Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies argues that while the Voting Rights Act of 1965 dramatically expanded Black political representation in Congress, those gains remain fragile amid weakened federal protections and growing partisan gerrymandering. He warns that recent legal and political shifts threaten decades of progress and stresses that preserving equitable representation is essential to advancing policies that impact Black economic and social well-being.
Tag: Congress
Posted inNational News
Black leaders demand corporate accountability for $175 billion in tariff refunds
Following the Supreme Court’s Feb. 20 ruling to strike down the current administration’s tariffs, Rep. Steven Horsford is leading an effort to demand corporate accountability regarding the distribution of $175 billion in refunds.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
D.C. budget hearings advance amid budget cut concerns
The D.C. Council is reviewing Mayor Bowser’s $1.1B deficit budget, with hearings through May 12 and a first vote expected June 9. Advocates raise concerns on proposed cuts to child care subsidies and the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund.
Posted inTV and Film
Back from the brink: ‘Afropop’ season 18 to premiere in June
The season features Listen to Me, Kanika Harris and Stephanie Etienne’s urgent documentary on the Black maternal and infant mortality crisis, and This World Is Not My Own, Opendox’s visually striking film using animation about celebrated folk artist Nellie Mae Rowe, who turned her home and yard in Vinings, Georgia, into the fantastical creative world she called the Playhouse. Emmy Award-winning actress Uzo Aduba and Broadway veteran Amy Warren bring Rowe and her friend, gallery owner and arts patron Judith Alexander, to life through voice and movement. A third title, to be announced later this year, will premiere in November.
Posted inEditorial
‘A whole civilization will die tonight’?: Dangerous words, 93 million lives, and a Congress that must act
An AFRO editorial by Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper warns that escalating rhetoric from the 47th president toward Iran risks normalizing mass destruction, endangering millions of civilian lives and increasing the likelihood of catastrophic conflict, while urging Congress to reassert its constitutional authority over war.
Posted inMaryland News
Two years later: Maryland rebuilds after Key Bridge collapse
Two years after a container ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, sending a massive section into the Patapsco River and claiming six lives, Maryland’s rebuild is moving faster than any project of its size in the U.S. Demolition is complete, foundation piles are being installed, and officials say the new bridge—set to reopen in late 2030—will be the state’s first cable-stayed span over 2 miles long with 230 feet of clearance for modern shipping.
Posted inOpinion
Tariff whiplash and a rising Black recession
Black recession, uncertain tariff policy, and targeted dismantling of equity programs are creating challenges for Black-owned small businesses.
Posted inU.S. Government
TSA workers go without pay as partial government shutdown stretches into March
TSA employees are missing paychecks as the partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown stretches into March, forcing workers to juggle bills, childcare, and transportation while still reporting to work. Airports across the country are feeling the strain, with long lines and wait times at major hubs like Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, and New York.
Posted inOpinion
The truth about the president’s accounts and Black wealth
Joint Center leaders argue that the president’s new accounts for newborns will widen the racial wealth gap by rewarding families who already have the means to save, while leaving low-wealth Black households behind. They urge Congress to adopt progressive Baby Bonds instead, with larger automatic investments for children from families with the least wealth.
Posted inAfro Briefs
President, allies said to be creating executive plan to steal the 2026 midterms
Activists who support the 47th president are said to be drafting a proposed executive order claiming, without evidence, that China interfered in the 2020 election and seeking expanded federal authority over voting systems ahead of the 2026 midterms, according to The Washington Post. Voting rights advocates warn the move would challenge states’ constitutional control over elections.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Court ruling forces No. 47’s administration to restore CFPB funding
Charlene Crowell, a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending, highlights how the current administration’s efforts to defund or undermine the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) hurt working families while protecting Wall Street and corporate interests. Court rulings have now forced the administration to restore CFPB funding, reinstate employees, and resume its oversight work, which prevents billions in consumer losses from predatory financial practices.
Posted inU.S. Government
Deadline looms as Congress risks another shutdown
With federal funding set to expire at 11:59 p.m. Jan. 30, Congress is again on the brink of a government shutdown, just months after a prolonged lapse disrupted essential services and deepened hardship for families nationwide. As Republicans push a single sweeping funding vote, Democrats warn that no viable agreement exists, leaving negotiations stalled and the risk of another shutdown growing as the deadline approaches.