New Democrat Coalition Weekly Wrap 02/12/2021
New Democrat Coalition (NDC) Members continued working to advance the NDC’s COVID-19 economic stimulus priorities and 100 Day Agenda. As committees of jurisdiction began their markup processes for the COVID-19 relief legislative package, the NDC secured several New Dem-endorsed COVID-19 priorities in the committees’ bills.
This week, NDC Members met with Majority Whip Clyburn to discuss the NDC’s First 100 Day Agenda, a path for moving a comprehensive infrastructure package before the August recess, and NDC Rep. Terri Sewell’s H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The NDC endorsed H.R. 4 last Congress and will continue to push for progress on this critical voting rights legislation. The NDC also met with Rep. John Sarbanes to discuss H.R. 1, the For the People Act, which the Coalition endorsed last Congress. The NDC is working with Rep. Sarbanes to move the bill forward after the House finishes the COVID-19 relief package.
More on what New Dems have been up to in the past month below.
NDC Highlights
The NDC was pleased to secure several New Dem priorities in the House Committees’ American Rescue Plan bills, including:
- An expansion and enhancement of the Child Tax Credit that could cut child poverty by nearly half
- Additional funding for mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment
- Additional funding for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics
- Additional funding for COVID-19 testing
- The longest extension of emergency UI benefits yet
Featured Video
DelBene Pushes for Automatic Stabilizers During Ways & Means Committee Markup
NDC Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01) delivered remarks at the Ways & Means Committee markup on the COVID-19 relief package. Chair DelBene addressed the critical importance of passing comprehensive COVID-19 legislation to ensure Americans receive the relief they need. She also noted this would be the second extension of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits since the onset of the pandemic and reiterated the need to implement automatic stabilizers and tie benefits to the economic and public health conditions. This would ensure Americans do not face another lapse in benefits when they are still needed.
NDC Member COVID-19 Legislation
DelBene Introduces Legislation to Expand the Child Tax Credit
NDC Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01) introduced the American Family Act to permanently expand and improve the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and make it a dramatically more effective tool for reducing child poverty and supporting families with kids. President Biden’s American Rescue Plan includes one year of an expanded and improved CTC modeled after the American Family Act. The legislation was endorsed by the Coalition and included in the NDC’s COVID-19 economic stimulus priorities.
Larsen, Beyer Introduce Legislation to Prepare U.S. Aviation for Public Health Emergencies
Reps. Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Don Beyer (VA-08) introduced the National Aviation Preparedness Act to bring federal agencies, frontline aviation workers, and other key stakeholders to the table to develop a national aviation preparedness plan for future public health emergencies.
Reps. Joe Morelle (NY-25) and Terri Sewell (AL-07) introduced the Innovation Acceleration Act to establish national investment in nine innovation centers over nine years, as determined by a national competition among major metropolitan areas. The legislation was endorsed by the Coalition and included in the NDC’s COVID-19 economic stimulus priorities. Read more in Rochester City Newspaper.
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01) introduced the Ensuring Vaccination and Treatment Affordability Act to help guarantee vulnerable Americans can receive necessary health services to protect themselves and their families from the virus.
Fletcher Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Support Small Businesses During the Pandemic
Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) introduced the bipartisan Loan Interest Forgiveness for Taxpayers Under a Pandemic (LIFT UP) Act to support small businesses during the pandemic. The LIFT UP Act extends the six-month period of debt forgiveness for loans established by the CARES Act for businesses that have previously received Small Business Administration disaster loans.
Rep. Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) Introduces Two Pieces of Legislation:
- The bipartisan Fairness for Craft Beverage Producers Act, along with Rep. Jason Crow (CO-06), to allow craft breweries, wineries, distilleries, and other small beverage producers that depend on in-person sales in their taprooms and tasting rooms to be eligible for a larger maximum loan amount in the Second Draw Paycheck Protection Program.
- The bipartisan Domestic Violence Public Health Emergency Guidance Act to provide guidance and resources to law enforcement agencies responding to increased levels of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rep. Gerry Conolly (VA-11) introduced the Chai Suthammanont Remembrance Act to better protect federal employees required to return to the workplace from the coronavirus. The bill would protect federal employees by requiring federal agencies to publish a safety plan publicly on their agency website and communicate this plan directly to employees and track that all employees have received it.
Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06) introduced the Pandemic Health Care Improvement Act to expand Affordable Care Act Exchange premium tax benefits to individuals on unemployment insurance. The legislation amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to apply a premium tax credit for those who are unemployed in 2021.
Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ-09) introduced the bipartisan Lessening Addiction by Enhancing Labeling (LABEL) Opioids Act to require warning labels on addictive prescription painkillers. The legislation would amend the Controlled Substance Act to require labeling prescription opioid bottles dispensed to patients with a clear, and concise warning that opioids may cause dependence, addiction, or overdose.
NDC Member Legislation
NDC Leadership Member Brad Schneider (IL-10) introduced a series of bills to promote good government by increasing government transparency, requiring an ethics pledge for senior Executive Branch appointees, curbing corrupt lobbying practices, and other measures to ensure integrity within government.
Reps. Cheri Bustos (IL-17) and Jason Crow (CO-06) introduced the bipartisan Small Business Succession Planning Act to provide small business owners the support needed to create a business succession plan. The bill would direct the Small Business Administration to create an online business succession planning toolkit that walks small businesses through the process of creating a business succession plan with the help of SBA or resource partners.
Fletcher Introduces Legislation to Encourage State Expansion of Medicaid
Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) introduced to Expand Medicaid Now Act to encourage states to expand Medicaid. The bill provides additional federal funding to any new expansion state by increasing the base Federal Medical Assistance Percentages, the rate at which the federal government pays for its share of a state’s Medicaid expenditures, by five percentage points for two years.
Craig Introduces Legislation to Target Corruption in Washington
Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02) the Halt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination (HUMBLE) Act permanently ban Members of Congress from serving as lobbyists and require them to sell individual stocks upon being sworn in. The HUMBLE Act also restricts unnecessary perks for Members, including a ban on taxpayer funded first-class airline accommodations. Read more in Sun This Week.
Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) introduced the bipartisan Summer Meals Act to fight childhood hunger by expanding access to summer meal programs across the country. The bill helps strengthen childhood nutrition by cutting red tape for local organizations serving summer meals and expanding the availability of meals and snacks to students outside of normal school hours.
Carbajal Introduces Legislation to Protect Public Lands
Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24) introduced the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act, which would designate nearly 250,000 acres of public land in the Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument as wilderness. The wilderness designation is the highest form of federal protection and prohibits any development on these precious public lands. The bill also establishes a 400-mile long Condor National Recreation trail, stretching from Los Angeles to Monterey County.
NDC Member Action
Foster Leads Bipartisan Effort to Protect the Security of America’s Voting Machines
Rep. Bill Foster (IL-11) led a bipartisan group of Members in sending a letter urging the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to reverse its last-minute proposal to allow voting machines to be capable of wireless communications, which creates unnecessary risks to the security of our voting systems and makes the United States more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Read more in Bloomberg.
Wexton Urges Tighter Security Clearance Protocols to Screen for Ties to White Supremacist Groups
Rep. Jennifer Wexton (VA-08) sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines urging the adoption of new security clearance guidelines to prevent individuals who are involved in hate and violence-based extremist groups from accessing classified information. Read more in The Hill.
Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) led a group of Members, including 21 New Dems, in sending a letter to urge House leadership to include $350 billion in the budget reconciliation package for state, local, and tribal governments.
Pappas Leads Members in Calling for Funding in National Sea Grant College Program
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01) led a group of ten Members, including NDC Vice Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Reps. Ed Case (HI-01), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), and Deborah Ross (NC-02), in sending a letter to House leadership calling for the inclusion of additional funding for the National Sea Grant College Program in the next relief package.
Himes: Defense Alone Not Enough to Stop Cyberattacks via CT Post
Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04) penned an op-ed in CT Post addressing the need to boost investment in America’s cybersecurity defenses and position America as a leader in cyberspace to effectively set the norms and mitigate threats and retaliation: “The principles involved are not novel. Most nations will reserve the right and bear the risks of traditional espionage. Most nations including the U.S. will continue to develop their cyberoffense capabilities, just as they improve their conventional arms. But norms should explicitly protect networks that are life-critical to civilians, just as the Geneva Convention protects noncombatants in times of war. Networks related to health care, education, power grids and banking should be off limits.”
Norcross: The First Step to Build Back Better: Give America a Raise via The Hill
Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01) penned an op-ed in The Hill, reinforcing the urgency for raising the federal minimum wage: “The social contract that guided us for generations — that if you work hard and play by the rules you can make it in America — is long since broken, and the pandemic has exacerbated racial and gender inequity, leaving millions doing essential work for low pay. Hard-working families are being forced to choose rent over clothes, food over medicine, today over tomorrow. No American should have to decide between putting food on their table or putting their child to bed hungry.”
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