News

Congressional Progressive Caucus Announces Elected Leadership for 118th Congress

December 8, 2022

WASHINGTON — The Congressional Progressive Caucus announced its elected leadership for the 118th Congress today, the sixteenth Congress in the history of the CPC. This elected leadership will oversee the largest Progressive Caucus in history which, with the addition of at least 16 freshman, will grow to include 103 members at the start of the 118th Congress.

The members elected by their colleagues today include:

  • Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) as Chair

  • Representative Ilhan Omar (MN-05) as Deputy Chair

  • Representative-Elect Greg Casar (TX-35) as Whip

  • Representative-Elect Jill Tokuda (HI-02) as Vice Chair for Communications

  • Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18) as Vice Chair for Inter-Caucus Relations

  • Representative Mark Takano (CA-41) as Vice Chair for Policy

  • Representative Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) as Vice Chair for Labor

  • Representative Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) as Vice Chair for Member Services

  • Representative-Elect Becca Balint (VT-AL) as Vice Chair for New Members

  • Representatives David Cicilline (RI-01), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), and Representative-Elect Maxwell Frost (FL-10) as Vice Chairs-at-Large 

The members will assume their roles upon the opening of the 118th Congress in January 2023. Additional members will also be appointed to the Caucus executive board later this month, including CPC Chairs Emeriti Representatives Raúl Grijalva (AZ-03), Barbara Lee (CA-13), and Mark Pocan (WI-02).

Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), newly elected to her second term as Chair, said:

“As a lifelong organizer and activist, I have been honored to lead our dedicated, passionate, people-centered Progressive Caucus, and to continue to do so as Chair. In the last two years, we have accomplished so much together, delivering on progressive and Democratic priorities, and powerfully silencing any skeptics as to whether progressives can govern. We have evolved into a forceful bloc and a principled partner for progressive movements, Senate Democrats, Congressional leadership, and President Biden. Thanks to the work of our members, our Caucus enters the 118th Congress stronger and with greater numbers than ever — as evidenced by this inspiring new elected executive board. I thank my colleagues for entrusting me with this role for the second time, and I look forward to the work ahead.”

Congressional Progressive Caucus Announces Formal Opposition to Inclusion of Permitting Deal in NDAA

December 6, 2022

WASHINGTON — Following a survey of its members, the Congressional Progressive Caucus announced as its formal position the CPC’s opposition to the inclusion of the Senate-proposed energy permitting reform under consideration in the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act. 

In accordance with Caucus bylaws, this official position was adopted after a vote of the membership, with more than two-thirds voting in favor of the following formal position: “The Congressional Progressive Caucus opposes the inclusion of Senator Manchin’s permitting reform proposal in the FY23 NDAA.”

While many within the CPC are supportive of accelerating and expanding renewable energy transmission, progressives have raised objections to a specific approach under consideration that entrenches new fossil fuel infrastructure, undermines judicial independence, rolls back environmental protection law, and impedes frontline communities’ input or ability to contest polluting infrastructure in their areas, among other concerns.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Congratulates New Democratic Caucus Leadership for the 118th Congress

December 1, 2022

WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement on the election of members to fill out the Democratic Caucus leadership for the 118th Congress: Representatives Ted Lieu (CA-33) for Democratic Caucus Vice Chair; Jim Clyburn (SC-06) for Assistant Democratic Leader; Joe Neguse (CO-02) for DPCC Chair, Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Dean Phillips (MN-03), and Lauren Underwood (IL-14) for DPCC Co-Chairs; Sara Jacobs (CA-53) for “Five Terms or Less”; and Representatives-Elect Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) for Freshman Leadership Representative and Robert Garcia (CA-42) for Freshman Class President:

“I want to congratulate my colleagues for stepping up to take on the mantle of leadership in the Democratic Caucus. It is essential that Democrats are not just an opposition party next Congress, but also a proposition party — putting forward a proactive vision for policies that invest in working families, advance equity and justice, and meet the challenges facing our country, from economic inequality and voter suppression to the climate crisis. These positions are key to helping us achieve that. Democrats can and will continue to show the American people their priorities are our priorities, and that the work to deliver for them will not stop.

“We’re particularly proud to see Progressive Caucus members elected to many of these roles. Representatives Lieu, Neguse, Escobar, and Jacobs, as well as Representatives-Elect Crockett and Garcia, will do us proud, and ensure the progressive perspective continues to be represented at the Leadership table. Along with the top three leaders, progressives will now make up the majority of the elected House Democratic Caucus Leadership. It’s a clear sign that progressives will continue to be, as Majority Leader Hoyer has said, the ‘beating heart’ of the Democratic Caucus — proud and committed governing partners, dedicated to the success of our party and working people across this country.”

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Congratulates New House Leadership for the 118th Congress

November 30, 2022

WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement on the election of Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), Katherine Clark (MA-05), and Pete Aguilar (CA-31) for Minority Leader, Whip, and Democratic Caucus Chair for the 118th Congress, respectively:

“I am thrilled to congratulate my colleagues on their unanimous support in elections to serve as the next leaders of our Democratic Caucus. With this new generation of leadership, House Democrats are well-positioned to enter the 118th Congress and confront the challenges ahead. Our Caucus leaders, all of whom will be women or people of color, including the first ever Black member to lead a party in Congress, will now look more like America — an essential step toward ensuring a body that is truly representative of communities across the country. We are especially proud of the background our colleagues will bring to their roles: Representative Aguilar as a champion of Latinos and immigrant justice, a critically important issue to the CPC, and Representatives Jeffries and Clark, whose ascension marks the first time ever that two of the top three positions will be held by current Progressive Caucus members.

“I look forward to continuing to work closely with Representatives Jeffries, Clark, and Aguilar to advance progressive priorities, including lowering costs, raising wages, and advancing equity and justice, and to ensure progressive members and the movements we come from have a seat at Democrats’ decision-making table.”

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair on Deal to Advance Paid Sick Leave for Railway Workers

November 30, 2022

WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement on the announcement of a deal reached by House Democrats to advance contract legislation for railway workers that includes paid sick leave, one of the primary asks of worker union negotiators:

“Recent years have put the bottomless greed of America’s largest corporations on display, and railway workers’ fight for a fair contract is no different. Last year, the seven major railway companies in the U.S. and Canada made $27 billion in profits — a $15 billion increase from the previous decade. Six of those repaid wealthy shareholders with a total of $146 billion in stock buybacks and dividends. Under the last contract, worker pay increased by less than 14 percent, while those chief executives doubled their own salaries. The workforce is half its size from 2000, and still the railroads refuse to grant their workers the most basic benefit earned through their labor — paid leave to go see a doctor or care for a sick family member — claiming financial burden.

“Progressives believe every worker is entitled to dignity and respect in the workplace, and has the right to unionize and collectively bargain for better wages and benefits. While rail corporations have amassed billions in profits and reduced their workforces, railway workers are asking for nothing more than paid sick days to look after loved ones and their own health. Progressives have championed paid leave for workers across industries, and we will not abandon that commitment.

“Last night, following productive conversations between Congressional Progressive Caucus members, Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter DeFazio (OR-04), and House Leadership, Speaker Pelosi announced a deal that allows our chamber to pass contract legislation for railway workers that includes paid sick leave. Through a House procedure known as ‘enrollment correction,’ we have been able to mandate that any House legislation to codify the existing tentative agreement will be accompanied by legislation that addresses the workers’ long standing demand for fair paid leave. 

“The Progressive Caucus will continue to fight to ensure that all workers have paid sick leave guaranteed and that labor rights are upheld.  I thank Speaker Pelosi and Leadership for their cooperation, and my Progressive Caucus colleagues for their indefatigable advocacy and commitment to workers’ rights.”

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Applauds Extension of Federal Student Debt Repayment Pause

November 22, 2022

WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s announcement it would extend the pause on federal student loan repayment until June 30, 2023:

“I applaud President Biden’s announcement today that the White House will extend the repayment pause on student debt payments — action that progressives have loudly championed, including through our CPC Executive Action Agenda. This will protect more than 40 million borrowers, many of whom would otherwise face predatory interest rates, as we await the Supreme Court’s ruling on the President’s executive order that would cancel up to $20,000 of federal student debt. The President is absolutely right to fervently defend this order, even as Republican attorneys general and Trump-appointed judges try to strip away this benefit that would allow millions of working people and young people to be freed from the burden of student debt payments.  

“Under the Biden administration, no borrower has had to repay their federal student loans. This pause has been the first time that millions have been able to save, buy homes, invest in their communities, and generally live their lives free of the shackles of this debt. Republicans who are challenging the President’s order continue to waste taxpayer dollars in a partisan and cruel attempt to rob Americans of this desperately needed relief. This ploy to weaponize the courts and steal relief that hard-working young people, parents, and seniors have earned — including 16 million borrowers who’ve already been approved — is despicable, and it must not succeed.

“I commend the Biden administration for continuing to fight for their order — one rooted in racial and economic justice — and feel confident its legality and authority will be vindicated before the Supreme Court.”

 

Statement from Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair on Speaker Pelosi

November 17, 2022

WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement in response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA-12)’s announcement that she would step down from her role in the next Congress:

“Today, I join my colleagues across the Democratic Caucus and Americans across the country in giving our deepest thanks and appreciation to Speaker Pelosi for her decades of leadership as Speaker of the House and leader of our Democratic Caucus.

“At the Congressional Progressive Caucus, we are also proud that Speaker Pelosi was an early member of the CPC, before being elected Minority Leader in 2002. Under her leadership, House Democrats have achieved historic victories and advanced essential progressive reforms. Congress passed the largest health care expansion in U.S. history with the Affordable Care Act, and passed the largest bill to combat the climate crisis in U.S. history with the Inflation Reduction Act, which also took on Big Pharma’s price gouging of prescription drug prices for the first time. Congress responded to two economic crises with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the American Rescue Plan. It passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to outlaw gender-based pay discrimination, repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

“Few of Democrats’ historic accomplishments in the Pelosi era are more personal to me than those that advanced immigrant justice. She single-handedly secured the votes to pass the first Dream Act, and has helped ensure we pass the Dream and Promise Act in the 115th, 116th, and 117th Congresses. She has strongly advocated for the voices of those who are most often left out, including for racial justice with the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, the No Ban Act and bills that took on anti-Asian hate. And as the first South Asian American woman elected to Congress, I was also honored to accompany the Speaker to India in my first term, and to work with her to advocate for Tibetan human rights, religious freedom, and democracy around the world. The Speaker was instrumental in passing my South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act this year, and in passing my resolution responding to the atrocities of forced medical procedures that often resulted in sterilization at the Irwin Detention Center in Georgia.

“As an immigrant woman of color, I know that my presence here — and the presence of so many other women and people of color in the Capitol — would not be possible without Speaker Pelosi’s example. She paved the way for all of us, and for a generation of girls to see themselves in the highest levels of leadership in this country. Her impact on this country is immeasurable — we can never thank her enough for all she has given to the Democratic Caucus and the country. I know my Progressive Caucus colleagues join me in wishing her all the best in this next chapter.”

 

Statement from Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair on Majority Leader Hoyer

November 17, 2022

WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement in response to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD-05)’s announcement that he would not seek an elected leadership role next Congress: 

“As Leader Hoyer enters the next phase of his public service, I want to join my colleagues in thanking him for his decades of commitment to the Democratic Caucus and the country. 

“Leader Hoyer has been instrumental in some of the most transformational legislation of the past thirty years. He helped pass the landmark civil rights law, the Americans with Disabilities Act, in 1990, expanded health care to an additional four million children in low-income families through the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, ensured the modernization and improvement of American election administration through the Help America Vote Act, and promoted international human rights through his commendable work with the Helsinki Commission.

“We will always be grateful Leader Hoyer regularly described the Progressive Caucus as the ‘beating heart’ of the Democratic Caucus — and treated our members as such, prioritizing a progressive agenda on the House floor. He and his talented staff shepherded countless pieces of progressive legislation, including the American Rescue Plan, the Inflation Reduction Act, the MORE Act, the Dream and Promise Act, the Equality Act, and the bipartisan Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and the Sexual Harassment Act.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with Leader Hoyer in his ongoing service to his Maryland constituents in the 118th Congress."

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Statement on Ukraine Letter

October 25, 2022

WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement on a letter sent regarding Ukraine:

“The Congressional Progressive Caucus hereby withdraws its recent letter to the White House regarding Ukraine. 

“The letter was drafted several months ago, but unfortunately was released by staff without vetting. As Chair of the Caucus, I accept responsibility for this. Because of the timing, our message is being conflated by some as being equivalent to the recent statement by Republican Leader McCarthy threatening an end to aid to Ukraine if Republicans take over. The proximity of these statements created the unfortunate appearance that Democrats, who have strongly and unanimously supported and voted for every package of military, strategic, and economic assistance to the Ukrainian people, are somehow aligned with Republicans who seek to pull the plug on American support for President Zelensky and the Ukrainian forces. 

“Nothing could be further from the truth. Every war ends with diplomacy, and this one will too after Ukrainian victory. The letter sent yesterday, although restating that basic principle, has been conflated with GOP opposition to support for the Ukrainians’ just defense of their national sovereignty. As such, it is a distraction at this time and we withdraw the letter.”

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Reaffirms Support for Ukraine, Clarifies Call for Diplomacy

October 24, 2022

WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement clarifying the position of a letter to President Biden:

“In a letter to President Biden today, my colleagues and I advocated for the administration to continue ongoing military and economic support for Ukrainians while pursuing diplomatic support to Ukraine to ensure we are helpful partners on efforts to reach ‘a solution that is acceptable to the people of Ukraine.’ Let me be clear: we are united as Democrats in our unequivocal commitment to supporting Ukraine in their fight for their democracy and freedom in the face of the illegal and outrageous Russian invasion, and nothing in the letter advocates for a change in that support.

“Diplomacy is an important tool that can save lives — but it is just one tool. As we also made explicitly clear in our letter and will continue to make clear, we support President Biden and his administration’s commitment to nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.”

« First < Prev Next > Last »
Congressional Progressive Caucus