President Meets With Caucus Groups

The president met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus to discuss the economy, job creation and the need to pass health care reform.  During the meeting with the CBC, congress woman Barbara Lee remarked on the impact of the economy in economically distressed communities and the need for additional assistance in these areas, Members presented their concerns and solutions for broadening the impact of the recovery effort.

The office of the Press Secretary is reporting that the participants agreed on what can be done to impact unemployment immediately, and in the long term, including summer youth employment, job training tied to apprenticeships, a review of Recovery Act contracting to ensure access to these opportunities is fair and equitable, and an appreciation for the jobs that can be generated through weatherization programs, and the passage of health care reform."

Earlier this month, the Reverend Al Sharpton and Tavis Smiley, both with national platforms that discuss issues relative to African Americans, went toe-to-toe on the issue of the president's seemingly disinterest in addressing African American concerns, or having of a Black agenda that will improve the current issues of African Americans.




"In an interview on NPR yesterday with Michel Martin, Smiley said, "Black folk are getting crushed on issues like the economy, the housing market, education, etc.  So, for Black leaders whose job it is to present the best interest of  Black people to start saying publicly that the president need not focus specifically, or uniquely on  the concerns of Black folk, that was unsettling for me, and I think it's something that Black need to talk about."

Smiley has often stated that "when you make Black America better, you make all of America better."

Smiley plans to hold a 'We Count. The Black Agenda Is The American Agenda' summit at Chicago State University on March 20th, 2010. Panelists scheduled include advertising pioneer Tom Burrell, professors Michael Eric Dyson and Cornel West, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, and Bennett College President Julianne Malveaux.

Reverend Sharpton is planning a similar summit on April 17th.

The president also met with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus where he also discussed unemployment, health care. Also discussed in the meeting was the president's strong commitment to fixing the broken immigration system.

The members of the CHC also acknowledged the progress that has been made over the past year, including on expanding health care for children through CHIP, on job creation and economic recovery, and highlighted the Hispanic community’s interest in immigration reform. After a thorough discussion of health care reform, the President and the CHC agreed to continue to work together to make health insurance more affordable and accessible, and to give the American people more control over their own health care.

The President was joined at the meeting by Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs Phil Schiliro, and White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Muñoz.