Congressman Cohen Votes to Advance CROWN Act

Statement

Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, today spoke in favor of and voted to advance to a House floor vote the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural (CROWN) Hair Act, a measure prohibiting discrimination against those displaying a natural hair style. Such discrimination in schools and in employment is often based on racial prejudice.

Before the vote, Congressman Cohen spoke during the bill's committee mark up and said in part:

"I introduced a similar measure concerning hair braiding in 1995 when I served as a state Senator in Tennessee and there was discrimination against hair braiders in Tennessee, and that needed to stop. Everybody in this country deserves the opportunity to go to work without their employers trying to change…what they look like. It should never be the case that people are sent home from work because of their natural hair. Too often hair style and other grooming standards are used as a proxy for racial discrimination. It's just that simple."

See Congressman Cohen's entire remarks here.

Congressman Cohen is a cosponsor of the CROWN Act.

Source