December 2, 2022
Congressional Black Caucus Announces Its New Leadership For 118th Congress
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has announced its new leadership for the 118th Congress and Nevada Rep. Steven Horsford will serve as its new chairman.
The Hill reports Rep. Yvette Clark (D-NY.) has been named vice chair, Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) has been named the second vice chair; Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA) is the CBC’s new secretary and Rep. Marilyn Stickland (D-WA) is the new whip.
In a statement, Horsford said he is ready to provide the leadership and guidance necessary to continue the CBC’s mission.
“As chair, I will provide the leadership, strategic vision and execute on our plans to guide us on a path that will deliver positive socioeconomic outcomes for the communities and constituencies we serve,” Horsford said according to The Hill. “Representing the 4th Congressional District of Nevada has uniquely prepared me for this role, by being a district as diverse as our nation–both in the people and the geography that lie within our boundaries. As Chair of the CBC, I will be able to put a spotlight on the hard-working people of the 4th Congressional District and advocate for our broad coalition of people that make Nevada tick.”
The CBC was created in the late 1960s after the civil rights movement when Black politicians, including the late Rep. Charles Diggs, felt isolated due to the small number of Black politicians in Congress. That led Diggs to create the Democratic Select Committee (DSC), where Black politicians could gather and talk about the issues that were important to their constituents.
When the number of Black politicians increased from nine to 13, the DSC was remade into the CBC, which was established in 1971. Today, the CBC is one of the leading congressional advocacy groups to focus on issues important to Black Americans.
Outgoing Chairwoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH) said “the honor of my career to serve as the 9th woman to chair the Congressional Black caucus. As the 117th Congress draws to a close and I pass the baton to this dynamic group of dedicated leaders, I am confident our power and our message are in capable hands.”
In the last Congress, the CBC had a record 56 members between the House of Representatives and the Senate representing 17 million Black Americans and 41% of the total U.S. Black population.