Congressional Black Caucus
From Sunshine Review
| Congressional Black Caucus | |
| Bi-cameral | |
 | |
| Leadership: | Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) |
| Established | 1971 |
| Members | 42 |
| Website | Congressional Black Caucus |
Contents |
The Congressional Black Caucus was formed by 13 House Representatives in 1969 and recognized by President Richard Nixon when he met with the members in March 1971. In this meeting the founding members presented the president with a list of 60 recommendations for governmental action on domestic and foreign issues, the first official act in the caucus’ mission to further the interests of African-Americans through the Legislative Branch.
Membership is exclusive to African-Americans. Though it is officially non-partisan, the CBC is traditionally and unofficially associated with the Democratic Party.
[edit] Mission
The visions and goals of the original 13 members were: "to promote the public welfare through legislation designed to meet the needs of millions of neglected citizens.” Its members consider it the “conscience of Congress.”
The goals of the CBC are to empower & mobilize America's youth, to build an international internet communications portal, to create and manage the CBC Outreach Program, and to impact the alternative energy discussion.
[edit] Members
[edit] History
- 1870 Hiram Rhodes Revels (R-MS) and Joseph H. Rainey (R-SC) are the first African-Americans to serve in the House and Senate, respectively.
- 1971 After the election of 1970, the Congressional Black Caucus is formed with thirteen congressional members.
- 1996 With the election of 1996 came the 100th African-American Congressperson, as well as an addition to record 41 African-American members seated in the 104th Congress.
- 2006 The Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act was passed, much through the efforts of the CBC.
- 2008 Senator Barack Obama is elected President of the United States.
[edit] Record
[edit] Goals
[edit] Healtlhcare reform
CBC members joined national African-American leaders at the U.S. Capitol today to support the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act and to counter those that protest it.
Lee and Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League and Chair of the Black Leadership Forum led the speeches on September 9, 2009.
“As the Members of Congress who represent millions of disproportionately under- and uninsured Americans whose health and wellness have suffered because of the numerous gaps in our nation's health care system reform is a top priority,” said Lee. “We will continue to work with President Obama and our leadership to fight to reform America's broken health care system.”
“As the health care debate continues to heat up, African-American leaders need to be more vocal about why health care reform is needed in this country,” stated Morial. “With 46 million people living without health care insurance and about half of those being people of color, and with rising health care costs that are crushing families and small businesses, an overhaul is imminent.”[1]
[edit] CBC outreach
The CBC states on its website that it aims to empower and mobilize America's "young people of color" through development, through strengthening pipelines on Capital Hill by connecting these young people to legislative process and civic engagement training. CBC works to prioritize legislation and funding that effects America’s youth through education, job training and health care.
The caucus aimed to engage "young leaders" in the 2008 election through voter registration, education and opportunities at campaigns. They also hope to host inter-generational discussions through the Internet and conferences on youth-centered policies
The CBC promotes education by hosting six one and a half day sessions throughout the country and eight CBC Symposia on Capital Hill focused on CBC priorities.
The caucus uses black media outlets for its outreach efforts as well as funding organizations such as the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.
CBC promoted voting during the 2008 election cycle by working with progressive civil rights organizations to register 100,000 new voters by October 2008.
CBC supports progressive public policy legislation with progressive civil rights organizations.
The caucus hosts an annual CBC Black History Month Program and leads CBC International Congressional delegation's and cultural missions throughout the African Diaspora.
[edit] Build CBC web presence
CBC aims to utilize the Internet as the portal for spreading information and dialogue in the CBC and black America and developing partnerships to build exposure and presence.
The CBC blogs and podcasts that CBC members make are issue forums and give updates on CBC priorities.
The CBC issues a bi-monthly online newsletter.[2]
[edit] Alternative energy
The CBC supports the African-American role in alternative energy, while works to empower black farmers with alternative fuel dialogues and initiate the use of beans, corn, sugar cane, etc. as possible fuel sources.
The CBC promotes wind and solar power as alternative fuel and support research, education and training for people of color in renewable energy fields.
The caucus supports climate stabilization and community cleanup efforts to reduce and stabilize greenhouse gases according to the Kyoto Treaty. It works to reduce the number of sites with hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants in the United States.
[edit] CBC Institute
The Congressional Black Caucus Political Education and Leadership Institute is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization chaired by Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS). Its Board of Directors is comprised of corporate leaders, academic leaders, labor leaders and members of the Congressional Black Caucus who facilitate its primary activities: 1) development and training political candidates, leaders and tacticians 2) research and analysis relating to the process of redistricting, as well as the preservation of minority voting representation 3) increasing the presence of African-Americans in public policy and service sectors.[3]
[edit] CBC Foundation
The mission of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation is to focus on leadership education, public health, and economic development as the premier organization that “creates, identifies, analyzes and disseminates policy-oriented information critical to advancing African Americans and people of African descent towards equity in economics, health, and education.”[4]
[edit] CBC PAC
The mission of the Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee is to increase the number of African-Americans in Congress, to support non-Black candidates who champion African-American interests and to promote African-American participation in the political process, especially young voters.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ↑ "National African-American Leaders and Congressional Black Caucus Members Hold Press Announcement at U. S. Capitol"
- ↑ CBC Newsletter
- ↑ About CBC Institute
- ↑ About CBC Foundation
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