In The News
New Democrat Coalition calls for hearings on Section 232 tariff impacts
New Democrat Coalition calls for hearings on Section 232 tariff impacts March 07, 2018 The pro-trade New Democrat Coalition is urging leaders of key House committees to hold hearings on the potential impacts on the United States of Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, joining the flock of GOP lawmakers who have argued in opposition to global duties. Reps. Ron Kind (D-WI), Rick Larsen (D-WA) and Gregory Meeks (D-NY) are questioning the “process by which the President’s … Continue Reading
March 01, 2018
E&E News: Moderate Dems huddle with White House as outlook dims
Moderate Dems huddle with White House as outlook dims Nick Sobczyk, E&E News reporter Moderate Democrats want the White House to know they're interested in working on infrastructure, even as the congressional outlook dims for President Trump's plan. Members of the New Democrat Coalition yesterday huddled over lunch with D.J. Gribbin, a special assistant to the president who has been serving as the Trump administration's point person on infrastructure. Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), … Continue Reading
December 18, 2017
GOP Tax Reform Plan is Fatally Flawed
by Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06)
We desperately need tax reform, but the tax bill Congress is debating isn't for us. If you're in the middle class, this isn't for you. The non-partisan Tax Policy Center estimates the bill the Senate passed would raise taxes on 78 million middle-class families over the next decade. If you care about the nation's debt, this bill isn't for you. It creates more than $1 trillion in new debt. That's a bad deal for our kids, who are the ones who will be stuck with the check. It's especially steep … Continue Reading
October 25, 2017
Safeguarding Our Economy and Our Future
by Reps. Derek Kilmer (WA-06), Kathleen Rice (NY-04), and Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05)
Recent high-profile cyber incidents including the Russian interference in the 2016 election, the breach at Equifax that compromised the personally identifiable information (PII) of 145.5 million people, email database breaches, and the rise of Ransomware have shown the very real consequences of cyber threats. Technology touches nearly every aspect of our daily lives for the better, but cyber threats have evolved alongside new innovations. It's time to do more to secure our nation, families and … Continue Reading
October 05, 2017
Preparing Americans For The Workforce of Tomorrow, Today
by Reps. Jim Himes (CT-04) and Bill Foster (IL-11)
The concept of work looms large in the American imagination. Whether it was the workers who laid the first railroad tracks or took shifts at our first factories, workers transformed the American economy into the envy of the world. Work provides a paycheck, status and dignity. In the 21st century, technology and globalization have forever changed the workplace and the social contract. Unfortunately, the laws and traditions that help workers have not. Work is changing faster than ever. In the … Continue Reading
September 27, 2017
Democrats and Republicans Now Have a Chance to Work Together to Improve the ACA
by Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04)
This week, Republicans once again threatened to rip away the promise of affordable quality health care for American families. The Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson amendment was irresponsible, harmful and the wrong approach to solving the issue at hand. Now, more than ever, there is an urgent need for bipartisan cooperation to improve the Affordable Care Act. In recent months, Democratic energy has been intensely focused on opposing the almost fanatical efforts to tear down the Affordable Care … Continue Reading
September 25, 2017
We Must Work Across Party Lines to Restore Investment in NIH
by Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52)
Some issues aren't partisan. Whether you're a Republican, Democrat, independent or anything in between, your family and friends have been touched by disease. That is why the Tuesday Group, a caucus of moderate House Republicans, and the New Democrat Coalition, a coalition of moderate House Democrats, are working together to support funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH is America's medical research agency and the largest funder of biomedical research in the world. But … Continue Reading
July 12, 2017
Exclusive: House Democrats introduce new plan to fix Obamacare
by Sarah Kliff
A small group of Democratic legislators will do something unusual Wednesday morning: hold a press conference to talk about the parts of Obamacare that are broken. Ten House Democrats will unveil a new plan to fix Obamacare, highlighting the parts of the law that have struggled to work and offering modest steps to improve them. The proposal includes more funding to help insurance plans cover the sickest patients, along with possibly changing the timing of the open enrollment season in … Continue Reading
June 22, 2017
Dems ramp up post-Paris messaging, action plans, via E&E News
In the wake of President Trump's announcement that he would pull the U.S. out of the global Paris Climate Agreement, it is, more than ever, up to state and local leaders to address the devastating impact of climate change and keep the country on track to meeting our promises to the world. New Democrat Coalition Leadership Member Scott Peters (CA-52), a former environmental attorney and leader on this issue in both local government and the U.S. House of Representatives, and Phoenix Mayor Greg … Continue Reading
April 29, 2017
What Moderate Lawmakers Like Us Hope to Do in the Next 100 Days
by Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04)
Jim Himes, a Democrat from Connecticut, is chair of the New Democrat Coalition in the House. Charlie Dent, a Republican from Pennsylvania, is co-chair of the House’s Tuesday Group. On this 100th day of the Trump administration, partisan prisms will predictably provide audiences with radically different images: One side will paint a picture of a strong and decisive administration “Making America Great Again,” another of a flip-flopping and divisive group of neophytes who … Continue Reading
March 01, 2017
The New Democrat Coalition’s Take on the Road Ahead
by Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04)
The Democratic Party is as far out of power as it has been for generations. The Republican Party suffered a takeover by a brash New Yorker now tweeting his way through an unsuccessful Presidential roll out. Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are finding themselves restrained by the challenges of actually governing. It turns out that repealing the Affordable Care Act, quickly balancing the budget and tearing up the Iran deal are all harder, and less wise, than promised. Several … Continue Reading
February 28, 2017
Vox: Moderate Dems send letter pleading with Trump: “we implore you to begin focusing”
Today the New Democrat Coalition Leadership team sent a letter to President Trump urging him to do his job so Congressional lawmakers can start doing theirs. Jeff Stein, Congressional Reporter at Vox, notes that New Democrats are usually the most eager to work with Republicans but warn that President Trump is becoming impossible to work with. Moderate Dems send letter pleading with Trump: “we implore you to begin focusing” Updated by Jeff Stein Feb 28, 2017, 9:50am EST Nine of … Continue Reading
February 10, 2017
New Democrat Coalition likely to push for multilateral approach to trade via Inside Trade
New Democrat Coalition likely to push for multilateral approach to trade Reps. Rick Larsen (DWA) and Gregory Meeks (DNY), cochairs of the moderate New Democrat Coalition's new task force on trade issues, told Inside U.S. Trade that a trade agenda for the coalition is in the works and stressed the group's support for a multilateral approach to agreements, which has been disdained by the Trump administration. “I still am a firm believer in multilateral trade deals. I think it's significant … Continue Reading
February 02, 2017
Roll Call: New Democrats want a piece of the policy pie
New Democrat Coalition Vice-Chair for Policy Derem Kilmer (WA-06) discusses the launch of seven new policy task forces with Roll Call's Lindsey McPherson. Read more about the Coalition's charge for the Task Forces. The full piece can be found … Continue Reading
January 27, 2017
Rep. DelBene Urges Research Funding for Breakthroughs
Rep. Suzan DelBene (WA-01), a biopharma executive-turned-lawmaker, pushes for more federal research funds. Recently named to the House Ways and Means Committee, DelBene said her priorities include the repeal of taxes on medical devices, as well as a reduction in taxes on small businesses. She also plans to fight against attempts to repeal of the Affordable Care Act and oppose efforts to privatize Medicare. DelBene has also been a leading advocate of increased federal funding for the National … Continue Reading
January 24, 2017
Where I’ll Draw the Line in Trump Years
by Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52)
I am hardly alone in my apprehension about what a Donald Trumppresidency means for the State of our Union. As we enter this new era, San Diegans should know that despite my grave concerns, I remain committed to solving problems and fixing a broken Washington, D.C. I will continue to work with anyone who has a good idea, regardless of political party or title, in order to create a more prosperous future - and a government that works - for all Americans. So if President Trump and Republicans … Continue Reading
January 20, 2017
New Dems Take a Stand Against Growing Budget Deficits
Ben Weyl, Budget & Appropriations Brief Editor for POLITICO Pro, highlights the fiscally responsible New Democrats and the House Budget vote. Many New Democrat Coalition Members voted against the Yarmuth Amendment as well as the GOP-proposed budget. The New Democrat Coalition mention can be found below and you can read the full piece here. Trump era begins with 'Buy American' vow By BEN WEYL 01/20/17 04:10 PM EST HOUSE BUDGET DEMOCRATIC DIVISIONS — Democrats were united last … Continue Reading
December 19, 2016
Shaping Rules of Globalization Rather Than Allowing It to Be Done to Us
by Rep. Ron Kind (WI-03)
One thing people made abundantly clear during the election this year is that far too many hard working people are not feeling the positive effects of the economic recovery. That needs to change. The current economy is not the one I grew up in and certainly not the one my grandchildren will grow up in. We need to help lead for the economy of the future, not the economy of fifty years ago. We need to do more now to prepare future generations of Americans to be full participants in this global … Continue Reading
December 08, 2016
21st Century Cures and the Fight to Address Addiction
by Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02)
If you travel throughout New Hampshire and meet with families, community leaders, law enforcement and treatment providers, you'll see just how personal the opioid epidemic is to our state. In the last two years alone, nearly 1,000 Granite Staters have died from overdoses, and the lives of many more were devastated. Virtually no one in our state is untouched by this crisis. The gravity of this situation cannot be overstated, which is why I have worked cooperatively with my colleagues - … Continue Reading
October 19, 2016
Winning the Future
by Rep. Ron Kind (WI-03)
New Democrat Coalition Chairman Ron Kind (WI-03) was featured in the 2017 Game Changer Booklet by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. He touts the New Democrat Coalition’s American Prosperity Agenda: Winning the Future as the legislative roadmap for our country to grow and prosper in the changing 21st century economy. He writes: “The New Democrat Coalition is committed to seeking pragmatic solutions to help hard-working Americans compete in the increasingly … Continue Reading