WASHINGTON – Congressman Steven Horsford, Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, issued the following statement in response to the President's State of the Union address: “Thank you, President Biden. The family of Tyre Nichols and the CBC asked President Biden to use the State of the Union to speak to the nation and to call for the passage of meaningful public safety and accountability reforms for all communities, and he met the moment. “President Biden elevated Tyre Nichols's story and tap...
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Rep. Karen Bass Reintroduces George Floyd Policing Bill in Congress CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS URGE CONGRESS TO PASS LEGISLATION BY DONNA OWENS · FEBRUARY 26, 2021 When George Floyd gasped his final breath last May after a Minneapolis police officer was captured on viral video kneeling on his neck, Black Lives Matter protests swept the nation and world. Yet the anguish, demonstrations and demands for an end to police brutality haven’t halted the violence; more than 100 unarmed people have been killed...
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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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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...
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Today, Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner; Samaria Rice, mother of Tamir Rice; and John Crawford, Jr., father of John Crawford III, released the following joint statement in support of the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act, legislation to hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement and build trust between law enforcement and our communities: “The unjust killing of a loved one, especially at the hands of law enforcement, is a pain too many families have been forced to endure. ...
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Representative Karen Bass, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement on the eve of the Senate’s procedural vote on Senator Tim Scott’s Justice Act: “We have reached a critical juncture in our history where the steps we take can change a generation. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act championed by the Congressional Black Caucus is the first ever comprehensive legislation to reform law enforcement but also empower communities to reimagine what just and equitable ...
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Today, President Trump announced an Executive Order on Safe Policing for Safe Communities in response to national calls for law enforcement reform. The President’s Executive Order falls woefully short of the long overdue demands for accountability and transparency in our police departments. During the announcement today, the President claimed the Executive Order would set standards "as high and as strong as there is on Earth" on the use of force, and that he would prioritize federal grants to po...
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