July 30, 2021

New Democrat Coalition Weekly Wrap 07/30/2021

This week, the House advanced nine government funding bills for the 2022 fiscal year. These bills reflected the many contributions of New Democrat Coalition (NDC) Members on and off the Appropriations Committee. In addition, Congress cleared important legislation to fund necessary security improvements at the Capitol complex and expedite the special immigrant visas for Afghan allies who assisted U.S. troops during combat in Afghanistan. 

New Dem Members met with Speaker Nancy Pelosi to discuss the ongoing talks over the infrastructure package, budget resolution, and upcoming reconciliation bill. New Dems also met with Senator Dick Durbin to discuss the path forward for immigration legislation in the Senate. 

Over the last several weeks, the Coalition and the NDC Infrastructure Task Force have worked with Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio and New Dem Members on the committee, Congressional leadership, and colleagues in the House and Senate to advance New Dem-endorsed priorities in the final bipartisan infrastructure package. The Coalition looks forward to learning more about the specifics of the deal announced this week, and working with our colleagues to advance this important part of the President’s Build Back Better Agenda. 

Finally, the New Democrat Coalition (NDC) announced our second slate of policy task forces in the 117th Congress, including the Future of Work and Capitalism, Rural Reinvestment, and Trade task forces. 

Programming Note: The Weekly Wrap will return in September, after the August District Work Period.

More on what New Dems have been up to below.

Coalition Highlights 

New Democrat Coalition Unveils Second Slate of Policy Task Forces

  • Led by NDC Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Vice Chair for Policy Scott Peters (CA-52), New Dems announced three additional policy task forces: the Future of Work and Capitalism, Rural Reinvestment, and Trade Task Forces. These policy task forces will develop and advance policies to harness the opportunities for workers and our economy in the 21st century, strengthen our rural communities, and ensure the U.S. is setting the rules for the global economy.

  • The task forces are led by issue-area experts and join the previously announced Climate Change, Health Care, Immigration, and Infrastructure Task Forces. The seven NDC policy task forces in the 117th Congress are led by issue-area experts and develop innovative policy solutions that tangibly benefit the lives of American people.

NDC Members Meet with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

  • Speaker Pelosi spoke with the Coalition about the bipartisan infrastructure package, the budget resolution, and expected reconciliation bill. The Coalition’s top priorities for the reconciliation bill continue to be: making the expanded Child Tax Credit Permanent, creating jobs and opportunities everywhere with robust, flexible 10-year comprehensive economic development grants for persistently distressed communities, leveraging every decarbonization tool available to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest, and building towards universal affordable coverage by making the ACA premium subsidies in the American Rescue Plan permanent.  

  • New Dems are focused on ensuring the budget resolution instructions to committees provide an avenue for committees and Members to advance our priorities when developing the reconciliation bill. As we approach the reconciliation bill, New Dems believe Congress should prioritize doing a few things well to maximize our investments in the future instead of doing many things for short periods of time with cliffs and uncertainty. 

New Dems Meet with Senator Dick Durbin 

  • Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Immigration Task Force Co-Chairs Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Greg Stanton (AZ-09) hosted a meeting for New Dem Members with Senate Judiciary Chairman and Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) to discuss immigration legislation in the Senate.

  • Earlier this year, the Coalition endorsed the Dream and Promise Act and Farm Workforce Modernization Act. New Dems are committed to comprehensive immigration reform to create a modern system that reflects our American values, supports U.S. businesses and farmers, and smartly secures our border.

ICYMI: NDC Members Highlight Need to Invest in Childcare and Eldercare

  • New Dems have been calling for strong investments in our nation’s childcare and eldercare industries to help parents get back to work, support families, and grow our economy. New Dem Members recently participated in a Week of Action, holding conversations with caregivers across the country and calling for more investments in childcare and eldercare.

Featured Video 

  • January 6th Commission Member Rep Stephanie Murphy (FL-07) recounts her experience on during the attack on the U.S. Capitol and the courage of the Capitol Police Officer Daniel Hodges.

Member Highlights 

Bill Action

Wild Legislation to Invest in Innovation Passes Committee

  • Rep. Susan Wild’s (PA-07) Regional Innovation Act of 2021 to help the U.S. prosper through regional tech and innovation hubs passed the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. This legislation incorporates provisions from Rep. Joe Morelle’s (NY-25) NDC-endorsed Innovation Centers Acceleration Act and will help the U.S prepare for the opportunities of the 21st century.

Brownley Legislation to Address the Mental Health Needs of Native Veterans Passes Committee  

  • Rep. Julia Brownley’s (CA-26) bill, the American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans Mental Health Act, passed the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. This legislation would mandate that every VA medical facility have a minority veteran coordinator who is trained in the delivery of mental health care for Native Veterans.

NDC Member Legislation 

DelBene Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Increase Care Coordination for Seniors 

  • NDC Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01) reintroduced the bipartisan Seniors’ Chronic Care Management Improvement Act to facilitate better chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries. This legislation would lower patient costs and allow American seniors to receive a higher standard of care, resulting in better health outcomes. 

Larsen, Kilmer, and Smith Introduce Legislation to Help High School Students Access In-Demand Jobs in STEM Industries

  • Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), NDC Chair Emeritus Derek Kilmer (WA-06), and Rep. Adam Smith (WA- 09) introduced the American Workforce Investment in Next Generation of Students (WINGS) Act to help U.S. high school students access the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills they need to access in-demand jobs in those growing industries in the future.

Sewell and Ruiz Introduce Legislation to Ensure Access to Innovative Multi-Cancer Screening Technologies for Medicare Beneficiaries

  • NDC Health Care Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) and Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-36) introduced the bipartisan Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act of 2021 to ensure prompt access to FDA-approved multi-cancer screening tests for seniors. The legislation would also support innovation for screening technologies that detects multiple types of cancer before symptoms develop. 

McBath, Panetta, and Cuellar Introduce the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Modernization Act  

  • Reps. Lucy McBath (GA-06), Jimmy Panetta (CA-20), and Henry Cuellar (TX-28) reintroduced the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Modernization to simplify and modernize federal student loan forgiveness programs, allowing public servants to navigate the loan forgiveness system more easily.

Houlahan Introduces Bipartisan Stop Copay Overpay Act to Reduce Health Care Costs for Veterans and Their Families 

  • NDC Whip Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) introduced the Stop Copay Overpay Act. This bipartisan legislation would limit copayments for outpatient visits for mental health or behavioral health under the TRICARE program. Successful passage of this bill would ensure our service members, veterans, and their families receive the care they need at a reasonable cost.

McEachin Introduces Legislation to Promote Safe Storage of Firearms

  • Rep. Donald McEachin (VA-04) introduced the Firearm Owners Responsibility and Safety Act to promote safe storage of firearms and reduce gun-related injuries and deaths. The bill mandates the use of secure gun storage or safety devices when a firearm is not in use and promotes the safe storage of firearms through the implementation of a grant program for states to pass and enforce safe storage laws.

Perlmutter Introduces Bill to Support Research on Space

  • Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) introduced the Space Resources Institute Act to direct NASA to study establishing an educational institution to support research on space resources and to help maintain the United States’ preeminence in space. This legislation would also direct NASA must submit to Congress a report on its findings at the end of the study. 

NDC Member Action

Himes Chairs First Fair Growth Committee Hearing  

Plaskett Leads Letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services on Sickle Cell Disease

  • NDC Leadership Member Stacey Plaskett (VI-AL) led the Congressional Black Caucus on a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra urging a focus on sickle cell disease treatment.

  • The letter calls for better access, especially in Black communities, to treatment and closing gaps in Medicaid coverage. Read the full letter here.

Horsford: Washington to the rescue for rural Nevada via Las Vegas Review Journal

  • Rep.Steven Horsford (NV-04), alongside NyE Communities Coalition Executive Director Stacy Smith, penned an op-ed in the Las Vegas Review Journalon how the American Rescue Plan is stepping up to deliver for rural Americans.

Beyer Leads Bipartisan Delegation Urging Interior Department to Relist Gray Wolves

  • Rep. DonBeyer (VA-08) led a bipartisan group of 85 Representatives in a letter to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, urging her to reconsider the decision to delist the Gray Wolf under the Endangered Species Act. The Members stressed that a rapid decline in the wolf population would have a negative effect on their habitat and could be detrimental to local ecosystems. Read the full letter here.

--->