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.

NAACP Washington Bureau

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. Read more about our 116th Legislative Priorities.

The Bureau has also produced, since 1914, an annual Civil Rights Legislative Report Card. This resource is designed to provide NAACP members with insight into the general voting patterns of their congressional representatives (Senators and members of the House of Representatives) over the course of the year. The NAACP Civil Rights Legislative Report Card demonstrates how every Member of Congress voted on the bread and butter civil rights issues important to the NAACP.

1156 15th Street, NW Suite 915 Washington, DC 20005
(202) 463-2940 | washingtonbureau@naacpnet.org

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Hilary O. Shelton

Hilary O. Shelton, presently serves as the Director to the NAACP’s Washington Bureau / Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Policy. Prior to serving as director to the NAACP Washington Bureau, Hilary served in the position of Federal Liaison/Assistant Director to the Government Affairs Department of The College Fund/UNCF, also known as The United Negro College Fund, in Washington, D.C. Before that, Hilary served as the Federal Policy Program Director to the 8.5 million-member United Methodist Churches’ social justice advocacy agency, The General Board of Church & Society.