* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: President Scott
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
title
In Recognition of the Life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
For the purpose of recognizing the extraordinary life of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
body
Recitals
Whereas, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away on September 18, 2020;
Whereas, Justice Ginsburg attended Cornell University for her undergraduate degree and graduated at the top of her class, after which she married, had a child, and several years later entered Harvard Law School as 1 of 9 female students in a 500-person class;
Whereas, Justice Ginsburg experienced gender discrimination at Harvard but persevered, becoming the first female member of the Harvard Law Review and, after transferring to Columbia Law School for her final year so she could follow her husband to New York City for his career, graduated first in her class;
Whereas, Due to gender discrimination, Justice Ginsburg had a difficult time finding work upon graduation, despite her excellent record, and eventually entered academia as a law school professor;
Whereas, Justice Ginsburg was the first female professor at Columbia Law School to gain tenure;
Whereas, As well as being a professor, Justice Ginsburg directed the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, in the 1970s, and successfully argued against gender discrimination in six landmark cases before the Supreme Court;
Whereas, President Jimmy Carter appointed Justice Ginsburg to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1980, and President Bill Clinton appointed Justice Ginsburg to the Supreme Court in 1993;
Whereas, With her acceptance of President Clinton’s appointment, Justice Ginsburg became the second woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court;
Whereas, Justice Ginsburg was a champion for woman’s rights on the Supreme Court, writing the majority opinion in United States v. Virginia holding that the Virginia Military Institute could not deny admission to qualified women, and writing an important dissent in Ledbetter v. Goodyear;
Whereas, Justice Ginsburg’s dissent in Ledbetter v. Goodyear led to the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, which was the first piece of legislation President Obama signed;
Whereas, Justice Ginsburg published other dissents in which she demonstrated that she was champion for civil rights, such as her dissenting opinion in Shelby County v. Holder in which she wrote that the Supreme Court should not gut the Voting Rights Act as the Act was the remedy best suited to prevent discrimination;
Whereas, Justice Ginsburg acted as a champion for LGBTQ Americans in her vote to affirm gay marriage and sought to protect the health of the American public in her vote to save the Affordable Care Act; and
Whereas, The country mourns the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, That the Baltimore City Council recognizes the extraordinary life of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
And be it further resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.