#AmericanProsperity: New Dems Lead with Ideas
In keeping with the Coalition’s ‘American Prosperity Agenda,’ efforts like the below foster economic growth and reinvent government to make it work better for middle-class families. Read some short blurbs on these efforts below:
Fixing the Green Card Backlog to Grow the Economy in Every Town and City
Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) spearheaded a letter with 71 of their colleagues – including 27 of their fellow New Democrat Coalition Members – urging President Obama to take action to address the backlog of green card applications to “improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of immigrants and provide a critical shot in the arm for innovation and job creation,” by fixing the green card backlog in the United States. The effort fits neatly into the Coalition’s aim of “Growing the Economy in Every Town and City” by ensuring that our country remains a magnet for the world’s top talent and a beacon of opportunity for the millions of others seeking to come here.
Common-Sense, Bipartisan Measure to Eliminate Outdated Government Regulations
Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-FL) and six other New Democrat Coalition Members joined an equal number of Republicans to introduce the Regulatory Improvement Act of 2015, bipartisan legislation to reform the Federal Code of Regulations by creating a commission tasked with eliminating and revising outdated and redundant regulations. The leaders were joined by Senators Angus King (I-ME) Roy Blunt (R-MO), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Roger Wicker (R-MS), who introduced a companion bill in the Senate. As the Coalition’s Agenda noted, it is important for America’s leaders to make government work better for the middle class by “lowering regulatory obstacles to innovation and entrepreneurship.” The Regulatory Improvement Act does just that.
Electoral Reform that Ensures Voters Pick Their Elected Officials – Not the Other Way Around
Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN) joined Rep. Reid Ribble (R-WI) to introduce measures that would introduce greater choice and competition to an electoral system controlled by extreme partisans on both sides. One bill would require states to establish independent commissions to handle the drawing of district lines for Congressional maps, removing partisan politics from the process. Another would direct states to post their redistricting data online to allow the public to comment before new district maps are approved. These measures would work to restore public confidence in the legitimacy of America’s political system and encourage people of all political stripes to participate in an open, inclusive electoral process – key goals of the American Prosperity Agenda’s ‘Make Government Work Better for the Middle Class’ plank.
Keeping the Dream of Homeownership Alive with Legislation to Protect the 30-Year Mortgage & Taxpayers
Rep. John Delaney (D-MD), Rep. John Carney (DE-AL), and Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) introduced the Partnership to Strengthen Homeownership Act, a bill designed to ensure affordable housing for the middle class and shield American taxpayers from future bailouts by reforming the housing finance system. The bill establishes an insurance program through Ginnie Mae which maintains the full faith and credit of the federal government, but protects taxpayer investment by requiring adequate private sector capital and accurate pricing of government reinsurance.
It’s ideas – not ideology – that propel the New Democrat Coalition. Ideas like these create American prosperity and American opportunity for generations to come, while keeping Congress focused on what matters most – middle-class success. That’s why our leaders are rising in the Democratic Caucus. This week, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) became a Chief Deputy Whip, joining New Democrat Coalition Chief Deputy Whips Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL), and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) as leaders of the Democrats’ whip team.
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