Dear New Dems,
 
As Chair of the New Democrat Coalition this year, I have the greatest privilege of leading a group of 115 incredible colleagues who have risen to the moment. Despite all the challenges Congress faced in 2025, New Dems are stronger than ever. Notably, our members represent the majority of the House Democratic Caucus, positioning us to be the critical “majority makers” next year, also at the forefront of the party when we retake the House.
 
I am proud that the New Dems did not let being in the minority stop us from pushing a proactive agenda that will help Americans not just get by but get ahead. We saw that in the most recent success we had in helping hold the line on the ACA premium tax credits. Today, I want to review some of what we did in 2025.
 
At the beginning of the year, New Dems outlined our New Vision for a Path Forward built on three core pillars: economic growth and opportunity, healthy and safe communities, and strong national security and defense. From there, we established nine working groups with 25 task forces beneath them, and our members convened 11 discussions across the country on our New Dems on The Road tour to hear from everyday Americans about how to improve policy in Washington. This work has led to the introduction of eight commonsense policy frameworks that recommend concrete actions to improve everyday life for working Americans, with more to come next year.
 
Our members also embraced the evolving media ecosystem, going on podcasts, meeting with creators, and filming more direct-to-camera videos than ever before. We even launched our own podcast, The Fly-In – which was viewed nearly 3 million times in 9 months and was recognized as a 2025 instant hit on Spotify – and the New Dem Dispatch Substack. I extend my sincerest gratitude to all of you for taking the lessons of 2024 to heart and adapting along with us to meet our constituents where they are.
 
All the while, the Coalition continued to show real value for our offices – hosting 217 briefings and meetings for Members and staff, and helping our 25 freshman Members and their staff make an immediate impact in Congress. We graduated 58 staffers from our NextGen NewDems Staff Academy, conducted 30 one-on-one franking consultations, and provided hiring resources more than 100 times for openings in New Dem offices. We strengthened our outreach efforts and relationships with stakeholders, holding 10 Member roundtables on topics like food assistance, trade, air traffic control, and health care.
 
Success is a team effort, and I am grateful for the incredible New Dem Leadership team:
  • Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13)  Vice Chair for Policy 
  • Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) Vice Chair for Member Services
  • Marc Veasey (TX-33) Vice Chair for Communications  
  • Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24) Vice Chair for Outreach 
  • Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) Vice Chair and Whip
  • Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) Freshman Leadership Representative   
  • Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) Leadership Member 
  • Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06) Leadership Member
  • Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ-04) Leadership Member 
As we enter the new year, our mission is clear: work to lower costs and make life better for American families, and pave the path to 218 in November. Our extraordinary Members continue to stand ready to work with everyone willing to find common ground, and we will stand up to anyone who seeks to undermine our Constitution, weaken our democracy, or diminish our nation’s and our children’s future.
 
Happy Holidays, happy New Year, and onward to 2026! 



Brad Schneider 
Chair, New Democrat Coalition

In 2025 New Dems launched the On the Road series, an effort spearheaded by Vice Chair for Policy Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) to get New Dem Members out of Washington, D.C. and into American communities to meet with workers, businesses, industry experts, nongovernmental organizations, and local leaders about how to improve policy in Washington.

More than 25 New Dem Members participated in these discussions, and the 11 On the Road events were instrumental in crafting the various agendas, frameworks, and action plans put forward by the New Dem Working Groups this year. We haven’t reached the end of the road yet… stay tuned in 2026 for more!

READ MORE

Agenda to Support Our Veterans

A roadmap for Congress to uphold its commitment by ensuring every veteran has the support they need from the beginning of their transition out of military service through the end of their lives.

  • The government must provide for a stable and secure transition;
  • When someone signs up to serve our country, our country commits to provide them with the health care they earned
  • We owe it to our veterans to ensure the economic opportunity to thrive in civilian life.
READ THE VETERANS AGENDA

Health Care Action Plan

 
A commonsense agenda to lower health care costs, expand access to high-quality care, and protect the programs millions of working Americans and seniors rely on.
  • Providing quality, affordable, health care with predictable costs;
  • Improving Americans’ health care and protecting and strengthening the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid;
  • Delivering timely, reliable access to doctors, hospitals, and medicines to every American.
READ THE HEALTH CARE ACTION PLAN

Rural Revitalization Agenda

A path forward for Congress to support the long-term growth and prosperity of communities that are often overlooked and under-appreciated.

  • Empower communities to achieve long-term economic prosperity; 
  • Support the care economy and improve rural healthcare; 
  • Invest in the farm economy;
  • Close the digital gap by expanding access to broadband.
READ THE RURAL REVITALIZATION AGENDA

Housing Affordability Agenda

Endorses New Dem-led bills that would help ensure every American has access to safe, decent, affordable housing and the amenities they need to thrive.

  • Build more homes and get them to the market fast;
  • Make it easier to buy or rent a home;
  • Improve housing data and transparency so we can surge resources where needed.
READ THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AGENDA

Immigration and Border Security Framework

A comprehensive plan for Congress to secure the border and reform the immigration system.

  • Congress must urgently act to fix our outdated and ineffective immigration system, restore public trust, and ensure fair and consistent enforcement;
  • Support commonsense reforms that will grow our economy by promoting policies that align with workforce needs, fill job shortages, and strengthen our talent pipeline;
  • Commit to expanding safe, legal avenues for immigration that will ease pressure at the border and keep our system fair and humane.
READ THE IMMIGRATION FRAMEWORK

Innovation Agenda

A roadmap to spur groundbreaking research and technological advancements that create jobs, grow businesses, and improve the lives of hardworking Americans.

  • America faces many existential threats that compel a new relationship between our government and our innovation economy;
  • Federal laws must promote and facilitate the innovation necessary to tackle our world’s great challenges, such as climate change, global disease and pandemics, and cybersecurity threats, and do so in an intensely competitive global environment; 
  • We can and must empower innovation and the innovators, while at the same time protecting our citizens and strengthening our democracy and its institutions.
READ THE INNOVATION AGENDA

Framework to Achieve Energy Independence, Security, & Affordability

Concrete steps Congress can take to invest in building out the clean energy infrastructure we need to power the economy, lower prices, and cut through red tape to accelerate development.

  • Unleash the full breadth of American energy prowess;
  • Enhance energy independence, resiliency, and security by bolstering American supply chains and the grid;
  • Improve environmental review efficiency.
READ THE ENERGY FRAMEWORK

Tax Framework

Commonsense reforms to the tax code that ensure better outcomes for America’s working families, small businesses, and long-term economic strength.

  • Our nation’s tax policies should lower costs and make life better for middle class families and hardworking Americans;
  • Good tax policy should expand economic opportunity & grow American jobs and businesses;
  • Smart tax policies can promote fiscal responsibility and long-term economic security.
READ THE TAX FRAMEWORK

In March 2025, New Dems officially launched The Fly-In podcast, recorded every week the House is in session with co-hosts Reps. Marc Veasey (TX-33) and Greg Landsman (OH-01). Each week, they welcome guests to discuss the biggest news facing the country from their unique perspective in Congress. 

Nine months later, The Fly-In has expanded the New Dem brand and digital reach with guests ranging from Democratic Leader Jeffries, Whip Clark, and Caucus Chair Aguilar to Senators, 27 New Dem Members, and even celebrity activist Sophia Bush.

The Fly-In recently wrapped up Season 1, and we look forward to bringing new episodes, guests, and topics to the show in 2026!

WATCH THE FLY-IN

PoliticoPro, 11/19 – Dems release new rural strategy ahead of midterms – LINK

The Washington Post, 8/25 – These House Democrats seek a new middle ground on immigration – LINK

Politico, 8/1 – How to win tech and influence people – LINK

Axios, 7/9 – Dems launch energy strategy to guide permitting deal – LINK

Semafor, 6/10 – ‘Move fast and fix things’: New Democrats push to lead their party’s revamp – LINK

NOTUS, 2/25 – Moderate Democrats Lay Out Their Strategy to Reach Voters – LINK

Roll Call, 2/5 – ‘Be that bridge’: Brad Schneider on his vision for the New Dems – LINK

Daily Herald 1/11 – ‘Relationships matter’: How Brad Schneider and his New Democrat Coalition could make a difference in Congress – LINK

By Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24)
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