Black Ministers Demand Fair Equitable Budget From Congress

Rev. Raphael Warnock of historic Ebenezer Baptist Church will lead a group of African American clergy from across the nation on Capitol Hill Tuesday, July 18th to demand a fair and equitable budget from Congress .

The group is demanding Congress to reject both the immoral budget proposed by the Trump Administration and the equally unjust health care bill that the Senate may have a procedural vote on in the coming weeks. A vote initially scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed.

Faith leaders will address the many ways the proposed budget will negatively impact African American families and communities, including deep cuts to education, Medicaid, civil rights, community development block grants and housing vouchers. The budget will also likely create an environment for predatory lending to increase.

Some of the clergy assembled will participate in direct social action on Tuesday afternoon 2 p.m. following scheduled meetings with lawmakers.

Faith leaders will also debut an aggressive social media campaign to amplify calls for Congress to withdraw the controversial healthcare bill that could strip life-saving health coverage from millions of Americans. #BlackClergyUprising #BlackClergyVoices

What:  News Conference

News Conference:

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

10:30 a.m. – 11:30am: U.S. Capitol Building / East Front of the U.S. Capitol (across from the Supreme Court and First Street)

Noon: Closed door meeting with Senators

2:00 p.m.: Social Action Demonstration / Russell Building Rotunda

Who:

Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, Rev. Dr. Teresa Hord Owens, Rev. Jimmie R. Hawkins, Rev. Dr. Barbara Williams Skinner, Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland Tune, Bishop Frank Madison Reid, Rev. Dr. Cynthia Hale, Rev. Dr. Donald Gillett,Rev. Aundreia Alexander, and Rev. Dr. Willie Gable.

Contact
Tenisha Bell
***@perfectpitchmediagroup.com

Black clergy making last second push to get out the vote

Black clergy are taking to the pulpits and the streets nationwide this weekend in hopes of energizing black voters ahead of Election Day, aiming to make a difference in the presidential contest between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Many expect a drop in black voter participation this year, primarily because Barack Obama, the nation’s first African-American president, is not on the ballot. His historic candidacy in 2008 and re-election in 2012 helped to fuel record black turnout.

“Voting, for us, is both a spiritual and a political issue,” said Rev. William Barber, president of the North Carolina NAACP and architect of the Moral Monday Movement in North Carolina. Barber will be one of several clergy at the historic Riverside Church in New York City Sunday evening for a revival service to encourage voting on Tuesday.

Read more: Black clergy making last second push to get out the vote

Black clergy demand Senate consider Obama Supreme Court nominee

Black clergy from across the country are expressing outrage about the Republican-led Senate’s vow to block any nominee President Obama picks to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court, saying it reflects racism and disrespect.

The National African American Clergy Network held the Friday conference call to express its outrage about the nomination process. On Feb. 22, coalition members issued a letter and video urging the GOP-controlled Senate to consider Obama’s nominee. They said they received no response.

The Rev. Barbara Williams-Skinner, the network’s co-chair, said the group is asking the Senate “to do nothing special for President Obama. Just do your job. Just do what the Constitution says and that is to hear the nominee and to vote on the nominee.”

The clergy leaders hope African-American voters will contact their senators and consider their treatment of the nomination process when they vote in upcoming primaries and the general election.

[SOURCE]