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** Weekly Wrap 12/20/2019
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Throughout the year, the NDC has been busy working to push forward policy priorities and legislation that address the biggest questions facing our nation. New Dems continued to deliver for the American people as we wrapped up the final legislative session of 2019. A full recap of 2019 highlights will be coming to your inboxes at the start of the new year.

This week, the House passed H.R. 5430, the implementing bill for the New Dem-endorsed ([link removed]) updated U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). NDC has long supported bringing our trade agreements into the 21^st century, and since its founding, has been integral to every trade initiative passed through Congress; USMCA is no different. NDC Members were nearly unanimous in their support of the updated USMCA that incorporated improvements negotiated by House Democrats, including priorities ([link removed]-) laid out by New Dems earlier this year. We hope that this agreement can serve as a template for bipartisan consensus in future agreements and urge Senator McConnell to bring it up for a vote on the Senate floor as soon as possible.

NDC Members also sent a letter to the House Committee on Education and Labor Chair Bobby Scott outlining the Coalition’s thought leadership on the future of work ([link removed]) , including the changing nature and structure of work and the economy, and urging for the inclusion of the Coalition’s perspective as the Committee develops legislative priorities on these topics. This letter follows the NDC’s successful efforts to secure language in the FY2020 funding bill to require the Bureau of Labor Statistics to collect data every two years on contingent and alternative work arrangements to better understand the realities of the evolving structure of work.

The House and Senate also passed two appropriations packages – 12 bills in total – to fully fund the government through FY2020. The packages committed funding to several important domestic, national security, and international priorities, and included key reauthorizations and provisions that were priorities for the Coalition and individual Members, including a long term reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank and Terrorism Risk Insurance program, expanding retirement security through the SECURE Act, the extension of important clean energy incentives, and the elimination of the Medical Device Tax, Health Insurance Tax and Cadillac Tax. The funding legislation contains numerous victories ([link removed]) for the Democratic Party.

Finally, the House passed Articles of Impeachment against President Donald Trump holding the President accountable for abusing his position of power to achieve political aims at the expense of our national security and the integrity of our democracy. All NDC Members voted for the articles of impeachment because no one is above the law. Read more from Chair Derek Kilmer ([link removed]) .

More on what Members have been up to below.

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COALITION HIGHLIGHTS

House Passes Updated, New Dem-Endorsed USMCA ([link removed])
The House passed the updated, NDC-endorsed USMCA to modernize NAFTA and bring the trade agreement into the 21^st century. The transformative agreement incorporates several provisions from the New Dem , which were released earlier this Congress to serve as a framework for a successful trade agreement. Now that the House has passed the implementing bill, the NDC urges Senator McConnell to bring it to the Senate floor for a vote before the end of the year.

NDC Urges Involvement on Future of Work Issues in Congress ([link removed])
The NDC sent a letter urging the Committee on Education and Labor Chair Bobby Scott (VA-03) to include the Coalition’s perspective in finding innovative solutions to our shared priority of ensuring all Americans have the opportunity to earn a good life. The NDC requests to be involved in discussions around legislative action on the future of work, including providing input on the coalition’s expertise ([link removed]) on the drivers of and policy solutions for the changing nature and structure of work and the economy. Read the full letter here ([link removed]) .
MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

FLOOR ACTION
House Passes Suozzi’s Legislation to Fully Restore SALT Deduction ([link removed])
The House passed Rep. Tom Suozzi’s (NY-03) Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act, legislation to eliminate the marriage penalty this year and eliminate the SALT deduction cap altogether for 2020 and 2021. Read more from NDC Freshman Whip Mikie Sherrill ([link removed]) (NJ-11) and Tom Malinowski ([link removed]) (NJ-07).

BILL INTRODUCTIONS
Stanton Introduces Bill to Accelerate Development of Arizona’s Interstate 11 ([link removed])
Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ-09) introduced a bill to provide new federal assistance to complete a required environmental impact study for segments of the I-11 project in Arizona. I-11 would open up a new transportation corridor in Arizona, and at completion, the project is estimated to generate $24 billion in economic impact and approximately 24,000 jobs for the region.

Shalala Introduces NCAA Commission Bill to Fully Examine the State of Intercollegiate Athletics ([link removed])
Rep. Donna Shalala ([link removed]) (FL-27) introduced the Congressional Advisory Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics (CACIA) Act, bipartisan legislation that creates a blue-ribbon congressional commission to identify and examine issues of national concern related to the conduct of intercollegiate athletics and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Panetta Introduces Legislation to Restore Servicemembers’ Ability to Transfer Educational Benefits ([link removed])
Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) introduced the bipartisan Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability Entitlement Act to help ensure all servicemembers who have completed ten years of service in the Armed Forces are eligible to transfer their benefits to dependents at any time – both while serving on active duty and as a veteran.

Moulton, Trahan Introduce Legislation to Protect Essex National Heritage Area
Reps. Seth Moulton ([link removed]) (MA-06) and Lori Trahan ([link removed]) (MA-03) introduced the Essex National Heritage Area Permanency Act to protect the 500 square-mile area, which connects 34 cities and towns from Lawrence to Salem to Gloucester and to Lynn. Since the creation of the Essex National Heritage Area in 1996, the House has been authorized to invest up to $1 million into it. This new legislation eliminates a 2012 sunset provision and the funding cap, which limited the amount of money the area could receive over the course of its life.

MEMBER HAPPENINGS
Since its founding, the NDC has been integral to every major trade initiative in Congress. Below are some highlights of New Dem Members speaking out about their leadership on updated USMCA:
* Rep. Greg Stanton ([link removed]) (AZ-09) authored an op-ed for The Arizona Republic advocating for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and highlighting the long-lasting positive impacts the new trade agreement will have. He also emphasized some of the most important wins in USMCA in an interview on KJZZ ([link removed]) .
* Rep. Henry Cuellar ([link removed]) (TX-28) penned an op-ed in The Rivard Report, highlighting the critical wins for his district, the United States, and North America: “Our economy is only as strong as the trading networks it so heavily relies on. The USMCA is our best option to move this city, this country, and this continent toward a modern and mutually beneficial economic relationship.”
* Rep. Kim Schrier ([link removed]) (WA-08) wrote an op-ed in The Seattle Times highlighting the ways in which USMCA improves upon NAFTA, the impacts it will have on industries in Washington state and throughout America, and the importance of the enforceability mechanisms included within the implementing text.
* Rep. Brad Schneider ([link removed]) (IL-10) on CLTV’s Politics Tonight, emphasizing the crucial wins for the American people and the importance of the included enforceability mechanisms.
* Rep. Colin Allred (TX-32) on the impact of USMCA for the state of Texas in Dallas Morning News ([link removed]) , including 36,000 jobs in his district, and spoke with NBC about his support for the passage ([link removed]) of USMCA.
* Rep. Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) met with Vice President Mike Pence ([link removed]) on updating NAFTA and spoke with Agri-Pulse about the need to push USMCA forward ([link removed]) .
* Rep. Ben McAdams (UT-04) urged Speaker Nancy Pelosi to negotiate USMCA ([link removed]) and bring the agreement to a vote in the House by the end of the year.
* Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06) has enthusiastically backed USMCA in The Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed]) , noting its support by the business community and labor unions.
* Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) and a group of six other freshman Democrats sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ([link removed]) urging him to pass USMCA before the end of the year.
* Rep. Cheri Bustos (IL-17) touted the positive impacts of the revised USMCA in WBCU ([link removed]) for farmers, organized labor, and environmental organizations.

Kuster Condemns Fifth Circuit Court Decision to Overturn the Affordable Care Act ([link removed])
NDC Vice Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02) issued a statement condemning the Fifth Circuit Court ruling on the Trump Administration-supported lawsuit to overturn the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA protects the tens of millions of Americans with preexisting conditions, reduces out-of-pocket costs, expands Medicaid, bans junk insurance plans, and allows Americans to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until the age of 26. This decision threatens the millions of Americans relying on the ACA to access the care they need.

Sewell: Skyrocketing Drug Prices Are Bankrupting Americans via Alabama News ([link removed])
NDC Vice Chair Terri Sewell (AL-07) penned an op-ed in Alabama News on the urgent need to reduce the cost of prescription drugs and the devastating impacts of astronomically high prices on Americans: “In the richest nation in the world, every American should have access to the highest-quality, life-saving medications… Last week, House Democrats took a bold step to achieve that goal and we won’t stop fighting until affordable health care is a reality for all Americans.”

Panetta Joins Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers in Letter Urging the President to Oppose China’s Bid to Lead the U.N. ([link removed])
Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) joined a group of bipartisan, bicameral legislators in sending a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to strongly oppose China’s efforts to lead the World Intellectual Property Organization at the United Nations, a significant threat to both U.S. economic security and the integrity of international intellectual property rights and standards.

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