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Progressive Members Call on POTUS to Utilize Diplomacy, Reject Calls for War with Iran

October 13, 2024

WASHINGTON — U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Barbara Lee (CA-12), James P. McGovern (MA-02), and Greg Casar (TX-35) issued the below statement following press reports regarding possible U.S. participation in an offensive strike on Iran:  

“Let us be clear: we strongly condemn Iran’s reprehensible launch of ballistic missiles into Israel. Military force will not solve the challenge posed by Iran. We need meaningful de-escalation and diplomacy—not a wider war. Addressing the root causes are the only route to achieving long-term security and stability in the region. Nothing in current law authorizes the United States to conduct offensive military action against Iran. We risk becoming entangled in another catastrophic war that will inevitably harm innocent civilians and may cost billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars.

“As progressives, we have been consistent in our support for diplomacy and following the law in complying with congressional war powers. We supported President Obama’s landmark nuclear diplomacy, which successfully limited Iran’s nuclear program multilaterally before it was sabotaged by President Trump’s misguided ‘maximum pressure’ strategy. Similarly, we rejected Trump’s reckless push for war and passed bipartisan legislation through both chambers of Congress to prevent unauthorized U.S. force against Iran, following the reckless assassination of Iranian General Soleimani.”

CPC, Democratic Caucus Chairs Sound Alarm on Depletion of Child Care Support

September 30, 2024

Washington D.C. – On Monday, September 30, the Chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), New Democrat Coalition, Congressional Dads Caucus, and Congressional Equality Caucus (CEC) joined together to call attention to the ongoing child care crisis as the remaining child care funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that expired on September 30. 

As House Democrats continue the fight for affordable child care, CPC Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), DWC Chair Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22), CAPAC Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), CHC Chair Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44), CBC Chair Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04), New Democrat Coalition Chair Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), Congressional Dads Caucus Chair Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), and Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02) released the following statement:

“Child care is currently unaffordable for far too many American families, care workers are underpaid, and in many communities, it’s simply unavailable. These challenges fall disproportionately on families, care workers, and communities of color, and these disparities will only intensify if we don’t act. High-quality, affordable child care is critical not only for children’s development but also for enabling parents to remain in the workforce and contribute to our economy. Yet, House Republicans have wasted valuable time on political games instead of tackling this ongoing crisis. We must take meaningful action to ensure child care is accessible and affordable for all families.”

Statement from Congressional Progressive Caucus Leaders on Escalating Violence in the Middle East

September 26, 2024

WASHINGTON — Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC); and Barbara Lee (CA-12), CPC Chair Emeritus and Peace and Security Task Force Chair, issued the following statement on recent developments in the Middle East:

“We are deeply concerned by the disturbing number of civilian deaths in the latest bombings in Lebanon as well as new missile fire preventing thousands from returning to their homes in northern Israel. We have long warned of the dangers of escalating violence in the region, which has killed U.S. service members and harmed communities across the Middle East. 

“This cycle of violence will not make anyone more secure. As world leaders convene for the UN General Assembly, we were heartened to hear President Biden reiterate a commitment to diplomacy – that is the best path toward a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. The American people have made clear they do not want another war in the Middle East and we must use our leverage with regional actors to de-escalate regional tensions and prevent further violence from erupting. As Members of Congress, we also reaffirm our solemn responsibility to ensure that any use of U.S. force be brought first for a vote before Congress, consistent with the Constitution.”

Congressional Progressive Caucus Applauds New DOJ Bank Merger Guidelines

September 17, 2024

WASHINGTON — Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) issued the following statement in response to today’s announcement by the Department of Justice withdrawing the 1995 Bank Merger Guidelines and emphasizing the 2023 Merger Guidelines will be utilized in their place:

“This country has seen time and time again how working people pay the price when banks get too large. For decades, mega-mergers in the industry have allowed banks to consolidate power and form predatory monopolies, often abusing outdated guidelines created before modern banking practices took form. By updating the 1995 merger guidelines, the Department of Justice is taking a major step in restoring competition and fairness in the banking industry while protecting consumers from the hazards of financial instability. Our Caucus is glad to see this important change from the Antitrust Division, and will continue to strongly support its work as well as antitrust enforcement in Congress.”

Congressional Progressive Caucus Applauds Results of Landmark Biden-Harris Deal to Cut US Drug Prices

August 15, 2024

WASHINGTON — Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) issued the following statement applauding the newly released results of drug price negotiations between Medicare and pharmaceutical companies, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act:

“Progressives in Congress and the Biden-Harris administration share a fundamental belief: health care is a human right, and no American should go broke or get sick because they can’t afford proper treatment. Two years ago, we took historic action towards that goal by taking on Big Pharma and passing the Inflation Reduction Act, landmark legislation that authorized the government to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of working people. Today, the transformative impact of that deal—and the hard work progressives did to make it happen—is becoming clear.

“Thanks to the IRA, the new prices negotiated by Medicare will save millions of seniors and other beneficiaries $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs in the first year of the program alone - while saving taxpayers $6 billion. Thanks to a newly empowered Medicare, after two decades of overpaying for the basic medicine that people need to treat common ailments like diabetes, blood clots, and arthritis, these savings will provide critical relief to people’s loved ones and family members.

“Years of progressive advocacy have led to this win, from demanding the House pass a bold drug pricing negotiation bill in the 116th Congress to holding the line during reconciliation negotiations in the 117th. But we’re just getting started. Our Caucus will continue standing up to corporate interests to lower health care costs, allow for the negotiation of every prescription drug, and ensure that in the richest nation in the world, all people have access to quality health care.”

ICYMI: Congressional Progressive Caucus Statement on Meeting with FTC Chair Lina Khan

July 31, 2024

WASHINGTON — Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) issued the below statement following a meeting of the Progressive Caucus with Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan.

“This week, our members had a productive and insightful discussion with FTC Chair Lina Khan on the agency’s initiatives to strengthen worker power and foster economic justice. From working to lower drug prices and cracking down on data abuses that infringe on people’s privacy, to investigating surveillance pricing, the FTC under Khan is doing vital work to protect working Americans from monopoly power and corporate greed that our members strongly back and are committed to supporting through our work in Congress. These policies are not only what’s right for workers—they’re extremely popular amongst the American people on both sides of the aisle.

“We also heard an update from Chair Khan regarding recent legal challenges to the agency’s authority on noncompete clauses, abusive practices that affect one in five American workers and deprive them of living wages and economic freedom. To be clear: the noncompetes ban is legal, vital, and I look forward to seeing it upheld in court and fully implemented next month. Progressives will continue to push to codify this rule in law and fight back against disingenuous efforts by the corporate lobby to suppress worker power.

“We thank Chair Khan and the Biden-Harris administration for their laser focus on bringing economic relief to working people, and look forward to continuing to partner together to deliver for working people in the coming months and years.”

Congressional Progressive Caucus Applauds Advancement of Key Antitrust Division Funding in Annual Funding Legislation

July 26, 2024

WASHINGTON — Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) issued the below statement following the markup of the FY25 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act by the Senate Appropriations Committee:

“We are pleased to see that the Senate appropriations committee reported legislation today restoring the intent of the bipartisan Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act, legislation passed by Congress in 2022 to help support the critical mission of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. Today’s bill rejects a bad faith attempt by House Republicans to kneecap the capacity of the Antitrust Division and corrects language included in last year’s bill that made it more difficult for the federal government to combat the harmful effects of monopolies and concentration of industry. We thank Senators Shaheen and Murray and the Department of Justice for working to protect open, fair, and competitive markets, which will benefit American consumers and small businesses.

“We strongly encourage negotiators to ensure that this language becomes law and reject Republican attempts to modify the text. This fix is crucial to ensure that the Antitrust Division can continue its important work to lower prices and protect working families.”

Last year’s version of the Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) legislation undermined the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act by setting a cap on appropriations to the Antitrust Division at $233 million for FY2024, regardless of fees collected. In a March letter led by Representative Jerry Nadler and Senator Amy Klobuchar, progressives called on appropriations leadership to correct the language and allow the Antitrust Division to retain the increase in merger filing fees.

Since 1989, the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division has been partially funded through merger filing fees. In December 2022, Congress enacted the bipartisan Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act to update the funding formula for premerger filing fees as part of the year-end government funding package. This legislation lowered fees on smaller acquisitions and increased them for the largest mergers, raising additional revenue to strengthen enforcement of antitrust laws. 

Congressional Progressive Caucus Applauds FTC Investigation Into Surveillance Pricing

July 25, 2024

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) issued the following statement applauding Chairwoman Khan and the FTC’s decision to open an investigation into the practice of surveillance pricing.

"Time and time again, corporations and their consultants have employed exploitative tactics to hoard wealth and power as working people struggle to get by. The alarming rise of surveillance pricing—the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence to customize prices based on consumers’ personal data—raises serious concerns around privacy, competition, and consumer protection. Americans deserve to know whether companies are harvesting their personal information to grow their profit margins at the expense of consumers everywhere. The Progressive Caucus applauds FTC Chair Lina Khan for initiating this investigation, and we look forward to seeing the results. We encourage the FTC to take immediate action to remediate consumer harm if evidence of illegal behavior emerges during the course of the investigation.”  

Congressional Progressive Caucus Opposes Republican Bill to Overturn CFPB Cap on Credit Card Late Fees

July 17, 2024

WASHINGTON — Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Chair Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and 53 of her CPC colleagues wrote to Speaker Mike Johnson welcoming a debate and vote on H.J. Res. 122. This Republican-led legislation would invalidate the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB’s) recently finalized Credit Card Penalty Fees Rule (Regulation Z), which lowers most late fees charged by big banks issuing credit cards from $32 to $8, just a quarter of the original penalty. 

“We look forward to this opportunity to highlight the Republican Majority’s enthusiastic support for junk fees, including exorbitant credit card fees,” the lawmakers wrote. “We think it is critical that the American people understand the House Republican Conference’s firm and dedicated commitment to protecting the business model of unfettered, predatory fines imposed by large corporate banks against ordinary Americans.” 

“We look forward to a promptly scheduled vote that allows every House Republican to go on the record opposing an initiative that will rein in a loophole exploited by corporate giants to boost their profits at the expense of American households,” the Members added. “We are unsurprised that House Republicans uniformly insist on defending large corporate banks’ current practice of overcharging Americans with credit-card late fees and welcome the opportunity to highlight the contrast in our priorities on the House floor this summer.” 

The CFPB estimates that the largest issuers earn about five times more from late fees than it costs them to collect those fees. Ending this practice through the rule, which requires large companies to prove that fees higher than $8 are necessary to cover their actual collection costs, will save Americans $10 billion annually, averaging $220 a year in savings for over 45 million people.

The lawmakers concluded by noting that “the Congressional Progressive Caucus has strongly supported the Biden Administration’s laser focus on lowering costs for ordinary Americans, providing financial breathing room for working families, and creating an open and even playing field in which companies must compete with each other to provide working people with better products, services, and wages. We are proud to partner with the Administration to address priorities in our CPC Executive Action Agenda to attack junk fees across American industries like banking, where corporate bad actors have gotten away with business models that maximize profits through unfair penalties, fee harvesting, and bait-and-switch tactics, preying on financially vulnerable and less-educated customers in particular.”  

The letter was signed by CPC Chair Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Deputy Chair Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Whip Greg Casar (TX-35), Alma Adams (NC-12), Becca Balint (VT-01), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Cori Bush (MO-01), André Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Matt Cartwright (PA-08), Judy Chu (CA-28), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Christopher Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jesús ‘Chuy’ García (IL-04), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Summer L. Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Morgan McGarvey (KY-19), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Grace Meng (NY-06), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Katie Porter (CA-47), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Janice D. Schakowsky (IL-09), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Mark Takano (CA-41), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).

Chair Jayapal Statement Following CPC Meeting with President Biden

July 13, 2024

WASHINGTON — Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Chair Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement after a caucus meeting with President Joe Biden: 

“Today, the CPC had a productive and engaging conversation with President Biden. The President has been a champion for working people and families across the country and throughout his time in office and we have been proud to partner with him in passing major legislation to cut costs and raise wages. We spoke frankly to the President about our concerns and asked tough questions about the path forward. We appreciate his willingness to thoughtfully answer and address our Members. As a caucus, we will continue working to do everything in our power to defeat Donald Trump and promote our Proposition Agenda – a slate of day one, popular and populist policies to deliver for the people.”

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