New Democrat Coalition Weekly Wrap 03/26/2021
The New Democrat Coalition (NDC) mourns the loss of life from the tragic violence in Atlanta and Boulder. Our thoughts are with the victims’ families and the thousands of Asian American men and women who have suffered race-based hate, harassment, and violence. We join our colleagues in a renewed call for meaningful action to address gun violence and hate crimes in America.
This week, NDC Members, in coordination with President Joe Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris, held events across the country to highlight the important provisions included in the American Rescue Plan and let local leaders and constituents know help is here. The legislation included many NDC-endorsed priorities and provides funding to end the pandemic, reopen schools safely, and support families, workers, small businesses, frontline health care workers, and more.
In case you missed it: The NDC launched the Immigration Task Force which will be led by Co-Chairs Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Greg Stanton (AZ-09). In its first action of the 117th Congress, the NDC Immigration Task Force announced the Coalition’s endorsement of two pieces of immigration reform legislation: H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, and H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which both passed out of the House last week.
More on what New Dems have been up to below.
Programming Note: We will not have a Weekly Wrap the next two weeks during the District Work Period. We’ll be back April 16th.
NDC Highlights
In case you missed it: The NDC launched the Immigration Task Force, which will be led by Co-Chairs Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Greg Stanton (AZ-09). The task force announced the Coalition’s endorsement of two key immigration bills: H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, and H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. Read more on the NDC Immigration Task Force’s rollout in Santa Maria Sun, Santa Barbara News-Press, and Santa Barbara Independent here and below. Watch the NDC’s press conference here.
Featured Video
Crow, Wasserman Schultz, McBath Call on Senate to Pass Gun Reform Legislation
Following the deadly shootings in Atlanta and Boulder, Reps. Jason Crow (CO-06), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), and Lucy McBath (GA-06) joined a press conference to address the pressing need to pass commonsense gun reform legislation and urged the Senate to take action.
Bill Action
Senate Passes Bourdeaux’s Bipartisan Legislation to Extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
The Senate passed Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux’s (GA-07) bipartisan 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.
The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee passed Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and Marilyn Strickland’s (WA-10) Promoting United Government Efforts to Save Our Sound (PUGET SOS) Act to enhance the federal government’s role and investment in the Puget Sound, the nation’s largest estuary by volume.
NDC Member COVID-19 Legislation
Bera Introduces Legislation to Help Prepare the United States for Future Epidemics
NDC Vice Chair Ami Bera (CA-24) introduced the Securing America from Epidemics (SAFE) Act to help prepare the United States for future epidemics. The SAFE Act authorizes the U.S.’s participation in the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a public-private partnership developing vaccines for coronavirus and other highly infectious pathogens.
Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), NDC Whip Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), and Ron Kind (WI-03) introduced the Ensuring Parity in MA and PACE for Audio-Only Telehealth Act to help ensure Medicare Advantage enrollees who cannot access the video component during telehealth visits are able to access care through audio visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wexton Introduces Legislation to Examine Spread of COVID-19 Misinformation and Disinformation
Rep. Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) introduced the COVID-19 Disinformation Research and Reporting Act to explore the roles disinformation and misinformation have played in the public’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the public acceptance of vaccines. The legislation would also explore possible financial incentives from the spread of false information, the role of social media in promoting these narratives, and strategies to limit its negative impacts.
NDC Member Legislation
NDC Vice Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08) introduced the bicameral Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act to reverse harmful Trump-era policies that weakened the Affordable Care Act’s protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions.
Peters Introduces Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Confront the Rising Threat of Methamphetamine
NDC Vice Chair Scott Peters (CA-52) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Methamphetamine Response Act to direct the Office of National Drug Control Policy to develop, implement and make public a national plan to prevent methamphetamine addiction and overdoses from becoming a crisis.
Kuster Introduces Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Prevent Military Family Violence, Abuse
NDC Vice Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02) introduced the bipartisan Military Family Violence Prevention Act to improve the Department of Defense’s Family Advocacy Program by ensuring the program is properly resourced, improving coordination of the program on military installations, and increasing education about the program for servicemembers and families in order to quickly intervene and prevent domestic violence and abuse in the military.
Phillips, Malinowski, Spanberger Introduce Legislation to Combat Oppressive Government Surveillance
Reps. Dean Phillips (MN-03), Tom Malinowski (NJ-07), and Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) introduced the bipartisan Foreign Advanced Technology Surveillance Accountability Act to counteract foreign governments who abuse cutting-edge technology to repress their citizens.
Kirkpatrick Introduces Legislation to Allow Dreamers to Work in the House and Senate
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-02) introduced the American Dream Employment Act to allow Dreamers to pursue paid employment in the House and Senate. The bill also establishes permanent employment eligibility in the House and Senate for Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure recipients.
McBath Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Support Survivors of Domestic Violence
Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06) introduced the bipartisan Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act to reauthorize and expand funding for programs focused on protecting survivors and preventing family and domestic violence.
Rep. Lori Trahan (MA-03) introduced the Children and Media Research Advancement Act to study the impact of technology and media on children. The legislation authorizes the National Institutes of Health to lead a research program on technology and media’s effects on infants, children, and adolescents in core areas of cognitive, physical, and socio-emotional development.
NDC Members Promote the American Rescue Plan
NDC Members, in coordination with President Joe Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris, have been hosting events to promote the American Rescue Plan:
- NDC Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) held a press call to discuss the state and local funding provisions.
- NDC Vice Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02) welcomed Dr. Jill Biden to New Hampshire on the “Help Is Here” tour.
- NDC Whip Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) welcomed President Joe Biden to Pennsylvania on the “Help Is Here” tour.
- Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) welcomed Dr. Jill Biden to Alabama on the “Help Is Here” tour.
- Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04) welcomed Vice President Kamala Harris to Nevada on the “Help Is Here” tour.
- Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06) hosted a telephone town hall with local county officials to highlight provisions, including funding for vaccine deployment, school re-openings, and stimulus checks.
- Rep. Cheri Bustos (IL-17) hosted a small business webinar with Small Business Administration experts, who were available to answer questions from business owners.
- Rep. Susie Lee (NV-03) hosted a virtual roundtable on shuttered venues with experts from the Small Business Administration.
- Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24) visited a local veterans’ vaccination clinic, where he discussed vaccine provisions.
- Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16) visited a local vaccination clinic for rural communities and essential farm workers, where he discussed vaccine provisions.
- Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01), along with the governor and New Jersey officials, visited a local vaccination clinic for teachers and child care workers, where he discussed provisions to get children back to school safely.
- Rep. David Trone (MD-06) launches an American Rescue Plan tour across his district to highlight how the bill will will help local communities put vaccines in arms, money in pockets, workers back on the job, and children back in the classroom safely.
NDC Member Action
NDC Chair Emeritus Derek Kilmer (WA-06) led Members, including NDC Reps. Tom O’Halleran (AZ-01), Greg Stanton (AZ-09), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Adam Smith (WA-09), NDC Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01), NDC Vice Chair Sharice Davids (KS-03), Rick Larsen (WA-02), and Kim Schrier (WA-08), in sending a letter to President Biden urging his Administration to address the chronic federal shortfalls in funding identified by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in its 2018 report, Broken Promises: Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans.
Reps. Al Lawson (FL-05), Darren Soto (FL-09), Charlie Crist (FL-13), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) sent a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis calling for better targeting of the state funds allocated in the American Rescue Plan.
Rice Joins CQ Roll Call to Discuss Home Ownership in America
Rep. Kathleen Rice (NY-04) joined CQ Roll Call’s Senior Vice President Josh Resnik to discuss how Congress and the Administration can reduce barriers to homeownership, including labor shortages, growing student debt, and a global pandemic.
Larsen Urges Investment in America’s Transportation Network
Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) sent a letter to Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter DeFazio urging federal investment in the nation’s transportation network. The letter comes after Rep. Larsen’s release of a comprehensive report highlighting local transportation infrastructure needs in his district.
Bustos Visits Local Small Business, Promotes Her New Legislation
Rep. Cheri Bustos (IL-17) visited the Galena Canning Company, where she spent time working in the company’s production kitchen. She discussed her new legislation, the Small Business Succession Planning Act, with the owner. The bill would incentivize and assist businesses in developing a succession plan.
Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX-16) penned an op-ed in The New York Times addressing the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border and the need to pass meaningful immigration reform: “If we continue to ignore the facts and use the same failed approaches of the past, we shouldn’t be surprised when we have the same conversations every year. The Biden administration is willing to try new approaches and focus on solutions; it wants to restore order and humanity once and for all. It deserves a chance. I’m not asking for open borders. I’m simply asking for open minds.”
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