Joe Biden pledges to make history by nominating first black woman to US Supreme Court
US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has been in the role for 28 years, having been appointed by Bill Clinton in 1994. Potential nominees to replace him include Ketanji Brown Jackson, Leondra Kruger, and Michelle Childs.
Friday 28 January 2022 03:20, UK
A black woman will replace retiring US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer in a "long overdue" appointment, President Joe Biden has vowed.
Mr Biden appeared with Mr Breyer at the White House to formally announce his retirement.
During his election campaign in 2020, the president vowed to make the historical nomination to the Supreme Court, and he reiterated his promise on Thursday.
Mr Biden said: "Our process is going to be rigorous. I will select a nominee worthy of Justice Breyer's legacy of excellence and decency.
"While I've been studying candidates' backgrounds and writings, I've made no decision except one: the person I nominate will be someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity - and that person will be the first black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court.
"It's long overdue, in my view."
Who are some of the contenders?
Potential nominees include Ketanji Brown Jackson, who was appointed to the US Court of Appeal last year.
Leondra Kruger, who is currently a judge on the Supreme Court in California, is another option.
And also in the running is Michelle Childs, a federal district court judge in South Carolina.
Mr Breyer has been in the role for 28 years, having been appointed by Bill Clinton in 1994.
The justice has been a pragmatic member of an increasingly conservative court, trying to force majorities with more moderate justices right and left of centre.
It's a lifetime role, but at the age of 83, there were some calls for the liberal judge to step aside.
In his retirement letter, he said he will depart at the end of the court's current term in June if a successor is confirmed.
Trump's legacy still lives on
Mr Biden said he wants the Senate, which is controlled by the Democrats, to "move promptly" once he has chosen his nominee.
Democrats can confirm a nominee without a single Republican vote because in 2017, Republicans changed the Senate rules to no longer require the approval of 60 of the 100 senators to allow nominations to move forward.
Even though Mr Breyer's replacement will be liberal, the court will still have a conservative majority of 6-3.
Donald Trump appointed three justices during his term in office, including Amy Coney Barrett, who replaced liberal judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg.