Title: Celebrating the National Urban League on its 110th year of service to the United States.
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Summary:
This resolution congratulates the National Urban League on its 110 years of service and commends its efforts to continue addressing systemic racism and economic inequality and fighting for the rights of all Americans to live with freedom, dignity, and prosperity.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1225 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1225

 Celebrating the National Urban League on its 110th year of service to 
                           the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 17, 2020

Ms. Bass (for herself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Clyburn, 
 Mr. Hastings, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Mr. Rush, Mr. Scott of Virginia, 
  Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Danny K. Davis of 
 Illinois, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Clay, Mr. David Scott 
   of Georgia, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Green of Texas, Ms. 
 Moore, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Carson of 
Indiana, Ms. Fudge, Mr. Richmond, Ms. Sewell of Alabama, Ms. Wilson of 
Florida, Mr. Payne, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Jeffries, Mr. Veasey, Ms. Kelly of 
Illinois, Ms. Adams, Mrs. Lawrence, Ms. Plaskett, Mrs. Watson Coleman, 
 Mr. Evans, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Brown of Maryland, Mrs. Demings, 
  Mr. Lawson of Florida, Mr. McEachin, Mr. Horsford, Mr. Neguse, Ms. 
 Omar, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Mfume, Ms. Castor of Florida, and Ms. Waters) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                         on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Celebrating the National Urban League on its 110th year of service to 
                           the United States.

Whereas the National Urban League, founded in 1910, is a nonpartisan, historic 
        social service and civil rights organization based in New York City 
        dedicated to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice for 
        African Americans and other historically underserved groups;
Whereas the National Urban League was founded as a multiracial, diverse 
        grassroots campaign by Mrs. Ruth Standish Baldwin and Dr. George Edmund 
        Haynes;
Whereas eight leaders have been at the helm of the National Urban League during 
        its 110-year history, including--

    (1) George Edmund Haynes (1910-1918);

    (2) Eugene Kinckle Jones (1918-1941);

    (3) Lester B. Granger (1941-1961);

    (4) Whitney M. Young, Jr. (1961-1971);

    (5) Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. (1971-1981);

    (6) John E. Jacob (1982-1994);

    (7) Hugh B. Price (1994-2003); and

    (8) Marc H. Morial (2003-Present);

Whereas these eight leaders were strengthened by an interracial Board of 
        Trustees comprised of key figures from American businesses and labor 
        unions as well as community organizations and religious and academic 
        institutions;
Whereas the National Urban League is the oldest and largest community-based 
        organization of its kind in the Nation, providing direct services in the 
        areas of education, health care, housing, jobs, and justice that improve 
        the lives of more than two million people nationwide;
Whereas the employees of the National Urban League's headquarters in New York 
        City and its Washington Bureau in Washington, DC, spearhead the efforts 
        of its local affiliates through the development of signature programs, 
        public policy research, and advocacy;
Whereas on its 110th anniversary, the National Urban League can look back with 
        great pride on its extraordinary accomplishments;
Whereas the National Urban League's research arm was established in 1921 by 
        renowned researcher Dr. Charles S. Johnson and has released numerous 
        publications including Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life (1923-1949), 
        State of Black America (1976-present), and other pertinent studies 
        documenting and elevating social consciousness;
Whereas in 1962, the Washington Bureau was established and serves as its 
        research, policy, and advocacy arm giving voice to the voiceless on 
        issues before Congress and the Administration;
Whereas in the 1960s, the League became a major force in the civil rights arena, 
        working closely with A. Phillip Randolph, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 
        as well as many other exceptional leaders to advance civil rights, 
        voting rights, and fair housing legislation;
Whereas throughout the 1960s, the League saw tremendous growth in its 
        partnership with the Federal Government addressing race relations and 
        delivering aid to urban areas, as well as making improvements in 
        housing, education, health, and minority-owned businesses;
Whereas in 1964, the League through its affiliate network helped register more 
        than half a million Black voters;
Whereas in 1972, the Citizenship Education department was established offering 
        local citizenship education programs, voter registration and get out the 
        vote campaigns, and the Power of the Ballot was published, and 75,000 
        new Black voters were registered as part of a 17-city drive;
Whereas in 2020, efforts to register Black voters, get out the vote, and 
        challenge voter suppression have intensified;
Whereas the League's 90 local affiliates and 11,000 volunteers located in 36 
        States and the District of Columbia provide services across 300 
        communities;
Whereas the League's signature programs are evidence-based, data-informed and 
        scalable, and they demonstrably enhance the economic and educational 
        status of communities served;
Whereas since 2004, through the League's Entrepreneurship and Business Services 
        division, the ``Entrepreneurship Center Program'' has served 
        approximately 185,000 minority-owned businesses helping them to secure 
        over $1,000,000,000 in financing, bonding capacity, and contracting 
        opportunities, and created or saved over 170,000 full and part-time 
        jobs;
Whereas since 2008--

    (1) over 315,000 people have received assistance through the League's 
Housing and Community Development division ``Comprehensive Housing 
Counseling'' and ``Financial Empowerment'' programs;

    (2) the League's foreclosure prevention initiative, ``Restore Our 
Homes'', has helped more than 25,000 people avoid foreclosure; and

    (3) the League's ``Home Purchase'' program has assisted 7,200 people 
become first-time homeowners;

Whereas since 2008, the League's Education and Youth Development division's 
        signature program, ``Project Ready'', has helped 18,000 students (grades 
        8-12) progress academically, benefit from cultural enrichment 
        opportunities, and develop important skills, attitudes, and aptitudes 
        that position them for success during and after high school;
Whereas since 2010, the ``Equity and Excellence Project'' has enabled the 
        affiliates to expand their education advocacy and engagement work in 
        cities and States across the country;
Whereas in 2013, the League's Workforce Development Division ``Rebuild America 
        Initiative'', has helped over 250,000 unemployed and underemployed, 
        including young adults, reentry adults, and mature workers to secure 
        full-time employment or career advancement opportunities;
Whereas the League has been a national leader in the fight against unfair laws, 
        economic inequality, inequity, and systemic racism, and is dedicated to 
        eradicating these social and economic injustices through the development 
        of programs, authoritative public policy research, and advocacy for 
        policies and services that close equality and equity gaps;
Whereas through its ``Equitable Justice and Democracy'' work, the League is 
        advocating for justice and fairness for all through police reform, the 
        removal of unjust systemic barriers in the Nation's criminal justice 
        system, the protection of voting rights, and the preservation of 
        freedoms to fully participate in our Nation's democracy and civic 
        processes;
Whereas through its 110 years of service, the National Urban League has been 
        pivotal in improving the lives of millions of African Americans and 
        other underserved communities in combating poverty, achieving civil 
        rights, and gaining economic prosperity; and
Whereas the National Urban League remains an essential organization today: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates the National Urban League on its 110 
        years of service empowering African Americans and other 
        underserved communities while helping foster a more just, 
        equitable, and inclusive Nation;
            (2) expresses its deep gratitude for the hardworking and 
        dedicated men and women of the National Urban League, Urban 
        League Affiliates, and its auxiliaries, who, for over 110 years 
        have challenged unjust systems and broken down economic and 
        social barriers; and
            (3) commends the League's ongoing and tireless efforts to 
        continue addressing systemic racism and economic inequality, 
        and fighting for the rights of all Americans to live with 
        freedom, dignity, and prosperity.
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