Congressional Black Caucus RSS Articles

Joint Statement from Tri-Caucus Chairs on Trump Administration Diverting $235 Million in Grants for Minority-Serving Institutions

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

The Chairs of the Congressional Tri-Caucus—Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)—released the following joint statement in response to the Trump administrationdiverting an additional $235 million in federal funding for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).

“HBCUs and TCUs are vital institutions that deserve robust federal investment. Rather than increasing funding for these schools, the Trump administration has decided to redirect grants intended for other institutions that support historically underserved students. We saw this same playbook last year; it is a cynical ploy to pit minority communities against each other and we won’t stand for it.

“Congress specifically voted to appropriate these federal funds for programs serving Minority-Serving Institutions and the students who attend them. These investments were made to help institutions strengthen academic programs, expand student services, build institutional capacity, and ensure students have the resources they need to pursue their education and the American Dream. The administration should respect Congress’s constitutional authority over federal spending and the purposes for which Congress appropriated these resources.

“Yet once again, the Trump administration is attempting to circumvent the will of Congress and divert resources away from the students and institutions Congress intended to support. This is part of the administration’s continued anti-DEI campaign, which is depriving communities across the country of critical support and resources.

“Our communities should not be forced to fight over scraps when the federal government should be investing in all of them. As Chairs of the Congressional Tri-Caucus, we are fighting to ensure students from every background—Asian, Alaska Native, Black, Hispanic, Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander—have access to the resources and opportunities they deserve.”

Minority-Serving Institutions are colleges and universities that serve large minority student populations. These include Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), Native American Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTIs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNHIs), and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).

Congressional Black Caucus Calls for Corporate Responsibility Following Converse Advertising Campaign

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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

“As we all gathered for the 55th Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference—the nation’s largest convening of Black leaders, activists, academics, and advocates—the Congressional Black Caucus was deeply disturbed and disappointed by Converse’s decision to release this advertising campaign.

“With 62 Members of Congress gathered to celebrate Black excellence, honor the contributions of those who came before us, and invest in the next generation of Black leaders—including the young interns joining us—it was particularly disheartening to see an advertisement that many found deeply insensitive.

“This moment is part of a larger conversation about corporate responsibility and the obligations that companies have to the communities they serve, the consumers who support them, and the broader society in which they operate. Corporate leaders must understand that their decisions, messaging, and investments carry significance, particularly when they intersect with communities whose history, culture, and contributions have helped shape their success.

“The Congressional Black Caucus will be reaching out to Nike executives to request a meeting as soon as possible. We look forward to a candid conversation about this campaign, the concerns it has raised, and Nike’s broader commitment to corporate responsibility, meaningful engagement with the Black community, and support for the next generation of Black leaders.

“We believe dialogue matters, and we hope this conversation can be an opportunity to listen, reflect, and reaffirm the importance of responsible corporate engagement.”

Congressional Black Caucus Condemns Trump Administration’s Push to Remove Tax-Exempt Status for Universities with Diversity Programs

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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

“Instead of expanding opportunity and access to higher education, the Trump administration is proposing to use the federal tax code to threaten the tax-exempt status of private schools and colleges that provide scholarships, financial assistance, or other educational benefits based on race.

“This discriminatory abuse of federal power cannot stand, and it must be challenged in court.

“This latest effort to use the power of the federal government to restrict opportunity and target programs serving our communities is exactly why this election is so critical.

“When House Democrats take back the majority, we will work to hold this administration accountable, push back against abuses of federal power, and protect access to higher education. We will fight to ensure that Black students have a fair opportunity to pursue a college education and succeed.”

Congressional Black Caucus Statement on Reports of U.S. Navy Renaming Aircraft Carrier After Trump Instead of Heroic Black Sailor

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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

“Doris “Dorie” Miller was a U.S. Navy sailor who served as a mess attendant aboard the USS West Virginia, helping carry wounded sailors to safety during the attack on Pearl Harbor. For his valiant efforts and extraordinary courage, Dorie Miller became the first Black recipient of the Navy Cross, the Navy’s second-highest honor, and was nominated for the Medal of Honor.

“Dorie Miller exemplifies true American heroism, as well as the vital role Black Americans played in World War II, even as they faced discrimination at home. Reports that U.S. Navy leadership is discussing renaming a Navy aircraft carrier after President Donald Trump instead of Dorie Miller are not simply about the name of a ship. They are about who we call a hero, whose sacrifice we remember, and what history we pass on to the next generation.

“We also cannot divorce this conversation from the deliberate and ongoing attempts by the Trump administration to erase Black history and appease Donald Trump’s relentless ego.

“Any decision to dishonor the legacy of Dorie Miller and the Black service members who have served our nation cannot be tolerated. Black history is not a footnote and cannot be erased; it is an integral part of American history.”

Congressional Black Caucus Condemns SCOTUS Ruling Clearing Path for Trump’s Attacks on Mail-in Ballots Ahead of November Elections

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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

“The John Roberts Supreme Court has once again turned its back on the American people, clearing the way for the Trump Administration’s corrupt, anti-democratic scheme to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the elections this November.

“Despite voting by mail himself, Donald Trump has for years blamed vote-by-mail for his 2020 electoral loss and will attempt to use this ruling to further disenfranchise voters in the wake of the racial gerrymandering scheme unleashed by the Court’s Callais decision — robbing Americans of access to free and fair elections in an effort to dismantle our democracy.

“Extremist Republicans, enabled by the conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court, will stop at nothing to cement one-party rule in Washington, but this scheme to restrict mail-in voting underscores one key fact: They know their only pathway to victory in November is to cheat. Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans know they cannot outrun their failed policies, which have worsened our nation’s affordability crisis and increased the cost of living on everything from gas to groceries.

“Accountability will come for the Roberts Court. When Democrats take back the House and Senate, we will work to pass legislation to restore the Voting Rights Act and advance nationwide judicial and electoral reforms to ensure fairness and equal representation under the law.

“Republicans will use any tactic to undermine a free and fair election, but the American people must send a clear message this November. Our presence at the ballot box must overwhelm any effort to cheat. We must become too big to rig.”

Congressional Black Caucus Urges Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel to Launch Federal Review of Nolan Wells’ Death

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Chair Yvette D. Clarke and members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) issued a letter to U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel urging the U.S. Department of Justice to immediately launch an independent federal review of the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and death of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells.

“Accordingly, the Congressional Black Caucus requests that the United States Department of Justice immediately undertake an independent federal review of the circumstances surrounding Nolan Wells’ disappearance and death, provide appropriate federal investigative assistance, and determine whether there is a basis for a federal investigation, including under applicable federal civil rights laws.”

In the letter, the Congressional Black Caucus raised concerns regarding the lack of transparency and unanswered questions surrounding the circumstances of Nolan Wells’ disappearance and death more than one month later. The CBC emphasized that while local authorities in Mississippi have an ongoing investigation, the continued absence of answers warrants additional federal resources and an independent assessment of whether federal involvement is appropriate.

“More than 30 days after his disappearance and death, significant questions remain unanswered about the events of July 4, 2026, and the circumstances that led to his death. The Wells family has been forced to grieve while also seeking basic information about what happened to their son.”

The CBC stressed that federal involvement would not prejudge the facts or outcome of any ongoing investigation, but would help ensure that every appropriate investigative resource and avenue of inquiry is being pursued.

“The Wells family deserves to understand what happened to their son. They deserve answers. They deserve transparency. And they deserve confidence that every available resource has been brought to bear in determining the truth.”

The Congressional Black Caucus requested that the Department of Justice immediately review the matter and provide a written response within seven days regarding the Department’s involvement and the steps it has taken or intends to take.

Read the full text of the letter here.

Congressional Black Caucus Statement on Senate Consideration of the Protect College Sports Act

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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

“The Congressional Black Caucus cannot support advancing the Protect College Sports Act in its current form.

“The Congressional Black Caucus is clear that this debate is about much more than college athletics. It is about an industry that has a profound impact on the sports culture and entertainment enjoyed by American society. It is about who has a voice in shaping the economic future of Black athletes, coaches, agents, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and the communities that have helped build college sports into a multibillion-dollar enterprise.

“At the very moment that Black political representation is under attack across the country, we will not be complicit in efforts to further exclude the interests of Black people by advancing legislation that will determine the economic future of Black athletes, their families, and their communities without their meaningful participation and engagement.

“Several months ago, before the Senate ever reached this moment, the Congressional Black Caucus made clear that Congress should not rush to provide sweeping new federal protections and legal certainty to powerful athletic institutions while those same institutions remained largely silent as Black voting rights and Black political representation came under unprecedented attack.

“The legislation before the Senate has evolved. However, the fundamental concerns of Black collegiate athletes, coaches, agents, HBCUs, and the communities we represent have not.

“As states across the country continue taking aggressive steps to dismantle Black political representation and erode decades of hard-won protections secured by the Voting Rights Act, Congress is preparing to rewrite the economic rules governing college athletics. In doing so, it is assigning authority to various entities across this growing industry and establishing rules that will shape earning opportunities, representation, and long-term economic mobility for generations of Black athletes. Those issues cannot be separated.

“Black athletes have transformed college athletics into one of the most successful enterprises in America. Yet the people most affected by this legislation have not been meaningfully included in shaping it.

“Despite months of negotiations and multiple Senate hearings, the legislative process has failed to meaningfully incorporate the perspectives of Black athletes, Black coaches, Black agents, HBCUs, or the Congressional Black Caucus, despite the disproportionate impact this legislation will have on those communities. Meaningful engagement is measured by results, not meetings.

“No legislation that disproportionately affects Black athletes should move through Congress without meaningful participation from the communities it will most directly affect.

“The Congressional Black Caucus has consistently advocated for stronger rights, protections, and economic opportunities for Black athletes and the broader ecosystem that supports them. We have sought stronger athlete protections, greater transparency and accountability, meaningful representation in the governance of college athletics, and policies that expand—not limit—opportunities for Black athletes, Black coaches, Black agents, Black entrepreneurs, and HBCUs. Those priorities are not meaningfully reflected in the legislation before the Senate.

“Instead, the so-called Protect College Sports Act grants sweeping new legal protections to powerful institutions while failing to adequately protect the athletes whose talent fuels this multibillion-dollar industry. It falls short of providing Black athletes with the rights, representation, economic opportunities, and meaningful safeguards they deserve, while also failing to adequately recognize the interests of Black coaches, Black agents, HBCUs, and other professionals whose futures will be shaped by this legislation. Those concerns have also been echoed by the NAACP and a broad coalition of athlete advocates, labor organizations, civil rights organizations, and public interest organizations urging the Senate not to advance this legislation in its current form.

“We will not be a party to strengthening powerful institutions while they remain silent as Black political representation is decimated. Congress should not determine the economic future of Black athletes without ensuring they and the communities they come from have a meaningful voice throughout the process.

“Senate Democrats now have both the opportunity and the responsibility to insist that this legislation reflects the interests of Black athletes, HBCUs, and the communities it will most directly affect. We urge our Democratic colleagues to use their leverage to ensure these concerns are addressed before this legislation advances any further.

“Our communities have done their part in strengthening and advancing our democracy. While many in this debate view this as a matter of collegiate athletics, the Congressional Black Caucus maintains that this is about political representation. It is about economic opportunity. It is about whether those whose talent built college athletics will have a meaningful voice in determining its future.

“Nothing about us without us.”

Congressional Black Caucus Condemns Trump Administration's Rescission of Disparate Impact Rule

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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

“The Congressional Black Caucus condemns the Trump Administration's decision to abandon decades of civil rights enforcement by eliminating the longstanding disparateimpact standard under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. This reckless action will make it harder to challenge school policies that disproportionately harm Black students and other communities of color, even when the discriminatory effects are clear.

“Instead of working to lower costs for families and expand opportunity for the American people, the Trump Administration returns time and again to its racist playbook—using the federal government to weaken civil rights protections and target Black and minority communities with discriminatory policies. By refusing to recognize policies with discriminatory effects unless there is proof of intentional discrimination, the Administration is turning its back on the promise of equal educational opportunity and undermining decades of progress toward educational equity.

“The Congressional Black Caucus will continue fighting to protect every student's civil rights and ensure our nation's schools remain places where every child has an equal opportunity to succeed.”

CBC Members and Black Mayors Discuss Safety in the Age of Trump

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, the Congressional Black Caucus and the Vera Institute of Justice hosted a virtual roundtable and Q&A to discuss how local and federal leaders are contributing to historic crime declines, and present a proactive vision of public safety. The conversation was moderated by Vera President Insha Rahman and featured U.S. Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12), U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown (OH-11), Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and Durham Mayor Leonardo “Leo” Williams.

The conversation and Q&A can be viewed here.

“For too long, leaders in Washington and around our nation have weaponized the issue of public safety with a failed 'tough on crime' approach that drives fear and division while fueling a cycle of mass incarceration, instead of delivering real solutions that make communities safer,” said CBC Chair Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09). “President Trump has routinely demonized cities with sizable Black populations as crime-ridden or lawless to justify policies that have made our communities less safe, undermined trust between communities and law enforcement, and diverted attention from proven, evidence-based strategies that reduce violence. The facts tell a different story: Black mayors in cities across America are leading some of the nation's most successful crime reduction efforts. The Congressional Black Caucus is proud to partner with the Vera Institute of Justice on the Serious About Safety campaign, and I applaud the leadership of Congresswomen Summer Lee and Shontel Brown, along with mayors like Brandon Scott, Ras J. Baraka, and Leonardo Williams, who are proving that community-based, evidence-driven investments make neighborhoods safer. The CBC will continue fighting for serious solutions that reduce crime, strengthen communities, and deliver lasting public safety.”

“While Trump focuses on “tough on crime” fear-mongering and counter-productive gimmicks like deploying the National Guard, Black Mayors across the country are doing the real work to make cities safer. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus to set the record straight and advocate for real public safety solutions,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown.

“In Baltimore, we know how to solve the issue of public safety,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “It's about investing in public health, it's about getting rid of vacant houses and providing opportunities. It's about being focused on the very small percent who are responsible for the overwhelming amount of violence in our communities—going after guns and getting them off our streets. We are currently seeing a historic reduction in violence and homicides, and we want to push it even further. You don't do that without the support of the community.”

“Crime rates continue to fall across the country to historic levels thanks to bold, community-first approaches to public safety like the ones discussed today. While the Trump administration continues its assault on immigrants and cities, while simultaneously gutting programs that we know increase safety, local and federal leaders—specifically Black leaders like Rep. Summer Lee, Rep. Shontel Brown, and Mayors Scott, Baraka and Williams are charting a path forward for all to follow. Their serious approach to safety is a model for how we can prevent crime before it happens and continue to help communities thrive,” said Vera President Insha Rahman.

“Our approach in Newark is to treat crime and violence as a public health issue. And what we see now in our city — with a homicide rate that hasn’t been this low since Eisenhower was president — is the result of us focusing on the kind of things that have been absent from our neighborhoods: investing in housing, investing in our young people, literacy, education, recreation and opportunity. When you start to add that, and at the same time address some of the symptomatic issues and build a community-based public safety ecosystem centered on violence prevention and trauma recovery, you’ll see that violence and crime gets reduce gradually. It’s all about putting the 'public' back into 'public safety.'" - Newark Mayor Ray J. Baraka

Congressional Black Caucus Condemns Trump Administration's Rollback of EEOC Workforce Data Collection

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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

“The Congressional Black Caucus strongly condemns the Trump Administration's decision to eliminate the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's long-standing requirement that employers submit workforce demographic data. For more than 60 years, this reporting has served as a vital tool for identifying patterns of workplace discrimination against Black and minority communities while ensuring that our nation's civil rights laws are enforced.

“The Trump Administration should be working to strengthen accountability for employers, not weaken it. Its decision to dismantle one of the federal government's most effective tools for monitoring equal opportunity in the workplace is outrageous and will make it more difficult to identify disparities in hiring, promotions, pay, and leadership representation. Rather than strengthening the enforcement of civil rights protections, the Administration is undermining the very tools that have helped expose discrimination and expand economic opportunity for generations of Americans.

“The Congressional Black Caucus remains committed to protecting the civil rights laws enacted to combat systemic discrimination and ensure fairness in the workplace. We will continue to fight against efforts to weaken accountability and roll back decades of hard-fought progress toward equal opportunity.”