[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 808 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 808

   Congratulating the National Urban League on 110 years of service 
 empowering African Americans and other underserved communities while 
 helping to foster a more just, equitable, and inclusive United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 18, 2020

 Mr. Booker (for himself, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. Brown, Mr. 
 Graham, Mr. Jones, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Markey, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Smith, 
     and Mr. Cardin) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Congratulating the National Urban League on 110 years of service 
 empowering African Americans and other underserved communities while 
 helping to foster a more just, equitable, and inclusive United States.

Whereas the National Urban League--

    (1) was founded in 1910 by Mrs. Ruth Standish Baldwin and Dr. George 
Edmund Haynes as a multiracial, diverse, and grassroots campaign;

    (2) is a nonpartisan and historic social service and civil rights 
organization based in New York City; and

    (3) is dedicated to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice 
for African Americans and other historically underserved groups;

Whereas 8 leaders have been at the helm of the National Urban League during its 
        110-year history;
Whereas the 8 leaders of the National Urban League were strengthened by an 
        interracial board of trustees comprised of key figures from businesses 
        in the United States, labor unions, community organizations, and 
        religious and academic institutions;
Whereas the National Urban League--

    (1) is the oldest and largest community-based organization of its kind 
in the United States; and

    (2) provides direct services in the areas of education, health care, 
housing, jobs, and justice that improve the lives of more than 2,000,000 
individuals across the United States;

Whereas the employees of the headquarters of the National Urban League in New 
        York City and its Washington Bureau in Washington, D.C., spearhead the 
        efforts of the local affiliates of the National Urban League 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 research arm of the National Urban League--

    (1) was established in 1921 by renowned researcher Dr. Charles S. 
Johnson; and

    (2) has released numerous publications, including Opportunity: Journal 
of Negro Life between 1923 and 1949, State of Black America since 1976, and 
other pertinent studies documenting and elevating social consciousness;

Whereas, in 1962, the Washington Bureau of the National Urban League was 
        established, which serves as the research, policy, and advocacy arm of 
        the National Urban League and gives voice to voiceless individuals on 
        issues before Congress and the administration of the President;
Whereas, during the 1960s, the National Urban League--

    (1) became a major force in the civil rights arena and worked closely 
with A. Phillip Randolph, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and many other 
exceptional leaders to advance civil rights, voting rights, and fair 
housing legislation; and

    (2) saw tremendous growth in its partnership with the Federal 
Government to address race relations, deliver aid to urban areas, and 
improve housing, education, healthcare, and assistance to minority-owned 
businesses;

Whereas, in 1964, the National Urban League, through its affiliate network, 
        helped register more than 500,000 Black voters;
Whereas, in 1972, the Citizenship Education department of the National Urban 
        League was established, which offers local citizenship education 
        programs, voter registration drives, and get out the vote campaigns;
Whereas the Citizenship Education department published the Power of the Ballot, 
        registered 75,000 new Black voters as part of a 17-city voter 
        registration drive, and, in 2020, has intensified efforts to register 
        Black voters get out the vote and challenge voter suppression;
Whereas the 90 local affiliates and 11,000 volunteers of the National Urban 
        League, which are located in 36 States and the District of Columbia, 
        provide services across 300 communities;
Whereas the signature programs of the National Urban League--

    (1) are evidence-based, data-informed, and scalable; and

    (2) demonstrably enhance the economic and educational status of the 
communities the programs serve;

Whereas, since 2004, the Entrepreneurship Center Program, which is a part of the 
        Entrepreneurship and Business Services division of the National Urban 
        League, has served approximately 185,000 minority-owned businesses, 
        helped those businesses secure more than $1,000,000,000 in financing, 
        bonding capacity, and contracting opportunities, and created or saved 
        more than 170,000 full-time and part-time jobs;
Whereas, since 2008, more than 315,000 individuals have received assistance 
        through the Comprehensive Housing Counseling and Financial Empowerment 
        programs of the Housing and Community Development division of the 
        National Urban League;
Whereas Restore Our Homes, which is the foreclosure prevention initiative of the 
        National Urban League, has helped more than 25,000 individuals avoid 
        foreclosure, and the Home Purchase program of the National Urban League 
        has assisted 7,200 individuals to become first-time homeowners;
Whereas, since 2008, Project Ready, which is the signature program of the 
        Education and Youth Development division of the National Urban League, 
        has helped 18,000 students in grades 8 through 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 of the National Urban 
        League has enabled the affiliates of the National Urban League to expand 
        their education advocacy and engagement work in cities and States across 
        the United States;
Whereas, in 2013, the Rebuild America Initiative, which is a program of the 
        Workforce Development division of the National Urban League, has helped 
        more than 250,000 unemployed and underemployed adults, including young 
        adults, reentry adults, and mature adults, to secure full-time 
        employment or career advancement opportunities;
Whereas the National Urban League--

    (1) has been a leader in the United States in the fight against unfair 
laws and economic and racial inequality; and

    (2) is dedicated to eradicating social and economic injustices through 
the development of programs, public policy research, and advocacy for 
policies and services that close equality and equity gaps;

Whereas, through the work of the Equitable Justice and Democracy Program, the 
        National Urban League advocates for justice and fairness for all 
        individuals through the removal of unjust systemic barriers in the 
        criminal justice system of the United States, the protection of voting 
        rights, and the preservation of freedoms to fully participate in the 
        democracy and civic processes of the United States;
Whereas, throughout 110 years of service, the National Urban League has been 
        pivotal in improving the lives of millions of African Americans and 
        individuals who are members of other underserved communities by helping 
        those individuals to combat poverty, achieve civil rights, and gain 
        economic prosperity; and
Whereas the National Urban League remains an essential organization today: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) congratulates the National Urban League on 110 years of 
        service empowering African Americans and other underserved 
        communities while helping to foster a more just, equitable, and 
        inclusive United States;
            (2) expresses deep gratitude for the hardworking and 
        dedicated men and women of the National Urban League and the 
        affiliates and auxiliaries of the National Urban League, who, 
        for more than 110 years, have challenged unjust systems and 
        broken down economic and social barriers; and
            (3) commends the ongoing and tireless efforts of the 
        National Urban League to continue--
                    (A) addressing racial and economic inequality; and
                    (B) fighting for the rights of all people of the 
                United States to live with freedom, dignity, and 
                prosperity.
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