New Democrat Coalition Weekly Wrap 09/18/2020
During the district work period, New Democrat Coalition (NDC) Members remained active meeting with constituents, hosting virtual round tables with local organizations, and held virtual town halls to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and other important issues. In honor of National Black Business Month, the Coalition, led by NDC Vice Chair Terri Sewell (AL-07), partnered with the Congressional Black Caucus to provide resources and encourage Members to host district events with Black business leaders throughout the nation. Several New Dems and Members across the Democratic Caucus engaged with Black business leaders, learning from and promoting their experiences and expertise.
Last month, NDC Members endorsed the Delivering for America Act to safeguard the United States Postal Service (USPS) and ensure Americans can continue to rely on its regular, affordable, and universal service. The NDC applauded the passage of the legislation in the House. The services the USPS provides are more critical than ever at this time of great uncertainty, and the NDC remains committed to providing Americans with the resources they need to weather the pandemic. That’s why NDC Vice Chair Scott Peters (CA-52), New Dem Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08), and NDC Chair Derek Kilmer (WA-06) led a letter urging House Leadership to take action on enhanced unemployment insurance automatic stabilizers while Members returned to consider the USPS legislation. The letter, which had a total of 117 signers from across the House Democratic Caucus, specifically asked for House consideration of legislation that would reauthorize the lapsed enhanced unemployment assistance and automatically continue and adjust benefits based on economic and public health metrics until conditions recover closer to pre-crisis levels, avoiding future cliffs and lapses in critical unemployment aid for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.
NDC Members were back in Washington this week working to advance the interests of their constituents and curb the economic and public health impacts caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Since the onset of the pandemic, the NDC has been fighting to ensure American families, students, workers, small businesses, employers, health care providers, and communities have the resources and assistance they need in these difficult times. The NDC has made it clear that before Congress adjourns, there needs to be action on a COVID-19 relief and recovery package to tackle the public health crisis and help our impacted workers, businesses, and state and local governments.
More on what New Dems have been up to during the August district work period until now below.
NDC Highlights
ICYMI: The New York Times – No, the Democrats Haven’t Gone Over the Edge
The New Democrat Coalition (NDC), chaired by Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06), is the largest ideological House Democratic caucus at 104 Members strong. With 42 freshman, New Dem Members are the majority makers in the 116th Congress. The NDC are forward-thinking Democrats committed to identifying pragmatic, pro-growth, and innovative policy solutions to the challenges we face as nation. David Brooks analyzes the role of moderate House Democrats in the broader Democratic party. Read more in The New York Times.
NDC Leadership Members spoke with reporters to discuss the Coalition’s recent work around coronavirus relief and NDC priorities for the September work period. Read more in Roll Call, Bloomberg, The Hill, Politico, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal.
NDC Endorses Legislation to Protect United States Postal Service
The NDC, led by NDC Chair Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and Vice Chair for Policy Suzan DelBene (WA-01), endorsed the Delivering for America Act, which provides additional funding to the United States Postal Service (USPS) and prohibits any changes to the operations or service levels that would impede prompt, reliable, and efficient service for the duration of the coronavirus crisis or through January 2021. As more Americans rely on the USPS during this crisis, this legislation is critical to protecting the health and financial security of Americans, and to safeguarding our democracy.
NDC Vice Chair Scott Peters (CA-52), along with NDC Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08), Vice Chair of the Joint Economic Committee, and NDC Chair Derek Kilmer (WA-06), led 114 Members in sending a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer urging the House to take action on unemployment insurance (UI) automatic stabilizers to provide for the reauthorization of these critical lapsed programs and provide much needed support to tens of millions of unemployed workers. In the letter, NDC Members recommend consideration of the NDC-supported Worker Relief and Security Act, which was introduced by NDC Rep. Don Beyer and NDC Chair Derek Kilmer. See the full letter signed by 117 House Democrats here. Read more in The Hill, Politico, CNBC, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. Hear more from Rep. Don Beyer in his podcast discussion with the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI).
NDC Commemorates Congressional Startup Day
The NDC commemorated Congressional Startup Day 2020 and honored the crucial contributions American startups and small businesses make to the nation’s economy: “Congressional Startup Day is an important reminder to not only celebrate the determination and accomplishments of American entrepreneurs, but also to consider real policy solutions that will continue to facilitate success for new businesses in the United States. The New Democrat Coalition will continue fighting for American entrepreneurs in every zip code across America to spur widespread economic growth and opportunity and keep the U.S. on the cutting edge.”
Featured Video
Kuster Joins CSPAN’s Washington Journal to Discuss U.S. Coronavirus Response
NDC Vice Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02) joined CSPAN’s Washington Journal to discuss the United States response to the coronavirus pandemic and the need to ensure the distribution of a vaccine in a fair, equitable, and timely manner.
Floor Action
House Passes Sherrill’s Bipartisan Election Security Legislation
The House passed NDC Freshman Whip Mikie Sherrill’s (NJ-11) bipartisan Election Technology Research Act to initiate critical research by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Science Foundation into the security and modernization of U.S. voting systems.
House Unanimously Passes McBath, Axne’s Bipartisan Legislation to Support Child Care Providers
The House unanimously passed Reps. Lucy McBath (GA-06) and Cindy Axne’s (IA-03) bipartisan Child Care Protection Improvement Act, which was previously passed by the Senate, to address barriers in completing background checks for child care providers who receive funding through the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG). Pending approval of the amended timeline by the Senate, the bill will head to the president’s desk to be signed into law.
Committee Action
Energy and Commerce Committee Passes Peters’ Legislation to Prevent Youth Suicide
The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed NDC Vice Chair Scott Peters’ (CA-52) Suicide and Threat Assessment Nationally Dedicated to Universal Prevention (STANDUP) Act, which encourages schools to implement evidence-based suicide prevention training for students.
The House Small Business Committee passed Rep. Angie Craig’s (MN-02) bipartisan 504 Modernization and Small Manufacturer Enhancement Act, which increase maximum loan amounts, streamline the loan process and provide additional support to manufacturers who apply for the loan from local SBA District Offices.
NDC Member Legislation
NDC Freshman Leadership Representative Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) and Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Global Learning Loss Assessment Act to identify the scope of education loss. School closures stemming from this global health crisis have affected over 1 billion students around the world, and, according to a recent study by Save the Children, about 10 million students are in danger of permanently dropping out of school due to rising poverty related to the pandemic.
Rice Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Combat Drug-Impaired Driving
NDC Leadership Member Kathleen Rice (NY-04) introduced the bipartisan Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act of 2020, which would establish an annual federal grant program for states to educate the public on the dangers of drug-impaired driving.
Schrier Introduces Two Bills to Improve Child Nutrition, Access to Healthy Food During Pandemic
NDC Health Care Task Force Co-Chair Kim Schrier (WA-08) introduced two bills that will provide children and families with better access to healthy, nutritious food during the pandemic:
- The WIC Waiver Extension Act would allow USDA to extend through FY 21 the WIC waivers passed in the second COVID package, the Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).
- The Fruits and Vegetables for Children During the Pandemic Act would provide Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) recipients with a $35/month increase in food benefits for fruits and vegetables. P-EBT is a temporary program for children who typically receive most of their nutrition and meals at school but are unable to attend due to the pandemic.
Mucarsel-Powell Introduces Legislation to Combat Gun Trafficking
Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26), who lost her father to gun violence, introduced the Firearms Retailer Code of Conduct Act, legislation to curb the illegal trafficking of firearms and prevent gun violence. The bill requires gun dealers and employees to regularly complete training to identify fraudulent and illegal purchases.
Ruiz Introduces Legislation to Increase Veterans’ Access to Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits
Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) introduced the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act to streamline the process for obtaining VA benefits for burn pit and other toxic exposures. Rep. Ruiz took up the issue of burn pits when he learned of local veteran Jennifer Kepner, who died of pancreatic cancer after serving in the Air Force in Iraq.
Demings, Quigley Introduce Legislation to Remove LGBTQ+ Discrimination in Blood Donations
Reps. Val Demings (FL-10) and Mike Quigley (IL-05) introduced the Science in Blood Donation Act to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revise its Guidance on Reducing the Risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission (HIV) by Blood and Blood Products based on an assessment of current testing accuracy and individual risk-based analysis, rather than categorization. It would also require the FDA to revise the donor questionnaire based on an individual risk assessment of sexual behaviors upon which all donors are evaluated equally, without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity.
NDC Member Action
Rep. David Trone (MD-06) and NDC Vice Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02) announced a bipartisan, bicameral effort to highlight National Recovery Month in Congress throughout the month of September, including a Congressional Day of Action on September 16th.
DelBene Leads WA Delegation NDC Members in Hosting National Black Business Month Event
NDC Vice Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01) led the NDC Washington delegation, including NDC Chair Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and Reps. Denny Heck (WA-10), Kim Schrier (WA-08), and Rick Larsen (WA-02), in hosting a discussion with Black business leaders to learn more about the challenges they’re facing and what Congress can do to support them.
Peters, Davids Join PPI for a Podcast Discussion on Rebuilding America’s Fiscal Strategy
NDC Vice Chair Scott Peters (CA-52) and Rep. Sharice Davids (KS-03) joined PPI for a podcast discussion on budget priorities, the value of automatic stabilizers, and thoughts on how our economy can return with a resilient recovery.
Several NDC Members Named Finalists in Congressional Management Foundation’s 2020 Democracy Awards
The Congressional Management Foundation announced the finalists for the third annual Democracy Awards. Several New Dem Members, including NDC Chair Derek Kilmer (WA-06), NDC Freshman Leadership Representative Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), and Reps. Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Kendra Horn (OK-05), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Donna Shalala (FL-27), Cindy Axne (IA-03), and Tom O’Halleran (AZ-01), have been named finalists. Members were nominated in the following categories: Constituent Service, ‘Life in Congress’ Workplace Environment, Transparency & Accountability, and Innovation & Modernization.
NDC Freshman Leadership Representative Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) penned an op-ed in Pennsylvania Capital Star highlighting the need to address climate change in a timely manner to avoid catastrophic change: “The science is clear: if we delay action any longer, we will be hard-pressed to halt the worst effects of climate change. And furthermore, many of these consequences will continue to hit low-income communities and communities of color the hardest.”
Schrier: Decisions on Reopening Schools Must Be Based on Evidence via The American Independent
NDC Health Care Task Force Co-Chair Kim Schrier (WA-08) penned an op-ed in The American Independent stressing the importance of taking a science- and evidence-based approach to reopening schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic: “As a mom, a pediatrician, a person at higher risk for severe illness from the coronavirus, and the daughter of a schoolteacher, I look at this issue from all of these perspectives… To get this right, we first need to dramatically reduce community spread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet given us a number that could predict success, but Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, suggests that, without a vaccine, suppressing incidence to less than one case a day per 100,000 population would be a ‘green light.’
Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) penned an op-ed in The Hill calling on the Senate to take action in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura and pass her bipartisan disaster recovery bill, the Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects (HELP) Act: “The HELP Act represents the good we can do—and must do. While it will not solve every problem, it will provide real and tangible help for communities in moments like this one. And it provides a roadmap to the coalition-building, bipartisan work that we expect and deserve from our lawmakers.”
Cooper: How Do You Like Your Music in Nashville? Dead or Alive? via Tennessean
Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) penned an op-ed in the Tennessean addressing the need to pass relief bills to support the music, restaurant, and entertainment industries during the COVID-19 pandemic: “There are four key bills before Congress to help these vulnerable and precious industries. The bills names are Save Our Stages, RESTART, RESTAURANTS, and (help us think of a better name) Mixed Earner Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act…Yes, these bills are expensive and, as a budget hawk, I hate deficits. But we are in the worst economy since the Great Depression and government can, and should, help us climb out of the hole. The government has a duty to bridge our economy to a vaccine.”
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