CBC Reflections on Opening Day and the Future

Emanuel Cleaver, Marcia Fudge and more on the new session.

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"Conscience of the Congress" - As Congress convenes its 113th session, Congressional Black Caucus members, old and new, reflect on what it means to serve the nation's most vulnerable and offer each other some valuable advice. — Joyce Jones (Photo: Courtesy of Congressional Black Caucus Foundation via Facebook)

Rep. Marcia Fudge: What were you thinking as you waited to receive the gavel? - I was thinking about how awesome this opportunity is and the responsibility that goes with it. Once you start to realize it's really happened, you start to think about how many things you want to do and how many you think you can do. But most important I was thinking how grateful and blessed I am to be in this position. (Photo: Courtesy of Marcia Fudge)

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Rep. Marcia Fudge: What were you thinking as you waited to receive the gavel? - I was thinking about how awesome this opportunity is and the responsibility that goes with it. Once you start to realize it's really happened, you start to think about how many things you want to do and how many you think you can do. But most important I was thinking how grateful and blessed I am to be in this position. (Photo: Courtesy of Marcia Fudge)

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi) - "It kind of brings into question whether body cameras will make any difference. The whole incident was on camera but if prosecutors mishandled the presentation of the charges to the grand jury, you come up with no indictment. Given what's happened in Ferguson and the tenor of where I see a lot of people in this country, I'm not surprised [by the decision]." (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Rep. Bennie Thompson (Mississippi): How does this swearing-in feel different from the official one? - It's people of color coming together around a common bond, which is doing all you can for people of color, which ultimately will be of benefit to this country. It's good to see old friends, people who support your politics and think like you do. So it's always a highlight of the swearing-in process in that you get sworn in by people who care and matter.  (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (New Jersey): What does continuing your father's legacy mean to you? - I just want to continue to do the types of things he was known for: fighting for the disadvantaged irrespective of where they are in the world, quality education for young people in our communities and just a humanitarian outlook on government and Congress and how we can help people move into the middle class and do well. (Photo: Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call)

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Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (New Jersey): What does continuing your father's legacy mean to you? - I just want to continue to do the types of things he was known for: fighting for the disadvantaged irrespective of where they are in the world, quality education for young people in our communities and just a humanitarian outlook on government and Congress and how we can help people move into the middle class and do well. (Photo: Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call)

Rep. Lacy Clay (Missouri): What advice do you have for Donald Payne Jr., who, like you, is following in his father's footsteps? - For him it's kind of hard because he can't rely on his dad's advice. So, I would tell him to follow the model of his dad's level of service to the district, the country and the world. (Photo: Courtesy of Lacy Clay)

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Rep. Lacy Clay (Missouri): What advice do you have for Donald Payne Jr., who, like you, is following in his father's footsteps? - For him it's kind of hard because he can't rely on his dad's advice. So, I would tell him to follow the model of his dad's level of service to the district, the country and the world. (Photo: Courtesy of Lacy Clay)

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VRA Point Man - House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has tapped Rep. James Clyburn to lead a Democratic effort to restore the provision of the Voting Rights Act the Supreme Court recently struck down. And while Congress doesn't yet have a plan for determining which states must get federal permission to change voting procedures, Pelosi says she'd like it to be called the “John Lewis Voting Rights Act." (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

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Rep. James Clyburn (South Carolina): As a former CBC chairman, what advice do you have for Rep. Fudge? - Stay focused, keep the faith.  (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

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Louisiana State Representative Cedric L. Richmond. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

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Rep. Cedric Richmond (Louisiana): Did your second swearing-in feel different? - It does. The big difference is that coming in now we just have so much on our plate we don't get to think about the ceremonial stuff because we have to go straight to work. But every time is still humbling to know you're a member of the U.S. Congress, so the excitement's still there and you still have goose bumps. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Photo By Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Transportation Bill - "Our infrastructure is crumbling and everybody knows that. Democrats and Republicans are going to be almost forced by our constituents to come together on a decent transportation bill," said Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, adding that the legislation also would create many jobs. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Rep. Elijah Cummings: If you could achieve just one thing this session, what would it be? - Jobs. Getting some type of legislation through that targets jobs, working with the president to get legislation through that will target job creation. So many of our people suffer because they have no jobs or they're underemployed or working part-time when they really want to work full-time. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Rep. Gregory Meeks (New York) - “At this point I am undecided. I need to know whether other countries will be joining us in this action. I also need to know whether any of our allies face imminent danger of retaliation by the Assad regime or its backers," Meeks said in a statement.(Photo: Rob Loud/Getty Images)

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Rep. Gregory Meeks (New York): Are you going to take Hakeem Jeffries under your wing? - Hakeem is going to be a great addition to the CBC but more importantly to the New York delegation. He knows how to fly already. He's been a great legislator in the state assembly, and he's a star-in-waiting. (Photo: Rob Loud/Getty Images)

Rep. Joyce Beatty (Ohio): You had your first day and first vote in Congress. Do you feel like you've "arrived?" - I do. There's so much work to do, but everything was so exciting and everyone so nice. I'm just proud that I can be part of the Ohio delegation. I'm most nervous about the work we have to do and the time that we have to get it done. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Rep. Joyce Beatty (Ohio): You had your first day and first vote in Congress. Do you feel like you've "arrived?" - I do. There's so much work to do, but everything was so exciting and everyone so nice. I'm just proud that I can be part of the Ohio delegation. I'm most nervous about the work we have to do and the time that we have to get it done. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Donna Edwards - Say what you will about Rep. Donna Edwards — she probably won't care. The Maryland lawmaker won her first bid for Congress by ousting a Black incumbent in 2008 and in 2012 sided against her state's Democratic establishment on redistricting. As a member of the House Ethics Committee, this rising star knows not everybody will share her viewpoint, and she's OK with that. (Photo: Bill Clark/Roll Call)

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Rep. Donna Edwards (Maryland): What's an important lesson you've learned? - It feels really good and came really quickly. Figure out where you fit. Focus on your work and your constituents and when you do that things just work out.  (Photo: Bill Clark/Roll Call)

Rep. Terri Sewell (Alabama): What advice do you have for new members? - Wear low shoes. There's a lot of walking. (Photo: Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Women's Campaign Fund)

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Rep. Terri Sewell (Alabama): What advice do you have for new members? - Wear low shoes. There's a lot of walking. (Photo: Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Women's Campaign Fund)

Photo By Photo: Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Women's Campaign Fund

Rep. Barbara Lee (California) - "I'm not voting for this because I believe we have alternatives and we have nonmilitary alternatives. I am offering an alternative bill … that would lay out — what an option would look like that's nonmilitary, that would get us to, one, a negotiated settlement, two, hold those who perpetrated these horrific crimes, hold them accountable and bring them to justice," Lee said in an interview on NPR.(Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Rep. Barbara Lee (California): What are the biggest challenges going to be in this Congress? - It's going to be sequestration and the debt ceiling because we want to make sure that the most vulnerable are protected. There are some here who really don't have that as part of their overall agenda.  (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (Missouri): What won't you miss about being the CBC's chairman? - Being the chair of the CBC is a very flattering and fulfilling job. The responsibility and the burdens are enormous because people come to you with every issue from problems with ethics to Capitol Police concerned about discrimination. So, I think I can handle not having some of that. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (Missouri): What won't you miss about being the CBC's chairman? - Being the chair of the CBC is a very flattering and fulfilling job. The responsibility and the burdens are enormous because people come to you with every issue from problems with ethics to Capitol Police concerned about discrimination. So, I think I can handle not having some of that. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)