Press Releases

Today, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) and members of the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement:

“The deadly insurrection of January 6, 2021 was not merely an attack on a building, but a direct assault on members of Congress, law enforcement, staff, and the foundations of democracy itself. Today, we honor the extraordinary bravery of the U.S. Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers who protected our democracy and saw to it that the attempt to overturn the 2020 election results failed. We also remember those officers who tragically lost their lives and the more than 140 others who were seriously injured in the line of duty—many of whom continue to bear lasting physical and psychological wounds from that day.

“Five years later, it is not lost on our Caucus that the efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election with false claims of illegitimate voting occurred during a year when we saw historic participation from Black voters in Georgia and other battleground states. That participation resulted in Democratic victories up and down the ballot, as well as the election of the first Black woman as Vice President. We cannot and will not ignore the reality that efforts to disenfranchise Black communities are ongoing. Soon, in Louisiana v. Callais, the Supreme Court will decide whether Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act—which outlaws racial discrimination in our electoral system—still allows Black and minority voters to challenge racially discriminatory voting maps in court.

“This anniversary makes clear that the fight to protect our democracy is far from over. It continues because there are ongoing efforts to distort and minimize the events of January 6th. It continues because the same bad actors who spread lies, fostered corruption, and violated the law in an attempt to overturn the will of the people remain active. And it continues because persistent efforts to disenfranchise Black voters still threaten the promise of equal participation in our democracy.

“We applaud House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, former January 6th Select Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson, House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer for their tireless efforts to protect our democracy and ensure that attempts to undermine the peaceful transfer of power were exposed and held to account.”