February 14, 2020

Weekly Wrap 02/14/2020

This week, the New Democrat Coalition (NDC) was joined by Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14), Chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis (SCCC), who provided updates on the SCCC’s work so far in 2020. She applauded the NDC’s Priorities for U.S. Climate Policy and the endorsed bills the NDC put forth last fall and thanked Members for their active participation in the SCCC’s recent Member Day hearing. The NDC reiterated its commitment to working with the SCCC in developing innovative and politically durable solutions to the climate crisis.

The NDC Trade Task Force sent a letter to President Donald Trump rebuking him for violating the law by not releasing to Congress the report on the Section 232 investigation on proposed tariffs on imported automobiles and auto parts. The President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2020, which required his administration to release the completed Section 232 report by January 19, 2020. Despite this legal requirement, President Trump continues to undermine the constitutional balance of power between the co-equal branches of government. 

Happy Valentine’s Day! Wishing you a relaxing and enjoyable weekend with your loved ones.

Programming Note: We will not have a Weekly Wrap newsletter next week. We’ll be back February 28th.

More on what Members have been up to below.

 

Coalition Highlights

NDC Sends Letter to Trump on Section 232 Tariffs

NDC Vice Chairs Terri A. Sewell (AL-07) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Trade Task Force Co-Chairs Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Ron Kind (WI-03), Rick Larsen (WA-02), and Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), and Trade Task Force Members Don Beyer (VA-08), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), and Susan Davis (CA-53) sent a letter to President Trump criticizing his decision to withhold from Congress the report on the Section 232 investigation on proposed tariffs on imported auto and auto parts and urging him to abandon further tariff action that threatens global rules of trade and endangers the automotive industry, the nation’s economy, and hard-working Americans. Read the full letter. More in Politico Morning Trade and Inside U.S. Trade.

 

Member Highlights

Floor Action

House Passes Kilmer’s Legislation to Protect the Environment and Grow Jobs

The House passed NDC Chair Derek Kilmer’s (WA-06) Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild Scenic Rivers Act as part of a package of bills called the Protecting America’s Wilderness Act, which would permanently protect more than 126,000 acres of public land as wilderness and nineteen rivers and their major tributaries as Wild and Scenic Rivers.

House Passes Axne’s Legislation to Protect Against African Swine Fever

The House passed Rep. Cindy Axne’s (IA-03) Protecting America’s Food and Agriculture Act from the threat of deadly African Swine Fever (ASF) through expanded agricultural inspections. The bill authorizes U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to hire, train, and deploy 240 new agricultural specialists to prevent this dangerous disease from reaching the American food supply.

  

Committee Action

Science, Space, and Technology Committee Passes Bera’s Bipartisan Electric Grid Security Bill

The Science, Space, and Technology Committee unanimously passed NDC Leadership Member Ami Bera’s (CA-07) bipartisan Grid Security Research and Development Act. The legislation will ensure a strong and secure electric grid, which is critical to Americans’ quality of life, the economy, and national security. 

Science, Space, and Technology Committee Passes Casten’s Bipartisan Legislation to Develop Technologies to Decarbonize American Industries  

The Science, Space, and Technology Committee passed Rep. Sean Casten’s (IL-06) Clean Industrial Technology Act to establish a program to incentivize innovation and to enhance the industrial competitiveness of the United States by developing technologies to reduce emissions from various American industries through decarbonization.

 

Bill Introductions

Rice Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Increase VA Oversight

NDC Leadership Member Kathleen Rice (NY-04) introduced the bipartisan Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act to strengthen the oversight at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). The legislation would provide the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) with testimonial subpoena authority. Granting VA OIG with this new authority will better protect America’s veterans and help ensure the VA is operating efficiently, effectively, and in their best interests.

Sewell Introduces Bill to Help Families Repair and Replace Wastewater Systems

NDC Vice Chair Terri A. Sewell (AL-07) introduced the Decentralized Wastewater Grant Act to establish a grant program under the Clean Water Act to make additional federal funding for low and moderate-income families to repair and replace failing wastewater systems. 

Panetta Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Seniors in Hospice Care

Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) introduced the bipartisan Helping Our Senior Population in Comfort Environments (HOSPICE) Act to require additional oversight and transparency of Medicare hospice providers. The HOSPICE Act would achieve parity with other quality care, improve surveys and surveyor education, and increase transparency for patients and caregivers, including requiring states to maintain a toll-free hotline for hospice patients and their families to report abuse and neglect.

Moulton Introduces Bill to Protect National Security & American R&D

Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06) introduced the Foreign Influence Registration Modernization (FIRM) Act to modernize the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and focus law enforcement’s efforts on compliance by narrowing those who must register as foreign agents to include only those people working on behalf of foreign governments or foreign political parties. It would also greatly improve the enforceability of FARA by adding civil penalties in addition to criminal penalties.

Rep. Elaine Luria (VA-02) Introduces Two Pieces of Legislation to Help Veterans:

  • The bipartisan Military Pilot Cancer Incidence Study Act to empower the Department of Defense and Department of Veteran Affairs to more fully understand the incidence of cancer diagnosis and mortality among pilots in the uniformed services. This legislation would help ensure veterans’ access to quality, preventative health care for servicemembers.
  • The GI Bill Comparison Tool Data MOU Act to provide servicemembers with the most accurate information to make informed decisions about their education.

Plaskett Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Improve the Resilience of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico’s Infrastructure

NDC Infrastructure Task Force Co-Chair Stacey Plaskett (VI-AL) introduced the bipartisan Resiliency Enhancement Act to expand infrastructure eligible for additional resiliency assistance to include roads, bridges, ports, airports, affordable housing, and stormwater infrastructure, which would minimize the need for future taxpayer investments in recovery. This legislation aims to reduce global disaster loss through the construction of more climate-resilient infrastructure that can endure increasingly severe climate events.

Trahan, Dean Introduce Legislation to Protect Students and Taxpayers

Reps. Lori Trahan (MA-03) and Madeleine Dean (PA-04) introduced the Accreditation Reform Act to protect students and taxpayers by enhancing transparency, strengthening a system of checks and balances by establishing a bipartisan advisory board, modernizing the accreditation process, and increasing accountability by encouraging disciplinary action by the Department of Education against bad actors.

Norcross Introduces Bill to Help Military Families

Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01) introduced the Jobs and Childcare for Military Families Act, which focuses on reducing military spouse unemployment by changing the tax code to incentivize businesses to hire military spouses and improve servicemembers’ access to affordable childcare.

 

Member Happenings

Kilmer Receives Recognition from Nation’s Largest Native American Organization

NDC Chair Derek Kilmer (WA-06) received the 2020 Congressional Leadership Award from the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the interests of tribal governments and communities. 

Panetta Sent a Letter to the IRS Calling for Answers on Omitting MilTax for Veterans in Advertisements

Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles P. Rettig demanding answers for the agency’s omission of the MilTax program when advertising free tax preparation and filing programs for military servicemembers.

Sherrill Announces Infrastructure Revitalization Project Moves Forward

NDC Freshman Whip Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) announced Department of Transportation’s (DOT) new rating for the Portal North Bridge, which represents a significant step toward replacing the existing bridge. The 110-year-old swing bridge often fails to close properly and can cause extensive delays of the nation’s busiest rail corridor. 

Kuster Leads Bipartisan Opioid Task Force Roundtable

NDC Vice Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02) led the bipartisan Opioid Task Force in hosting a roundtable discussion on challenges in accessing mental health and substance use treatment under certain insurance plans. Despite federal laws requiring equal treatment and coverage of mental and behavioral health care versus other medical services, inequities remain. Watch the full roundtable discussion. 

Fletcher Calls on Treasury Department to Provide Guidance on Carbon Capture Tax Credit

Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) sent a letter to the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to issue critical guidance on the 45Q tax credit, which aims to incentivize carbon capture and removal technology deployment in the United States. 

Ruiz Receives Outstanding Government Service Award from American Medical Association

Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-36), one of three M.D.’s in the NDC, received the Outstanding Government Service Award from the American Medical Association, an award given annually to Member of the U.S. House of Representatives who has demonstrated outstanding contributions to improving public health.



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