Political Quotes

“Thank you, Congressman Payne. I did want to say to Madam Speaker, I appreciate you participating in the Diversity Dinners last week. I can't have Congressman Payne have a one-up on me, so thank you so much. I really appreciate it. As we continue our conversation on accountability, equality, and diversity, I would like to offer some statistics on our economy 50 years ago and today with respect to the African American community and women. In 1965, African American jobseekers could be denied employment based on the color of their skin; and, when they could find jobs, they were disproportionately paid less than White males in the same position. In fact, in 1965, the Black unemployment rate was 8.1 percent, almost twice the national unemployment rate which stood at 4.5 percent. Fifty years later, we have made great strides, and our Nation's workforce is more diverse than ever, but we have much more work to do. Today, at 10.4 percent, the Black unemployment rate is still almost double the national unemployment rate of 5.6 percent. While it is significantly smaller, there is still a racial wage gap. The median African American household has less than two-thirds the income of the average White median household. In the past year, we have seen the greatest economic growth in decades. More and more women have been able to enter the workforce, reducing the employment rate among women to a 6-year low. Unfortunately, Black women have yet to reap the benefits of the economic rebound.…”