Black Women’s Roundtable Statement on Historic Senate Filibuster Reform
“Today the U. S. Senate took a bold and much needed step to end partisan gridlock in the blocking of Presidential nominations in the U. S. Senate. The Black Women’s Roundtable applauds Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for his leadership in calling for a vote to reform the Senate rules that will put an end to the unwarranted filibustering by some Senators that has been crippling the government from doing the job of the American people for far too long.
“The new Senate rules will stop reckless filibustering of executive and federal judicial nominations (except Supreme Court nominations) of highly qualified and fully vetted Americans who are willing to serve our country for the common good. Experienced nominees like Patricia Millett, Cornelia Pillard and Judge Robert Wilkins nominated to serve on the U. S. Court of Appeals for the D. C. Circuit; Congressman Mel Watt, nominated to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency; and other women and people of color will have a fair opportunity to receive an up or down vote.
“We challenge the U. S. Senate to move swiftly to confirm these nominees and others so the work of the American can be done both in the federal government and in the federal courts.”
ABOUT THE BLACK WOMEN’S ROUNDTABLE
The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation’s Black Women’s Roundtable is an intergenerational civic engagement network of the National Coalition championing just and equitable public policy on behalf of Black women. Founded in 1976, The National Coalition serves as an effective convener and facilitator at the local, state and national levels to address the disenfranchisement of marginalized communities through civic engagement, women and girls empowerment, youth civic leadership development and public policy. For more information visit www.ncbcp.org.
