The CONGRESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK CAUCUS was founded in 2010 during the 111th Congress by former Brooklyn Congressman Edolphus “Ed” Towns as a means to provide a platform for social workers to have their voices heard in Congress.

The CSWC is currently chaired by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a Democrat and social worker who represents the 12th Congressional District in California which includes much of the City of Oakland. She holds several leadership roles in the House of Representatives and is the only African American woman to hold a leadership position in the Democratic Caucus where she is Co-Chair of the Policy and Steering Committee.