News

WASHINGTON — Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Chair of the CPC Policing, Constitution, and Equality Task Force, issued the following statement in response to the body camera footage from Memphis Police in the killing of Tyre Nichols:

“Like so many across the country, we are horrified and appalled by the actions seen in the video of the murder of Tyre Nichols. The utter lack of humanity on display in the video defies even the worst expectations.

“As mothers, seeing Tyre call out for his mother is deeply painful. As human beings, this vicious murder leaves us shaken to the core. We are outraged at the ongoing violence, injustice, and brutality that Black people face every day in our country.

“People are rightfully furious by what we’ve seen. That anger is justified, and must be directed toward demanding accountability and reform of law enforcement and the criminal legal system, including an end to the police culture of use of force. Just as we have had a national conversation about safety during mental health calls, we must also address safety during traffic stops. Preserving public safety means ending qualified immunity, reducing unnecessary contact between police and communities, and fundamentally reimagining public safety in our country. We must end the filibuster, pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and the Mental Health Justice Act, and put a stop to this devastation.

“We mourn Tyre Nichols and extend our prayers to his loved ones. We mourn George Floyd, whose name was invoked by Keenan Anderson in a police killing earlier this month. We mourn Breonna Taylor. We mourn Eric Garner. We mourn Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, and every single innocent Black life taken by police who should still be with us today.

“We must all recommit ourselves to making real, systemic, lasting change — and progressives in Congress will not back down from this fight.”

WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and Representative Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), chair of the CPC Immigration Task Force, released the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s announcement on increased border enforcement actions:

“The Biden Administration’s announcement of expanded legal pathways to come to the United States — something President Trump ripped away ruthlessly — is long overdue. The moves to expand the parole process to include Nicaraguans, Haitians, and Cubans; increase the number of individuals permitted to come through this parole program; and triple refugee resettlement from the Western Hemisphere over the next two years are commendable. 

“However, the new Department of Homeland Security proposal also includes expanding the use of Title 42, a public health law weaponized by Donald Trump to deny legal rights to asylum seekers, as well as potential regulations that would restrict the legal right to seek asylum. That is unacceptable. We recognize that President Biden has inherited a broken immigration system, and that he has taken steps to restore it by ending the Trump administration’s discriminatory and xenophobic implementation of Title 42. Even as that effort has unfortunately been thwarted in the courts, we cannot go backwards. Immigrants and their families are not a political football, and seeking asylum is a legal right. We must work to find policy solutions to meet the deep humanitarian need at the border and uphold U.S. treaty obligations by continuing to expand legal pathways to the United States and ensuring efficient and timely processing of people seeking protection. We must address the root causes of this crisis, including reconsidering Trump-era sanctions that have fueled much of the economic deterioration that triggered the latest wave of migration. Democrats must refuse to participate in Republicans’ games with people’s lives. 

“Despite congressional Republicans’ refusal to humanely engage with this issue, the American people want to see our government treat people with humanity, keep families together and recognize the value and necessity of immigrants. The details of this new rule will be critical. We strongly urge the Biden administration to reconsider this proposal, and work in consultation with members of Congress and immigration organizations to find solutions that live up to our American values.” 

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives voted to pass the Consolidated Appropriations Act of FY2023, including funding several key progressives priorities, the Congressional Progressive Caucus announced today.

Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement:

“The Consolidated Appropriations Act of FY2023 is another powerful example of progressives’ governing skill. Our advocacy was particularly key in increasing National Labor Relations Board funding for the first time in nearly a decade, extending robust Medicaid support for American citizens in the territories, strengthening nutrition programs for low-income children, expanding affordable housing, and other programs that directly support and invest in working people. CPC members were also essential in leading so many of the progressive priorities attached to the spending bill. We are particularly grateful to CPC member and House Appropriations Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro for her tireless work and to Congressional leadership in the House and Senate for their partnership.

“While we are disappointed that Republicans blocked the reinstatement of an expanded Child Tax Credit to reduce child poverty, we are pleased that a number of massive corporate tax giveaways, provisions to continue Title 42, and fossil fuel permitting proposals were excluded from the bill. Progressives kept our promise that there would be no corporate tax breaks without relief for working families, and will continue to fight for the essential and hugely successful Child Tax Credit to be brought back. We will also need to remain vigilant against the ballooning of military spending in future budgets. Republicans exploited their leverage with the filibuster to break the longstanding tradition of equal military and non-military spending increases, but we cannot allow that to become the new normal.”

“The omnibus package will also pass legislation from CPC members, including Representative Jerry Nadler (NY-10)’s Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which will ensure no worker can be fired or retaliated against on the job for needing reasonable accommodations for their pregnancy; Representative Joe Neguse (CO-02)’s Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act to continue antitrust reform; Representative Frank Pallone (NJ-06)’s Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act, which expands programs and grants to improve mental health and substance abuse; and Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09)’s INFORM Consumers Act, to combat online retail crime and identity theft. It also includes the Electoral Count Reform Act, which will protect the certification of American presidential elections from subversion.

“I feel proud that as the 117th Congress ends, the Progressive Caucus has done everything we could deliver for our communities.”

The FY23 omnibus appropriations bill includes the following progressive priorities:

• Increases funding for the National Labor Relations Board for the first time in nearly a decade, adding $25 million to the agency’s budget that is essential to keep pace with expanded worker union organizing and collective bargaining across the country, and to protect workers’ rights from union-busting and retaliation;

• Extends robust Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories to protect these American citizens’ access to care, including ensuring that more than 1 million Puerto Rico residents do not lose their health coverage or experience deep cuts to eligibility and benefits;

• Extend the summer school meals program for low-income students, including rural home delivery, to ensure that children do not go hungry while school is out of session;

• Provides new, permanent food assistance for low-income families in the summer with a $40 grocery benefit per child per month;

• Adds $1 billion to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program so that the support available to families will increase to account for higher energy costs;

• Appropriates $27 billion for disaster relief for communities impacted by extreme weather events, which are critical to helping the agency meet the increased frequency and severity of natural disasters;

• Increases funding for child care, Head Start, and Pre-K for low-income families by nearly $3 billion;

• Expands access to affordable housing and rental assistance for tens of thousands of families at risk of homelessness;

• Continues coverage for 40 million children on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), ensuring uninterrupted access to health care throughout the year;

• Significantly increases funding support for antitrust enforcement at the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice;

• Permanently extends Medicaid postpartum health care coverage for 12 months to participating states;

• Fully funds the implementation of the Honoring our PACT Act, which will provide medical care to millions of veterans exposed to toxins during their military service;

• Provides robust funding for FEMA’s Case Management Pilot Program to help people navigate immigration proceedings;

• Extends the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program through the end of 2024 and adds 4,000 more visas; and,

• Provides billions of dollars in federal support to thousands of community projects across the United States, advocated for by House Democrats.

WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, announced 14 appointments to complete the Caucus executive board for the 118th Congress today. 

These leaders will serve alongside their colleagues elected to CPC leadership earlier this month, and assume their roles in January 2023 as part of the 30-member executive board. The executive board will be 50 percent women and 73 percent people of color and LGBTQ members, with representation from 18 states in the East, West, South, and Midwest, making it the most diverse leadership in the history of the CPC. Together, they will also oversee the largest Progressive Caucus in history which, with the addition of at least 16 freshmen, will grow to include 103 members at the start of the 118th Congress.

The members appointed to the executive board include:

Deputy Whips

• Representative Veronica Escobar (TX-16)

• Representative Debbie Dingell (MI-12)

• Representative-Elect Chris Deluzio (PA-17)

• Representative Lloyd Doggett (TX-37)

• Representative Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

• Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17)

• Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20)

• Representative Chellie Pingree (ME-01)

Executive Board Members-at-Large

• Representative Joe Neguse (CO-02)

• Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09)

• Representative Nydia Velázquez (NY-07)

Special Order Hour Convenors

• Representative-Elect Summer Lee (PA-12)

• Representative-Elect Morgan McGarvey (KY-03)

• Representative-Elect Delia Ramirez (IL-03)

On the CPC Executive Board for the 118th Congress, Chair Jayapal said:

“I am thrilled to announce these appointments today and complete our CPC Executive Board for the 118th Congress. These members represent the diversity of the progressive movements, our caucus, and our country: they are immigrants and first-generation Americans, freshmen and senior members, state legislators and organizers, people of color and women, from working class backgrounds and diverse geographies. Each of them are committed to our progressive values and to leaving no one behind. As we enter the unique challenges of the minority, I know these members are dedicated to finding ways to deliver for working families and holding the line to protect the progressive we’ve won so far. I look forward to convening this new Executive Board next year and to the work ahead.”