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CPC, CBC, CHC and CAPAC Chairs Applaud Amendment to End Racial Profiling

June 3, 2015

WASHINGTON—Co-Chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), and Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) applauded the passage by voice vote through the House of Representatives of 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.

“When law enforcement profiles a person based on skin tone or appearance, they diminish that individual’s humanity,” said Rep. Grijalva. “It sews the seeds of distrust in the victim and their community, and sends a message that those enlisted to serve and protect will, in fact, do neither. Those sentiments could not be further from the truth for countless men and women who risk their lives as first responders, which makes the need to ban profiling all the more urgent.”

“Diversity is America’s strength, but discrimination by law enforcement undermines that strength,” Rep. Ellison said. “The amendment passed by the House of Representatives today will protect Americans from racial profiling. I want to thank my colleagues in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus today for moving us closer to ending discrimination in our nation.”

“I applaud the passage of the amendment to end racial profiling.  It is critical that we, as members of Congress, work to take bold, vigorous, and steadfast action by challenging any and all policies that would permit racial discrimination and profiling,” said Rep. Butterfield. “Racial profiling is having a negative impact in communities across the country and we must continue our efforts to ensure such discriminatory policies cease.  Today is a step forward in our work to end profiling and policies based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender and sexual orientation.”

“Racial profiling has no place in our country, and as such, we should ensure that taxpayer dollars do not support law enforcement activity that uses discriminatory practices,” Rep. Sánchez said. “Latinos and minorities – like all other Americans – deserve equal justice under the law. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus joins the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus in leading this appropriations effort that is so critically important to protecting communities of color.”

“Racial profiling isn’t just a violation of our principles, it’s an ineffective practice that hurts our safety by weakening the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they protect,” Rep. Chu said. “It trains police to see people of color as threats, not individuals. The Federal Government should have no role in supporting this discrimination, and I am so pleased that our amendment was adopted today. Building on the new guidelines released by the FBI earlier this year, this amendment will take us one step closer towards a more just country for all.” 

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Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Applaud the EPA's Clean Water Rule

May 27, 2015

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) applaud the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water Rule to limit pollution in rivers, lakes, and wetlands. 

“I congratulate the Obama Administration for bringing long-overdue clarity to the vital issue of clean water,” Rep. Grijalva said. “One in three Americans gets their drinking water from streams currently lacking clear protection. This Rule will help prevent the destruction of our nation’s water resources and support the numerous industries and jobs that depend on clean water.

“The Supreme Court left the scope of the Clean Water Act unclear, but protecting clean drinking water is far too important to be open to interpretation,” Rep. Grijalva continued. “It’s time to implement a clear Clean Water Rule that protects our drinking water supplies and ends the regulatory uncertainty that allows unscrupulous polluters to hide in the regulatory shadows. The new Rule does exactly that, without creating any new permitting requirements and maintaining all existing exemptions.”

 "Clean water is vital to life in Minnesota. 970,000 Minnesotans drink water from public water systems that would be further protected under the EPA’s final rule, while others rely on our state’s waterways for business and recreation,” Rep. Ellison said. “But an ongoing statewide assessment of our waterways by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency found that half of the waters assessed so far are unfit for swimming and fishing. This is why the EPA’s rule is so critical to our state.

 “I applaud Administrator Gina McCarthy for writing a strong Clean Water Rule,” Rep. Ellison continued. “I look forward to working with my state and local partners to keep Minnesota’s water clean for generations to come.”

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Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs on DOL's Guidance to Improve Workplace Protections

May 27, 2015

WASHINGTON—Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement after the Department of Labor (DOL) announced guidance on President Obama’s Executive Order to increase workplace protections.

“We applaud the Department of Labor for their commitment to workers, who deserve dignity on the job. The guidance released today will allow the federal government to be a leader in the fight for good jobs and hold federal contractors accountable to fair work standards. Taxpayer money should never support companies that exploit their workers. We are happy to see that DOL is taking clear steps to ensure that all federal contract workers are safe on the job and receive the pay they deserve. ”  

The Progressive Caucus has led the fight in calling for better workplace protections since March 2014 when they sent a letter to Department of Labor Secretary Thomas Perez to collect data on contractors that engage in wage theft. Last summer, CPC members successfully attached wage theft amendments to four appropriations bills. The Progressive Caucus has continued to stand with workers calling for an end to wage theft and for increased workplace protections.

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Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs on the President's Actions to De-Militarize Local Police Departments

May 18, 2015

WASHINGTON—Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement after President Obama announced a federal ban to limit certain types of military equipment from being transferred to local police departments.

“We applaud President Obama for taking an important first step to de-militarize local police departments. Weapons made for war zones do not belong on the streets of our communities.

“While the president is making our neighborhoods safer, House Republicans are trying to expand the use of military weapons in border communities. At a time when the relationship between police and the communities they serve is in crisis, Congress should be limiting the transfer of military weapons to local law enforcement, not increasing it. We should build on President Obama’s actions today by passing Rep. Hank Johnson’s Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act of 2015 (H.R. 1232) to rein in the Pentagon’s surplus weaponry program.”

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Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Condemn H.R. 36

May 13, 2015

WASHINGTON—Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement after House Republicans passed H.R. 36, which would eliminate safe abortion services after 20 weeks of pregnancy. 

“The bill passed by Republicans today is an attack on women’s reproductive health. Young women, women of color, and low-income women already struggle to get the health care they need. But Republicans continue working to restrict health care options for American women. H.R. 36 jeopardizes the well-being of women and punishes physicians who provide compassionate care. 

“Americans overwhelmingly trust women to make their own health decisions. They support upholding Roe v. Wade, but H.R. 36 violates that Supreme Court decision. Republicans should stop passing bills that violate women’s constitutional rights. Rather than focusing on limiting a woman’s right to choose, we should pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would ensure women do not face significant barriers to the care they deserve.” 

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CPC Co-Chairs Join Mayor de Blasio and Progressive Partners to Launch The Progressive Agenda

May 12, 2015

WASHINGTON—Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) joined New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and national progressive leaders today to launch The Progressive Agenda to Combat Income Inequality. 

“The Progressive Agenda is an important first step in growing the paychecks of working Americans. The coalition assembled today is proof we can do great things for people when we organize together. Mayor de Blasio and all of the partners involved in creating The Progressive Agenda are dedicated to the idea that no one working full-time in America should live in poverty.

“Too many Americans leave work wondering if they can afford to make ends meet every month. If we enact the initiatives in The Progressive Agenda our economy will work for all Americans — not just the super-wealthy. We want to thank Mayor de Blasio and we look forward to working with this coalition to move all the priorities of working Americans to the forefront of the national conversation.  It is time to meet the calls of the American people for justice, fairness and an end to income inequality.” 

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Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs on the Senate's Rejection of Trade Promotion Authority

May 12, 2015

WASHINGTON—Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement today after the Senate blocked consideration of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).

“Today’s delay of Trade Promotion Authority is just a taste of the fierce opposition ‘fast track’ will face — if it is ever brought up for a vote. Republicans and Democrats in the House know agreeing to TPA denies them the chance to protect working families from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership. A bipartisan coalition will stand together against fast tracking a trade deal that puts corporate profits over working families.”

In March, the CPC released its Principles for Trade, a model to put working Americans first in trade negotiations.

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Progressive Caucus Applauds Court of Appeals Ruling on NSA Collection of Phone Data

May 7, 2015

WASHINGTON—Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement today after the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the bulk collection of phone records by the National Security Agency (NSA) violates federal law.

“The Second Circuit’s ruling today is welcome news to Americans who want their civil liberties protected. Mass collection of phone records violates our right to privacy and makes for bad law enforcement. The Congressional Progressive Caucus called for the end of the NSA’s bulk telephone data collection program in 2013 when its existence became public.

“Our resources are too important to waste on programs that don’t make American families any safer and come at the expense of the freedoms we swear to protect. We applaud the court’s ruling that the NSA’s systematic collection of data on the private lives of Americans is unjustified and illegal.”

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Progressive Caucus Statement on Prime Minister Abe's Address

April 29, 2015

WASHINGTON—Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement today after Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe addressed a joint session of Congress.

“While we appreciate hearing directly from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today, the fact remains that a Trans-Pacific Partnership withoutenforceable protections against currency manipulators will leave working families behind. In 2013, currency manipulation by Japan, which held down the price of the Yen in relation to the dollar, displaced nearly 900,000 American jobs. But President Obama says draft text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership doesn’t include enforceable currency manipulation chapters.

"If the Administration wants the U.S. to lead good trade deals, we must include rules to stop Japan and other countries from inflating the value of the dollar. Congress should not be asked to fast track a Pacific trade deal without a chapter on currency manipulation.”

In March, the CPC called for enforceable currency manipulation protections in its Principles for Trade, a model to put working Americans first in trade negotiations.

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Grijalva, Ellison, Lee, Polis Oppose Proposed Reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act

April 24, 2015

WASHINGTON— Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), CPC Peace and Security Task Force Chair Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and CPC Equal Protection Task Force Chair Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) released the following statement today after Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) introduced a renewal of the PATRIOT Act with no reforms and no amendments.  

“We oppose Senator McConnell's proposed reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act. Americans have been clear that mass collection of private data and invasions of privacy by intelligence agencies must be addressed. We would be abdicating our oath to uphold the constitution if we reauthorized the PATRIOT Act without meaningful reform. Ensuring our safety shouldn’t come at the cost of our civil liberties. ”

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