Tell Congress to Support the Federal Government’s Civil Rights Work

From the Community Responders Network (https://sites.google.com/site/communityrespondersnetwork/):

This is urge us all to contact our Senators and Congress people in D.C. to specifically support the federal government’s civil rights work. 

Most federal government agencies have within their agency an Office of Civil Rights, for example, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.  The federal government also enforces employment anti-discrimination law via the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) and housing anti-discrimination law via the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  All have experienced substantial cuts in funding and staffing during the last four years. 

Advocacy groups like the Community Responders Network are particularly connected with and concerned about the Community Relations Service (CRS) in the U.S. Department of Justice. CRS was created to serve as “America’s Peacemaker” for communities in conflict by mediating disputes and providing training to enhance community ability to prevent and resolve future conflicts.

Their work includes responding to police/community tensions, which means they are extraordinarily needed and stretched at this time in American history.  The Community Responders Network (CRN) has often called on CRS staff for guidance and training, as have many local and state government agencies as well as citizen groups like the CRN.  

Please contact your elected representatives in D.C. to urge them to support the federal government’s civil rights work in CRS and in all federal government agencies.   

• For Sen. Toomey: https://www.toomey.senate.gov/?p=contact
• For Sen. Casey: https://www.casey.senate.gov/contact/
• Find your local congressman: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative