Civil Rights, Housing, and Voting Rights

WASHINGTON (Wednesday, June 24, 2015) – Two years since the Supreme Court gutted core protections in the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder, states and localities throughout the country have passed sweeping laws that disproportionately suppress the voting rights of minorities. These laws have left voters without the protections they need to exercise their constitutional right to vote.

To restore and advance the voting protections for all Americans, a group of Senate and House Democratic lawmakers joined together Wednesday to introduce the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) of 2015.

Washington, D.C. – CHC Chairwoman Linda Sánchez released the following statement today on behalf of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus:

"The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is outraged by Donald Trump's racist remarks on the millions of Mexicans living in the United States.

His comments were not only wrong but divisive and perpetuate hateful stereotypes toward the Latino community.

Latinos are an integral part of the American fabric.

We are lawyers, doctors, teachers, Members of Congress, and servicemen and women who sacrifice their lives in defense to our country.

It's this kind of incendiary rhetoric which can lead to acts of violence. The most recent shooting in Charleston, South Carolina and the fatal stabbing of an Ecuadorian immigrant in Suffolk County, New York are examples of the incendiary acts that can result from hateful speech.

Washington, DC – In March, the Army Times reported allegations of a practice in which soldiers in a given battalion were given a "free pass" to use racial slurs. In response, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Rep. Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) and Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Rep. G. K. Butterfield (NC-01), and sent a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter calling on the Department of Defense to end long-standing and continued instances of racial hazing within the military.

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: