Civil rights

(As Prepared for Delivery)

April 21, 2008 -- Mr. President, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act will ensure that the bipartisan equal pay laws enacted by overwhelming majorities in Congress do what they are supposed to do -- protect workers against pay discrimination.

Until last May, companies shortchanging workers because of gender, age, race, national origin, religion, or disability could be held accountable as long as the discrimination continued, no matter when the discrimination began. Unfortunately, in a 5-4 decision last May, the Supreme Court misconstrued the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the clear intent of Congress.    » read more »

Prepared remarks provided below

April 04, 2008 -- Fort Wayne, IN - Speaking in Fort Wayne this morning, Senator Barack Obama commemorated the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination, calling on Americans to continue King's lifelong pursuit of social and economic justice.

Barack Obama supporters: Photo by Barack Obama campaign (CC)

Obama was introduced at the event by Mike Riley, Indiana Campaign Chairman for Senator Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 presidential run. Riley was with Kennedy in Indianapolis when word hit that that Dr. King had been killed.    » read more »

National Committee for Sanitation Worker Justice Demands Safe Conditions at Waste Management

April 3, 2008 -- (Memphis, TN) – On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Teamsters and religious leaders from across the country stood in unity today with waste workers from 1968 and 2008 to demand Waste Management Inc. [NYSE: WMI] and other sanitation companies make immediate and substantive improvements in worker safety.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at 1963 March on Washington    » read more »

Remembrance of the 40th Anniversary of His Death; Invites Supporters to Submit Testimonials

4/2/2008 -- Today, Senator Hillary Clinton released a video tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in recognition of the 40th anniversary of the civil rights leader’s untimely death.

Senator Hillary Clinton: Photo by Marc Nozell (CC)

"Dr. King challenged all of us to stay awake during the great civil rights revolution that was sweeping our country. Today, in 2008, there is still a need for us to remain awake, stay focused and work together to address the challenges we face," said Hillary.    » read more »

Legislation creates commemorative coin celebrating the progress of the Civil Rights Act

April 2, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today applauded the House of Representatives' passage of legislation to create a commemorative coin to recognize the landmark strides of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Senator Barack Obama: Photo by Daniella Zalcman (CC)    » read more »

March 31, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement to commemorate Cesar Chavez's birthday and express his support for a national holiday to honor Chavez's success in "making America a stronger, more just, and more prosperous nation."    » read more »

Senator Menendez, co-chair of the Senate Hispanic Task Force, says action further illustrates how Republicans are out of touch with Latino values

March 31, 2008 -- Washington - Today marks the 81st anniversary of the birth of one of the nation’s foremost civil rights and labor leaders, Cesar Estrada Chavez. Despite the ongoing efforts of Democrats in the Senate to pass a resolution honoring this prominent Latino civil rights leader, Senate Republicans blocked it last year and have done so again this year.

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), co-chair of the Senate Hispanic Task Force, issued the following statement, illustrating the importance of Chavez’s legacy and decrying the Republican objection to the resolution.    » read more »

03/28/2008 -- BOSTON – The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) has given Senator John Kerry their highest possible100% rating, citing his work on the minimum wage, immigration reform and his opposition to judicial nominees who disregard basic civil rights.

"LCCR fights every day for civil rights and equal opportunity, and too often has had to claw and scrape to hold on to the gains of the last thirty years in the face of an unprecedented, systematic campaign by the right wing to take us backwards. From extreme judicial nominees to the Alito filibuster to protecting opportunity for women and minorities, I'm proud to have stood up for the freedom and opportunity that makes America great, and I'll keep up that fight in the United States Senate,” said Senator Kerry.    » read more »

March 28, 2008 -- (Des Moines) -- Iowa Governor Chet Culver has signed into law SF 2292, a bill extending the length of time a person has to submit a complaint of a discriminatory or unfair practice to the Civil Rights Commission from 180 to 300 days.

This legislation aligns the Iowa Civil Rights Commission claim submission timeline with the federal timeline, and allows Iowans more flexibility to choose whether to file their claims federally or with the state.

The legislation passed the House 75-23 and passed the Senate 35-13.

“I believe we must continue taking steps to expand civil rights protections to all Iowans, and I want to thank Republicans and Democrats in the legislature for working together to bring this legislation to my desk,” said Governor Culver.    » read more »

Musical performers set for the Second Annual Civil Rights Game presented By AutoZone

03/24/2008 -- Major League Baseball (MLB) today announced that Hank Aaron, Martin Luther King III, Belize Ambassador Shabazz, Sharon Robinson, Omar Minaya, and Ken Williams will serve as this year's panelists for its Baseball and the Civil Rights Movement roundtable discussion.    » read more »

2/18/2008 -- Sen. Hillary Clinton issued the following statement on the death of Rev. James Orange, a key figure in the civil rights movement:

"Reverend James Orange was a tireless leader in the civil rights movement who worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for social justice and equal rights.

In 1965, Reverend Orange's imprisonment was the catalyst to the Selma to Montgomery, Alabama March for voting rights. Reverend Orange not only believed in Dr. King's philosophy for non-violence but also practiced it.

He will always be remembered as one of the drum majors of change."    » read more »

February 17, 2008, Chicago, IL -- Today, Senator Barack Obama made the following statement on the passing of civil rights leader Reverend James Orange.

"As a trailblazer of the Civil Rights Movement, Reverend Orange was instrumental in mobilizing thousands of young people to participate in voter registration drives and marches in Alabama and throughout the South. His leadership helped inspire the Selma-to-Montgomery march, and achieve the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. And he was a powerful advocate for organized labor and the rights of workers to unionize."    » read more »

February 12, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today released the following statement on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Earlier today, Senator Obama voted in favor of the Dodd-Feingold amendment to repeal retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies (S. Amdt. 3907). He also supported other amendments to improve the bill, including the Feingold-Webb-Tester amendment to protect Americans from unwarranted surveillance (S. Amdt. 3979), and the Feingold amendment to protect Americans from the bulk collection of communications (S. Amdt. 3912).    » read more »

February 13, 2008 -- TRENTON -- New Jersey Division on Civil Rights Director J. Frank Vespa-Papaleo announced today that the State has issued a Finding of Probable Cause against a husband and wife accused of agreeing to sell their South Jersey home and farm, then reneging and walking out of a scheduled real estate closing upon learning the buyers were African-American.    » read more »

February 12, 2008 -- The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act – FISA – is intended to protect both our national security and the privacy and civil liberties of Americans.    » read more »