NAACP Statement On Historic Nomination of First Black Woman to Supreme Court

The NAACP issued the following statement on President Biden's nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States:

"The NAACP applauds President Biden's nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. This is a historic moment for our nation and our community in particular. President Biden has met this moment with an extraordinarily qualified nominee, who has stellar credentials and an impeccable background," said Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO.

"This is tremendously exciting news. We have been calling for this at the NAACP. We need Black women at every level of the judiciary, and especially on the highest court of the land," said NAACP general counsel Janette McCarthy Wallace. "Beginning with Judge Jane Bolin and Judge Constance Baker Motley, Black women have been highly qualified and exceptional judges — and as such, they have been valuable members of the judicial system and they made incredibly unique contributions."

Since 1789, 115 justices have served on the Supreme Court of the United States, and not one has been a Black woman. The Court decides critical cases impacting the lives of all Americans, ranging from voting rights, economic justice, equal educational opportunity, reproductive rights, environmental justice, consumer rights, and criminal justice. Representation of a Black woman on the highest court of the land is long overdue. Her presence and voice on the Court will undoubtedly enrich its perspective and improve its decision-making.

A Washington DC native who was raised in Miami, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School. Judge Jackson clerked for three federal judges, including Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, whose seat she would fill. In 2013, President Barack Obama appointed her to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In 2021, President Biden elevated her to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

Importantly, Judge Jackson would bring a unique background to the Supreme Court, having spent a significant portion of her career working to ensure fairness in the criminal legal system. She served as a federal public defender in Washington DC, which would make her the first justice since Thurgood Marshall to bring criminal defense expertise to the Court. Judge Jackson also served as a staff attorney and later as a commissioner on the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

In keeping with the NAACP's long-standing practice of reviewing the records of all nominees to the Supreme Court, we look forward to reviewing Judge Jackson's entire record and sharing our views with the U.S. Senate.

As the Senate exercises its "advice and consent" responsibility under the Constitution with respect to this historic nomination, we urge each and every senator to treat Judge Jackson with the respect, dignity, and courtesy she deserves. We note that certain members of the Senate have shown significant hostility toward President Biden's woman nominees of color — both to executive and judicial positions. We caution those senators that the eyes of the nation are watching. Reviewing a Supreme Court nomination is one of the Senate's most august responsibilities, and it must do so fairly and respectfully, especially given the historic nature of this appointment.

Statement from Congressional Black Caucus on the historic nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the US Supreme Court

The Congressional Black Caucus released the following statement on the historic nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the US Supreme Court.

Black women have always been at the forefront of fighting for a more just democracy. After today, that forefront will expand to the #SCOTUS. We proudly support Judge #KetanjiBrownJackon's nomination to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court!

Senator Reverend Warnock Introduces New Bill to Cap Costs of Insulin

U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) has introduced new legislation to cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin for Americans. The Affordable Insulin Now Act will require Medicare plans and private group or individual plans to cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month. This will lower costs for insulin users and save money for hardworking Georgians and Americans—many who are paying exorbitantly from their own pockets for insulin and other diabetic treatments. According to one estimate, diabetics spend close to $6,000 annually on insulin alone. This is all while costs for insulin are going up and manufacturers of the drug are pocketing more revenue from insulin sales than in prior decades.

“Too many Georgians have or know someone who has diabetes, and too many live with the burden of treating this chronic condition with critical insulin that’s costing them more and more,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “At the same time, special corporate interests are seeing record profits, while everyday people are seeing record prices for drugs like insulin they need to live. I’ve long been focused on strengthening access to affordable health care and lowering costs for Georgians, and that’s why I am proud to lead the effort in the Senate to cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs for insulin. Georgians should never have to choose between paying for life’s basic essentials or life-preserving medicines.”

Under the Affordable Insulin Now Act, private group or individual plans would be required to cover one of each insulin dosage form (vial, pen) and insulin type (rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting) for no more than $35 per month. Medicare Part D plans, both stand-alone drug plans and Medicare Advantage drug plans, would be required to charge no more than $35 for whichever insulin products they cover in 2023 and 2024, and for all insulin products beginning in 2025.

Senator Warnock has heard concerns from close to 3,000 Georgians about the burdens of rising prescription drugs prices, including from hundreds of constituents concerned about the rising costs of insulin. Costs to treat diabetes have continued to rise for many Georgians and Americans: according to the Health Care Costs Institute, insulin prices nearly doubled from 2012 to 2016, with the average price for a 40-day supply of insulin increasing from $344 to $666 during that span. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, medical costs and lost work and wages for people with diagnosed diabetes total $327 billion yearly, and the American Diabetes Association has asserted that diabetics account for $1 of every $4 spent on health care in the U.S. At the same time, a 2021 bipartisan staffreport from the Senate Finance Committee found that “[insulin] manufacturers are retaining more revenue from insulin than in the 2000s,” and that “the amount of revenue pharmaceutical manufacturers are retaining from insulin has risen.”

“For decades, millions of diabetics in this country have had to pay outrageous prices for the medications they need to survive. Even when insulin vials only cost a few dollars to produce, drug companies have hiked the price to hundreds of dollars per month, forcing patients to ration insulin and skip doses altogether — which can have devastating consequences,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Senator Warnock’s bill capping insulin out-of-pocket costs to $35 a month for Americans with insurance will put more money in families’ pockets and give them peace of mind knowing they won’t have to choose between purchasing this life saving medication and putting food on the table. We commend Senator Warnock for his unwavering commitment to fighting for a future where quality, affordable health care is a reality for every American.” 

Lowering rising costs and providing access to affordable health care have been top priorities for Senator Warnock. As the sponsor of the Medicaid Saves Lives Act, Senator Warnock has fought in the Senate for a federal fix to close the Medicaid coverage gap in Georgia and the other 11 non-expansion states. In December 2021, the Senator also introduced the Capping Prescription Costs Act aimed at saving families and individuals money on their medications by requiring insurers to cap out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs.

Senator Warnock’s Affordable Insulin Now Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The legislation is also endorsed by: Protect Our Care; American Diabetes Association, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); American Federation of Teachers, Community Catalyst, Public Citizen, and Social Security Works.

Watch video of Senator Reverend Warnock discussing his new bill to lower insulin costs HERE. For more information on the Affordable Insulin Now Act, visit HERE.

Read the full bill text HERE.

Ben Crump endorses Ketanji Brown Jackson for the Supreme Court

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump publicly urged President Joe Biden to tap Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the Supreme Court on Wednesday, as the president closes in on a decision for his first nomination to the high court.

"In my view, that of a civil rights lawyer and advocate who is committed to bringing justice, respect, and fairness to this nation, and particularly to my community, that woman is Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson," Crump said in a statement, provided first to ABC News.

The endorsement -- the first from a high-profile Black civil rights advocate -- is a significant boost for Jackson after African American community leaders have spent weeks largely remaining neutral on the pick.

"My standards for this nominee go beyond integrity, brilliance and fairness," Crump said in the statement. "I carry the additional purchase that this justice must represent African Americans in a way that has cultural competency, forcefulness and instills deep pride."

[SOURCE: YAHOO]

Al Roker Entertainment Produces Docudrama Celebrating The Contributions Of African American Cowboys

Freedom on the Range is an original INSP docudrama produced by Al Roker Entertainment that features the contributions of African American Cowboys to the American West.

The docudrama is set to premiere on INSP on Saturday, February 26th at 7PM ET. The announcement was made by Craig Miller, VP of Original Programming & Development for INSP.

“The significant contributions of African American cowboys in the shaping of America have largely gone unnoticed,” said Miller. “In Freedom on the Range, we pay tribute to these unsung groundbreakers by telling the true stories of some of the most courageous trailblazers that helped tame the American West. While these are not household names to most of us, their stories are fascinating and need to be told as part of our nation’s history. This is a show that audiences don’t want to miss.”

A celebration of the frontier spirit, Freedom on the Range is a one-hour special that highlights five legendary Black cowboys who helped tame the Old West: Nat Love, Bose Ikard, Bass Reeves, Bill Pickett, and George McJunkin. These men made their way to the Western Frontier and discovered a new sense of freedom that allowed them to rise above the legacy of slavery and transcend the color barriers of their time. Nat Love penned a best-selling autobiography, and Bose Ikard became the inspiration for a beloved character in a famous Western novel. Bass Reeves transformed himself into one of the West’s greatest lawmen, Bill Pickett became an iconic rodeo star, and George McJunkin made what turned out to be one of the country’s most significant archeological discoveries. These heroes continue to inspire a new generation of Black cowboys who are keeping that frontier spirit alive and well.

Miller continued: “It’s been a pleasure working with Al Roker’s team on this project. They really dug into the material, researched this little-known part or our nation’s history, and made sure the stories were told with accuracy, authenticity, and impact.”“I grew up in an era when westerns ruled TV; Bonanza and Gunsmoke were must-watch TV, and then later, films like Buck and the Preacher, with the late Sidney Poitier,” noted Roker. “Since then, I’ve been captivated by the role African Americans played in shaping this country, post-Civil War. When I was approached to have my team at Al Roker Entertainment tell the true stories of America’s black cowboys, I jumped at the opportunity to set the record straight and give accurate historical context to these courageous pioneers.”

Freedom on the Range premieres Saturday, February 26th at 7PM ET on INSP.

INSP is a general-entertainment television network that is available nationwide to more than 62.3M households via MVPDs including DISH (channel 259), DIRECTV (channel 364), Comcast Xfinity, Charter Spectrum, National Cable Television COOP (NCTC), Verizon Fios (channel 286), AT&T U-verse (channel 564); on vMVPDs including SLING TV, Fubo TV, Philo TV, FRNDLY TV, Vidco, Select TV, Evoca TV and more than 2,800 cable systems.