New Democrat Coalition Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02), Vice Chair for Communications Brad Schneider (IL-10), and Vice Chair for Policy Derek Kilmer (WA-06) released a statement on the short-term continuing resolution, following the House passage:

“New Dems will always put the American people over partisanship. We worked to pass the 2024 funding bills before the fiscal year began on October 1, and our Members have continued to work to keep the doors open with each of the previous three continuing resolutions. New Dems again supported this agreement to avoid a costly and unnecessary shutdown.

“We commend Democratic leadership and appropriators for remaining committed to a bipartisan agreement that clears a path for long-awaited appropriations bills that are in line with the spending levels established by last June’s bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act. Now, Congress must act to send these bills to President Biden’s desk without delay.

“Let us be clear: Speaker Johnson could have reached this agreement months ago if he had been willing to stand up to far-right extremists and instead worked across the aisle as New Dems repeatedly urged.

“Nevertheless, we look forward to reviewing the final bipartisan appropriations bills and ultimately passing long-term government funding so Congress can get back to tackling the critical foreign and domestic issues facing our nation."

Yesterday, the New Democrat Coalition welcomed Rep. Tom Suozzi (NY-03) back to Congress as the newest Member of the Coalition, following his incredible victory in New York’s Third Congressional District to replace the disgraced Republican Rep. George Santos. Upon Rep. Suozzi’s swearing-in, Republicans’ majority was cut to just two seats, the slimmest in modern history. 

After representing New York’s 3rd District from 2017 to 2023, Rep. Suozzi is returning to Congress and rejoining New Dems to continue his work as a common sense lawmaker dedicated to working across the aisle. From securing key provisions in legislation to improve infrastructure and tackle climate change to working toward a bipartisan immigration compromise and lowering costs for his constituents, Rep. Suozzi’s experience as an effective lawmaker makes him a critical voice in Congress as we tackle key issues in the coming months.

“New Dems are thrilled to welcome Rep. Tom Suozzi back to Congress and our Coalition following his resounding special election victory in Long Island. There’s no doubt he will pick up where he left off in the House and return much-needed pragmatic leadership to New York’s Third District,” said New Democrat Coalition Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02). “Rep. Suozzi’s proven track record and commitment to bipartisanship will be an important asset to New Dems as we work to grow the economy, lower costs, protect our fundamental freedoms, tackle the challenges at our border, and keep our communities safe. Now at 99 Members strong, New Dems are officially the largest Democratic ideological caucus in the House, and with this crucial addition, our voices, influence, and focus on getting things done for the American people will only grow stronger. ”

“In Congress, there are show horses and workhorses: the New Dems are a strong coalition of workhorses. As a New Dem, I’m looking forward to working across the aisle to find common ground on key issues like the economy, infrastructure, and health care,” said Rep. Suozzi.  “The people of Long Island and Queens are tired of political bickering and finger pointing – it’s time to start working together to deliver real solutions. Alongside my New Dem colleagues, I’m ready to deliver on immigration reform, supporting our allies, strengthening the middle class, and more. Let’s get to work.”

New Democrat Coalition Affordable Housing Task Force Chair Norma J. Torres (CA-35), Vice Chair Emilia Sykes (OH-13) and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Nanette Barragán (CA-44) led 21 Members in letters to investigate recent reports that Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) engaged in racially discriminatory lending practices. A recent analysis found statistically significant disparities in both conventional and VA loans for both Black and Latino mortgage applicants when compared to similarly situated white mortgage applicants.

The letters request more information on the policies and procedures of NFCU, the first being addressed to NFCU CEO Mary McDuffie and the second calling on relevant government regulators to investigate the matter.

“As champions of economic opportunity, New Dems take these allegations seriously. Every American deserves access to affordable housing, and lenders like Navy Federal Credit Union must be part of the solution, not the problem,” said Affordable Housing Task Force Chair Norma J. Torres and Vice Chair Emilia Sykes. “We look forward to reviewing the responses from Navy Federal Credit Union and government regulators, and will work with Congress and the Administration to ensure equality and fairness is upheld.”

“The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is concerned about the report of possible discriminatory practices by the Navy Federal Credit Union. Prospective Black and Latino homeowners face significant hurdles as they look to buy a home and they must have equal and fair access to home mortgage loans,” said CHC Chair Nanette Barragán. “Homeownership is one of the best ways for Black and Latino communities to build generational wealth and create long-term vibrant, diverse communities. The Latino population continues to grow rapidly across the country and there are millions of mortgage-ready Latinos ready to own their first home. It is critical to the economic health of all our communities that prospective Black and Latino homeowners have access to the same home mortgage loans as other Americans. A prompt and comprehensive response is necessary from all parties so that we can work to make homeownership truly accessible.”

You can read the full letter to government regulators here, and the full letter to Ms. McDuffie here.

Today, New Democrat Coalition Vice Chair Sharice Davids (KS-03) led a group of New Dem Members to the Port of Long Beach – one of the biggest and busiest ports in the country – to meet with Port leadership, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents, and representatives from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU).

On their visit, New Dems discussed the recovery of national supply chains since the COVID-19 pandemic, how the port uses state-of-the-art technologies to halt the trafficking of illicit drugs like fentanyl, and how union workers can remain skilled and adaptable to strengthen supply chains.

Vice Chair Davids and New Dem Reps. Kim Schrier (WA-08), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Norma J. Torres (CA-35) released the following statement on their visit:

“New Dems are laser-focused on delivering common sense solutions in Congress that grow our economy, create high-quality jobs, and safeguard the physical and mental health of every American.

“We are grateful to the Port of Long Beach, CBP, and the ILWU for taking the time to show us how – through public-private partnerships, groundbreaking technologies, and strong labor agreements – they swiftly recovered from the effects of the pandemic and continue to strengthen our economy and national security.

“We’d like to thank Rep. Garcia for welcoming us to his district so we can see the innovative operations at this crucial port. As New Dems work to enhance economic opportunity, bolster the workforce, and restore order at the border, we look forward to learning from the innovative work of the Port of Long Beach to apply best practices across the country.”

Yesterday, New Dems welcomed fwd.us to our weekly meeting to discuss pragmatic policy solutions at the border. New Dems will continue to work to secure the border and reform our immigration systems to reflect our identity as a both a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.

Congresswoman Lee Shares Personal Story and Helps Lead Fight Against Far-Right's IVF Restrictions
 
Congresswoman Lee (NV-03) joined her Congressional colleagues to speak out against far-right attempts to restrict in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) that millions of families rely on to have children. Lee shared her personal story of having her two children through IVF and called for the passage of the Access to Family Building Act to establish a legal right to IVF and other assisted reproductive services, overriding any state effort to unnecessarily limit or ban access.