Black female lawmakers call on Biden to pick Supreme Court nominee committed to civil rights

Black female lawmakers on Thursday called on President Joe Biden to pick a Supreme Court nominee committed to civil rights.

As President Joe Biden prepares to make good on his promise to nominate the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, more than a dozen black female lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Thursday called on him to select a nominee committed to advancing civil rights.

The group of 14 Black female lawmakers led by Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., have sent a letter to the president outlining their priorities, specifically drawing attention to the absence of Black women in the U.S. Senate.

"We write to you as a collective of 14 Black women lawmakers serving in the United States House of Representatives, but write on behalf of the over 21 million Black women in America," the letter, obtained by ABC News, states. "There is not a single Black woman in the United States Senate to vote to confirm the first Black woman nominated to the Supreme Court. For this reason, we write as a collective to commend you for this historic announcement, and ask that the nominee reflect a deep and abiding commitment to adjudicate with moral and legal clarity," the members add.

President Biden has said he expects to choose a nominee before the end of February following a "rigorous" selection process. Of the 115 Supreme Court justices, 108 have been white men. No Black woman has ever been nominated to serve on the high court bench. Biden campaigned on a promise to change that.