Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter joined millions of Americans in celebrating the beginning of Black History Month.
“During Black History Month, we celebrate the many contributions of African Americans and remember not just our heroes such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks and former Congressman Augustus Hawkins, but also the extraordinary lives of ordinary people who have helped build our great nation,” said Rep. Perlmutter.
The new Democratic-led Congress has been working on improving the lives of African American families, along with all other American families. Last year, Congress raised the minimum wage, benefiting more than 2 million hardworking African Americans; cut the cost of college for the 2.3 million African Americans enrolled in degree-granting institutions; and enacted an energy security bill that will save Americans, including 40 million African Americans, $700 to $1,000 a year at the pump.
During this current economic downturn, a great number of African American families – like other American families – are struggling to make ends meet. Congress is responding – and is about to enact an economic stimulus package that will put hundreds of dollars into the hands of 117 million American families, who will spend it immediately to reinvigorate the economy.
“I am committed to continuing to work with the African American community to help tackle the challenges that exist in education, health care, homeownership, and economic development,” said Rep. Perlmutter. “I will continue to fight for accessible and affordable health care and quality public education and to work towards a budget that reflects the priorities of the American people.”
“As we celebrate Black History Month,” concluded Rep. Perlmutter, “let us celebrate the African Americans who made extraordinary sacrifices in the name of justice and equality in the past and let us recommit ourselves to continuing to work for an America that fully lives up to its ideals and ensures that every American has the tools and opportunity to pursue the American Dream.”
