He introduced legislation calling for a federal ban on the police use of choke holds following the death of an unarmed Black man, Eric Garner, in July 2014. The bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn as a unit of the National Park System (NPS). 2012 was Jeffries first election to Congress. 5 leadership position, and has been described by colleagues as competent, experienced, and respected. [51] Barron responded that such attacks were a distraction from bread-and-butter issues. CNN . Raised in Crown Heights by his parents, one a social worker, and one a caseworker, Jeffries now lives in Prospect Heights with his wife Kennisandra. Citing his own childhood growing up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, Jeffries added that he knew from experience that "the only thing that neighbors respect in a tough neighborhood is strength. During dramatic debate on the House floor, Jeffries stood next to the Confederate battle flag, said he "got chills" and lamented that the "Ghosts of the Confederacy have invaded the GOP". But we have a picture of his father and mother. A simple question for Justice Clarence Thomas. [77], Since 2006, Jeffries has been a cautious supporter of Bruce Ratner's controversial Atlantic Yards project. Republicans is another big part of Jeffriess job. Hakeem Jeffries is an American politician who has served as the US representative for New York's 8th congressional district since 2013. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from Brooklyn, is widely viewed as the heir . That law extended the tax deadline so that individuals making charitable donations to organizations supporting the families of assassinated New York Police Department (NYPD) Detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, could apply such tax deductions to the prior years tax return. In April of 2018, the President signed the Rep. Jeffries-authored Keep Americas Refuges Operational Act (H.R. Who Is Hakeem Jeffries? The Democratic Nominee for House Speaker - The Hakeem Jeffries Net Worth, Age, Biography, Wife, Children, Parents Jeffries ran for the 57th district again and won the Democratic primary, defeating Bill Batson and Freddie Hamilton with 64% of the vote. But when the election is over, we should all work together to get things done. Hakeem Jeffries Announces Historic Bid to Lead House Dems Jeffries, 52, ran for the position unopposed, according to NPR. What will a Republican House look like? 5108 (Public Law No. In 2012 he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. His wife works as a social worker for the 1199 SEIU Benefit Fund. [89] After the shootings in Charleston in June 2015 by a white supremacist inspired by the Confederate flag, Jeffries led the effort to have the flag removed for sale or display on National Park Service land, an amendment eventually killed by the Republican House leadership after its initial support and inclusion on voice vote. In the 113th Congress, Rep. Jeffries successfully passed H.R. Rep. Jeffries also played a key role in the House passage of the historic Music Modernization Act (MMA) (H.R. [110] Jeffries had met Thompson while interning at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District in the 1990s, when Thompson was a prosecutor. Ans. People are searching for Hakeem Jeffries's Religion as many people are curious as to whether he is Christian or Jewish Hakeem Sekou Jeffries is a U.S. politician and attorney who has been Since 2023; he has served as the House Minority Leader and Leader of the House Democratic Caucus in the United States House of The most promising area is Section 3. He is rumored to be the preferred successor to Nancy Pelosi as leader of the Democratic Caucus in the House of Representatives. Kon Hai Alakh Pandey aka Physics Wallah Wife Shivani Dubey? In an era of crisis and dysfunction in Washington, the power of music brought Democrats and Republicans in Congress together to collaborate on groundbreaking legislation, ushering our music copyright system into the 21st Century. Why are you such a hater? Hakeem's father was a state substance-abuse counselor and his mother was a social worker. [109], In 2013, Jeffries endorsed Kenneth Thompson in the race for Brooklyn District Attorney, the seat held since 1990 by Charles Hynes, whose office was facing deep criticism for wrongful convictions and botched prosecutions. From 1998 to 2004, he was in private practice at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. During the spring and summer, he holds Congress on Your Corner outdoor office hours throughout the district. The House Ethics panel is launching an investigation on Rep . A rising star in the Democratic Party. The couple has two sons, and the family resides in Brooklyn. President Obama signed the bill into law on April 1, 2015.[66]. It's not religionyes, the assemblyman is a practicing Muslim and I grew up in the Cornerstone Baptist Church." Representative Jeffries and his friends are not sincere, and their edicts cannot be followed. In addition to legislation mentioned above, on April 11, 2013, Jeffries introduced the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument Preservation Act (H.R. House Democrats are now led by a new trio - the 52-year-old Mr Jeffries as the minority leader, Katherine Clark, 59, of Massachusetts as the Democratic whip, and Pete Aguilar, 43, of California. On January 3, 2013, Jeffries was sworn in to the 113th Congress. His, In this blog, we provide all the details related to, Hakeem Jeffries Parents Nationality & Photos, Ruby Cruz Parents, Family, Wiki, Age, Biography & Top 10 Facts, Tj Holmes Wife, Wiki, Age, Biography, Height, Parents, Ethnicity, Nationality, Net Worth 2022 & More, Patricia Newman Wiki (Judge Newmans Wife) Age, Husband, Net Worth, Bio, Children & More, Nicole Kendall Chinsamy Wiki, Bio, Height, Weight, Family, Instagram, Stephen Bear Wiki, Age, Bio, Girlfriend, Real Name & Net Worth. Additionally, Jeffries is a part of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a group that leans left. Jeffries Overcomes Anti-Semitic Family Ties to Become Dems' New Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is a member of the Democratic Party, and the presumptive leader in the House. 5108; 113th Congress), which would establish the Law School Clinic Certification Program of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to be available to accredited law schools for the ten-year period after enactment of the Act. 1693). After clerking for Judge Harold Baer, Jr., of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in 199798, Jeffries entered private legal practice. In their relinquishing of power, Hoyer, Clyburn, and Pelosi have cleared a path for a new guard to head up the party for the second half of the Biden presidency. Hakeem Jeffries Parents Nationality & Photos Jeffries's parent's information is not mentioned yet. [92] With a high concentration of public housing and high unemployment in his district, Jeffries has also made an issue of HUD's failure to adequately enforce Section 3 of its initial creating statute from 1968, which explicitly required that federally funded capital and rehabilitation projects in public housing developments had to employ residents of those developments. Hakeem Jeffries makes history as the first Black lawmaker to lead a 116-136), which became law in March 2020. His mother Laneda Jeffries was a social worker and his father Marland Jeffries was a state substance-abuse counselor. Get to know Hakeem Jeffries' wife Kennisandra and their children - HITC He lives in Prospect Heights with his family. Jeffries is the first Black person to lead a major party in either house of Congress. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is also in hot water after likely received "impermissible gifts" when she attended the 2021 Met Gala. Hakeem Jeffries Parents: Meet Marland Jeffries And Laneda Jeffries In this piece, you will know all about the parent of Hakeem Jeffries. [27] Jeffries lost the primary, 52% to 38%. Hakeem's father's name is Marland Jeffries. 117-103), to protect attorney-client privilege for incarcerated individuals corresponding electronically with their legal representatives (H.R. 's Act[91] in response to the death of six-year-old P.J. [107], The next year, Jeffries backed Laurie Cumbo[108] in the hotly contested race for Brooklyn's 35th city council seat vacated by Tish James, who won the citywide race for Public Advocate, also with Jeffries's endorsement. (Biden ultimately defeated Trump in the 2020 presidential election.) His mother was a social worker while his father worked as a state substance-abuse counselor. Pelosi subsequently announced that she would step down from the House Democratic leadership and that she would not pursue the role of minority leader in the new Congress. Last week Jeffries, 52, became the first Black leader of either party in Congress. Hakeem Jeffries Parents: Marland Jeffries and Laneda Jeffries are the famed parents of Haleem Jeffries. With the change, contributions made until April 15, 2015, were deductible. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hakeem-Jeffries, Hakeem Jeffries - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Echoes of Pelosi as new leadership era begins for Democrats, Biden, Black caucus agree on path forward on police reform. . Donald Trumpover allegations that he had withheld aid to Ukraine in order to pressure the country into opening a corruption investigation into one of his political rivals, DemocratJoe Biden. Before his election to Congress in 2012, Jeffries served three terms in the New York State Assembly, representing the 57th district, and worked as a corporate lawyer. David Pastrk Net Worth: How Much Is David Pastrk Worth. 546) and to eliminate the federal sentencing disparity between drug offenses involving crack cocaine and powder cocaine once and for all (H.R. In 1992, he earned a Bachelor of Arts with honors in political science from Binghamton University. "[115], In 2015, calls were made among prominent African-American pastors for Jeffries to step into the 2017 Democratic primary for mayor against de Blasio. a Baptist, Jeffries. In January, the Congressman begins each year with annual remarks to the district. Jeffries is a married man. Davis had named Jeffries as a preferred replacement should he be elected to higher office. On January 3, 2017, Hakeem Jeffries was named Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. He grew raised in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood. Pelosi, by contrast, is 82. House Democrats on Wednesday elected the New York congressman Hakeem Jeffries as their new leader, making him the first Black American to lead a major political party in Congress after Nancy . Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The Congressman also sponsored and passed as part of the National Defense Authorization package the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument Preservation Act, which directs the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to study the feasibility of designating the Prison Ship Martyrs mausoleum in Brooklyn as a national monument. Rep. Jeffries was born in Brooklyn Hospital, raised in Crown Heights and is a product New York Citys public school system, having graduated from Midwood High School. Press Esc to cancel. He has a brother named Hasan Kwame Jeffries. ", "Rep. Jeffries Stands With Israel Before Thousands of New Yorkers", "Six Members of Congress ask Holder to Open Federal Inquiry in Chokehold Case", "Rep. Hakeem Jeffries Visits Eric Garner Site", "Brooklyn Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Eric Garner's mother call for federal ban on police chokeholds", "Jeffries Sponsors Bill Outlawing the Use of Chokeholds by Police", "NYPD Still Making Thousands Of Marijuana Arrests, And One Lawmaker Has Had Enough", "Jeffries criticizes de Blasio for stop-and-frisk claim", "Rep. Jeffries CBC Special Order on the Voting Rights Act", "Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) brings 'Hands up, don't shoot' to House floor", "What tradition does the Confederate flag represent? Hakeem Jeffries, whose full name is Hakeem Sekou Jeffries, is an American Democrat born on August 4, 1970, in Brooklyn, New York. The family lived in Brooklyns Crown Heights neighbourhood. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries warns against 'xenophobic activity' from House [22], During post-census redistricting, Jeffries's home was drawn one block outside of Green's Assembly district. Toward the end of 2019 the House of RepresentativesimpeachedRepublicanPres. Two years later he earned a masters degree in public policy fromGeorgetown Universityin Washington, D.C. Jeffries then attended New York Universityslaw school, graduating in 1997. Garner had died after having a choke hold applied to him during his arrest onStaten Island. In the 116th Congress, Rep. Jeffries was similarly active in the legislative process, with many of his bills passing the House of Representatives and becoming law. Were Jeffries to take on the role as party leader, he would certainly represent the shift towards a younger generation of Democratic Party leaders that Pelosi mentioned in her farewell speech. The legislation would increase federal funding for enhanced security in public housing developments. Hakeem Jeffries represents the diverse Eighth Congressional District of New York and is serving his sixth term in the United States Congress. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) was elected House Democratic leader in November, the first Black lawmaker to lead a congressional conference in the United States and the first new leader . In the community, Rep. Jeffries continues to personally distribute food, masks, gloves and hand sanitizer to residents in need. Hakeem Sekou Jeffries ( / hkim /; born August 4, 1970) [1] is an American politician and attorney who has been House Minority Leader and leader of the House Democratic Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2023. Now he is also a leading candidate to become the 2023 House Minority Leader. [120], In the 2016 election cycle, Jeffries endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, in spite of previously "bucking the New York establishment" by endorsing Obama over Clinton in the 2008 presidential primary. Hakeem Jeffries - Wikipedia He was buried in Mount Union Cemetery in Mount Union, Pennsylvania, USA. Hakeem Jeffries: Age, Height, Weight, Net Worth, Bio, Wife, And More He was chosen in Hakeem Jeffries 012 to represent New Yorks 8th congressional district, which encompasses a portion of Queens and Brooklyn. Everything you need to know about him. [123] As the fifth highest-ranking House Democrat, he also recommended the Biden campaign take either California Representative Karen Bass or Florida Representative Val Demings as his running mate. He represents eastern Brooklyn and southwest Queens in New York City. Toure, Madina, "Old Rival Bashes Brooklyn Congressman for 'Going Against Obama' Over UN Israel Vote", U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, Patrolmen's Benevolent Association of the City of New York, 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in New York District 8, Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument Preservation Act (H.R. On Thursday House members carried out a seventh vote which still yielded no GOP victor. The House Impeachment Managers established with a mountain of evidence that crimes against the Constitution were committed. He denounced discriminatory social distance policing that targeted communities of color and helped bring about a change in policy. Ans. He was buried in Mount Union Cemetery in Mount Union, Pennsylvania, USA. [73] He has been appointed to the House Judiciary Committee Task Force on Over Criminalization,[74] and was also appointed the whip of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). Marland no longer walks among the living. He introduced P.J. Both Jeffries and Adams have dismissed these perceptions, noting their shared history (they had together served as prime co-sponsors of the 2010 stop-frisk database bill in the state legislature), with Jeffries adding: "Over the years, we've often disagreed about the best candidate for our community. [28][29], After the July 23, 2003, murder of Jeffries's close friend and political ally, James Davis, Jeffries was considered a potential successor to Davis on the New York City Council. Rep. Jeffries remains dedicated to working with his colleagues to make transformational police reform a reality and breathe life into the principle of liberty and justice for all. 20h ago. About - Congressman Hakeem Jeffries - House On January 3, 2019, Hakeem Jeffries was chosen to lead the House Democratic Caucus. They included bills to create a copyright small claims board allowing the creative middle class to protect their works (H.R. Marland Jeffries (father) and Laneda Jeffries (mother) are the parents of Hakeem Jeffries. Birth name: Hakeem Sekou Jeffries. In Congress, Rep. Jeffries is a tireless advocate for social and economic justice. The social worker and state substance-abuse counselor raised him and his younger brother, Hasan Kwame, in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Nancy Pelosi News: Pelosi is still in the House, but staying out of the congressional kitchen. [19] Jeffries lost the Democratic primary 59% to 41%,[20][21] but remained on the Independence Party line in the general election, receiving 7% of the vote to Green's 90%. Officers Killed in Brooklyn Ambush; Suspect Commits Suicide", "Obama signs Slain Officer Family Support Act", "Democrats nominate Pelosi for speaker, a show of strength to be tested in the next Congress", "Hakeem Jeffries Moves to Center Stage as Impeachment Manager", "Hakeem Jeffries responds to protester disrupting Senate impeachment trial", "Jeffries wins historic bid to lead House Dems after Pelosi", "Brooklyn Influentials - Hakeem Jeffries: The Rising Star", "Congressman Jeffries Appointed To Bipartisan House Task Force On Over-Criminalization", "Rep. Jeffries Statement on Today's Election as Whip of the Congressional Black Caucus", "Congressional Baseball Game Democratic Roster", "Which 19 House Democrats Just Voted for the Keystone XL Pipeline? Each year, 47 million Americans visit wildlife refuges, generating almost $2 billion in local economic activity. The appointment reflected the fact that Jeffries was an effective messenger, especially known for being highly quotable. In 2019 Jeffries became chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, a post that made him the fifth highest-ranking Democrat in the chamber. Hakeem Jeffries made history as the first Black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress, addressing the 118th Congress for the first time in the early hours of Saturday morning. 113-227), legislation that established the Law School Clinic Certification Program of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) into law. 5108; 113th Congress), United States Patent and Trademark Office, Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law, United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, List of African-American United States representatives, "Hakeem Sekou Jeffries New York Bio, News, Photos", "Hakeem Jeffries Defeats Charles Barron in Bitter Democratic Primary - The Local Fort-Greene Blog - NYTimes.com", "New York Elections 2012: Gillibrand, Jeffries, Meng Declare Victory As Obama Wins Reelection", "Hakeem Jeffries Wins Contested House Democratic Caucus Chair Race", "Hakeem Jeffries defeats Barbara Lee in battle for Dem Caucus chair", "House Democrats Pick Hakeem Jeffries to Lead Party", "Live updates: Nancy Pelosi announces she will not run for leadership post", "Miss Francies Cephas Plans a June Wedding", "7 Things You Didn't Know about Hakeem Jeffries' Roots", "Brooklyn's Hakeem Jeffries poised to become House Democrats' leader", "Hakeem Jeffries, 35, Assistant general counsel", "In Brooklyn, New Insurgent Takes On an Old Challenger", "NY Assembly 57 D Primary Race Sep 12, 2000", "Rematch Produces Spirited Primary Race for Assembly Seat in Brooklyn", "How Hakeem Jeffries Was Gerrymandered Out of His Own District and Other True Tales", "How Hakeem Jeffries Became the Barack of Brooklyn", "NY Assembly 57 D Primary Race Sep 10, 2002", "NY Assembly 57- D Primary Race Sep 12, 2006", "Paterson Signs Law Restricting Stop-and-Frisk Database", "Gov. He is also a married father of two and a member of the historically Black fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc. Jeffries entered Congress in 2013, filling the vacant seat left by retired Congressman Edolphus Towns. [23][34], In 2006 Green decided to retire from the Assembly to run for the U.S. House from New York's 10th congressional district against incumbent Democratic U.S. Representative Ed Towns. "The . Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from Brooklyn, is widely viewed as the heir apparent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who said Thursday she will not seek a leadership role in the next Congress.. Trivia (4) U.S. Representative from New York (2013-present). There is not much information about the parents of Hakeem Jeffries. 2426, Public Law No. Hakeem Jeffries Net Worth 2021, Bio, Wife, Height, Parents - Bioagewho [30][31][32][33], The lasting effects of the 2002 redistricting left Jeffries notably unable to challenge Green in the 2004 Democratic primary, which took place just months after Green had been forced to resign his seat by Sheldon Silver and Democratic leadership after pleading guilty to billing the state for false travel expenses. In 2022, Rep. Jeffries was able to secure $21.9 million for projects in Brooklyn to provide food for the hungry, fund overdue improvements to medical centers, support organizations working to uplift our neighborhoods, deepen our cultural understanding and more through the 2022 Community Project Funding process. Green was ultimately renominated unopposed. 117-62), tomeasure the progress of recovery and efforts to address corruption, rule of law and media freedoms in Haiti (H.R. A New York Daily News post-election editorial noted that Barron had been "repudiated" in all parts of the district, including among neighbors on Barron's own block in East New York, where he lost 5750. Kennisandra Arciniegas-Jeffries, a social worker with the 1199 SEIU Benefit Fund, is Jeffries wife. Hakeem Jeffries after Pelosis exit Endorsed to lead House Democrats. Has two sons. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act for the second time through the House. Jeffries was born to Laneda and Marland Jeffries in Brooklyn Hospital on August 4, 1970. Jeffries is also a proponent of gun control measures and of women's reproductive rights, condemning along with many other congressional Democrats the overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier this year. Consisting of a 100-foot-wide granite staircase and a central Doric column 149 feet in height, the monument in Fort Greene Park houses the remains of 11,500 Revolutionary War soldiers who were kept as prisoners of war by the British. Hakeem Jeffries Parents, Wiki, Bio, Age, Wife, Unknown Facts Jeffries officially became the House minority leader on January 3, 2023. He worked for years as a corporate lawyer serving clients like Viacom Inc. and CBS, and then entering politics at the local level. During both pushes, Rep. Jeffries helped lead the charge with respect to passage of this historic police reform bill, which included legislation authored by the Congressman to criminalize the chokehold and other inherently dangerous tactics such as a knee to the neck. On the Democratic side, the race is case closed. Over the past two years Democrats have passed the American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. During his time at Binghamton he became a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. Representative Hakeem . ", "Jeffries Adds Southern Brooklyn Muscle in Race Against Barron/", "Out-of-state donors helped Hakeem Jeffries defeat Charles Barron in 8th Congressional District Democratic primary", "Residents Outraged at Hakeem Jeffries' Debate Boycott", "Bill To Preserve Brooklyn's Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument Passes The House Of Representatives", "H.R. He also worked as of-counsel at Godosky & Gentile, a well-regarded litigation firm in New York City. 152), a bill that provides billions of dollars in Superstorm Sandy recovery to the Eighth District and other affected areas. Pro-Israel groups donated nearly half a million dollars to Jeffries's 2022 campaign, second only to donations from the financial industry. They reside in Prospect Heights and have two sons. Thereafter, Rep. Jeffries attended New York University School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude and served on Law Review. Jeffries is also a champion of criminal justice reform, having worked on legislation aimed at correcting sentencing disparities for crack versus powder cocaine and introducing the Eric Garner Excessive Use of Force Prevention in 2015, then later again in 2021 as part of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. [14][15] During Jeffries's time at Paul, Weiss, he also served as director of intergovernmental affairs for the New York State Chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors and as the president of Black Attorneys for Progress. [121] After Clinton lost the electoral college, he claimed her loss was due to her lack of "clear, decisive economic message" in using "Stronger Together" as a campaign slogan and her failure to relate to white working-class voters' anxieties. Hakeem Jeffries Parents Hakeem Jeffries's Social Media Accounts Frequently Asked Questions About Hakeem Jeffries Net Worth "It's a solemn . [52], Green Party candidate Colin Beavan called on Jeffries to "get the money out of politics", noting that as of his March 2012 filing, "he had received about $180,000, or 35 percent of his funds, from Wall Street bankers and their lawyers". Hakeem Jeffries (Hakeem Sekou Jeffries) was born on 4 August, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York, NY, is a U.S. Representative from New York. Jeffries was still legally permitted to run in the district for the 2002 cycle, as state law requires only that a candidate to live in the same county as a district they seek in the first election after a redistricting, but this complicated his path. Will the 'cool, calm, collected' Hakeem Jeffries change when in power He also worked on legislation to outlaw police chokeholds and other methods after a white Minneapolis police officer killed a Black man named George Floyd in 2020. During the nearly three-week trial, Congressman Jeffries argued that President Trump should be removed from office for abusing his power by pressuring a foreign government, Ukraine, to target an American citizen as part of a corrupt scheme to interfere in the 2020 election. In his letter, Jeffries said he would be willing to cooperate with Republicans when it is feasible and to oppose them if that is not possible. Frederic Allard Bio, Parents, Wife, Children, Siblings, Net Worth, Eden McCoy Biography, Net Worth & more, Brief Intro, How To Apply For Student Loan Forgiveness, Who is actress Jane Kilcher: Biography, Net Worth & more, Brief Intro, Howie Carr Biography, Net Worth & More, Brief Intro, Reggie Youngblood Biography, Net Worth & More, David Pastrnak Siblings: Meet Jakub Pastrk. Jeffries is an American politician and attorney. This Democratic leader just went off on the woke left - CNN "The Big Profile: Who Is Hakeem Jeffries? Subscribe to our e-newsletter that provides updates He vacated this position on January 3, 2019, to take the reins of the House Democratic Caucus. 5. 115-391), a strong, bipartisan criminal justice reform bill that the President signed into law in December 2018. Jeffries quickly declared his candidacy for the post. The 52-year-old New Yorker has vowed to "get things done," even after Republicans won control of the chamber.