Rep. Yvette D. Clarke is tossing her hat in the ring to become the 29th chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, her office tells NOTUS.
Clarke, who has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2007, represents New York’s 9th Congressional District, which is located entirely in Brooklyn. As 1st vice chair of the caucus, she has long been considered the heir apparent for the job and would be assuming the position from Rep. Steven Horsford.
It’s currently unclear whether or not she will run opposed when the CBC holds its elections in the coming days.
“We must remain vigilant in fulfilling our mission to deliver on our promises and uplift our community. If you grant me the opportunity to lead, I will ensure our goals are reached as a caucus,” Clarke said in a message sent to fellow CBC members on Tuesday.
Staring down the barrel of a Republican trifecta in Washington, where the GOP will have another razor-thin majority in the House, the caucus once again has the potential to wield massive influence, representing a large block of Democratic votes in the House.
The caucus’s influence was clear over the summer, when President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign was in limbo, and NOTUS reported that support for Biden was slipping in the CBC behind the scenes.
The CBC also made waves earlier this year after it played a hand in blocking the American Privacy Rights Act after language that would enforce civil rights protections was removed from the bill.
Clarke is positioned to lead the caucus at a moment when more privacy legislation is expected to come before Congress. The congresswoman is a member of the House’s bipartisan task force on artificial intelligence and was one of the earliest Congress members to sound the alarm about the potential harms associated with AI.
She has introduced legislation that would prohibit the use of facial and biometric recognition technology in public housing, legislation that would ensure companies that use AI software to make high-impact decisions are screened for bias and a bill that would require deepfakes to be watermarked.
“I’m thrilled to support Rep. Clarke for CBC chair,” Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman said. “She’s not only a tremendous colleague, but a dear friend. I value her partnership on the Caucus on Black Women and Girls deeply, and have had the opportunity to see her dedication to that work up close for several years now. I know she will be an incredible Chair, and will be a steady hand in guiding the CBC through all the ugliness the incoming administration will bring out.”
Clarke has been in politics since she was elected to the New York City Council in 2001, representing the 40th District. In Congress, she serves on the House Committees on Homeland Security and on Energy and Commerce.
Founded in 1971 with 13 members, the Congressional Black Caucus has grown to include 60 members in the House and Senate.
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Violet Jira is a NOTUS reporter and an Allbritton Journalism Institute fellow.