Following her election in January as Vice Chair of the United States House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Committee, Brooklyn Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke on Thursday was appointed to serve as a Senior Whip for the 116th Congress.
Senior Whips are a group of seasoned members of the House of Representatives and Caucus opinion leaders who meet on an ongoing basis to discuss some of the key issues facing the US Congress.
Senior Whips also bring balance and diverse perspective to the Whip Operation, which is necessary to tackle some of the more complex pieces of legislation before the 116th Congress.
“It is an honor to serve as a Senior Whip, alongside Majority Whip Jim Clyburn and our colleagues,” Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, told Caribbean Life.
“I look forward to working together on issues and important legislation that impact our respective districts and promote our shared Democratic values,” added the representative for the Ninth Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York.
“I am delighted to use my leadership within the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and experience within the House Homeland Security Committee to best serve the most diverse Caucus in American history, as well as the nation that we love,” Clarke continued.
Clyburn said he was “pleased” that Clarke will be joining his Whip team as Senior Whip for the 116th Congress.
“Congresswoman Clarke is a well-respected consensus builder who has deep relationships within the Democratic Caucus,” he said. “She will play a key role in ensuring that every voice of the most diverse Caucus ever is heard.
“As we begin to advance an agenda that will have a positive impact on Americans’ everyday lives, Congresswoman Clarke will be an invaluable member of the Whip team helping us secure the necessary votes to pass critical pieces of legislation.”
Clarke will also serve as a co-chair of the Medicare For All Caucus during the 116th Congress.
