WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) today urged the Department of Justice to conduct a thorough investigation after two black men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, were shot to death by police officers this week. The shootings continue a long trend of racially tinged police violence that has come to the forefront of national discourse through the increasing prevalence of personal video cameras.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Urges Department of Education to Revoke ACICS Accreditation
July 6, 2016
Washington, D.C.– Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) sent a letter to Acting Assistant Secretary of Education Lloyd Horwich supporting a final recommendation received from the June 22-24, 2016 National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) meeting. In the letter, the co-chairs urge the Department to strip the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) of its authority to evaluate and renew accreditation for institutions of higher education. This accreditation gives schools access to federal student aid. The co-chairs express concerns with ACICS's long and well-documented list of failures to meet its obligations to ensure federal dollars are well spent and students are receiving high-quality education. The Department of Education has 90 days to act after receiving NACIQI's final recommendation.
Washington, D.C.– WASHINGTON, D.C.-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 the Department of Defense would keep 8,400 troops in Afghanistan through 2016:
Congressional Progressive Caucus on Supreme Court Decision Upholding Woman's Access to Healthcare
June 27, 2016
Washington, D.C.– Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) today praised the Supreme Court decision in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt. By a 5-3 margin, the Court struck down two provisions of an anti-abortion law in Texas – requirements that abortion providers have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and that procedures only be performed at ambulatory surgical centers – which have already caused half of the state's abortion clinics to close.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Statement on Supreme Court Affirmative Action and DACA/DAPA Rulings
June 23, 2016
WASHINGTON– Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement after the Supreme Court rulings on affirmative action and President Obama's expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) programs:
WASHINGTON– Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), along with the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), today held a forum titled "Oil Is The New Tobacco".
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement today on "Initiative 1515" in Washington State, which would overturn the state's regulations ensuring equal access to restrooms and other facilities for the LGBT community.
CPC Co-Chairs Applaud President Obama's Call for an Increase in Social Security Benefits for Seniors
June 2, 2016
Washington, D.C. – Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Keith Ellison (MN-05) and Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03), released the following statement applauding President Obama's call to expand Social Security benefits.
Washington, D.C. – Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Keith Ellison (MN-05) and Raúl Grijalva (AZ-03), applauded the inclusion of language encouraging the establishment of an "accessibility performance measure" in the report to accompany the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2017, which was passed by the Appropriations Committee Tuesday.
Washington DC – The Congressional Progressive Caucus today sent the following recommendation that Members of Congress vote ‘No' on final passage of the FY15 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The recommendation is based on Section 1095, which would block the implementation of President Obama's Executive Order on Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces (E.O. 13673).
