News

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair-Elect Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35) announced five additional appointments to the Congressional Progressive Caucus Executive Board for the 119th Congress, including Representatives Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Summer Lee (PA-12), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12). 

“The CPC is the most diverse major caucus in Congress — with leaders that span across all generations, backgrounds, and constituencies. Representatives Ocasio-Cortez, Escobar, Deluzio, Lee, and Watson Coleman are powerhouse progressives,” said Chair-Elect Greg Casar. “With this board, the CPC is going to lead the charge in retaking a Democratic majority and building a Democratic Party that working families can believe in.”

These members will join Chairs Emeriti Reps. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03), and the members elected to leadership positions by a Caucus-wide vote earlier this month on the Executive Board for the 119th Congress.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Leadership for the 119th Congress now includes: 

• Representative Greg Casar (TX-35) as Chair
• Representative Ilhan Omar (MN-05) as Deputy Chair
• Representative Jesús G. "Chuy" García (IL-04) as Whip
• Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chair Emeritus
• Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02), Chair Emeritus
• Representative Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03), Chair Emeritus
• Representative Lloyd Doggett (TX-37) as Vice Chair
• Representative Maxwell Frost (FL-10) as Vice Chair
• Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) as Vice Chair
• Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17) as Vice Chair 
• Representative Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) as Vice Chair
• Representative Delia Ramirez (IL-03) as Vice Chair
• Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) as Vice Chair
• Representative-Elect Lateefah Simon (CA-12) as Vice Chair
• Representative Mark Takano (CA-39) as Vice Chair
• Representative Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) as Vice Chair
• Representative Chris Deluzio (PA-17) - newly appointed
• Representative Veronica Escobar (TX-16) - newly appointed
• Representative Summer Lee (PA-12) - newly appointed
• Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) - newly appointed
• Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) - newly appointed

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WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), issued the following statement on President Biden’s announcement granting clemency for nearly 1,500 individuals on home confinement and pardons for 39 individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes.

“Today’s announcement is a welcome use of executive power to change lives, reunite families, and address the consequences of systemic injustice and racial discrimination in our criminal justice system. Thanks to this historic action by President Biden, 1,500 Americans will be able to once again live and work in their communities without the threat of re-incarceration, and 39 individuals convicted of non-violent crimes will be pardoned.

“We commend the President for this promising first step and strongly urge him to continue using executive power in the remaining 39 days of his presidency to deliver justice by granting further clemency petitions including for the 40 Americans on federal death row, additional individuals convicted for nonviolent drug offenses, and Leonard Peltier, and issuing a pardon for Steven Donziger."

WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), issued the following statement on H.R. 5009, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, after the CPC voted to formally oppose the NDAA as a caucus.

“It should alarm every American taxpayer that we are nearing a trillion-dollar annual budget for an agency rampant with waste, fraud, and abuse. The Pentagon failed its seventh consecutive audit this year and is the only major federal agency to never have passed one—yet it continues to receive huge boosts to funding every year. Our constituents deserve better.

“By cutting the Pentagon budget, we could reinvest in critical human needs—from health care to housing to child care—without sacrificing our national security or service member wages. It’s past time we stop padding the pockets of price-gouging military contractors who benefit from corporate consolidation and reallocate that money to domestic needs.

“Astronomical funding levels are not the only problem with this legislation. This year’s NDAA would prohibit medical treatment for military dependents under the age of 18 who are diagnosed with ‘gender dysphoria.’ If adopted, this anti-trans language banning gender-affirming care to minors would be the first federal statute targeting LGBTQ people since the 1990s when Congress adopted ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and the Defense of Marriage Act. This dangerous bigotry cannot be tolerated, let alone codified into federal law.

“In addition, this NDAA also authorizes a second Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine at $357 million, despite the Pentagon requesting only one; imposes a hiring freeze on personnel to enhance diversity, equity inclusion in the military; prohibits funding for the working group investigating and screening for white nationalist and other racist and extremist ideologies in the military; and defunds any effort by the Pentagon to minimize the risk of climate-change impacts in major federal procurements.

“The legislation does include a substantive 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted service members and 4.5 percent pay raise for all other service members, as well as additional investments in housing, health care, childcare, and spousal support. Progressives will always fight to increase pay for our service members and ensure that our veterans are well taken care of; however, this legislation on balance moves our country and our national priorities in the wrong direction.”

WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), released the following statement after CPC Chair Emeritus Rep. Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07) announced he will not seek re-election as Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee:  

“Raúl Grijalva is one of the greatest champions for environmental justice in Congressional history. As the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, he delivered historic investments in the fight against climate change while protecting our nation’s natural and cultural heritage, uplifting frontline communities, strengthening tribal sovereignty, advocating for the decolonization of the U.S. territories, and working every day towards a more equitable, prosperous future for our planet and our people. 

“Our entire Caucus thanks him for his bold progressive leadership and remarkable contributions—not only to Arizona’s 7th district, but to our nation and to our planet. He fought tirelessly for working people, from his service as CPC Co-Chair for over a decade to his invaluable work on the Natural Resources Committee, including helping secure the largest-ever federal climate investment in the Inflation Reduction Act. We know his voice will continue to be vital in the 119th Congress, and look forward to working alongside him in this next chapter.”

Ranking Member Grijalva has served on the House Natural Resources Committee for more than twenty years. When he was elected as the top Democrat on the Committee — first as Ranking Member, and then as Chair when Democrats won the House majority in 2018 — his visionary leadership helped elevate environmental justice, climate action, Indigenous issues, and the U.S. Insular Areas in Congress and beyond. 

Under his leadership, some of the Committee’s most celebrated accomplishments include: 

• Passing the Great American Outdoors Act into law, which permanently authorized the widely popular Land and Water Conservation Fund.
• Passing the Environmental Justice For All Act, the most comprehensive environmental justice legislation in history, through the Committee. The Biden-Harris administration’s Environmental Justice for All executive order mirrors this legislation. 
• Under the leadership of the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition, successfully advocating for President Biden’s designation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument.
• Holding the first congressional hearings in history on issues critical to Indian Country, including Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Indian Boarding Schools, tribal co-management of public lands, and his tribal consultation bill, the RESPECT Act, which later served as the model for the Biden-Harris administration’s executive memorandum on uniform standards for tribal consultation.
• Passing the Puerto Rico Status Act, which would grant the people of Puerto Rico the opportunity to determine their own political status, through the House.
• Championing the passage of historic climate and ocean action winsthrough major legislation, including the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the National Defense Authorization Act.
• Holding the first Trump administration accountable through multiple investigations, leading to the resignation in disgrace of the Interior Secretary and submission of the Committee’s first-ever criminal referralto the Justice Department. 
• Leading defeat of the "Dirty Deal,” an industry-led attempt to attach pro-polluter permitting provisions to must-pass legislation in 2022.