02.25.22

Murkowski Statement on President Biden’s Supreme Court Nominee

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) issued the following statement after President Biden nominated D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court, to fill the vacancy that will be created when Justice Stephen Breyer retires at the end of the current term.

“As we begin the confirmation process, I would be remiss if I didn’t first thank Justice Breyer for his decades of service to the nation and steadfast commitment to the Supreme Court’s mission—to ensure equal justice under the law.

“The Constitution provides the Senate ‘advise and consent’ authority over Supreme Court nominees, and I take this responsibility very seriously. I will now thoroughly vet this nominee, and give her the level of consideration that a Supreme Court Justice demands.

“I look forward to the opportunity to meet with Judge Jackson to learn more about her qualifications as a jurist, her judicial temperament and philosophy, and discuss issues important to Alaskans.

“I’ve been clear that previously voting to confirm an individual to a lower court does not signal how I will vote for a Supreme Court justice. I am committed to doing my due diligence before making a final decision on this nominee. Being confirmed to the Supreme Court—the nation’s highest tribunal, and a lifetime appointment—is an incredibly high bar to achieve.”