By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, msayles@afro.com When President Biden signed the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (ILJA) in 2021, much of the legislation addressed greener, more accessible transportation for all. The bill not only included the largest federal, public transit investment, $89.9 billion, in U.S. history, it sets aside $7.5 billion to […]
Category: Politics
Posted inHealth
Advocates and family members speak on the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act
By Helen Bezuneh, Special to the AFRO At the Congressional Black Caucus’ 52nd Annual Legislative Conference, U.S. representatives and leaders in the fight for Black maternal health spoke at a session focused on the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. The session, titled “Mom’s Can’t Wait: Passing the Momnibus in a Divided Congress,” promoted the passage […]
Posted inNational News
CBCF’S 52nd Annual Legislative Conference: National Town Hall examines old, new battles facing Black America
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, tmcqueen@afro.com A staple of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference is the National Town Hall, a venue for a cross-section of Black America to address the various issues affecting the broader community. And this year was no different, as Ayana Parsons, of the Fearless Fund, and LaTosha […]
Posted inNational News
52nd CBCF Annual Legislative Conference: State policymaker discusses efforts to advance reparative justice for Black Americans
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, tmcqueen@afro.com Reparations for descendants of Africans enslaved in the Americas has long been a topic of public discourse. But discourse has yet to lead to action. The topic, again, was among those addressed during the recent Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. Moderated by Julia […]
Posted inNational News
Appeals court blocks hearings on drawing a second majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana
By KEVIN McGILL, Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge’s plan to hold hearings next week to draw up congressional boundary lines giving Louisiana a second majority-Black district was blocked Thursday by a divided appeals court panel. Supporters of establishing a second such district had hoped a recent Supreme Court ruling upholding a […]
Posted inBaltimore News
City council committee approves Baltimore City Mayor Scott’s nominations for Police Commissioner and Fire Chief, community members speak out
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, tmcqueen@afro.com In back-to-back confirmation hearings on Sept. 21, the Rules and Legislative Oversight Committee approved Acting Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley and Acting Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace. “I have dedicated my life to serving Baltimore City Police Departments,” said Worley during the hearing. “I’m committed to working every […]
Posted inPrince George's County News
‘Bidenomics’ comes to Prince George’s County Community College
By Deborah Bailey, AFRO Contributing Editor President Joe Biden spoke on the state of the country’s economy while visiting students at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) on Sept. 14. While Republican lawmakers wrangled over the appropriations process recently, Biden reached outside Capitol Hill’s fiscal fight and spoke to community college students, faculty and staff less […]
Posted inNEWS
House Democrats re-introduce John Lewis voting bill on National Voter Registration Day
By Tashi McQueenAFRO Political Writertmcqueen@afro.com On National Voter Registration Day, House Democrats re-introduced the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The bill was originally introduced in 2021. “We are now 10 years removed from the disastrous Shelby County v. Holder decision where the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act. In those 10 years, […]
Posted inOPINION
Opinion: Will Judge Tanya S. Chutkan be fair to Donald Trump? I think so.
By Andrellos Mitchell I have been a lawyer for nearly 29 years and a member of the Washington, D.C. Bar for 22 years. I have also been an active member of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia since 1996. I have practiced law in that court in the Bankruptcy and Civil Divisions. If memory […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Black leaders say threats to undermine US democracy appear aimed at their community
BY Ayanna Alexander, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Some of the nation’s most influential Black leaders on Sept. 21 said many threats to democratic institutions in the U.S. appear to be aimed squarely at their community, including efforts to make voting more difficult, censor lessons around race and weaken social safeguards such as affirmative […]
Posted inBaltimore News
AFRO inside look: thought leaders and creatives join Vice President Kamala Harris at her residence to celebrate Black visual artists
By Savannah G.M. Wood, Special to the AFRO On the evening of Monday, September 19, I was honored to attend a private event at the Vice President of the United States’s residence celebrating Black visual artists. Jessica Bell Brown, Curator and Department Head for Contemporary Art at the Baltimore Museum of Art and Curator of […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation hosts 52nd Annual Legislative Conference
By AFRO Staff The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) 52nd Annual Legislative Conference kicked off on Sept. 20. Thousands gathered in Washington D.C., at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for the event which focused on the theme of “securing our democracy, protecting our freedoms and uplifting our culture.” “Our mission is to advance the […]