The Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), released the following statement today after the Census Bureau released data for 2015 showing median household income rose 5.2 percent, poverty rates fell by 1.3 percentage points, and the number of uninsured people dropped to a historic low.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) led CPC Executive Leadership in sending the following letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, urging him to include funding to support the residents of Flint, Michigan in any omnibus spending bill or continuing resolution before the end of the Fiscal Year.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), and Acting Ranking Member of the Veterans Affairs Committee Mark Takano (D-CA) sent the following letter to Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald. The letter urges Secretary McDonald to oppose recommendations by the Commission on Care to privatize and weaken the VA health care system.

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement today after the recent outbreak of Zika virus in Florida.

“With Florida linking an outbreak of Zika infections to local mosquito transmission, it is clear that Zika is a serious and rising health threat to our nation. Pregnant women should never have to live in fear that their unborn children are at grave risk because of inaction by Congress to address a largely preventable health crisis. Perhaps just as horrifying is that most cases are asymptomatic, meaning that individuals could be at risk of spreading Zika while not even knowing it.”

“We’ve seen the devastation Zika has caused in South and Central America, as well as our own U.S. territories, and the fact that our elected officials have not heeded experts’ warnings is a travesty. House Republicans’ decision to recess for summer without passing this crucial legislation is inexcusable. It’s time for Speaker Ryan to immediately reconvene Congress and pass President Obama’s full emergency funding request to protect expectant parents and their children from Zika virus.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) were joined by fellow CPC members today to accept a petition signed by more than 1 million Americans demanding Speaker Ryan schedule a vote on legislation reinstating the assault weapons ban that expired in September, 2004. The petition, which was organized by MoveOn.Org, CREDO Action, Democracy for America, The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Daily Kos, and Ultraviolet was delivered on the one month anniversary of the attack on Latin night at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, the deadliest mass shooting in our nation's history.