Covid-19

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, in testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, will call on Congress to bring about transformative policy solutions that promote accountability, reimagine public safety, and respect the dignity of all people. In particular, Gupta points to proposals in the New Era of Public Safety report and Vision for Justice platform that would help build trust between communities and law enforcement, restore confidence, and reimagine a new paradigm of policing. Gupta previously served as the head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.

On Monday, June 15 at 3 PM, advocates for health care, civil rights, and equal justice will hold a massive digital rally to engage activists in opposition to judicial nominees Justin Walker and Cory Wilson in anticipation of their upcoming Senate confirmation votes. Confirmed speakers include Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), as well as a multitude of activist and organizational leaders. Participants will be encouraged throughout the event to call their senators to speak out against these nominees.

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, submitted written testimony today to the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice highlighting the need for transformative reform of policing at both the federal and state levels. The U.S. Department of Justice had invited civil rights groups to a forum in a last-ditch effort to legitimize the Commission, but the groups have cited the department’s failure to address the pandemic and offered policy solutions to respond to the fatal police shootings in recent weeks.

WASHINGTON – Lena Zwarensteyn, Fair Courts Campaign director at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote to advance the nomination of Cory Wilson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit:

WASHINGTON – Lena Zwarensteyn, Fair Courts Campaign Director at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote to advance the nomination of Justin Walker to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit:

WASHINGTON – The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and 400 other civil rights organizations today called on congressional leadership to swiftly rectify the legacy of white supremacy and anti-black racism that has led to police violence against Black people across our country. The group requested a meeting with congressional leadership to discuss urgently needed reforms that ensure police officers live up to their oath to protect and serve all people in the United States.

The House-passed COVID-19 relief package answers the call of civil rights groups to lift and protect the hardest hit communities and our democratic institutions as this pandemic continues to wreak havoc on economic security, health, families, and lives. It is now up to the Senate to act.

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the House passage of the COVID-19 relief package, the “Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act” or the HEROES Act: