Melvin Watt: “I did want to spend a little bit of time talking about the annual legislative conference that was conducted by the…”

“I did want to spend a little bit of time talking about the annual legislative conference that was conducted by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation this past weekend. I heard the comments of my colleague from California, Ms. Diane Watson, and I was fortunate to be able to sit in on one of her issues forums related to the Cherokee Freedmen, and I thought it was a very balanced and productive session, and very informative. I've been privileged to be a part of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's annual legislative weekend for all 15 years that I have served in Congress. And I would have to say that the first 13 of those years I did my piece of the conference by conducting a discussion and issues forum on the Voting Rights Act, access to the vote, and I participated in various issues related to the Judiciary Committee. But last year and the year before last, I was honored to serve as the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and I took a different perspective during those 2 years because it gave me an opportunity, as Chair of the caucus, not only to do my own issues forum, but it was part of, I viewed it as part of my responsibility to drop in on all of the issues forums and brain trust discussions that were going on.”