Highlights from Senate vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson

The Senate voted 53-47 in a bipartisan vote on Jackson's nomination.

Last Updated: April 7, 2022, 2:58 PM EDT

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court in its 233-year history, was confirmed by the Senate in a 53-47 vote Thursday.

She got three Republican votes, marking a bipartisan victory for President Joe Biden and his high court nominee.

Apr 07, 2022, 2:58 PM EDT

Harris says Jackson's confirmation sends message of 'who we are as a nation'

After presiding over the Senate chamber the historic vote, Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters she is "overjoyed and deeply moved" at Judge Jackson's successful confirmation to the Supreme Court.

"There’s so much about what’s happening in the world now that is presenting some of the worst of this moment and human behaviors -- and then we have a moment like this that, I think, reminds us that there is still so much yet to accomplish and that we can accomplish," she said.

Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to read the final vote count of 53-47 as the U.S. Senate votes to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court at the U.S. Capitol, April 7, 2022, in Washington.
Senate Television via AP

Harris said Jackson's ascension sends an "important statement about who we are as a nation -- that we have just made a decision to put this extraordinary jurist on the highest court of our land."

"So let us all I think -- with rejoice -- in who we are as a nation that we achieved -- long overdue -- but we achieved this important milestone," she said. "It makes a very important statement about who we aspire to be, who we are, who we believe ourselves to be."

The final vote count of 53-47 is displayed after the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court at the U.S. Capitol, April 7, 2022, in Washington.
Senate TV via AP

Harris said is a statement that says "we want to make sure there is going to be full representation -- and the finest and brightest and the best -- and that’s what happened today," she said. "I’m very proud. Very proud."

Apr 07, 2022, 2:48 PM EDT

Biden to hold White House event Friday celebrating Jackson's confirmation

With Judge Jackson now Senate-confirmed to the Supreme Court, the White House has announced it will hold an event on the South Lawn on Friday afternoon to celebrate her confirmation.

President Joe Biden, Vice President Harris and Judge Jackson will speak, according to the White House.

President Joe Biden and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson watch the Senate vote on her nomination to associate justice on the US Supreme Court, from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, on April 7, 2022.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

The White House has framed Jackson's confirmation as a fulfillment of two big Biden promises -- one from the campaign trail, that he'd nominate the first Black woman, and the other as president, that he'd nominate someone in the mold of retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.

Jackson joined Biden in the Roosevelt Room on Thursday afternoon to watch the results of the Senate roll call vote -- ending with bipartisan confirmation to sit on the high bench.

Apr 07, 2022, 2:50 PM EDT

Jackson’s confirmation marks slew of firsts

With Judge Jackson set to become Justice Jackson when Justice Stephen Breyer retires at the end of this term, the Supreme Court will have its first Black woman justice -- and Jackson will serve on the first-ever high court where white men constitute a minority of the membership.

Jackson is also the first former public defender and first Florida-raised judge to sit on the Supreme Court.

President Joe Biden congratulates Ketanji Brown Jackson moments after the U.S. Senate confirmed her to be the first Black woman to be a justice on the Supreme Court in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on April 07, 2022 in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

In addition to being the first time four women justices serve on the bench, it’s also the first time three justices of color will serve together.

Biden ran for president on the pledge to nominate a Black woman and to help make the courts “look more like America.”

-ABC News' Devin Dwyer

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