Federal Advocacy

Since 1941 the NAACP has been the premier civil rights advocacy entity on Capitol Hill. The NAACP was a leading force behind the enactment of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the 1968 Fair Housing Act, the 1991 Civil Rights Restoration Act and the 2002 Help America Vote Act, the most current reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act among countless others.

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The job of the NAACP Washington Bureau is to turn NAACP priorities, as approved by the national Board of Directors, into federal public policy through the legislative process. General topics include the promotion and protection of civil rights, securing a fair and equal criminal justice system, ensuring high quality educational opportunities for all Americans, a fair labor environment, and securing affordable adequate housing and health care for all Americans.

Blog Posts

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Hilary O. Shelton, Director, NAACP Washington Bureau

Join the Washington Bureau for a Conference Call with the White House

The NAACP Washington Bureau will join a conference call today with White House officials to discuss the NAACP legislative and public policy initiatives included in President Obama’s proposed 2013 budget.

Posted on November 01, 2011 by Hilary Shelton, NAACP Washington Bureau Director

Join the NAACP, White House on Conference Call on American Jobs Act

The NAACP Washington Bureau invites members to engage in a conference call this afternoon with White House officials to discuss the American Jobs Act.

Posted on September 09, 2011

Join the White House on today’s Jobs Update Conference Call

Last night President Obama presented his plan to create jobs and grow our economy during a nationally televised address to both U.S. Houses of Congress. Now it’s your turn to learn more and hear details - join the White House this afternoon as it hosts its Jobs Update conference call.

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Rebecca Guerra, Criminal Justice Program Specialist

Understanding the 40th Anniversary of the War on Drugs

Today the Institute of the Black World brought together a panel of coalition partners working on finding solutions to this never ending war on communities of color. Featured speakers included Hilary Shelton of the NAACP, Jasmine Tyler of the Drug Policy Alliance, Deborah Small of Break the Chains, Neill Franklin of LEAP, and Rev. Jesse Jackson as the keynote speaker. “The current “tough on crime” policies are expensive and ineffective. We need to be “smart on crime” instead,” explained Shelton. “That means we need to stop locking up non-violent drug abusers and the mentally ill, and start treating them.”

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