May 24, 2019

Weekly Wrap

This week, the House passed the Consumers First Act, which would reverse the changes the Trump Administration has imposed on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) by restoring the agency’s supervisory and enforcement powers in certain areas and increasing the transparency and accountability needed for the agency to carry out its important mission. The House also passed by a large bipartisan vote the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, which would help more Americans save more for a secure retirement and delivers an urgently needed fix for Gold Star military families facing drastic tax hikes following the GOP tax bill.

NDC Members were disappointed that President Trump refused to meet with Congressional Leaders to discuss infrastructure this week and is threatening to derail progress on important issues where there is common ground. We were sent to Washington to solve problems and govern. The President’s refusal to work together on bipartisan issues of national importance like infrastructure is not in America’s interest. New Democrats will continue to advance a legislative agenda to improve the lives of the American people – like continuing to lower the cost of health care and prescription drug prices, creating economic opportunity, rebuilding our infrastructure, and protecting our environment.

More on what NDC Members have been up to below.

Coalition Highlights

New Democrat Coalition Statement on Trump’s Tariff Announcement

  • The NDC Chair Derek Kilmer, NDC Vice-Chair for Policy Suzan DelBene, and New Democrat Coalition Trade Task Force Co-Chairs Ron Kind, Rick Larsen, Greg Meeks, and Lizzie Fletcher released a statement last Friday in response to President Trump announcing his intent to lift steel and aluminum tariffs from Canada and Mexico.

New Democrat Coalition National Security Task Force Statement on Iran

  • Co-chairs of the New Democrat Coalition National Security Task Force, Reps. Brad Schneider (IL-10), Anthony Brown (MD-04), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), and Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) released a statement on the Trump Administration’s recent actions toward Iran, ahead of a Tuesday congressional briefing on the topic by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph Dunford, and Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan.

New Democrat Coalition Rolls Out the Housing & Technology Task Forces:

  • NDC Releases Housing Task Force Goals for the 116th Congress
    • The New Democrat Coalition Housing Task Force Co-Chairs Denny Heck, Katie Hill, and Ben McAdams released their goals for the 116th Congress. The Housing Task Force will meet with stakeholders and develop policy positions for the Coalition to advance in both the near term and long term.
    • NDC Releases Technology Task Force Goals for the 116th Congress
      • The New Democrat Coalition Technology Task Force Co-Chairs Darren Soto, Sharice Davids, Kendra Horn, and Harley Rouda released their goals for the 116th Congress. The Technology Task Force will meet with stakeholders and develop policy positions for the Coalition to advance in both the near term and long term.

New Democrat Coalition Chair Statement on House Passage of SECURE Act

  • New Democrat Coalition Chair Derek Kilmer released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1994, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act which would help more Americans—including seniors, home health-care workers, and students—to save more for a secure retirement and deliver an urgently needed fix for Gold Star military families facing drastic tax hikes following the GOP tax bill.

Member Highlights

Committee Action

Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress unanimously approves package of Recommendations to “Open Up” Congress

  • Chaired by Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06), the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress unanimously passed five new bipartisan recommendations that give the American people a better view into the legislative branch.

 

Judiciary Committee Passes Soto’s Venezuela TPS Act

  • The House Judiciary Committee passed Rep. Darren Soto’s (FL-09) Venezuela TPS Act of 2019, legislation that grants Temporary Protected Status eligibility to Venezuelan nationals living in the country. Read more in Spanish.

Bill Introductions

Kilmer Introduces Broadband for All Act

  • Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) introduced the Broadband for All Act, bipartisan legislation to create refundable tax credits for businesses and groups of people who team up to build the infrastructure that connects them to the country’s existing rural broadband service.

Kuster, Norcross Introduce Bill to Enforce Mental Health Parity, Hold Insurance Companies Accountable

  • Reps. Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Donald Norcross (NJ-01) introduced the Parity Enforcement Actwhich expands the U.S. Department of Labor’s authority to hold health insurers and plan sponsors accountable for offering health plans that violate the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.

Pappas Introduces the SERVE Act of 2019

  • Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01) introduced the Securing the Rights our Veterans have Earned (SERVE) Act of 2019 to guarantee protections for our nation’s active duty transgender service members discharged from the Armed Forces under the Trump Administration’s discriminatory transgender ban.

Sherrill Introduces Bipartisan Armament Graduate School Act

  • Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) introduced the bipartisan Armament Graduate School Act to provide degree-granting authority to the Armament Graduate School at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey.

Schrier Introduces Bipartisan Vaccines Education Bill

  • Rep. Kim Schrier (WA-08) introduces the VACCINES Act, a bipartisan bill to increase immunization rates across the country and prevent future outbreaks of contagious, deadly diseases by targeting education campaigns to places with low vaccine rates. 

Cisneros and Houlahan Introduce Legislation to Expand Veteran Women’s Health Transition Training Pilot Program

  • Reps. Gil Cisneros (CA-39) and Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) introduced the Helping Expand and Launch Transitional Health (HEALTH) for Women Veterans Act. This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to extend an ongoing pilot program jointly run with the US Air Force under the Transition Assistance Program that educates transitioning servicewomen about women’s health care at the VA.

Rouda Introduces Bipartisan Bill Protecting Boaters from Laser Interference

  • Rep. Harley Rouda (CA-48) introduced the bipartisan Boater Protection from Laser Pointers Act, legislation that prohibits individuals from striking vessels in U.S. waters with laser pointer beams.

Schneider Introduces Bills to Improve Premiums for High Deductible Plans & to Address Physician Shortages

Allred Introduces VA Newborn Emergency Treatment Act

  • Rep. Colin Allred (TX-32) introduced the VA Newborn Emergency Treatment Act, a bill to clarify that the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can cover the costs of transportation for newborn babies of certain women veterans. 

Stevens Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Stop Student Loan Scams

  • Rep. Haley Stevens (MI-11) introduced bipartisan legislation to give the US Department of Education and law enforcement agencies the tools needed to identify and shut down student debt relief scams.

McBath Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Veterans Experiencing Economic Hardship

  • Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06) introduced the bipartisan Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need (HAVEN) Act, which would protect veterans and their families who may be experiencing financial hardship and rely on disability benefits by changing existing bankruptcy law.

Member Happenings

Plaskett: The Role of Infrastructure in Bridging the Broadband Divide via The Hill

  • Rep. Stacey Plaskett (VI-AL) penned an op-ed in The Hill emphasizing the integral role of infrastructure in bridging the digital divide and ensuring all Americans have access to our nation’s technological advancements: “I believe that our innovative edge, rationalization of systems, and connectivity of goods and services as well as supply and demand are incomplete until the last mile of broadband access reaches rural America and underserved urban areas. That last access cannot be accomplished solely by the private sector; for national economic and security issues Congress must take on the task.”

Kuster Delivers Democratic Weekly Address

  • Rep. Ann Kuster (NH-02), Vice Chair for Communications, delivered the Democratic Weekly Address. She discussed the need for all Americans to have access to the health care they need, regardless of their pre-existing conditions.

Blunt Rochester Discusses Recent Legislation on POLITICO Podcast

  • Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL) joined POLITICO’s Dan Diamond to discuss her key role in the Obamacare and drug pricing legislation that just passed the House and how she views the health industry as a former state health official.

Moulton: Let’s Talk About Cannabis and the VA via Washington Examiner

  • Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06) addressed the need for the VA to allow veterans to discuss the use of marijuana with their doctors in his op-ed for the Washington Examiner: “I often hear about this from the Marines I served with and who either live in states where cannabis is legal, or wish they did. Many of them are using cannabis so that they don’t get addicted to opioids or other more dangerous alternatives.”
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