Congress, the D.C. Council and other local legislative bodies are back in the saddle this month to complete their respective legislative agendas for 2019. Guns and public safety, health care, housing, infrastructure and technology — not necessarily in that order — are certainly among the priorities remaining for legislators and their constituents. And the American voters are impatiently hoping their elected representatives will get some things done.
The clock is ticking for the upcoming 2020 census and the 2020 elections. The census count will determine new legislative districts and, depending on who lives where, the count will ultimately affect federal resources — programs and funding — and who will receive them.
The upcoming 2020 elections will be the biggest melee among voters and legislators who have decided to take up the issue of whether to pursue impeachment proceedings against President Trump in the coming year. All while a presidential election heats up between Democrats and Republicans. In states like North Carolina, where this week’s election aimed to retain or regain party leadership, every other state will be repeating the same battle. All in hopes of securing a majority in both the House and the Senate.
This week in Washington, D.C., both the Congressional Black Caucus, started in 1971, and the Hispanic Congressional Caucus, launched in 1978, are hosting their annual conferences. Constituents from across the country are engaged in discussions on critical issues alongside their leaders. Their voices will influence the votes on Capitol Hill. These events cannot be unappreciated or undervalued, particularly at times like this.
The bottom line is that voters, especially Black and Latinx voters, must be present and attentive to the words and actions of those they elect to serve them. They must not take anything for granted when it comes to the affairs of their communities, their businesses or their families.
Recess is over — not only for legislators, but for voters as well.