Washington, D.C. – Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal released the following statement congratulating Senators-elect Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff on their pivotal wins in Georgia:
“Congratulations to Senators-elect Warnock and Ossoff on their victories. This isn’t just a victory for Democrats – it’s a win for working families across the nation who have suffered at the hands of Mitch McConnell’s obstruction and cruelty for far too long.
“As Senators-elect Warnock and Ossoff have rightly pointed out, a Democratic Senate means that families across the nation will receive $2000 survival checks. But it also means that Congress can finally act to pass bold climate legislation that creates jobs, saves our planet, and helps frontline communities. It means that we can pass COVID-19 relief that meets the scale of the crisis – with robust aid for the unemployed, families on the brink of eviction, health care for everyone in the midst of a pandemic, and aid for state and local communities. It means we can finally fix our broken immigration system, raise the minimum wage, begin to dismantle structural racism, and restore power to the hands of workers. It means we can strengthen our democracy by ending corruption and protecting access to the ballot box. It means we can finally address the real racism that exists in our institutions, and pass bold policies that help us achieve justice in policing. Progressives have laid out an ambitious People’s Agenda for the first six months of this year, and we’re ready to work with our Senate and White House partners to make it a reality.
“Let us be very clear on how last night’s victory happened. It was the result of years of dogged — often unrecognized — on-the-ground organizing in Black, Latinx, and AAPI communities. It was about delivering hope again to people, letting them know that their voices matter and that our democracy can never achieve its potential without their voices. Both Senators-elect ran campaigns built on big ideas; they challenged the corruption and self-dealing in Washington, took on Big Pharma, fought for debt-free college, and ran on an inclusive and pro-immigrant agenda. Now, we must keep our promise to these voters by governing with conviction and delivering relief and opportunity so families across the nation can thrive, not just survive. Let’s get to work.”
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