Assuming Leadership in the CBC and Unemployment Benefits -- November 19, 2010

This week, I was deeply humbled to be elected to serve as the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Whip for the 112th Congress. It is a great honor to have earned the confidence and respect of my colleagues in the CBC. As whip, I will help to develop political strategy, secure votes and gather and distribute policy information between CBC members.

Thanks in large part to the leadership of Chairwoman Barbara Lee, the 111th Congress has proven to be one of the most productive sessions in decades. I applaud her and the rest of the leadership team for staying true to the CBC's legacy and for continuing to act as the conscience of the Congress. Through their guidance, the communities we represent benefitted from increased funding for education, job training and small business opportunities. The efforts of the CBC have helped to stabilize neighborhoods by preventing foreclosures and creating jobs through funding for community redevelopment. These policies have helped bring our economy out of recession and continue to fuel our ongoing recovery. I look forward to working with Chairman Cleaver and all of the CBC leaders to uphold the tradition of strong leadership and commitment to an agenda that will improve the lives of all Americans.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, House Republicans turned their backs on millions of struggling Americans and their families by working to defeat an extension of unemployment benefits. If Congress does not take action, millions of unemployed workers will lose their benefits. This is not only hurts American families but our economic recovery as well. In fact, the Department of Labor recently released a multi-year study showing that for every dollar spent on unemployment insurance, economic activity increases by two dollars. Without unemployment insurance, many struggling families will be forced to stop spending on some of their most basic needs-draining the economy of nearly $80 billion worth of consumer spending and resulting in the loss of over one million jobs in the coming year.

During previous recessions, it was well-established practice to continue to provide unemployment benefits until the economy recovered and job prospects improved. While we have seen positive momentum with the private sector adding jobs for ten straight months, there are still too many Americans out of work. When we return to Washington later this month, I will continue to remind my colleagues that millions of American families are counting on us to pass this important extension.

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