Political Quotes

“I rise today to honor a great economist, a trailblazer, and a friend of mine: Dr. Bill Spriggs. Bill was born here in Washington, DC, to a professor and a schoolteacher. He shared his parents' love of learning and went on to attend Williams College for his undergraduate degree and the University of Wisconsin-Madison for his PhD in economics. Bill began his career in academia and brought a new lens to economic policy: calling attention to the role of race in our economy. Over the years, Bill mentored thousands of students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College, Norfolk State University, and Howard University. Bill was committed to lifting up all voices in his classroom and helping all students, especially people of color, advance in a field dominated by White men. As Assistant Secretary of Labor during the Obama administration, Bill worked on a number of issues from trade to minimum wage, to racial disparities in the labor market. Bill then transitioned to be chief economist at the AFL-CIO, where he was a frequent and outspoken advocate for workers, in particular Black workers. Over his career of service, Bill's advocacy and policy expertise made a difference for so many. It is simple: Workers are better off because of Bill. And his impact extends far beyond the impressive roles he held; at every step of his career, Bill challenged his colleagues to consider how systemic racism in our economy hurts working families of color.…”