New Dems Take Action to Address Economic Challenges Facing Americans via Axios Sneak Peek

The new NDC Inflation Working Group will identify, develop, and advance policy solutions to combat inflationary pressures. 

Davids’ Amendment Included in America COMPETES Act

NDC Vice Chair Rep. Sharice Davids’s (KS-03) amendment to support small manufacturers was included in the House-passed America COMPETES Act. The Kansas City Star covers how Davids got the idea for this policy after hearing from a small manufacturer trying to get a grant to produce N95 masks at the start of the pandemic.

NDC Member Bill Action 

Bustos Bill to End Forced Arbitration for Sexual Assault and Harassment Passes House 
Rep. Cheri Bustos’ (IL-17) bill, H.R. 4445 the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, passed the House on Monday. This bipartisan legislation will void forced arbitration agreements, allowing survivors of sexual assault and harassment the freedom to decide what legal path works for them. This legislation subsequently passed the Senate on Thursday and is now headed to the President’s desk to become law.
 

Manning Introduces Bill to Expand Access to Maternal Health Care
NDC Leadership Member Kathy Manning (NC-06) introduced H.R. 6612, the Advancing Maternal Health Equity Under Medicaid Act. This legislation will expand access to vital health services during and after pregnancy for people with Medicaid coverage, to advance reproductive and maternal health justice, and to save lives. 

Trahan Introduces Bill to Protect Americans’ Online Privacy and Data
Rep. Lori Trahan (MA-03) introduced the bicameral  Data Elimination and Limiting Extensive Tracking and Exchange (DELETE) Act. This bipartisan legislation would create a system for individuals to request all data brokers, companies that collect personal data for commercial use, delete any personal data the broker may have collected and to not collect it in the future.
 
Costa Introduces Bill to Make Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue the Official Group of US Congress-European Parliament Relations
Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16) introduced the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue Act, legislation that would give official status to the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue and expand the group’s U.S. delegation to include members of the U.S. Senate. The Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue supports relationships between members of the U.S. House of Representatives and European Parliament. Rep. Costa co-chairs the group with Radosław Sikorski, Member of the European Parliament.  

Trone Leads U.S. Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking, Release Final Report Outlining Its Key Findings and Proposals
As Co-Chair of the U.S. Commission on Combatting Synthetic Opioid Trafficking, Rep. David Trone (MD-06), released the final report of the U.S. Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking. The final report serves as a bipartisan, strategic approach to combating the flow of synthetic opioids into the United States — with an overarching goal of reducing the number of overdose deaths from these drugs. Ending the opioid crisis and decreasing the flow of synthetic opioids into the U.S. is a personal fight for Rep. Trone in Congress, in honor of his nephew Ian who died of a fentanyl overdose in 2016. 
 
Castro Leads SCOTUS Amicus Brief Supporting Disabled Texas Veteran
Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20) led five other Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief to weigh in on Torres v. Texas, a case before the U.S. Supreme Court that threatens the civilian job rights and benefits of servicemembers and veterans under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994. The brief argues that ensuring returning servicemembers have access to uniform workplace remedies — no matter where they live — strengthens American war-readiness and repays our immense debt to veterans for their sacrifice in service of the United States.
 
Wild Demands YouTube to Remove Dangerous Videos on Safer Internet Day
In 2020, Rep. Susan Wild (PA-07) led a letter to YouTube calling for them to remove dangerous “How to Tie a Noose” videos. No action was taken, so this Tuesday on Safer Internet Day, Rep. Wild led Members in demanding that YouTube remove the videos. In Congress, Rep. Wild has been an outspoken leader on mental health and suicide prevention initiatives.
 
Costa Leads Letter to President Biden Urging Increased Efforts to Mitigate Wildfires
Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16) led a letter alongside 11 House colleagues from impacted districts to President Joe Biden calling for a more robust strategy to identifying and responding to wildfires. The full text of the letter can be found here.