WASHINGTON D.C. – Congressman Charles Rangel released the following statement after the National Urban League released its annual State of Black America report, “Occupy the Vote to Educate, Employ and Empower,” on March 8, 2012:

“I want to congratulate the National Urban League on the release of its annual 2012 State of Black America report and its continued contributions to promoting equality in our country.  I thank my good friend President Marc Morial for his great leadership and vision. He has been truly impactful on the Congressional Black Caucus and the American people in raising our awareness on various issues facing minorities.

This year’s State of Black America report, aptly themed, “Occupy the Vote to Educate, Employ and Empower,” comes at a pivotal time when we as a nation must decide whether to move forward or backwards. Today 13 percent of Blacks and 11 percent of Hispanics are unemployed, yet Voter ID laws that have been implemented in 14 states threaten to disenfranchise five million Americans. These barriers silence the voices of those who most need to be heard. I marched from Selma to Washington with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to fight for justice in our country. Our struggle led to the enactment of the Voters Rights Act of 1965; four decades later it is an outcry that we are regressing back to the Jim Crow era. The right to vote is intertwined with the right to a good education and job -- regardless of color, gender or creed.  

The National Urban League has been a prolific defender of justice and equality for over 90 years.  With nearly 100 local affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, the Urban League continues to provide direct services that improve the lives of more than two million people nationwide.  I am privileged that the Urban League’s New York Chapter, NYUL, is in our Manhattan Congressional District and is improving the lives of people in our community.  Under the leadership of Chair Noel Hankin and Chapter President Arva Rice, the NYUL assists disadvantaged New Yorkers in gaining access to equal opportunity in employment, education, healthcare, and housing.  I look forward to supporting the NYUL in their future endeavors and to keep fighting for a more perfect union.”