[cid:[email protected]]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 8, 2020

Contact: Brooke Lillard, 202-225-2965



House Approves Blue Dog-Backed Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation as Part of NDAA



WASHINGTON-Today, the House of Representatives passed two Blue Dog Coalition-endorsed bills as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The two bipartisan, bicameral pieces of legislation are the Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act<[link removed]> and the Seeding Rural Resilience Act<[link removed]>.



A key part of the Blue Dog Blueprint for Fiscal Reform<[link removed]>, the Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act was also included in the Blue Dog Coalition's four-point plan to protect taxpayer dollars<[link removed]> spent by Congress to address the COVID-19 crisis. The legislation will provide Americans with more information on how federal tax dollars are being spent and help eliminate duplicative and wasteful government programs. It was introduced in the House by Reps. Jim Cooper (TN-05) and Tim Walberg (MI-07).



Endorsed by the Blue Dog Coalition last year, the Seeding Rural Resilience Act will help to reduce the growing rate of suicide in rural communities across the country. The bill was introduced in the House by Blue Dog Coalition Co-Chair for Whip, Rep. Anthony Brindisi (NY-22), as well as Reps. John Katko (NY-24) and Angie Craig (MN-02).



"This is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that the Blue Dog Coalition has endorsed for many years. I'm glad everyone stopped looking for excuses and instead found a solution to get it to the President's desk," Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) said in reference to the Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act, which he introduced in the House. "We've got to take steps to spend money where it's needed most. In a pandemic, with record unemployment, we need to know where funds are going-and what should be redirected. I've always said sunlight is the best disinfectant."



"Our farmers, ranchers, and rural communities work so hard to keep our country fed but that responsibility weighs on their mental health," said Rep. Anthony Brindisi (NY-22), who introduced the Seeding Rural Resilience Act. "Now more than ever, we need to be doing more to help producers manage the stresses of maintaining our food supply. Whether it's low prices, trade unrest, or now the global pandemic, so much of a farmer's bottom line is out of their control. The bipartisan Seeding Rural Resilience Act will help address the stigma and increase access to mental health resources for our rural communities and I am thrilled it is included in this must-pass legislation."



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The Blue Dog Coalition is an official caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives comprised of fiscally-responsible Democrats, who are leading the way to find commonsense solutions. They are pragmatic Democrats, appealing to the mainstream values of the American public. The Blue Dogs are dedicated to pursuing fiscally-responsible policies, ensuring a strong national defense for our country, and transcending party lines to get things done for the American people. Visit our website<[link removed]> to learn more, and get the latest news updates by following us on Twitter<[link removed]> or liking us on Facebook<[link removed]>.