“The House Democratic Caucus has shown its commitment to diversity by selecting two African Americans to fill coveted committee assignments reflecting the diversity of our caucus.  I thank Leader Pelosi for her visionary selection of Congressman Sanford Bishop and Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones to two of the four vacancies on the most sought after committees – Appropriations and Ways and Means respectively.  Both active members of the Congressional Black Caucus will strengthen the much-needed minority perspective on these panels. 

I especially want to commend Leader Pelosi for standing her ground when the Republicans sought to eliminate Congresswoman Tubbs Jones from the Ways and Means Committee after she had already been named.  To seek the removal of the first African American woman ever appointed to this panel before she could begin to serve was an outrage and an insult.  Their action reminds us there is still much resistance within the Republican Caucus to the diversity that is embraced, elevated and celebrated in the Democratic Caucus.”

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