Members of the Congressional Black Caucus called on President Obama Friday to address the skyrocketing unemployment rate facing minorities — especially African-Americans andLatinos — greater economic conditions plaguing low-income communities.
“Our job is to make sure the legislation that gets to the president’s desk responds to the degradation and the crisis in our community,” said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, at a Friday news conference. “Our community is bleeding. And we are the worst hit.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in November 2009 for blacks is at 15.6 percent — and 12.7 percent for Hispanics. In comparison, the rate for whites is 9.3 percent.
The latest job numbers show that a drop in the U.S. unemployment rate dropped from 10.2 percent to 10 percent in November.
The letter — titled “Change Course, Confront Crises, Continue the Legacy” — also indicates that the CBC wants, among other things:
“Our Nation has suffered substantial unemployment and underemployment over a prolonged period, which has imposed significant economic and social costs, particularly in communities of color,” the December 9 letter, from Chairwoman Barbara Lee and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver to Obama, stated. “We appreciate your attention to these prescriptive measures and look forward to working with you.”
Some reporters at Friday’s news conference asked caucus members why the focus is on minorities and not everyone who is struggling.
“We’re not talking about race. We’re talking about hardest hit, where their unemployment rates are the greatest,” Lee said. “We’re talking about qualified areas of economic hardship, where 20 percent or more of the population is or at below the poverty line and we want at least 10 percent of the resources targeted.”
