Jayapal on the Passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

United States Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) issued the following statement tonight on the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

“Tonight, our nation not only lost a historic member of the highest court in our land but a trailblazer for women everywhere. From her passionate advocacy work on behalf of women to her nearly three decades on the Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg served with grace and brilliance while fighting for equality and justice. 

“As the Director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Women’s Rights Project, Justice Ginsburg put her strength and unparalleled legal knowledge to work each day as an organizer who helped lay the foundation for landmark constitutional protections against sex discrimination. Following her confirmation to the bench in 1993, she brought her fierce intellect, determination for justice, and quick-wit with her as she became only the second woman to ever serve on the Supreme Court. 

“As some looked out for corporations and the powerful, she lifted up families and the most vulnerable. With every case she deliberated on, she was guided by the promise of the very words carved above the Supreme Court: equal justice under law. Her tireless work on the court protected and expanded women’s rights, reproductive rights, voting rights, civil rights, and workers’ rights. She helped make possible historic progress on LGBTQ+ equality, health care, immigration, the environment, and getting money out of politics. And she did all of this while never losing sight of what makes our nation great—our inclusivity, our sense of justice, our commitment to equality and opportunity for all. 

“In honor of Justice Ginsburg’s inspiring life, her powerful legacy, and her never ending pursuit for justice, let us continue her work. I am committed to continuing the critical work necessary to make our country more equal, more fair, and more just. As one of only 79 women of color to have ever served in the United States Congress, I am fully committed to continuing the legacy of this beloved “shero”: from finally ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment to protecting abortion rights, workers’ rights, LGTBQ+ rights, and civil rights for all. And I am committed to making sure women across the country and throughout the world can blaze their own trails, that they are never held back on the basis of sex — or any identity. 

“May Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s memory be a blessing. And may she rest in power.”

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