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It's Time for Open Its Doors to More Diversity

Date: June 21, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Legislative Branch


IT'S TIME FOR CONGRESS TO OPEN ITS DOORS TO MORE DIVERSITY

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Congressional Record a column in the Stirring the Pot segment of the June 20, 2006 edition of the Rollcall periodical newspaper and an article from the June 2006 edition of DiversityInc.

The column, entitled ``It's Time for Congress To Open Its Doors to More Diversity'' is authored by Donna Brazile, political strategist, former congressional chief-of-staff, and Chair of the Democratic National Committee's Voting Rights Institute (VRI). The article, entitled, ``Who Is Worst for Diversity? The United States Senate'', is authored by C. Stone Brown and Mark Lowery.

Donna Brazile captures your attention by stating that ``one of the hottest and most illuminating stories to hit the newsstands last week discussed the lack of diversity in the Senate.'' She goes on to address the content of that news story written by C. Stone Brown and Mark Lowery of DiversityInc. Brown and Lowery reported that equal opportunity is sorely missing in action in the Senate.

The articles point out that there is one black, three Hispanic, two Asian Americans and fourteen women Senators. This membership does not represent a good cross-section of the Country.

While Ms. Brazile's article encourages the Senate to establish a process to open doors to qualified candidates of colors and women it does not exclude the House of Representatives. Take a look at the number of minority chiefs-of-staff and legislative directors for members outside of the Congressional Black Caucus or the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Brown, Lowery and Brazile reveal thought provoking data and information that relates to the issue of diversity in staffing in the Senate and the House. They cleverly summarize the issue by quoting a leading diversity consultant who states if change is to come to diversity in placement of key Congressional positions ..... ``It has to start at the top, with the CEO (Senator), and be made a priority with some accountability.''

Mr. Speaker, I enter this article with the hope that it will impress upon the legislative body the need for sensitivity in including people of color and women in the ``pool'' from which future personnel is chosen. [From the Rollcall, June 20, 2006]

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