President Biden nominates Ventris C. Gordon for U.S. Mint director

Ventris C. Gibson, deputy U.S. Mint director and currently acting Mint director, was nominated Dec. 13, 2021, by President Biden to a full five-year term as the 40th director of the nation’s coin bureau.

If confirmed by the full Senate, Gibson, a U.S. Navy veteran, would be the first African American to lead the U.S. Mint, and the first woman since the 37th director, Henrietta Holsman Fore (August 2001 to August 2005). Gibson would be the seventh woman to hold the office.

Gibson joined the Mint from District of Columbia government, where she served as the director of human resources. In this role, Gibson provided executive oversight of human capital programs and services for nearly 37,000 employees.

Prior to that, Gibson served as an associate deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Gibson’s career with the federal government includes significant leadership roles in the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"The Black Eagle' Joe Madison ends hunger strike

Sirius XM radio host Joe Madison , "The Black Eagle" announced the end of his hunger strike after 74 days of protest in order to bring awareness to voting rights legislation. Listen to the radio legend explain why he striked and why he decided to end the strike below:

Donna Edwards announces run for former congressional seat

Former Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) on Thursday launched a campaign for her old House seat in Maryland's 4th Congressional District.

Edwards represented Maryland's 4th District for five terms before waging an unsuccessful bid for Senate in 2016, losing in the Democratic primary race to then-Rep. Chris Van Hollen.

She is now looking to replace Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) as he vacates his seat to run for Maryland attorney general.

In a video announcing her candidacy, Edwards said she is running to give her district a stronger perch in Washington, emphasizing her experience serving in national politics.

Rep. Jim Clyburn statement on failure of Senate to pass voting rights legislation

Rep. Jim Clyburn released the following statement after the Senate voted against a one-time change to the chamber's filibuster rules late Wednesday night essentially killing voting rights legislation.

Although the Senate’s inaction is disappointing, this is not the end.

Those of us who are committed to our nation’s pursuit of a more perfect Union will continue to heed John Lewis’ admonition to "stand up, speak out and get in the way" to get voter protections signed into law.

House Passes Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s Bill to Award Willie O’Ree Congressional Gold Medal

Today,the House of Representaives passed Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley's (MA-07) bill to honor hockey legend Willie O’Ree with the Congressional Gold Medal. The bill, which is co-led by Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Tom Emmer (MN-06) and John Katko (NY-24), passed the Senate in July and will now head to the President’s desk.

O’Ree was the first black player in the National Hockey League (NHL) and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.

“Black history is American history, and I am thrilled to see our bill to award Willie O’Ree with the Congressional Gold Medal pass the House of Representatives today,” said Rep. Pressley. “Willie has had a tremendous impact both on and off the ice and the Congressional Medal is a testament to his lifetime of service, his contributions to the game, and the example he has set for Black athletes everywhere. I am honored to play a small part in getting him the recognition he so rightfully deserves, and ensuring Willie takes his rightful place in American history. I am grateful to Congressman Quigley, our colleagues, and the grassroots organizers who helped to make this a reality.”

O’Ree is an extraordinary athlete and activist who overcame numerous challenges and broke historic barriers to ensure that future players of diverse racial backgrounds would have equal opportunities to play hockey. In 1958, O’Ree was called-up from the minors to play for the Boston Bruins, becoming the first black player in NHL history. As the sole black player in the NHL, O’Ree endured racism, bigotry, and prejudice from players and fans on and off the ice. Despite this, he spent more than twenty-four seasons as a professional player in both the NHL and minor leagues. Following his professional hockey career, he became the NHL’s Diversity Ambassador, where he established the Hockey Is For Everyone initiative to offer marginalized and disadvantaged children an opportunity to play hockey, create community, and develop important life skills.