Career Timeline of Hakeem Jeffries: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Hakeem Jeffries made an impact.

Hakeem Jeffries is an American politician and attorney currently serving as House Minority Leader and leader of the House Democratic Caucus since 2023. He represents New York's 8th congressional district, a position he has held since 2013. Prior to his congressional service, Jeffries served three terms in the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012. His career reflects a focus on public service and leadership within the Democratic party.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1965: Jeffries Addresses Voting Rights After Supreme Court Decision on the 1965 Voting Rights Act

Jeffries actively involved in maintaining the CBC's historic role as "the conscience of the Congress", addressing special orders on the House floor, including regarding voting rights (after the Supreme Court decision on the 1965 Voting Rights Act)

1997: Green Runs for New York City Public Advocate

Incumbent Roger Green ran for New York City Public Advocate in 1997.

1998: Private Practice at Paul, Weiss

From 1998, Hakeem Jeffries was in private practice at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

2000: Jeffries Challenges Roger Green in Democratic Primary

In 2000, while a lawyer at Paul Weiss, Jeffries challenged incumbent assemblyman Roger Green in the Democratic primary, criticizing Green's inattentiveness. Jeffries lost the primary, 59% to 41%.

2002: Jeffries Loses Primary After Redistricting

In 2002, Jeffries's home was drawn one block outside of Green's Assembly district during post-census redistricting. Jeffries lost the 2002 primary, 52% to 38%.

2002: The 2002 redistricting left Jeffries unable to challenge Green in the 2004 Democratic primary

In 2002, the redistricting left Jeffries unable to challenge Green in the 2004 Democratic primary

2004: Corporate Litigator for Viacom and CBS

In 2004, Hakeem Jeffries became a corporate litigator for television companies Viacom and CBS, where he worked on matters such as the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, and concluded his time at Paul, Weiss.

2004: Green Renominated Unopposed after Resignation

The 2002 redistricting left Jeffries unable to challenge Green in the 2004 Democratic primary, which took place after Sheldon Silver and Democratic leadership forced Green to resign after he pleaded guilty to billing the state for false travel expenses. Green was renominated unopposed.

2004: Redistricting Complicates Jeffries's Path to Challenge Green

The redistricting complicated Jeffries's path and left Jeffries unable to challenge Green in the 2004 Democratic primary.

2006: Jeffries Wins Assembly Seat

In 2006, Roger Green retired, and Jeffries ran for the 57th district again and won the Democratic primary, defeating Bill Batson and Freddie Hamilton with 64% of the vote. He then defeated Republican nominee Henry Weinstein in the general election.

2007: New York State Assembly Member

In 2007, Hakeem Jeffries became a member of the New York State Assembly.

2007: Elected to New York State Assembly

In 2007, Hakeem Jeffries was elected to the New York State Assembly for a Brooklyn district.

2008: Jeffries Reelected to Assembly

Jeffries was reelected in 2008, defeating Republican nominee Charles Brickhouse with 98% of the vote.

2010: Stop-and-Frisk Database Bill Signed

In 2010, Governor David Paterson signed a Stop-and-Frisk database bill sponsored by Hakeem Jeffries and then-Senator Eric Adams, banning police from compiling names and addresses of those stopped but not arrested during street searches.

2010: Jeffries Reelected to Third Term

In 2010, Jeffries was reelected to a third term, easily defeating Republican nominee Frank Voyticky.

January 2012: Jeffries Announces Run for U.S. House

In January 2012, Jeffries announced that he would give up his Assembly seat to run for the U.S. House from New York's 8th congressional district.

June 11, 2012: Local Leaders Support Jeffries's Campaign

On June 11, 2012, former mayor Ed Koch, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Councilman David Greenfield, Assemblyman Dov Hikind and other elected officials and community leaders held a joint event to support Jeffries's campaign.

2012: End of Term in New York State Assembly

In 2012, Hakeem Jeffries concluded his service as a member of the New York State Assembly.

2012: Obama and Clinton Support Jeffries with Photograph

In 2012, President Barack Obama and President Bill Clinton took a photograph with Jeffries weeks before his Congressional primary against Charles Barron, which was effectively used in campaign literature.

January 3, 2013: Jeffries Sworn into 113th Congress

On January 3, 2013, Jeffries was sworn into the 113th Congress.

April 11, 2013: Introduced Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument Preservation Act

On April 11, 2013, Hakeem Jeffries introduced the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument Preservation Act (H.R. 1501; 113th Congress) 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).

2013: U.S. Representative for New York

In 2013, Hakeem Jeffries became the U.S. representative for New York's 8th congressional district, a position he holds as of the latest information.

April 28, 2014: Prison Ship Martyrs's Monument Preservation Act Passed

On April 28, 2014, the Prison Ship Martyrs's Monument Preservation Act, which was introduced by Hakeem Jeffries, was passed by the House.

July 15, 2014: Introduced Law School Clinic Certification Program Bill

On July 15, 2014, Hakeem Jeffries introduced the bill To establish the Law School Clinic Certification Program of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (H.R. 5108; 113th Congress), which would establish the Law School Clinic Certification Program of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

November 2014: Jeffries Elected Congressional Black Caucus Whip

In November 2014, Jeffries was elected as the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) whip.

December 2014: Jeffries Leads CBC Protest

In December 2014, Jeffries led Congressional Black Caucus members in a "hands up, don't shoot" protest of killings of African-Americans by police.

December 2014: Jeffries Calls for Investigation into Eric Garner's Death

Shortly after taking office, Jeffries called for a Department of Justice investigation into the circumstances of Eric Garner's death. In December 2014, he visited the Staten Island site where Garner was killed and encountered Garner's mother, Gwen Carr.

2014: Jeffries Reelected to House Without Opposition

In 2014, Jeffries was reelected to the House without opposition.

April 1, 2015: Slain Officer Family Support Act Signed into Law

On April 1, 2015, President Obama signed the Slain Officer Family Support Act into law. The act extended the tax deadline for people making donations to organizations supporting the families of deceased NYPD detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos.

April 15, 2015: Extended Tax Deadline for Donations

With the change from the Slain Officer Family Support Act, contributions made until April 15, 2015, were deductible for donations to organizations supporting the families of deceased NYPD detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos.

April 2015: Jeffries Introduces Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act

In April 2015, Jeffries stood with Gwen Carr to announce the introduction of the Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act of 2015, which would make chokeholds illegal under federal law.

June 2015: Jeffries Leads Effort to Remove Confederate Flag

In June 2015, after the Charleston shootings, Jeffries led the effort to remove the Confederate flag from sale or display on National Park Service land, lamenting that the "Ghosts of the Confederacy have invaded the GOP".

2015: Declined Mayoral Primary Run

In 2015, Hakeem Jeffries was encouraged by prominent African-American pastors to enter the 2017 Democratic primary for mayor of New York City against Bill de Blasio, but Jeffries declined, stating he had "no interest" and wished to remain a member of Congress.

2016: Jeffries Reelected to House

In 2016, Jeffries faced no primary challenger and defeated a Conservative Party challenger with 93% of the vote.

2017: Year of election for NYC Mayor

Hakeem Jeffries declined participation in the 2017 Mayoral election for New York City, wishing to remain in Congress.

May 22, 2018: House Passed First Step Act

On May 22, 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan First Step Act by a 358–36 vote with Hakeem Jeffries as a key sponsor.

November 28, 2018: Defeated Barbara Lee

On November 28, 2018, Hakeem Jeffries defeated California congresswoman Barbara Lee to become chair of the House Democratic Caucus.

December 21, 2018: First Step Act Signed into Law

On December 21, 2018, President Trump signed the First Step Act into law. The bipartisan product of Hakeem Jeffries and Representative Doug Collins, it eased mandatory minimum federal sentences, expanded early releases, and ended some practices.

2018: House Passage of Music Modernization Act

In 2018, Hakeem Jeffries played a key role in the House passage of the bipartisan Music Modernization Act, which became law. He teamed up with Collins in a bipartisan manner to introduce and pass this law.

2018: Jeffries Reelected to House

In 2018, Jeffries faced no primary challenger and was reelected with 94% of the vote.

January 3, 2019: Term as Chair of House Democratic Caucus Began

On January 3, 2019, Hakeem Jeffries's term as chair of the House Democratic Caucus began, making him the fifth-ranking member of the Democratic leadership.

2019: Chaired the House Democratic Caucus

In 2019, Hakeem Jeffries began chairing the House Democratic Caucus.

2019: Jeffries Supports the Equality Act

In 2019, Jeffries voted in favor of the Equality Act, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and urged Congress members to do the same.

January 15, 2020: Selected as House Manager

On January 15, 2020, Hakeem Jeffries was selected as one of seven House managers presenting the impeachment case against Trump during his trial before the United States Senate.

January 22, 2020: Interrupted During Impeachment Testimony

On January 22, 2020, Hakeem Jeffries was interrupted by a protester during his testimony in the Senate impeachment trial against Trump. Jeffries responded with Psalm 37:28 before continuing.

2020: Jeffries Reelected to House

In 2020, Jeffries faced no primary challenger and was reelected with 84% of the vote.

2021: Jeffries Breaks Record with Eight-Hour Speech

On July 3, 2021, during the 119th Congress, Hakeem Jeffries delivered an eight-hour and 44-minute speech in opposition to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, breaking Kevin McCarthy's previous record. In his remarks, Jeffries discussed his background, criticized the bill, shared stories of Americans affected by the bill, and quoted Martin Luther King Jr.

November 2022: Elected to Succeed Nancy Pelosi

In November 2022, Hakeem Jeffries was unanimously elected to succeed Nancy Pelosi as leader, making him the first African American to lead a party in either chamber of the United States Congress.

November 2022: Elected House Democratic Leader

In November 2022, with outgoing Speaker Pelosi's endorsement, Hakeem Jeffries was elected unopposed as House Democratic leader for the 118th Congress, becoming the first African American to lead a party caucus in either chamber of Congress.

2022: Jeffries Reelected to House

In 2022, Jeffries faced no notable primary challenger and was reelected with 71.63% of the vote in the general election.

January 3, 2023: Nominated for Speaker of the House

On January 3, 2023, at the start of the 118th Congress, the House of Representatives began the nominating contest for Speaker of the House, and the Democratic caucus unanimously nominated Hakeem Jeffries for speaker.

May 29, 2023: Fiscal Responsibility Act Introduced

On May 29, 2023, Representative Patrick McHenry introduced the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.

October 3, 2023: Motion to Vacate Speakership Filed

On October 3, 2023, Representative Matt Gaetz filed a motion to vacate the speakership criticizing McCarthy for working with Democrats to pass a spending bill, preceding the vote, Hakeem Jeffries indicated Democrats would vote “yes” on the motion.

October 2023: Renominated as House Democratic Leader

In October 2023, House Democrats unanimously renominated Hakeem Jeffries after the successful motion to vacate McCarthy's speakership.

December 2023: House Passed National Defense Authorization Act

In December 2023, Hakeem Jeffries led the House Democratic Caucus in providing the majority of the votes, 163–147, to pass the National Defense Authorization Act, allowing it to pass under suspension of the rules.

2023: Serves as House Minority Leader

In 2023, Hakeem Jeffries began serving as the House minority leader and leader of the House Democratic Caucus.

2023: End of Term Charing House Democratic Caucus

In 2023, Hakeem Jeffries concluded his service as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus.

2023: Jeffries Raises $113 Million for Democratic Candidates

In 2023, Jeffries raised $113 million for Democratic candidates and campaign committees, including $99 million for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

2023: Jeffries Visits Israel as House Democratic Leader

In 2023, Jeffries visited Israel for his first trip abroad as House Democratic leader and led a delegation of House Democrats to Israel, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

January 7, 2024: Agreed to Topline Spending Deal

On January 7, 2024, Hakeem Jeffries and congressional leaders agreed to a $1.59 trillion topline spending deal.

February 2024: Jeffries Plays Key Role in Special Election After Santos Expulsion

In February 2024, following George Santos's expulsion from Congress, Jeffries tapped Tom Suozzi for the special election and helped raise $1 million for the campaign, holding fundraisers in New York and Washington.

May 8, 2024: Motion to Vacate Johnson's Speakership Introduced

On May 8, 2024, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced the motion to vacate Mike Johnson's speakership, forcing a vote. Hakeem Jeffries and Democratic leaders stated Democrats would vote to table Greene's motion, citing Johnson's role in passing funding.

July 31, 2024: Announced the upcoming publication of his Book

On July 31, 2024, Hakeem Jeffries announced he had penned an illustrated book, The ABCs of Democracy, to be published on November 12, 2024.

October 2024: Jeffries's DCCC Sets Fundraising Records

As of October 2024, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) under Jeffries's control consistently set fundraising records in the 2024 election, raising $280.9 million for the cycle.

November 12, 2024: Expected Publication of Book

Hakeem Jeffries's illustrated book, The ABCs of Democracy, is scheduled to be published on November 12, 2024.

2024: Jeffries reelected with 75% of the vote

In 2024, Hakeem Jeffries ran unopposed in the primary election and was subsequently reelected, securing 75% of the vote.

2024: Jeffries Speaks at the Democratic National Convention

In 2024, Jeffries had a prime-time speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention, where he gave a speech inspired by Psalm 30:5. He endorsed Kamala Harris for president and likened Donald Trump to "an old boyfriend".