so many different needs to live together in a way that is more harmonious , that is better. so that they can work productively together i could not have said it better myself. members of this committee, if i am confirmed, i commit to you that i will work productively to support and defend the constitution in this grand experience of american democracy that has endured these past 246 years. i have been a judge for nearly a decade now and i take that responsibility and my duty to be

independent, very seriously. i decide cases from a neutral posture -- a neutral posture. i interpret and apply the law with the case before me without fear or favor, consistent with my judicial owes. i know that my role as a judge is a limited one. but the constitution empowers me only to decide cases that are probably presented. my judicial role is further constrained by careful adherence to precedent. in preparing for these hearings, you may have read some of my more than 570 written decisions and you may have also noticed my opinions tend to be on the long side. that is because i also believe in transparency.

that people should know precisely what i think and the basis for my decision. all of my professional experiences, including my work as a public defender and a trial judge have instilled in me the importance of having each litigant no that the judge in their case has heard them, whether or not their arguments prevail in court. during this hearing, i hope that you will see how much i love our country. and the constitution and the rights that make us free. i stand on the shoulders of so many who have come before me. including judge constance, baker motley, the first african-american woman to be appointed to the bench.

and with whom i share a birthday. i have dedicated my career to ensure the words engraved on the front of the supreme court building equal justice under law. and not just an ideal. thank you for this historic chance to join the highest court. to work with brilliant colleagues, to inspire future generations and to ensure liberty and justice for all. >> >> thank you is jackson.

starting tomorrow, will be some serious exchange in question. 30 minutes and then the following day 20 minutes for each senator to participate in this. we are looking forward to this opportunity to give you a opportunity to respond to the things you have heard an answer direct questions. members have until thursday at 5:00 p.m. to submit to the record. we are going to reconvene at 9:00. we thank all of the dissidents of the audience for keeping this dignified, respectful and civilized. we hope to continue that tradition tomorrow. this committee stands adjourned.

>> i have been here for 20 of these confirmations and nominees. they have all been different for

one reason or another, there is not a single nominee that i have heard that strikes to me in such an extraordinary way as this one has. not only her tremendous abilities she has already demonstrated, the breath of her background, knowledge, experience, which stands out among the 20 that i have had a chance to vote on, but just looking at her and saying, "this makes america look like america." she is on that court. i am very impressed with her. i recall when she told me about her daughter sending letters to the president saying she should be on the supreme court. i was glad to see a smile on her

daughter when she heard chair durbin has set the best tone for this hearing. everyone knows how much time they are supposed to have and what they will have. most importantly, when you set aside some of the rhetoric you here, i hope the american people hear her answer and a real jury is. we should be able to hear her questions, not for soundbite reasons, but so the american people know who this is, why she is and what she will mean for the supreme court. >> thanks. anyone else want to comment? or should we turn over the questions? any questions? >> we heard about republicans making arguments about how the way you handle confirmation

hearings in the past. how come we didn't hear any pushback from democrats about your handling of cavanaugh and anything else? >> this isn't a history class. we learn from past experiences, some we could control and some that we couldn't. i am looking forward. i think this committee is looking forward to work with the biden administration to being -- to bring the very best to -- we all learn from life experiences. some of these were in our control, some out of our control. i don't want to relive that history. we are pushing forward with our eye on the future.

>> do you agree that might risk republican support? >> i hope it doesn't. i hope they are fair-minded. those of us that are on the couldn't -- on the committee faces the same regardless of their background, regardless of their record. it is the campaign seat -- campaign theme from 2022 and for any nominee. there is not any credibility to it. how could this woman have the endorsement of the international chief of police and be soft on crime? she is balanced and her workers shows it. she has 573 written opinions to prove it. >> senator -- made an allegation regarding the school board. what is your response on thinking on that? >> given an opportunity, judge jackson will clear that up quickly.

she is at a disadvantage today. we have 22 senators speaking to her, many making accusations and asking questions that she had to sit calmly and wait for her day tomorrow. i trust her response will be a good one. one last question. >> democrats will be able to respond and reply to any of the questions? senator -- said in his opening statement, "don't worry, we are going to talk about the other was to." >> they can raise any issues they wish. the american people will be the altman arbiters. as a person who wants to serve in the highest court in the land, are we ready?

you bet we are. the committee meeting, two weeks from thursday. whenever it is, we will have all attendance of democrats.

>> >> all >> 22 senators on the judiciary committee will be each given 30 minutes to ask judge jackson questions. you can find more information about judge jackson on our website along with past confirmation hearings and in the c-span video library. we have president ronald reagan's -- in 1986 through president donald trump's nomination of judge amy barrett. >> c-span is your unfiltered view of government.