Published on Feb 25, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC | Today, President Biden announced his nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to fill the forthcoming vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court when Justice Stephen Breyer retires at the end of the current term. If confirmed, she will become the first Black woman to serve on the highest court. “We, in Indian Country, know how important it is to have diverse perspectives and diverse voices on the bench – especially on the highest court in our country,” said National Congress of American Indians’ (NCAI) President Fawn Sharp. “We call on the U.S. Senate to fulfill its duties and hold hearings to consider the record of Judge Jackson.”
John Echohawk, Executive Director of the Native American Rights Fund, offered the following assessment, “We look forward to working with the National Congress of American Indians on Judge Jackson’s nomination.”
President Sharp concluded by noting that, “With the impact that federal courts have on our Tribal Nations, it is critical that any Supreme Court Justice understand, recognize, and uphold principles of tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, and the federal trust responsibility. To that end, NCAI and NARF will continue working together to increase the federal bench’s understanding of federal Indian law across all levels.”
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About the Native American Rights Fund:
Founded in 1970, NARF is the oldest and largest non-profit dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and individual Indians nationwide. For the past 48 years, NARF has represented over 275 Tribes in 31 states in such areas as tribal jurisdiction, federal recognition, land claims, hunting and fishing rights, religious liberties, and voting rights. For more information, visit www.narf.org.
About the National Congress of American Indians:
Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments and communities, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. For more information, visit www.ncai.org.