Culver City Rep. Bass to Lead Congressional Black Caucus

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus this week elected Culver City Democratic Rep. Karen Bass to lead their caucus in the next Congress. The caucus crossed the 50-member threshold, following the midterm elections.

Bass, who served as Speaker of the California State Assembly in 2008, replaces Louisiana Democratic Rep. Cedric L. Richmond. She will be the 26th chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the eighth woman to hold that position.

As head of the powerful caucus, Congresswoman Bass will play a major role in the House, putting her in line for more leadership positions.

Bass has been an effective legislator, working across party and philosophical lines to get legislation accomplished.

The Culver City representative is also set to lead the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations in the new Congress, which will give her a platform to promote foreign policy initiatives to build capacity in African countries.

She currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over criminal justice legislation and voting rights proposals.

Bass was first elected to her congressional seat in 2010. She previously served six years in the California State Assembly, where in 2008 she became the first African-American woman to become speaker of any state legislature. She enjoyed a close working relationship with then-California Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.