Press Releases

“For far too long, corporate profits and special interests have been prioritized above the health and safety of our planet and communities. American families are experiencing the consequences of decades of inaction on the climate crisis – from historic wildfires and prolonged droughts to record-breaking storms and once-in-a-century floods,” said CPC Co-Chairs Mark Pocan and Pramila Jayapal. “We do not have any time to waste. The Climate Action Plan from the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis sends a powerful message that the time for transformative change is now, and we are prepared to meet the moment with a bold and comprehensive response.”

The Select Committee’s Climate Action Plan included more than 37 proposals and bills recommended by the Progressive Caucus, including:

• The Environmental Justice for All Act, which centers environmental justice and redress for frontline communities in climate action efforts.
• A prohibition on legal immunity for polluters and a requirement that fossil fuel companies will not be able to claim liability relief for contributing to the climate crisis.
• Workplace rights as a cornerstone of climate justice, including protections for workers organizing a union to negotiate for higher wages, safer working conditions, and better benefits.
• Ending egregious tax breaks for large oil and gas companies.

“We applaud the work of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and appreciate the inclusion of so many of our progressive priorities in the final Congressional Action Plan,” continued Representatives Pocan and Jayapal. “This comprehensive document provides Congress with a critical roadmap for addressing the climate crisis, centering impacted communities in our response, and building a sustainable future for us all.”

A copy of the Progressive Caucus climate recommendations is available here.

“We’re pleased that, at our request, this bill has been expanded to include health care access for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. As the Supreme Court affirmed earlier this month, Dreamers are home. At minimum, Congress should ensure that DACA recipients –including more than 200,000 who are bravely serving as essential workers during this pandemic – have equal access to quality, affordable health care. We’re grateful to the leadership of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus for working with us to ensure the inclusion of this critical provision in the final bill. Congress should continue to build on this progress by eliminating the discriminatory and harmful five-year waiting period for lawful residents —including green card holders who are on their way to citizenship — to access key health programs. This is both a taxpayer equity issue and vitally necessary, especially during this health pandemic when so many are struggling and need access to these critical programs.

“More must be done to guarantee universal health care as a human right for all people. We support the important improvements that this legislation makes to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, but until we address the profiteering, exploitation, and inefficiencies in our health care system that make healthcare unaffordable for tens of millions of Americans, our work is not done. As the pandemic has shown clearly, we must untether healthcare from employment and take on our corrupt, for-profit health care system that has widespread and damaging ramifications for public health. Now, more than ever, we need Medicare For All to guarantee quality health care to every person living in the United States.”

“For far too long, the epidemic of police brutality has gone unaddressed in this country, while our loved ones, neighbors, and communities have been oppressed, abused, and murdered by those sworn to protect them,” said CPC Co-Chairs Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02). “Congress must act. We are pleased to endorse the Justice in Policing Act, which takes critical and long overdue action to address systemic racism in police departments and bring justice to Black communities.”

“We are particularly pleased that this comprehensive legislation includes critical provisions long championed by members of the Progressive Caucus, including ending qualified immunity for police officers, limiting transfers of military-grade equipment to local law enforcement, banning chokeholds, and creating a binding national standard for the use of force,” the co-chairs continued. “While we recognize that this legislation, on its own, will not end institutional racism in this country, it is our hope that this legislation can serve as a guidepost as we continue the essential work of dismantling racist systems and reinvesting in Black communities.”

“In the coming days, we will be introducing legislation to prohibit the unilateral deployment of U.S. military personnel into American cities without the explicit approval of Congress,” said Representatives Omar, Jayapal, and Pocan. “Time and again, President Trump has governed as an authoritarian — abusing his power at the expense of the American people and our democracy. Now, he’s threatening to weaponize the U.S. military against its own citizens.”

“Even President Trump’s own Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, opposes deploying troops to silence the protests,” added Representatives Omar, Jayapal, and Pocan. “The American public has a constitutionally-protected right to free speech. Deploying the military in an attempt to quash these protests would be an attack on our constitution, our democracy, and our people. Congress must send an unequivocal message that this grotesque abuse of power will be stopped.”

The Insurrection Act of 1807 allows the President of the United States, in rare circumstances, to unilaterally deploy the National Guard and armed forces against the will of a state government. The proposed legislation, which will be introduced in the coming days, would amend the law to require congressional approval prior to the deployment of U.S. troops.