Rep. Meeks Includes Economic Equity Bills in CBC Jobs and Justice Act

Statement

Today, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks, Senior Member of the Financial Services Committee, and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus, introduced the Jobs and Justice Act. The omnibus bill includes a wide range of legislative items that focus on economic empowerment of minority and low-income communities (Jobs), and criminal justice reform (and Justice).

"The Jobs and Justice Act's expansive scope is a necessarily thorough approach to fixing the inequities faced by minority and low-income communities, "said Rep. Gregory W. Meeks. "In this omnibus bill are three pieces of legislation I've introduced--all aimed at providing minorities with equitable opportunities and building up communities--and many more that I have proudly cosponsored."

Rep. Meeks' legislation included in the Jobs and Justice Act are:​

>H.R. 970 - Encourages corporate diversity by requiring federal contractors and public companies to disclose the race, gender, and ethnicity of their board of directors and senior management.

Rep. Meeks' comment on H.R. 970: "That inequity, however, is even more pronounced at the top. Despite the overwhelming evidence that a diverse workplace generates better ideas and productivity, an overwhelming amount of Fortune 500 companies fail to reflect the diversity of their greater workforce. My legislation would shine light on the makeup of these corporate boards, and encourage more inclusivity."

>H.Res.159 - Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that infrastructure spending bills should include development programs that recruit and train individuals from communities with high unemployment rates

Rep. Meeks' comment on H.Res. 159: "H.Res.159 impresses upon Congress the need to recruit and train individuals from communities with high unemployment rates for new infrastructure jobs. It would ensure that jobs created by infrastructure appropriations bills prioritize African-American, Latino, and American Indian communities, as well as any veterans who've served since 9/11. This both addresses the aging population of infrastructure workers while addressing glaring inequities in the workforce."

>H.R. 3741 - Supports black-owned depository institutions by codifying the Minority Bank Deposit Program which encourages the federal agencies to deposit their funds with minority banks.

Rep. Meeks' comment on H.R. 3741: "H.R. 3741 codifies and enhances the Minority Bank Deposit Program (MBDP). Over 80 minority banks and low-income credit unions are certified with the MBDP, yet a majority of them have no working relationship with the federal government. This not only helps minority-owned and women-owned businesses, but it brings investment and credit opportunities to the low-income communities currently lacking them.

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