Press Releases

Judge Barrett’s disregard for precedent poses a considerable danger to the legitimacy of the Court and particularly to African Americans, who disproportionately rely on judicial precedents, such as those upholding the Affordable Care Act. Senate Republicans chose to prioritize voting on a Supreme Court nomination instead of voting on COVID-19 relief for the American people, disregarding the urgency of this relief for communities that have been hit the hardest due to the pandemic. “As an attorney... Read more

Yesterday, 27 year old Walter Wallace, Jr. was killed by a Philadelphia police officer in front of his home and in front of his mother. His young children are now without a father. The Congressional Black Caucus calls for an immediate independent investigation into the shooting but also for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to take up the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act for an immediate vote. He has had more than enough time to take this transformative policing reform bill up fo... Read more

Today, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Karen Bass sent a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on the state sanctioned violence against peaceful non-violent protesters in Nigeria and calling for dialogue with the CBC and the Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Sylvanus Nsofor. In the letter, the Congressional Black Caucus expressed particular concern with the documented force used by the Nigerian police and military, which has resulted in the loss of lives and injury of do... Read more

Today, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security and Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, sent a letter to Mr. Tony H. Pham, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director, demanding that ICE stop its plans to deport over 200 Cameroonian asylum seekers today and the hundreds of others in various ICE facilities throughout the country without a thorough investigation. Recent allegations have been raised that the Cameroonian... Read more

In July, the IRS determined that incarcerated Americans were not entitled to economic impact payments (EIPs). This position is inconsistent with the CARES Act, unfairly harms the incarcerated, and disproportionately discriminates against African Americans. At the notice of this directive by the IRS, the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to the Mr. Charles P. Rettig, Commissioner of the IRS, and called for the reversal of this guidance because it is unlawful and discriminatory to exclude i... Read more

The President’s abuse of power knows no end. It has been reported that the food boxes distributed by the Farmers to Families Food Box (FFFB) Program now includes a signed letter by President Trump. Using a federal relief program to distribute a self-promoting letter from the President to American families in the months leading up to the presidential election is inappropriate and a violation of federal law. The Hatch Act prohibits executive branch employees from using their official authority or ... Read more

Last night’s debate was just another example of President Trump’s inability to defend his record over the last four years as President and most especially admit that the 200,000 plus American lives that have been lost to COVID-19, could have been avoided, if his Administration had proactively responded earlier when he was notified of the imminent dangers of the disease. His lackluster leadership on even basic things like making face masks mandatory, ensuring that every American had access to fac... Read more

Last week, Charlie Scharf, CEO, of Wells Fargo blamed the lack of diversity at the bank on a “very limited pool of Black talent to recruit from.” His statement is a slap in the face to the Black professionals who have sought employment at this institution and were denied, despite possessing the qualifications for the job. Despite gains in degree attainment over the years for Black Americans, Mr. Scharf’s comments seem to say, Black candidates, even those that are qualified, are not good enough. ... Read more

Congressional Black Caucus Chair Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) and Congressional Black Caucus Judicial Nominations Task Force Chair Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today issued the following statement regarding the current Supreme Court vacancy: “Along with Americans throughout the country, we are devastated by the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg devoted her life first to fighting for justice and equality and then on the Court to expanding equality and devoting... Read more

Don’t be fooled. In 39 days, you won’t hear another word about a Platinum Plan from Donald Trump. If he was serious about economic empowerment in Black communities, he would have listened to the Congressional Black Caucus when we met with him in 2017 to tell him our priorities. Instead, he never even read our 140-page proposal and went on to embolden white supremacists and give tax cuts to himself and his billionaire friends. And while Black people are being disproportionately hit by COVID-19, T... Read more