Biden reiterated again his intention to nominate the first black woman to become a Supreme Court justice….reports Asian Lite News
President Joe Biden on Thursday promised to announce his nominee to fill the US Supreme Court vacancy after justice Stephen Breyer revealed his plans to retire.
“It is my intention to announce my decision before the end of February. I have made no choice at this point. Once I select the nominee, I’ll ask the Senate to move promptly on my choice,” Biden said while delivering remarks on Breyer’s retirement.
Biden reiterated again his intention to nominate the first black woman to become a Supreme Court justice.
In a letter to Biden, Breyer noted that his retirement would be contingent on his successor being nominated and then confirmed by the US Senate before he steps down.
On Wednesday, US media reported that Breyer had decided to retire after serving almost 28 years on the high court. He had been appointed to the Supreme Court by then-President Bill Clinton.
Breyer at age 83 is the oldest serving member on the Supreme Court and one of the only three liberals on the nine-member body.
Praising Breyer, Biden highlighted his bipartisan spirit, saying he “patiently sought common ground” and was “a model public servant in a time of great division in this country,” media reported.
Biden had promised to put an African-American woman on the court back when he was campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden had “already started reviewing potential candidates” and the nomination process should “happen as expeditiously as possible.”
Of the 115 justices who served on the Supreme Court, only five have been women, including three today — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett. Only two have been Black men, one of whom is current Justice Clarence Thomas. (ANI/Sputnik)