Denver, Colorado -A recently released report card by the NAACP on the 109th Congress, gave almost all Republicans including Reps. Marilyn Musgrave (CD4), Joel Hefley (CD5), Tom Tancredo (CD6), and Bob Beauprez (CD7) a failing grade on African-American issues. The mid-term report card grades members of Congress on several pieces of legislation that deal with issues important to the African-American community including, judicial nominations, discrimination legislation, and education and environmental issues.

Pat Waak, Colorado Democratic Party Chair released the following statement:

"Democrats are committed to not only reaching out to the African-American community but actually promoting positive legislation as clearly shown by all the Colorado Democratic officials who received an A or B. Colorado Democrats understand that we must work together, to create economic and educational opportunities for all Americans, and that we should work to unite and not divide America.

"We call on Colorado Republicans in Congress to join Democrats in their fight for equality and justice and translate their party leaders' rhetoric into reality for African-Americans. If Republicans are truly interested in making inroads within the African-American community, they should work to enact policies to uplift not only African-Americans but all working people, and make it easier for all Americans to exercise their most fundamental right- the right to vote."

To view the NAACP scorecard got to:

http://www.naacp.org/inc/docs/washington/109/109_report_card.pdf