April 7: In a 53-47 vote, with Democrats joined by three Republicans, the Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the 116th Supreme Court justice. 
Sen. Susan Collins (Republican of Maine), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Republican of Alaska) and Sen. Mitt Romney (Republican of Utah), supported the confirmation, showing bipartisanship in a bitter and highly politicized process in the Senate. 

Before the vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat of New York) referred to her confirmation as one of the great moments in American history.
President Biden and Judge Jackson watched the vote in the Roosevelt Room at the White House.

Judge Jackson will be the first black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. She will replace Justice Stephen Breyer when he retires at the end of the summer. 

In contentious debate on the Senate floor before the vote, Senators Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee attacked Judge Jackson’s judicial philosophy, saying she was not tough enough on sex offenders, and that Judge Jackson’s supporters were pushing the concept of “woke” education, which refers to drawing attention to racial prejudice and discrimination in the country’s history. 

Judge Jackson’s supporters emphasized her experience and qualifications and celebrated her confirmation.

Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado said that Judge Jackson is an inspiration to millions of Americans. 

Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the vote in the Senate chamber. Her vote was not needed to break a tie, due to the support of the three Republican senators.

Judge Jackson graduated from Harvard Law School in 1996 and was a clerk for Justice Stephen Breyer, who she is set to replace. She served as a federal court judge for eight years, and was appointed last year to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C.