“The Congressional Black Caucus has remained at the forefront of the fight for student loan forgiveness, regularly meeting with the President and his executive team to ensure this issue remains a priority. The Biden Administration’s Student Loan Debt Plan will provide much-needed relief to Black borrowers. We applaud the elimination of up to $20,000 in debt cancellation for Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 in debt cancellation for most non-Pell borrowers for individuals making up to $125,...
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Dear Colleague: It has been an honor to serve as Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) for the 116th Congress. We began this Congress as the largest and most powerful Caucus in history, with 55 Members, five full Committee Chairs, and three Members of House Democratic Leadership. I am proud of all that we collectively accomplished with the power we held, from the passage of voting rights legislation and permanent funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to a national tou...
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WASHINGTON – Today, the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement after reports announced that Ambassador Susan Rice would be nominated to direct the White House Domestic Policy Council. “The Congressional Black Caucus applauds President-elect Joe Biden’s nomination of Ambassador Susan Rice to run the White House Domestic Policy Council to develop, coordinate and oversee implementation of his commitment to build this country back better. “A tenacious leader and a careful diplomat...
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Washington, D.C. – The Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Karen Bass, issued the statement below following the election of the Executive Committee for the 117th Congress by acclamation: “On behalf of the entire Congressional Black Caucus, congratulations to the members of the Executive Committee for the 117th Congress! In 1971, thirteen Black Members of Congress organized their efforts to help improve the conditions of Black people in America and around the world. Though small in numb...
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On behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, I am delighted to congratulate our very own Member, Representative Cedric Richmond, on his historic appointment to serve in the Biden Administration. As the Director of Public Engagement and Senior Advisor to President-Elect Joe Biden, Rep. Richmond will be the most senior African-American serving in the incoming administration. This appointment is a clear recognition of both the critical role Rep. Richmond played in the Biden Campaign as national co-...
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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...
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Today, Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), unveiled the second edition of the Jobs and Justice Act. The comprehensive legislation developed by the Congressional Black Caucus is aimed at increasing the upward mobility of Black families in America. The bill was first introduced in 2018 by then-CBC Chair Cedric Richmond (LA-02). The Jobs and Justice Act of 2020 is a package of over 200 bills championed by members of the CBC. This omnibus bill addresses a wide range of issues, from comm...
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Leaders of the Congressional Tri-Caucus — composed of Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Karen Bass (CA-37) — issued the following joint statement on the Trump administration’s memo to federal agencies canceling anti-racism training for government employees: “In the middle of a national reckoning on racial injustice, the Trump administration is trying t...
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Today the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act (S.2163/H.R. 1636), introduced by Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson, to establish a 19-member commission examining the social disparities that disproportionately affect black males in America. Led by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), the Senate unanimously passed a companion bill, S. 2163, on June 25. The two lawmakers created a similar commission when they served together in Florid...
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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...
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