Civil Rights, Housing, and Voting Rights

Washington, D.C. – CHC Chairwoman Linda Sánchez and the CHC Civil Rights Task Force released the following statements on the need to confirm Loretta Lynch to be the next U.S. Attorney General of the United States.

CHC Chairwoman Linda Sánchez (CA-38): "Loretta Lynch's confirmation is long overdue. Her confirmation has been unjustly stalled for five months because of her views on the President's immigration executive actions – actions that are critically important to the Latino community and that are removed from her qualifications to serve as Attorney General. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus looks forward to seeing her swift Senate confirmation and to having an ally that will champion civil rights and justice issues."

Washington, DC - Today, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to close loopholes in the revised DOJ profiling guidance released in December of 2014. While the revised guidance prohibits profiling based on ethnicity, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity, the guidance provides exceptions for activities within the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Transportation Security Administration, and Customs and Border Patrol. The Chairs of the caucuses released the following statements:

Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez, CHC Chair:

CHC, CBC, CAPAC, CPC, Sen. Cardin, and Rep. Conyers to Hold Press Conference on Profiling

WASHINGTON— Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Judy Chu (D-CA.), and Co-Chairs of the Progressive Caucus (CPC) Reps. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ.) and Reps. Keith Ellison (D-MN.) will join Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) to hold a press conference on Wednesday, June 25^th to call on the Obama Administration to issue improved profiling guidance for federal law enforcement that closes current loopholes.

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, June 18, Tri-Caucus members and civil rights leaders hosted a Hill press conference in the House Judiciary Committee Room to reaffirm their strong, united support for the Voting Rights Amendment Act (VRAA).

The press conference kicked off the most important week in voting rights with the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder and the first Senate hearing on the VRAA on June 25, and the upcoming 50^th anniversaries of Freedom Summer and the Civil Rights Act. At the press conference, prominent figures in voting rights stood together to discuss why this is the critical time for action and called on the House to advance the VRAA now to protect voters before they go to the polls in November.

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, June 18 at 1:30 p.m. EDT, Tri-Caucus members and civil rights leaders will host a press conference on the Hill reaffirming their unified support for the Voting Rights Amendment Act (VRAA).

This press conference kicks off the most important week in voting rights, with the approaching one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder and corresponding first Senate hearing on June 25 and the upcoming 50^th anniversaries of Freedom Summer and the Civil Rights Act. At the press conference, prominent figures in voting rights today will stand together to discuss why this is the critical time for action, and call on the House to advance the VRAA now to protect voters before they go to the polls in November.

WHEN: Wednesday, June 18, 1:30 p.m.

WHO:

WASHINGTON— Co-Chairs of the Progressive Caucus (CPC) Reps. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Reps. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-Ohio), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Rubén Hinojosa (D-Texas) and Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Judy Chu (D-Calif.) applauded the passage by voice vote through the House of Representatives an amendment to prevent the Department of Justice, the FBI and local law enforcement from using money in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to engage in profiling based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender and sexual orientation.