William L. Clay: “This Nation and the community that I represent in St. Louis are facing a public health emergency.”

While President Trump recently tried to take credit for December unemployment numbers, showing African American unemployment at its lowest recorded level, this too is part of a long-term trend that started under the Obama Administration.

Only with a substantial increase in Federal support and a national commitment to expanding community-based treatment will we have even the basic tools to combat this epidemic.

Congress should be about helping this economy and going about the business of job creation and not looking to roll back regulations that are there to protect the American consumer.

We must understand the true state of the financial services industry in this country today and reject the false claims that the Dodd-Frank Act has harmed banks and consumers.