Congressman Cleo Fields

Yesterday I had the pleasure of sitting down with my long time friend @donlemonofficial and @nolathaprogressive to discuss how people nationwide can stay engaged and stay involved in our country’s civic process. Now more than ever, it’s important that everyone knows their power. Whether it’s voting, volunteering, or simply having conversations like this one — change starts with us. #LA06 #CleoFields #DonLemon #VotingRights

The demographics of this state demand fair representation. The history of this state demands it. And the people of Louisiana — ALL of the people — deserve nothing less. #LA06 #VotingRights #CleoFields #LouisianaStrong

Reporter: More than 45,000 ballots have been returned in Louisiana. What happens to those? GOP Gov. Jeff Landry: Oh, those ballots are discarded. Reporter: You say that like it’s not a big deal. Landry: Well, it’s not a big deal. It’s not my fault

On Sunday’s episode of “60 Minutes,” @RepFields made a shocking, but not unsurprising statement about progress and representation in the South: “There are people who ... just will not vote for a Black person for anything.”

Democratic Congressman Cleo Fields says it’s “highly unlikely” he’ll win reelection if Louisiana’s congressional lines are redrawn. His district is at the center of a Supreme Court ruling on Louisiana v. Callais that found lawmakers improperly relied on race when drawing the map of his majority minority district. cbsn.ws/4eJIrS1

.@RepFields to host town hall series on redistricting after #SCOTUS ruling #Louisiana #lagov #lalege @LAFirstNews louisianafirstnews.com/news/political…

Last night I joined @thelauracoates on CNN to break down the Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais decision — and what the Governor’s executive order suspending House primaries actually means for Louisiana voters. Absentee ballots have been cast. Early voting was about to start. And now those votes won’t count. Nothing in the Court’s ruling required this. This was a choice — one that disenfranchises real voters for political gain. Let the election proceed as planned. Every Louisianan deserves to have their vote counted.

"There's not a single African American ever elected to congress from Louisiana, from a majority white district, period. You know, people, unfortunately, vote on racial lines. I mean, and the courts in the past have recognized that." @RepFields

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this issue is bigger than District 6. This is about black voters throughout the Southern part of our country having the tools to let their voices be heard. The federal government should be doing everything in its power to provide fair representation to all Americans. That’s why Congress needs to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act as soon as possible. #VotingRights #VotingRightsAct #CongressionalBlackCaucus

The Governor's Executive Order suspending the House primaries is the wrong move. Louisianans have already cast absentee ballots, early voting was set to begin this weekend, and now those votes won't count. That is unacceptable. Legal experts have made clear that nothing in the Supreme Court's ruling requires us to halt these elections — that is a choice the Governor is making. Rather than disenfranchising voters mid-election to redraw maps for political gain, we should let this election proceed as planned under the existing districts and address any redistricting in the proper cycle. The fundamental right of every Louisianan to have their vote counted must not be sacrificed for a rushed political agenda.

State and national leaders say they are not giving up the fight after the Supreme Court struck down Louisiana's congressional maps. Watch Halle Jefferson's full story: wbrz.com/news/us-and-st…

Yesterday, I spoke with @stephenasmith on his Straight Shooter with Stephen A show to talk about the Supreme Court decision on Louisiana v. Callais and how this will impact District 6 and the nation. It’s important for voters to know that representation is on the line and this is not the time to lose hope. It’s time to show up, stay engaged, and vote in record numbers in November. #LA06 #LouisianaStrong #StraightShooterWithStephenA #StephenASmith #VotingRights #VotingRightsAct

“I’ve never served a day in Congress without a lawsuit in the Supreme Court,” Cleo Fields, who represents the district Callais rules unconstitutional. “If you tell me that I gotta jump a certain height, I could probably do that. Tell me I gotta run a certain distance, I could probably do that too,” Fields adds. “But if you tell me I have to be white to serve in Congress from Louisiana, I can’t do nothing about that. I need some help from my government.”

This morning, the Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s second majority Black congressional district, a district represented by Rep. Cleo Fields. He called this "a grave setback to voting rights and to the promise of equal political representation for all Americans." wbrz.com/news/supreme-c…

.@RepFields (D-LA) defends "need" for Louisiana's second majority black congressional district to rely on race after the Supreme Court struck down the state's redistricting map. tinyurl.com/3xcs4ybf

For my full statement, visit fields.house.gov.

These tragedies are a sobering reminder that gun violence does not discriminate — it follows us from our streets to our shopping centers to our nation's capital. Too many guns are in the wrong hands, and too many people in our communities are suffering without access to the mental health resources they need.   We must also look inward. Strong families and strong communities are our first line of defense. When our young people lack guidance and support, the consequences are felt by all of us.   Our nation’s priorities should be on mental health funding, community investment, and sensible gun legislation to keep deadly weapons out of the wrong hands.