Oversight Committee Democratic Members Honor Leadership of Black Women on 101st Anniversary of 19th Amendment Passing Congress

Statement

Today, all the Democratic women Members of the Committee on Oversight and Reform issued the following statement honoring the 101st anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment by Congress:

"As we commemorate the passage of the 19th Amendment--the culmination of a hard-won fight for women's right to vote--we must not forget that our society has not made it easy for all women to fully exercise their civil liberties and achieve the equality they are due. As cries for racial justice and freedom ring out across the country, we come together today to recognize the confluence of these fights by honoring Black women--their voices, their brilliance, and their strength in the face of unimaginable adversity.

On the anniversary of this important milestone in women's rights, and as we work to address police and systemic violence against the Black community, we remember that representation matters. Only 131 women currently serve in Congress, and only 25 of those women are Black. Of 12,348 individuals who have served in Congress since its founding, only 47 have been Black women. It is imperative that we reflect on how our policy agendas affect communities of color and honor the leadership of Black women in Congress as they elevate the need to address the wide range of stark disparities across our society. Their policy ideas have the power to guide our nation forward toward healing and progress.

It is clear that there is still work to do in the fight for full justice and equality. As our constituents speak out for change, we honor the women engaged at every level of the civic process who are fighting to make that change a reality."