Gorsuch tapped to replace Biden as chair of constitutional education center

The National Constitution Center announced Tuesday that Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch has been elected the honorary chair of its board of trustees, replacing former Vice President Joe Biden.

Gorsuch said in a statement that he is “honored” to serve as the honorary head of the nonprofit center, which is dedicated to educating people about the Constitution and promoting civics education.

{mosads}He is the first justice to serve as the group’s chairman. Other past chairmen include former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush.

“The work of the Supreme Court and the future of the American Republic depend on citizens educated about constitutional liberties, which makes the nonpartisan mission of the National Constitution Center so urgently important,” Gorsuch said.

Biden, whose tenure as the group’s chairman ended in April as he launched his presidential campaign, said in a statement that the center “plays such an important role in promoting civic education and civil dialogue.”

“The Constitution Center’s mission—to educate all Americans about the U.S. Constitution—inspires us all,” he added.

The National Constitution Center’s president and CEO, Jeffrey Rosen, also said in a statement that Gorsuch “understands the urgent need to educate Americans of all ages about the constitutional principles that unite us.”

Recent studies, including an American Bar Association survey published earlier this month, have shown that Americans have gaps in their basic civics education.

Gorsuch was tapped by President Trump in 2017 to serve on the Supreme Court and is a member of the court’s conservative wing.

He is set to publish a collection of his speeches, writings and essays in September.