US Senate confirms Ketanji Brown Jackson as first Black women to US Supreme Court
Washington, Apr 8: In a momentous occasion in American history, the United States Senate on Thursday confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to sit in the country's highest court.
The United States Senate took the historic decision by 53-47 votes after three Republican Senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney voted in her favour along with 50 members of the ruling Democratic Party.
The 100 member Senate is equally split between Democratic and Republican, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting her votes in the case of a tie. Currently a judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, Jackson will replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, 83.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, 53, joined President Joe Biden and other White House senior staff in the Roosevelt Room to watch the results of the Senate vote on her nomination to the Supreme Court.
"Judge Jackson's confirmation was a historic moment for our nation. We've taken another step toward making our highest court reflect the diversity of America. She will be an incredible Justice, and I was honoured to share this moment with her," President Biden said on Saturday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described it as a day of great pride and patriotism for the nation, as Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson makes history as the first Black woman to be confirmed to the Supreme Court.
With Judge Jackson's historic confirmation, our nation takes an important step toward realising our most cherished ideals, Pelosi said.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said she is not only eminently qualified and highly recommended but also makes history as the first Black woman to serve on the country's highest bench.
This is a great day for our country and for our democracy, and I know that our judiciary and people will be strengthened by Judge Jackson's service, as she will bring both a deep and thorough understanding of the law and lived experiences that will bring new perspectives into the Court's chambers, he said.
For over 200 years, the court has heard cases that affect Black women cases like Plessy v. Ferguson, Shelby County v. Holder, Dobbs. v. Jackson Women's Health Organisation without the perspective of a Black woman. That changes now, the Democratic National Committee said.
Judge Jackson has shown girls especially girls of colour how big they can dream and just how profound an impact they can have on our nation. Her story is uniquely American. She represents the best of us and our shared values, it said.
However, the Republicans decried the confirmation. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel released a statement alleging that Biden's pick Jackson is a radical, activist judge, one who failed to answer simple questions on her record, including leniency for child porn offenders and support of CRT.
Jackson has proved to be in lockstep with the far left's political agenda, even refusing to define what a woman is. The RNC will hold Democrats accountable this November for supporting Biden's radical pick, she said.
She attended Harvard as an undergraduate and for law school and served on the US Sentencing Commission, the agency that develops federal sentencing policy, before becoming a federal judge in 2013.
Jackson comes with a wealth of experience in varied capacities as a federal appellate judge, a federal district court judge, a member of the US Sentencing Commission, an attorney in private practice, and a federal public defender.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
