Congressional Black Caucus RSS Articles

New York Times Editorial: “Six Black Lawmakers Warn Us What America Will Lose Without Their Voices”

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

The editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values. It is separate from the newsroom.

In 1965, there were six Black members of Congress. Today, there are more than 60. But that progress may soon be reversed because of extreme gerrymandering permitted by the Supreme Court. Black representation in Congress could fall by nearly one-third, making the Black share of Congress far lower than the Black share of the U.S. population. Times Opinion spoke to six lawmakers about what’s at stake — and what America stands to lose.

View the full New York Times editorial: Six Black Lawmakers Warn Us What America Will Lose Without Their Voices

Congressional Black Caucus Condemns Trump Administration’s Politically Motivated Raid on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar

Mon, 12 Oct 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 raid carried out this morning at the home of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar by the Trump Administration is a sham designed to cast suspicion on the Congresswoman and manufacture an appearance of wrongdoing on the eve of the midterm elections, without any apparent legal basis.

“It should come as no surprise that the Trump Administration, desperate to hold on to power, would weaponize federal law enforcement against a sitting member of Congress—particularly a member like Congresswoman Omar, who has been an outspoken critic of the President and his policies. The sustained campaign of attacks against Congresswoman Omar by the President and his allies should raise grave concerns about the politicization of federal law enforcement and the use of government power to intimidate political opponents.

“President Trump’s fixation on Congresswoman Omar has been evident for years. Over the past year alone, he has repeatedly targeted Somali Americans and the state of Minnesota with vile, racist rhetoric while deploying thousands of armed ICE agents to the Twin Cities in operations targeting Somali American communities, resulting in the deaths of two Americans in broad daylight.

“The Congressional Black Caucus stands unequivocally with our colleague, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. She deserves fairness, due process, and the same protections under the law afforded to every American. No politically motivated attempt to undermine her or distract from the issues that matter to the American people will diminish our support for her or her service to her constituents.

“Since entering Congress in 2019, Congresswoman Omar has worked tirelessly to deliver for the people of Minnesota. We are confident that the people of Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District will see through the Trump Administration’s attempts at intimidation and stand firmly behind their duly elected representative. They have every reason to trust that Congresswoman Omar will continue the important work they have elected her time and again to do on their behalf.”

Congressional Black Caucus Statement on ICE Shooting in New York City

Fri, 09 Oct 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:

“Despite the image this amoral administration would like to project to the American people, the growing presence of immigration enforcement in our communities is not about public safety or enforcing the law. It is about stoking fear in Black and brown communities. It is about sending a message to our communities that our lives, safety, and security do not matter.

“Time and again, we have seen horrific acts of violence in our communities at the hands of immigration enforcement officers operating with impunity.

“The incident that occurred in New York, in which Oscar Belgal was shot and handcuffed in the street and the life of his 5-year-old child endangered, is deeply disturbing and cannot become the norm anywhere in our country. We cannot and will not turn a blind eye to this abuse of power by the Trump administration.

“At an absolute minimum, the officers involved must be held to account, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin must immediately end all vehicle stops in civil immigration enforcement, and the arrest quotas that have led to racial profiling and unnecessary and, too often, violent interactions between law enforcement officials and ordinary people must end.

“The Congressional Black Caucus, in lockstep with partners in the civil rights community, will continue fighting to get ICE and Customs and Border Protection off our streets.

“In a matter of weeks, congressional change will come, and when Democrats take back the majority in Congress, we will work to hold this administration accountable for the terror it has inflicted on our communities.”

Rep. Chu, Tri-Caucus Leaders Demand HHS Withdraw Harmful English-Only Head Start Proposal

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Chair Emerita of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), CAPAC Chair Grace Meng (NY-06), Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), and Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52) sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. opposing HHS’s proposed Head Start rule which would mandate English-only instruction and eliminate longstanding language-access protections for children and families.

Head Start is a critical program that provides high-quality early childhood education and comprehensive support services for low-income children and their families. While the Members urge HHS to withdraw the proposed rule in its entirety, their letter focuses specifically on its harmful changes to language-access protections. Nearly 40 percent of children enrolled in Head Start are dual-language learners, representing almost 290,000 children nationwide, and 30 percent of enrollees come from families whose primary home language is not English.

In the letter, the Members explain that dual-language instruction helps children learn English and prepare for school:

“We share the goal of ensuring that every Head Start child develops strong English-language skills. But requiring English-only instruction is not supported by the evidence and risks undermining that very goal. For many children, Head Start is their first experience in a classroom. Providing an environment in which young children can understand, communicate, and participate supports their ability to learn and successfully transition into school.

The Members also warn that the proposed rule conflicts with Congress’s explicit directives in the Head Start Act:

“Congress directed the Secretary to establish standards ensuring that children with limited English proficiency make progress toward acquiring English while simultaneously making meaningful progress in other developmental domains, including through “culturally and linguistically appropriate instructional services” (42 U.S. Code § 9836a(a)(1)(B)(x)). Congress further directed the Secretary, when revising Head Start standards, to ensure that revisions do not eliminate or reduce the quality, scope, or types of educational, parental-involvement, health, or other services required under longstanding Head Start standards (42 U.S.C. § 9836a(a)(2)(C)). And the Head Start Act explicitly requires agencies to ensure teachers receive literacy training “in methods to promote vocabulary development and phonological awareness (including phonemic awareness) in a developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate manner and support children’s development in their native language” (42 U.S. Code § 9843(d)(2)(B)). Eliminating longstanding language-access protections appears directly at odds with these congressional directives, and the Department has not adequately explained how its proposal can be reconciled with them.”

The Members detail how eliminating bilingual staffing requirements could undermine parents’ ability to participate in their children’s education and jeopardize accurate developmental screenings and assessments:

“Congress recognized that informed and engaged parents are essential to children’s success and required Head Start programs to conduct family needs assessments and communicate with parents, to the extent practicable, in a language they understand (42 U.S. Code § 9836(d)(2)(J)(vii); 42 U.S. Code § 9836(d)(2)(K); 42 U.S. Code § 9836a(f)(2)). Eliminating language-access staffing requirements without providing an adequate alternative could make it more difficult for parents to understand their children’s progress, participate in their education, communicate with teachers and staff, and access the comprehensive services Head Start provides.

We are particularly concerned about the consequences for developmental screenings and assessments. The Head Start Act requires measures used by Head Start programs to be developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate; valid and reliable in the language in which they are administered; administered by appropriately trained staff; and accompanied by appropriate accommodations for children with limited English proficiency (42 U.S. Code § 9836a(b)(2)). These protections are critical. A screening or assessment administered in a language a young child does not sufficiently understand risks mistaking normal second-language development for a developmental delay or, conversely, failing to identify a genuine disability or developmental concern. Either outcome could delay appropriate early intervention at precisely the age when it can make the greatest difference.”

Finally, the Members warn that the proposal would impose significant disruption and costs on Head Start providers while weakening services for hundreds of thousands of children:

“The scale of the disruption caused by the proposed rule’s language-access changes would be substantial. Almost 290,000 dual-language learners nationwide could be affected […] Although the proposal is titled Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs, affected programs could be forced to change curricula, replace classroom materials, and retrain or replace teachers, resulting in an estimated $99 million in costs.”

“HHS should not reverse decades of evidence-based practice, impose new costs on providers, and weaken language-access protections for hundreds of thousands of children without a compelling evidentiary or legal basis for doing so. Accordingly, we strongly urge HHS to withdraw the proposed English-only instruction requirement and retain the longstanding language-access protections that allow Head Start programs to effectively serve dual-language learners and their families. Congress expressly directed Head Start to support English-language acquisition through culturally and linguistically appropriate services, and HHS should uphold, not undermine, that mandate.”

Read the full letter HERE.

Congressional Black Caucus Condemns Senate Passage of Protect College Sports Act

Tue, 29 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:

“For months, the Congressional Black Caucus has made clear its opposition to the Senate advancing the Protect College Sports Act in its current form. This debate has always been about more than college athletics. At its core, it is about whether Black athletes, coaches, agents, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and the communities that helped build college sports into a multibillion-dollar enterprise will have a meaningful voice in shaping the industry and the economic futures of Black athletes.

“Months ago, we urged the Senate to pause consideration of this legislation until our substantive issues were addressed and until college athletics leaders engaged with us about the attacks on Black political representation. To date, there has been no meaningful engagement with the CBC from the Senate on this legislation, nor have college athletics leaders meaningfully engaged with us on the critical issues of civic engagement and Black political representation.

“The legislation passed by the Senate fails to provide student-athletes with employment rights, includes antitrust provisions that restrict student-athletes’ ability to bring private legal action when disputes arise, and fails to guarantee funding for HBCUs, among other significant shortcomings.

“The CBC has also made clear that Congress should not provide federal protections and legal certainty to powerful athletic institutions while those same institutions remain largely silent as Black voting rights and Black political representation face unprecedented attacks.

“The Protect College Sports Act in its current form fails the communities we represent. The CBC has consistently called for legislation that strengthens athlete protections, increases transparency and accountability, ensures meaningful representation in the governance of college athletics, and expands—not limits—opportunities for Black athletes, Black coaches, Black agents, Black entrepreneurs, and HBCUs.

“The CBC will continue to oppose this legislation in its current form and will continue to advocate for a college athletics system that protects athletes, respects their rights, invests in HBCUs, and ensures that the communities that built this industry have a meaningful voice in its future.”

Joint Statement from Tri-Caucus Chairs: RFK Jr. Is Cutting Infant Mortality Programs 'to Beef Up His Entourage'

Mon, 28 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 Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY-09) — released the following joint statement in response to reports that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defunded the Office of Minority Health to expand his personal security staff:

“Let's not mince words, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. took money from babies to beef up his entourage. We should be used to it by now -- Kennedy has been the most incompetent, irresponsible and out-of-touch secretary to ever hold this office.

“But like his boss, Kennedy keeps finding new ways to lower the bar. According to the Wall Street Journal, he went after the Office of Minority Health funds rather than tap his office's existing discretionary funds. The Office of Minority Health was set up to combat Black infant mortality -- an issue that still haunts our health care delivery system.

“To add insult to injury, HHS canceled minority health grants to universities -- research on infant mortality -- to prioritize the secretary's misguided personal agenda, including research on erectile dysfunction. At a time when our nation is facing a health care crisis created by President Trump and Congressional Republicans, these are absolutely the wrong priorities.”

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.”