I hope you’re enjoying the last few weeks of summer and taking some time for yourself. You can rest assured that we as Democrats will continue to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Only a few weeks after passing historic gun control legislation, President Biden, Vice President Harris, and the Democrats in Congress are still working to cut through the political gridlock and make life better for every American.
The Inflation Reduction Act will lower costs for American families and make prescription drugs cheaper. Its tax credits and investments for energy projects will improve energy security and tackle the climate crisis directly. And it will reduce the deficit and create even more jobs while making the wealthy and big corporations finally pay their fair share!
The PACT Act is the most significant expansion of benefits and services for toxic exposed veterans in more than 30 years. It delivers on a promise that President Biden made in his first State of the Union address to provide veterans and their families with the health care benefits they deserve.
The CHIPS and Science Act will accelerate the manufacturing of semiconductors in America, lowering prices on everything from cars to dishwashers. It also will create good-paying jobs right here in the United States and strengthen the American supply chain.
By enshrining marriage equality into federal law, the Respect for Marriage Act will repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and provide additional protections for same-sex and interracial marriage.
Meanwhile, employment continues to trend up while gas prices are trending down.
Democratic leadership made all of this possible.
What are Republicans doing during all this? They’re planning ways to gut Social Security and Medicare. They’re siding with special interests and blocking us from capping insulin costs. They’re working to restrict abortion and contraception. They’re still trying to overturn elections.
We cannot let them gain any ground in November. I hope you get some time to relax and recharge this month because we have a fight on our hands this fall. We started doing the legwork way back in January of last year. Now we need each and every one of you to proudly tell the world what it means to be a Democrat -- and what Democratic leadership means for America.
This fall, we take the fight directly to the Republicans. We remind the American people that they have a choice. We remind them that only one party works for them. We remind them that public office is public service.
As always, I thank you for joining us. I’m proud to fight alongside you.
Jaime
Jaime Harrison
Chair
Democratic National Committee
Big Win in Kansas
The majority of Kansans rejected Republicans’ assault on the right for women to make their own health care decisions. They voted in favor of keeping abortion legal. Kansas Republicans’ attempt to lay the groundwork for an extreme and wildly unpopular abortion ban failed as voters showed that they favor keeping abortion safe and legal. While the fight is far from over, the results in Kansas remind us that voters will hold Republicans accountable for their extreme anti-choice agenda.
On the Ground
California Democrats in the state legislature cemented the largest outlay of progressive ideals in the state’s history. The budget includes hundreds of millions of dollars allocated to expand abortion access, extend insurance coverage to every eligible undocumented immigrant in the state regardless of age, provide “hero pay” to frontline workers, as well as a $9.5 billion inflation relief package. This was possible because of a tax passed by CA Democrats on the richest in the state that led to an enormous revenue windfall.
The Texas Democratic Party hosted an event in San Antonio with Beto O’Rourke and YouTube’s Eugene Lee Yang. The event was part of Yang’s “This is Texas” documentary that aims to showcase the strength of the Democratic resistance in Texas, the issues facing working Texans, and the need for new political leadership in the state. The documentary will be released on September 7 on the Try Guys YouTube channel which has over 8 million subscribers. The TDP welcomed over 200 attendees and raised nearly $100k.
The Arizona Democratic Party has launched a pre-primary campaign to engage Latinx voters. “Es Nuestro Partido” is a bilingual campaign that highlights Democratic values and educates voters on participating in the primary. They will be meeting Latinos where they are and talking to them about issues that matter most to them. Their launch video includes ADP Chair Raquel Terán speaking with her grandmother and daughter about the importance of participation.
Folks You Should Know
Ebony Baylor, Deputy Director of Coalitions and Community Engagement and Black Coalition Director
Ebony assists the Coalitions Director with implementing a comprehensive outreach strategy to reach, engage, and mobilize key stakeholders in support of the DNC’s mission. She also leads DNC organizing and programming directed at the Black community. Prior to joining the DNC, Ebony served as the Director of Civic Engagement for the National Urban League. She also worked as the Outreach Coordinator for the Louisiana Democratic Party. She is a native of Shreveport, Louisiana and has worked in state legislative politics and grassroots organizing for candidates and issue advocacy campaigns for more than a decade.
Teresa Purcell, Senior Advisor for Rural Engagement
Teresa is developing an engagement strategy focused on building a new coalition in Rural America. She brings deep expertise having worked with both rural communities and communities of color in 37 states. Her experience spans all aspects of campaigns including managing U.S. Senator Patty Murray’s election in 1992 and running as a candidate for Washington House of Representatives in 2016.
Rob Engel, Senior Advisor for Disability Coalition Engagement
Rob has worked in Democratic politics since 1982 having served as the DNC’s Executive Director during the 2000 presidential cycle in addition to stints as the Political and Campaign Director at DCCC and the Executive Director at DLCC. Rob is a veteran of the National Committee for an Effective Congress' (NCEC) redistricting efforts and has worked for two Democratic congressmen and three U.S. senators, including former DNC General Chair and U.S. Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut. More recently, Rob served as vice-president of domestic policy for the American Automotive Policy Council. Active in the DNC Disability Council and state and national multiple sclerosis organizations, Rob is currently an Ambassador and Board Member at Johns Hopkins Medicine’s Project Restore. He is also active in developing a Center for the Study of Disability Advocacy and Education at American University.
Democrats Care
I’m so proud to see that in every corner of the country, folks are showing that they’re not just Democrats on Election Day.
In Hamilton County, Tennessee, Democrats worked with two local organizations to collect, sort, and distribute toiletries for the homeless. Showing that communities are looking to us for leadership and not just rhetoric, the event received coverage in the local news.
In Houston County, Georgia, Democrats partnered with a local nonprofit to prepare and deliver hot meals and care packages to unhoused Middle Georgians. The service project is still going with an Amazon wishlist.
The South Dakota Democratic Party coordinated a statewide effort to volunteer at a clothing drive for members of the transgender community.
The DNC Organizing Team’s "Summer of Service" is in full swing. Across the country, we are hosting a series of service-oriented events and activities for our DNC grassroots supporters and Biden-Harris volunteers. Send us your photos and videos from the Weekend of Action that kicked off on June 11.
