NAACP Gives Congress Failing GradesMore than half of the U.S. Congress earned failing grades in a new NAACP ranking of lawmakers for their work on civil rights issues.
“In this day and age when we are consistently being asked to come together for our country and stand as one, it is difficult, if not impossible, to understand how more than half the Congress can consistently ignore the needs and concerns of people of color in this country,” said Kweisi Mfume, NAACP’s president and chief executive officer.
Of the 435 members in the House of Representatives, 46 percent — or 203 —received a C grade or higher. Yet 53 percent were failing. In the Senate, 50 members, or half of the chamber, received a failing grade.
Only 30 members, 10 in the Senate and 20 in the House, received 100 percent scores for voting with the NAACP position on all key votes.
Broken down by letter grade, 33 senators and 79 House members had an A grade, while 12 senators and 83 members of the House earned B’s.
For more information about the survey, visit the NAACP’s Web site at <www.naacp.org>.
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