Well, we’re six weeks into 2024, and it’s safe to say that this year is already a bit…chaotic. While Democrats are doing our best to govern in a divided government, Republicans are doing their best to prevent any meaningful governing.
Before we get to some important updates from the House, one important note on my re-election campaign: As my team continues to remind me, keeping up with our fundraising before the next FEC filing deadline is a critical part of winning in November, so I have to prioritize it. I’m running against a MAGA extremist who recently reported raising more than half a million dollars, so I’m asking for your support to fight back. Will you contribute whatever you can to help my campaign stay on track to win?
OK – let’s get to the latest from Washington and the House floor. Here’s what’s been going on:
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We’ll start with some good news – I was proud to introduce a new bipartisan bill that would allow new moms in Congress to vote by proxy for six weeks after giving birth. It’s so important to have more young people and parents in office, but if we want that, we need to make sure our institutions are built for them.
- We passed legislation that would expand the Child Tax Credit, lifting more than 400,000 kids out of poverty this year, and enhance the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, helping to build more than 200,000 housing units that are affordable. We still have a lot more work to do to tackle the housing affordability crisis and build up our social safety net, but this legislation is a good start.
- It wouldn’t be a House update this year without acknowledging some challenges – which Republicans have created in spades. Extreme House Republicans (including Speaker Mike Johnson, who’s certainly in the running for most embarrassing Speaker of the House, despite stiff competition from Kevin McCarthy), declined to even consider passing much-needed foreign aid, despite Democrats and Republicans coming together in large numbers to pass the package in the Senate.
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And of course, there’s the fact that House Republicans continue to focus on politics over helping people. In the last two weeks, they’ve found time to focus on a sham impeachment of the Secretary of Homeland Security, introduce a resolution saying Donald Trump never engaged in the insurrection, introduce a resolution condemning the Biden Administration, and introduce a bill to appropriate $25 billion for a border wall. Oh, and introduce a bill to extend architectural copyright protections to golf courses.
That was a lot – I know.
Truly, thank you for your support through all of this. Whether you’re reading these emails, showing up during key moments, donating when you’re able to give, or all of the above – having you by my side makes all the difference, especially as we get closer to November.
If you’re as energized as I am to defeat extreme Republicans like my opponent, take back the House, and keep making progress for all Americans, I hope you’ll consider chipping in to support my re-election campaign.
Despite obstruction and gridlock from the GOP, we’re still getting things done in Congress – so just imagine what we’ll be able to accomplish once we regain our majority in November!
Thank you for being here.
-Sara
