March 19, 2021

New Democrat Coalition Weekly Wrap 03/19/2021

The New Democrat Coalition stands in solidarity with the AAPI community and the families of the victims of this week’s horrifying violence.

This week, NDC Members joined President Biden and Vice President Harris across the country in promoting the American Rescue Plan. The House passed the NDC-endorsed H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, to promote justice and fairness for America’s Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) holders. The House also passed H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, to create stability and economic opportunity for immigrant workers and the United States’ agricultural sector.

Additionally, the House passed the bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act which builds upon the progress forged in landmark legislation in 1994 originally championed by President Biden. Specifically, the bill would reauthorize programs to respond to and help prevent domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. It also includes provisions to improve services for victims and improve the criminal justice response to gender-based violence to make our communities safer. 

Finally, the House passed H.J. Res. 17 which removes an arbitrary time limit previously set by Congress for the states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution. The ERA will create avenues of legal recourse for people who face discrimination under the laws on the basis of sex.

More on what New Dems have been up to below.  

 

NDC Highlights 

House Passes NDC-Endorsed Immigration Reform Legislation

The House passed two NDC-endorsed pieces of legislation to help advance meaningful reforms to improve our nation's immigration system and create a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and TPS and DED holders. The United States is a nation of immigrants, and these bills are critical to our economy, communities, and families across America:

  • H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, is landmark legislation that provides permanent protections to the nation’s Dreamers, as well as to TPS and DED holders, allowing them to contribute fully to their local communities and the country while providing a pathway to citizenship. NDC Rep. Pete Aguilar, who also serves as Democratic Caucus Vice Chair, played a critical role in building consensus to advance a pathway to citizenship for dreamers.
  • H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, makes meaningful reforms to the H-2A agricultural guestworker program and creates a first-of-its-kind, merit-based visa program specifically designed for the nation’s agricultural sector. These changes will help stabilize and preserve the American agricultural sector by ensuring farmers can meet their labor needs well into the future. NDC Immigration Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Salud Carbajal, among others, played an important role negotiating the bipartisan agreement to move this legislation forward.

Read more in Santa Maria Sun, Santa Barbara Independent, and Santa Barbara News-Press. Watch the NDC Immigration Task Force press conference with FWD.us here.  

ICYMI: NDC Unveils Policy Task Forces

In case you missed it: Last week the NDC announced the creation of its first four policy task forces and Co-Chairs for the 117th Congress:

Additional Members will be announced for these task forces in the coming weeks, and NDC will announce additional task forces throughout the year.

 

Featured Video 

Ruiz, Strickland, Costa, Carbajal Join Speaker Pelosi, CHC Members to Speak on Immigration Reform Legislation

Reps. Raul Ruiz (CA-36), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Jim Costa (CA-16), and Salud Carbajal (CA-24), NDC Immigration Task Force Co-Chair, joined Speaker Pelosi and Members of the CHC ahead of House-passage of the NDC-endorsed Dream & Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act to highlight the benefits to our communities, economy, and immigrant populations the legislation will have if enacted.

 

Floor Action

House Passes Bourdeaux’s Bipartisan Legislation to Extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

The House passed Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux’s (GA-07) PPP Extension Act to extend the life of the program enabling small businesses to continue accessing much-needed financial assistance as they cope with the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

 

 

NDC Member COVID-19 Legislation 

Fletcher Introduces Legislation to Modernize Clinical Labs and Help Increase COVID-19 Testing Capacity

Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) introduced legislation to modernize clinical laboratories and increase the capacity for COVID-19 testing and response. Her bill, H.R. 1818, establishes a pilot program at the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants that support the improvement, renovation, or modernization of infrastructure at clinical laboratories and help laboratories meet the increased demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

NDC Member Legislation

Bera Introduces Legislation to Empower States to Innovate and Expand Health Insurance Coverage

NDC Vice Chair Ami Bera (CA-07) introduced the Health Care Enrollment Innovation Act to help states experiment with innovative ways to expand health insurance coverage for more Americans. The legislation directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to eligible State agencies to promote innovations to expand health insurance coverage.

Trahan, Trone, Kuster Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Tackle Root Causes of Addiction Crisis

Reps. Lori Trahan (MA-03), David Trone (MD-06), and NDC Vice Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02) introduced the bipartisan Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act to implement a standard for substance use disorder training to require prescribers of highly addictive medications to have baseline knowledge in evidence-based addiction prevention and treatment.

Houlahan, Brownley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Literacy Rates in America

NDC Whip Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) and Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26) introduced the Reading Early and Addressing Dyslexia (READ) Act to establish a grant program to allow other states to capitalize on what we have learned about how to best support teachers in instructing students on how to read.

Trahan, Cárdenas Introduce Legislation to Promote Mental Health Services in High Schools

Reps. Lori Trahan (MA-03) and Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) introduced the Young Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Act to support positive mental health promotion and suicide prevention programs in high schools. The bill would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a grant program that provides funding to school districts to strengthen behavioral health awareness through planning and prevention efforts, public health campaign materials, and additional activities.

Fletcher Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Expedite Recovery Process After Natural Disasters

Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) introduced the bipartisan Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects (HELP) Act to help expedite disaster mitigation projects after natural disasters. The HELP Act eliminates unnecessary bureaucratic delays to beginning recovery projects by allowing certain eligible disaster mitigation projects to begin without the risk of losing potential federal funds.

 

NDC Members Partner with President Biden & Vice President Harris to Promote American Rescue Plan

Houlahan Joins Biden in Pennsylvania on Help Is Here Tour

NDC Whip Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) joined President Joe Biden outside Philadelphia on his Help Is Here Tour. Rep. Houlahan said she’s hearing hope from constituents, some of whom have already received the direct payments under the law: “Of course we have a long way to go, but ... people are feeling hopeful… They know someone who’s gotten a vaccine. They know someone who’s gotten a stimulus check. They know somebody who is still employed and has a PPP loan‚ so it’s good.”   

Kuster Joined First Lady Biden in New Hampshire to Highlight the Impacts of the American Rescue Plan

NDC Vice Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02) welcomed First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to New Hampshire where they discussed the American Rescue Plan and the crucial support it provides to students, educators, and schools in New Hampshire and across the country. 

Horsford Joins Vice President Harris in Nevada on Help Is Here Tour

Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04) hosted Vice President Kamala Harris to talk about the relief the American Rescue Plan provides to Nevada and states throughout the nation.

 

NDC Member Action

Strickland, DelBene Lead Members in Calling for More Equitable Vaccine Distribution

Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and NDC Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01) led Members, including NDC Reps. Adam Smith (WA-09), Don Beyer (VA-08), William Keating (MA-09), and Chair Emeritus Derek Kilmer (WA-06), in sending a letter to Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, urging her to address glaring racial disparities in COVID-19 vaccine distribution. They called for the prioritization of adults 50 and older in multigenerational homes.

Kilmer, Luria, Pappas, Case Urge Biden to Support Shipyard Modernization Funding

NDC Chair Emeritus Derek Kilmer (WA-06) led Members, including NDC Reps. Elaine Luria (VA-02), Chris Pappas (NH-01), and Ed Case (HI-01) in urging the Biden Administration to prioritize funding in its Fiscal Year 2022 budget for the Navy’s Shipyard Optimization and Improvement Plan in order to strengthen, maintain, and modernize America’s fleet.

Strickland Condemns Atlanta Shooting and Anti-Asian Violence

Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) spoke on the House floor condemning the brutal shooting in Atlanta that took eight lives, including six Asian women, four of whom were of Korean descent.

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