Press Releases

Below is a readout of Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Bass’s remarks on today’s Democratic Caucus call. The Chairwoman opened by providing the context of police brutality in American and giving a sense of urgency for the Caucus to advance a wholistic legislative reform package to address the issue and broader issues of injustices and inequities faced by the black community. She mentioned that the CBC held an emergency meeting today to discuss next steps, and laid out a three-part strategy ... Read more

Today, the Congressional Black Caucus, released the following statement on the murder of George Floyd by officers of the Minneapolis Police Department: This time his name was George Floyd. His crime, being a Black man in America. On Monday evening, George Floyd was killed at the hands of racist police officers, who insisted on using unnecessary force, which included kneeling on his neck, until he could no longer breathe. Within minutes and despite his cries out because he could not breathe, Floy... Read more

As the spread of coronavirus in America continues to impact communities of color, the effect on the prison system has been widely underscored. Inmates and staff have been exposed to COVID-19 at alarming rates, with minimal relief, despite the directive to reduce prison populations by releasing low-risk offenders. However, when the release of Paul Manafort, the former campaign manager for President Trump, takes priority over the needs of everyone else, it is evident that the executive powers have... Read more

The Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter today to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) strongly opposing the nomination of Cory Wilson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit based on his record of support for ultra-right-wing ideology and his opposition to civil rights. “It should be clear,” the Congressional Black Caucus letter states, “that if Wilson is confirmed, he would not support and uphold laws that support i... Read more

Her name was Breonna Taylor; her “crime,” sleeping in the comfort of her home while Black in America. She was a first responder who answered the call when a global pandemic hit her community. She served as an EMT, saving lives right alongside police every day. The murder of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, is sadly just the latest case of police brutality gaining national attention. Yet again, the recipient of that brutality is Black. Breonna was murdered in March, yet this incident only ... Read more

Since its creation by the Second Continental Congress in 1775, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has continued to fulfill and expand its mission to ensure all Americans have access to a nationwide mail system, no matter whether you live in a large urban city or a rural small town. As the Postal Service’s vast network continued to expand, the growing need for workers provided a critical lifeline for the African American community. Following the Civil War, newly-enfranchised African American... Read more

As the House introduces The Heroes Act to provide much-needed federal resources to our nation, the CBC worked closely with leadership to develop legislation that responded to the urgent needs of Black America, who have been hit the hardest by coronavirus. The Congressional Black Caucus is calling for targeted comprehensive intervention through city, county, or state government public health agencies in communities where there is a disproportionate infection and death rates. This will include rap... Read more

The Chairs of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC)—also known as the Congressional Tri-Caucus, have released the following statement on the racially motivated killing of Ahmaud Arbery, who was targeted by two white men, while jogging in his neighborhood: “On February 23, 2020, a young Ahmaud Arbery’s life was cut short because two White men were uncomfortable with an unarmed Black man jogging in... Read more

On February 23, Ahmaud Arbery, a young, vibrant Black man was killed in broad daylight, in Brunswick, Georgia. His crime? He was jogging while Black in his neighborhood. The killing of Ahmaud Arbery shows us that the spirit of lynching is still alive and well in our nation and something that we cannot tolerate. It has been more than ten weeks and no arrests have been made. While the Arbery family deals with the heartache, the murderers Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, are home livin... Read more

The Texas District Board of Trustees has announced that one of two new schools in their district will be named after long serving Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, fondly known as EBJ, is currently serving her 14th term in Congress. She is the first African American and female to Chair the House Science, Space & Technology Committee. She is also a Senior Member of the Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, Dean of the Texas Congressional delegation... Read more