Washington, D.C. — Today, as part of a wider package of caucus rules, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) asked Democratic Senate offices to adopt new rules in an effort to promote staff diversity, including requiring that Senate offices interview at least one minority applicant when attempting to fill senior staff openings in the future. Danyelle Solomon, Director of Progress 2050 at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement in response to the news:
Sen. Schumer’s efforts to move Democratic Senate offices toward better hiring practices that put the importance of diversity front and center is welcome news. Ensuring diversity at all levels among Senate staff is a vital step that will benefit the Democratic Party senators and the policies put forward, as well as reflect the diversity of our nation.
The time has come for Congress to increase the pipeline of diverse and qualified individuals at every level, something that the Center for American Progress itself aims to address via its Leadership Institute. The demand for greater diversity and qualified diverse professionals will only increase as America’s diversity increases, and efforts to bring about a true representative democracy require that we find ways to meet that demand head on.
CAP experts are available to speak on this topic. To coordinate an interview, please contact Tanya Arditi at [email protected] or 202.741.6258.
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