Showing posts with label US Senate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label US Senate. Show all posts

Sunday, August 07, 2022

Sen. Raphael Warnock statement on passing of the Inflation Reduction Act

Senator Raphael Warnock (GA) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act along party lines:

Great news, folks! After a long night, we passed the Inflation Reduction Act.

This legislation finally caps drug costs for seniors and helps Georgians save money on their health care, all while reducing the deficit. This is a big win for Georgians!

Saturday, February 13, 2021

Senate passes bill to award Capitol Police officer, Eugene Goodman Congressional Gold Medal

The Senate on Friday passed legislation to award Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman the Congressional Gold Medal for his actions responding to the violent Jan. 6 riot.

The Senate passed the legislation unanimously as it wrapped up the fourth day of former President Trump's impeachment trial, injecting a rare moment of bipartisanship in what has been a week marked by deep political divides.

The Senate broke out in applause for Goodman, who was in the chamber as they passed the bill, minutes before passing the bill by unanimous consent.

The bill still needs to pass the House, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has said that Democrats will soon grant the Congressional Gold Medal to the officers on duty guarding the Capitol when it was attacked on Jan. 6.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Sunday, January 17, 2021

VP-Elect Kamala Harris to resign from Senate seat on Monday

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will resign from her Senate seat on Monday ahead of Wednesday's inauguration ceremony.

Harris has already started the process by notifying California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). She's then expected to make an announcement on Monday resigning from her Senate seat, according to Harris aides.

"She's notified Governor Newsom, and has sent her formal indication that she will be resigning on Monday, January 18. And then she will make a formal announcement on Monday," said an aide.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Saturday, November 14, 2020

California Legislative Black Caucus: Rep. Karen Bass or Rep. Barbara Lee should replace Kamala Harris is Senate

The California Legislative Black Caucus met via Zoom with other Black leaders Friday and urged Governor Gavin Newsom to appoint an African American woman to fill the U.S. Senate seat that will be vacated when Kamala Harris takes office as the first African American female Vice President of the United States.

Speakers at the Zoom conference included the leader of the California Legislative Black Caucus, Dr. Shirley Weber; the Vice Chair of the Caucus, Steven Bradford; a newly elected Los Angeles Councilmember, Mark Ridley Thomas and the Chair of the California Democratic Party African American Caucus, Taisha Brown.

The group unanimously recommended either Karen Bass or Barbara Lee as appointees to the California Senate seat vacated by Harris.

Karen Bass formerly served in the California State Assembly for six years, the last two as speaker. As a Los Angeles native, Bass is currently the Congresswoman for the 37th congressional district of California.

As such, Bass was elected chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in 2018, serves as Chair of the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations and for the United States House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security.

The other highly qualified candidate suggested by the Caucus is Barbara Lee. Lee was elected to the State Assembly in 1990, where she served for six years prior to being elected to the State Senate.

As a legislator, Lee authored almost 70 bills and resolutions that were signed into law by then Republican Governor Pete Wilson. These different pieces of legislation addressed a wide variety of issues ranging from public safety to environmental issues.

In 1995, Lee authored the California Schools Hate Crimes Reduction Act, which affords protection from hate crimes to all students in public schools regardless of their race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or other. During her time in the State Senate, Lee was a strong advocate for African Americans, and for women.

In 1998, Lee was elected as Congresswoman for California’s then 9th district where she took controversial stances on many different issues. She has been a strong advocate for legislation to end poverty, ending the HIV epidemic and the only member of Congress to vote against the authorization of use of force following the September 11 attacks.

As Dr. Shirley Weber noted in her remarks Friday morning, both women “have confidently built strong coalitions across diverse communities, and will do so in the senate.”

[SOURCE: DAVISVANGUARD]

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Kamala Harris Statement on Vote Opposing Consideration of GOP Coronavirus Package

U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) on Sunday released a statement after voting against cloture on Republican bill that aims to address the coronavirus outbreak in the United States by putting the interests of large corporations ahead of the needs of working people.

“The coronavirus pandemic is a public health emergency that is driving an economic disaster for millions of families across our country. People are in their homes scared and suffering right now—Congress must act immediately to strengthen our health care system, expand access to emergency assistance like we do in the midst of any other disaster, and lift up and support working people, families, and small businesses. We need to get this right.

“The Republican bill released today does not address the pain everyday Americans are feeling, nor does it provide support for our overloaded health care system. This bill fails our workers by bailing out big industries without requiring them to keep people employed or ensure workers are protected. I voted against this bill because it fails to meet the urgent demands of this moment.”

Thursday, May 02, 2019

Senator Booker Questions AG Barr in Judiciary Committee

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., told Attorney General William Barr that he feared Barr's response to special counsel Robert Mueller's report and his characterization of President Donald Trump's actions normalizes a "deep litany of lies and deceit and misconduct," as well as foreign election interference. Booker also questioned Barr on some of the report's findings about the Trump campaign's links to Russia, and said the attorney general's unwillingness to criticize the Trump administration calls his credibility into question.

Sen. Kamala Harris questions Barr on White House contacts and more

Sen. Kamala Harris questioned Attorney General William Barr about whether anyone at the White House had ever suggested he open an investigation. She also asked about the propriety of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's involvement in deciding the president had not obstructed justice. Watch her question Barr below:

Monday, October 22, 2018

Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Anti-Lynching Legislation Introduced by Booker, Harris, and Scott

The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously voted to advance the bipartisan Justice for Victims of Lynching Act of 2018, historic legislation that would criminalize lynching, attempts to lynch, and conspiracy to lynch for the first time in American history.

The legislation was originally introduced in June 2018 by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), and Tim Scott (R-SC).

“After more than a hundred years of failed efforts, we are now one step closer to finally making lynching a federal crime and putting an end to a long period of Congressional inaction and indifference,” said Senator Booker, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “This bipartisan legislation is a painful – but necessary – acknowledgement of our nation’s horrific past, stained with the terror of racialized violence committed with near impunity. It sends a very clear signal that we as a nation will not tolerate bias-motivated violence in any form.”

“Lynching is a dark and despicable part of our country’s history. These were acts of violence, needless and horrendous acts of violence that were motivated by racism. And we must acknowledge that, lest we repeat it,” said Senator Harris, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “These were crimes that were committed against innocent people. These are crimes that should have been prosecuted. There are victims and their families that should have received justice and did not. With this bill, we have a chance to speak the truth about our past make clear that these hateful acts should never happen again.”

“This is an important, long overdue bill that sends a strong message that we will not allow those who spew hate to divide us as a nation,” said Senator Scott. “I want to thank Chairman Grassley and the Judiciary Committee for passing this legislation and helping underscore the severity of this crime.”

From 1882 to 1986, Congress failed to pass anti-lynching legislation 200 times. Lynching was used as an instrument of terror and intimidation 4,084 times during the late 19th and 20th centuries, according to data from the Equal Justice Initiative.

The Justice for Victims of Lynching Act is supported by the NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Equal Justice Initiative, and has companion legislation in the House of Representatives led by Congressman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL).

Tuesday, January 02, 2018

Doug Jones hires African-American chief of staff

Sen.-elect Doug Jones (D-Ala.) has hired former transportation official and congressional aide Dana Gresham as his new chief of staff.

Jones will be the only Senate Democrat to have an African-American chief of staff once Gresham comes on board. Two Senate Republicans, Sens. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Jerry Moran of Kansas, have black chiefs of staff.

Gresham previously served as assistant secretary for government affairs at the Department of Transportation, and before that was chief of staff to then-Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.). A graduate of Georgetown University, Gresham is an Alabama native: A tweet Tuesday by Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) referred to him as "Birmingham's own stand out."

Jones has made hiring a diverse staff a priority since he staged an upset win over Republican Roy Moore in last month's special Senate election in Alabama.

[SOURCE: POLITICO]

Saturday, November 25, 2017

‘Doug Jones’s problem’: African American voters not energized by Alabama’s Senate race

The Ensley Park Recreation Center was beginning to come to life. The song “Happy” and other upbeat tunes boomed through the loudspeakers. And a crowd was gathering for a chance to glimpse something rarely seen in conservative Alabama: a surging Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

But Donald Williams was skeptical.

The 75-year-old retired UPS worker had come to cheer on Democrat Doug Jones in a campaign that has captured national attention. Has it also generated energy in Alabama’s African American communities?

“As of this day, I would say no,” said Williams, who is black. “And this is Doug Jones’s problem. He’s got to get out and get the voters energized.”

With two-and-a-half weeks left until Election Day, a once unthinkable victory in the heart of the Deep South is within Jones’s reach, thanks largely to a string of sexual misconduct allegations against Republican candidate Roy Moore.

Jones’s campaign believes he can win only if he pieces together an unusually delicate coalition built on intense support from core Democrats and some crossover votes from Republicans disgusted with Moore. Crucial to that formula is a massive mobilization of African Americans, who make up about a quarter of Alabama’s electorate and tend to vote heavily Democratic.

Yet, in interviews in recent days, African American elected officials, community leaders and voters expressed concern that the Jones campaign’s turnout plan was at risk of falling short.

“Right now, many African Americans do not know there is an election on December 12,” said state Sen. Hank Sanders (D), who is black and supports Jones.

The challenge for Jones is clear. According to Democrats working on the race, Jones, who is white, must secure more than 90 percent of the black vote while boosting black turnout to account for between 25 and 30 percent of the electorate — similar to the levels that turned out for Barack Obama, the country’s first black president.

As a result, Jones and his allies are waging an aggressive outreach campaign. It includes targeted radio and online advertisements, billboards and phone calls. Campaign aides are debating whether to ask former first lady Michelle Obama to record a phone message for black voters.

Read more: ‘Doug Jones’s problem’: African American voters not energized by Alabama’s Senate race

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Sen. Tim Scott discusses his negative experiences with police

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) gave his second speech on police relations with African Americans. He says the country needs to recognize that "because you do not feel the pain, does not mean it does not exist." To illustrate that pain he discussed a few negative experiences he has had with police. What I love about his speech is that it lets white America know that it doesn't matter if you are in a sweat suit or a business suit you can be a victim of police harassment. More importantly it lets people know that you don't have to have a criminal past to be harassed and that sometimes police stops can be bogus.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Check out NJ Senator Cory Booker's new book, UNITED

In United, Cory Booker draws on personal experience to issue a stirring call to reorient our nation and our politics around the principles of compassion and solidarity. He speaks of rising above despair to engage with hope, pursuing our shared mission, and embracing our common destiny.

Here is his account of his own political education, the moments—some entertaining, some heartbreaking, all of them enlightening—that have shaped his civic vision. Here are the lessons Booker learned from the remarkable people who inspired him to serve, men and women whose example fueled his desire to create opportunities for others. Here also are his observations on the issues he cares about most deeply, from race and crime and the crisis of mass incarceration to economic and environmental justice.

Hardcover_---------- Kindle Edition

Friday, March 04, 2016

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]

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

AG nominee Lynch nears vote thanks to new deal

The Senate has reached a deal on a human trafficking bill that paves the way for a confirmation vote on Loretta Lynch's nomination for attorney general.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Cory Booker not happy with Wall Street giveaway.

Cory Booker is not very happy with the Wall Street giveaway tucked inside a $1.1 trillion bill to fund most of the federal government for a year. The provision provides taxpayer subsidies to risky financial derivatives by allowing banks to trade them from subsidiaries insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

"This is wrong," Booker said. "I'm outraged. I am frustrated that we are not on the floor debating this and instead are having this put into a bill that everyone says must pass." Watch more of Senator Booker's comments on the Wall Street giveaway below:

Thursday, November 06, 2014

Why Pres. Obama may be better off with republicans in control of the House and Senate.

After giving democrats, an ass whupping of epic proportions in Tuesday's election republicans will have control of both the House and the Senate starting in 2015. President Obama will have a tough time getting anything he wants done, and he had better go to Costco and load up on pens for all the vetoes he will be issuing.

But as tough as all believe the next two years will be for our president he just may be better off with the republicans in control. Why you ask? It's really very simple.

He won't have to deal with weak-kneed democrats who ran from him at the first signs of trouble. They ran even though the president had limited options when it came to hot button topics like Ebola or ISIS. They ran from Mr. Obama even though the stock market is booming; unemployment numbers are dropping, and gas prices are at a four-year low.

He won't have to deal with democrats who not only threw him under the bus but tried to back it up, all to win re-election. Some didn't even want him to campaign for them (and still lost). With "friends" like that who needs enemies? In my humble opinion, President Obama will now have a better idea of which democrats have his back and which ones are waiting to stab him in the back.

Now President Obama will have to deal with republicans and both parties know exactly where they stand, you don't like me and I sure as hell don't like you. That makes dealing with each other a lot easier, and some things might actually get done.

Well, we can hope anyway.

George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.com

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Black voters could decide who controls the Senate in 2015

I truly hope people are paying attention to this. Being involved means more than just voting every four years. George Cook, AAReports.com

Black voters played a huge role in delivering Barack Obama to the White House in 2008 and 2012. And in 2014, they will play a huge role in determining whether the president's party can stop Republicans from taking the Senate.

Why? Here are four reasons:

1. Black voters are hugely influential on the 2014 map

Six of the 16 states with the highest black populations are holding key Senate contests in 2014. A seventh -- the most African American state in the country, Mississippi -- is holding a contest that could get interesting if there's a tea party upset in the GOP primary.

This is a highly unusual set of circumstances, especially when you consider that most states with large numbers of African American voters generally don't hold competitive Senate races because they are safely red (in the South, generally) or blue (in the Northeast).

Read more here: Black voters could decide who controls the Senate in 2015