ICYMI: New Democrat Coalition Celebrates New Leadership Team & Inducts 17 New Members
The NDC has elected Rep. Annie Kuster as Chair, Reps. Sharice Davids, Derek Kilmer, Brad Schneider, and Salud Carbajal as Vice Chairs, and Member-elect Nikki Budzinski as the Freshmen Leadership Representative
Today, the New Democrat Coalition (NDC) held a press conference to celebrate Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) as the next NDC Chair in the 118th Congress and Reps. Sharice Davids (KS-03), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Derek Kilmer (WA-06), and Salud Carbajal (CA-24) as the next Vice Chairs. Current Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01) will serve as Chair Emeritus in the new Congress. New Dems also celebrated the 17 new members who were inducted into the Coalition yesterday.
You can watch the press conference here and read remarks from the press conference below:
NDC Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01):
“I’m Suzan DelBene, I am Chair of the New Democrat Coalition for the 117th Congress. Our Coalition is made up of just under 100 House Democrats who are focused on breaking through the gridlock to find common-sense solutions to the kitchen table issues that American families care about. And that’s exactly what New Dems have been focused on this Congress and we’re going to continue to focus on that in the years to come.
As we prepare to enter into the 118th Congress, first we want to congratulate our new leaders – Leader Jeffries, Whip Clark, and our Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar. We’re so excited to be working with them and want to congratulate them on their new positions.
And I’m also very excited to announce that I’m going to be passing on the torch on to my friend and colleague, who has been Vice Chair for the last four years for the New Democrats – Annie Kuster from New Hampshire. I know she will do an incredible job in leading our Coalition going forward, and she has been an essential leader on our team for so many years now. She has the experience, she has the drive, she has the steady hand that's going to be important as we head into this new Congress. And it’s going to be important as we lead our diverse Coalition. We are a strong, thriving, diverse Coalition, and it’s going to be important for us to have our strong leaders in place as we navigate this new Congress.
She knows that our Members were essential to passing the bipartisan legislation we've seen throughout this Congress, and that we are central in providing that agenda for the next Congress. We’ve accomplished a ton this past Congress – or this current Congress still for a few more weeks! But there’s still more work to do.
And so, in the coming weeks, we’re going to continue to work on the end of the year funding package, and we’re going to make sure we get the NDAA across the finish line. New Dems will continue to do everything in our power to make sure that we get things done – because that’s what we do. We are the folks focused on getting things done and showing that governance can work.
I’m now honored to introduce and turn over the mantle to our incoming Chair Annie Kuster!”
NDC Chair-Elect Annie Kuster (NH-02):
“Thank you so much Suzan. I want to thank Suzan for her extraordinary leadership for bringing forward the Child Tax Credit, for everything she does on Ways and Means, and just bringing a wonderful style. I think Suzan has continued in the tradition of Speaker Pelosi, and now Katherine Clark, of having that warm but firm approach, and you do a great job. Thank you so much.
Hello everyone, I’m so excited to be here! 17 new Members of the New Democrat Caucus. We are the majority makers, and we are the “Can-Do caucus.” I want to thank you all for being with us to meet our new leadership team for the 118th. I am certainly honored and grateful to my colleagues for the opportunity to chair the New Democrat Coalition in the 118th.
And again, as I say, you can see us all right here – the Majority Makers. Brad Schneider, thank you for your leadership for the New Dem Action Fund. Thank you to Scott Peters and to our entire leadership team for getting us here. We're growing, we're strong, and we're going to make a difference in the 118th.
This November it was members of the New Democrat Coalition – both incumbents, 22 incumbents, that we fought for who came back and 17 new members who stopped the much-heralded “red wave” in its tracks. The narrower than anticipated GOP margin now gives us tremendous leverage to govern from the middle and to deliver real results for our constituents and our districts.
Again, we are the “Can-Do caucus.” And as Chair, my focus will be on advancing common sense legislative priorities.
New Dems will be key to working across the aisle when we can to make progress on effective bipartisan legislation. But let's be clear, we will work with anyone or stand up to anyone to advance our New Dem priorities. And while our goal is to find common ground, we will not turn a blind eye to reckless, dangerous rhetoric from far-right extremists. We will work with all corners of the New Dem Coalition to stand united against radical policies that will move our country backwards.
So as we look to the 118th Congress, I'm committed to supporting the priorities of our Members. I promised them I will work to bring wins to their districts, to strengthen the diversity and inclusion of our Coalition, and to expand our reach through bipartisan collaboration whenever possible, protecting our Members going forward, and expanding our numbers to win back the majority in 2024. We are the Majority Makers, and we will be back in the majority.
As we confront the opportunities and challenges of the 118th Congress, New Dems will continue to deliver real results for hardworking families all across our country. I'm so excited to be working with the leadership of our Vice Chair-elects: my good friend Sharice Davids from Kansas, Derek Kilmer from Washington State – former chair of New Dems and back with us in his perennial role. Thank you Derek for coming back. Brad Schneider, who I mentioned led the New Dem Action Fund and is a crucial member of Coalition from Illinois, and Salud Carbajal. Thank you, Salud for being with us as Vice Chair, I know that each and every one of these members will make a real impact.”
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