News & Updates from the Blue Dogs

WASHINGTON—Last week, the Blue Dog Coalition's Co-Chair for Policy, Rep. Ed Case (HI-01), delivered remarks before the House Budget Committee to call for a fiscally responsible budget.KEY EXCERPT:"Paying for progress is not stopping progress. We have time and again proven that progress and fiscal responsibility are not mutually exclusive, as demonstrated most tellingly by the paid-for Affordable Care Act. And we have proven that we can take the difficult decisions on spending constraints and revenue enhancement necessary to do so.

WASHINGTON—Today, the Co-Chairs of the fiscally-responsible Blue Dog Coalition—Reps. Stephanie Murphy (FL-07), Ed Case (HI-01), Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01), and Kurt Schrader (OR-05)—sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and House Committee on Rules Chairman Jim McGovern calling for the following: 1) adherence to the letter and spirit House rules that encourage regular order, such as requiring a committee hearing and mark up, and allowing for reasonable floor amendments, and 2) a score from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) or Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) with adequate time for review prior to a floor vote on legislation.

WASHINGTON—Today, the Blue Dog Coalition, which focuses on issues related to national security, announced its endorsement of the bipartisanCommission on Domestic Terrorism Act of 2021, which would create an independent, bipartisan commission and be modeled after the 9/11 Commission to investigate the federal government's failure to more broadly respond to the threat of domestic terrorism over the past two decades.

WASHINGTON—Today, Rep. Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01), the Blue Dog Coalition's Co-Chair for Communications, issued the following statement on House passage of H.R. 1319,American Rescue Plan Act of 2021:"Today is a good day for the American people. Assistance is on the way for families struggling to keep food on the table or pay another month's rent. With the passage of the American Rescue Plan today and President Biden's announcement that there will be enough vaccines for all Americans by this summer, an end to this nightmare is almost in sight.

WASHINGTON—Today, the House passed a Blue Dog Coalition-backed redistricting reform measure as part of H.R 1, For the People Act. Included in H.R. 1 is language that is very similar to Rep. Jim Cooper’s John Tanner Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act, which eliminates partisan gerrymandering from the congressional redistricting process by requiring each state to establish an independent, bipartisan redistricting commission to redraw congressional district lines once every 10 years that reflect contiguous communities.

WASHINGTON—Today, the Blue Dog Coalition, which focuses on issues related to national security, announced its endorsement of two bills to help combat the threat of domestic terrorism and protect our nation’s classified information from those who participated in the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol and members of the QAnon conspiracy movement.

WASHINGTON—Yesterday, the Co-Chairs of the Blue Dog Coalition—Reps. Stephanie Murphy (FL-07), Ed Case (HI-01), Tom O’Halleran (AZ-01), and Kurt Schrader (OR-05)—sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Lead Chuck Schumer calling for a vote on a standalone bill focused on the vaccine development and distribution portion of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which calls for $20 billion in funding from Congress. This vote would take place while Congress continues to craft and move forward with a comprehensive COVID-19 relief package as fast as possible.

WASHINGTON—Today, Rep. Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01), the Blue Dog Coalition's Co-Chair for Communications and Outreach and a former police officer, issued the following statement on the death of Officer Brian Sicknick, a twelve-year veteran of the U.S. Capitol Police, who died on January 7, 2021 due to injuries sustained while serving in the line of duty to defend the U.S. Capitol complex on January 6, 2021:

WASHINGTON—Today, the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition announced its leadership for the 117thCongress. The Coalition has a total of 18 members, representing districts from Maine to Hawaii, who are dedicated to the organization's longstanding policy focus of fiscal responsibility, a strong national defense, and a pragmatic approach to governance.The Blue Dog Coalition's leadership for the 117thCongress will include the following:

WASHINGTON—Today, the leaders of the Blue Dog Coalition sent a letter to House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth on the Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) rule in response to H.Res. 8, which was passed by the House of Representatives.Specifically, the letter was signed by Reps. Stephanie Murphy (FL-07), Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01), Ed Case (HI-01), and Kurt Schrader (OR-05).See below for the full text:Dear Chairman Yarmuth:

WASHINGTON—Yesterday, members of the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition sent a letter to President-elect Joe Biden calling on the incoming Administration to prioritize bipartisan legislation that pertains to the COVID-19 pandemic response and the economic recovery. In that letter, the Blue Dogs also highlighted their policy priorities going into the 117thCongress, which include the following: 1) COVID-19 crisis relief, 2) job creation, 3) government reform, 4) holding foreign adversaries to account, and 5) fiscal responsibility.

WASHINGTON—Today, Rep. Lou Correa (CA-46), Co-Chair for Communications of the Blue Dog Coalition, issued the following statement on House passage of the fifth bipartisan COVID-19 relief package, which includes a number of the Blue Dog Coalition's priorities:

WASHINGTON—Today, Rep. Lou Correa (CA-46), the Blue Dog Coalition's Co-Chair for Communications, issued the following statement in response toreportsof an imminent deal on a fifth COVID-19 relief package:

WASHINGTON—Today, Rep. Lou Correa (CA-46), the Blue Dog Coalition's Co-Chair for Communications, issued the following statement regarding the ongoing negotiations for a fifth COVID-19 relief package:"Now is the time for everyone in Washington to put politics aside and come to a bipartisan, bicameral agreement to deliver relief and necessary resources as quickly as possible. Our constituents deserve results—not partisan nonsense.

WASHINGTON—Today, the House of Representatives passed two Blue Dog Coalition-endorsed bills as part of theNational Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

WASHINGTON—Today, Rep. Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01), the Blue Dog Co-Chair for Policy, issued the following statement on the election of Rep. David Scott (GA-13), a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, to be Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee:"We congratulate Rep. David Scott on his election to be Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, and Rep. Jim Costa on a well-run race. The Blue Dog Coalition was proud to have two of its finest members as candidates in this race."A longtime member of the Blue Dog Coalition, Rep.

WASHINGTON—This week, Rep. Kendra Horn (OK-05), a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, moderated a Rural Opportunity Roundtable discussion oneducation and workforce development.A champion for public education, Rep.

WASHINGTON—Today, members of the Blue Dog Coalition senta letterto Speaker Pelosi urging her to continue negotiations with the White House over the weekend on a fifth COVID-19 relief package until an agreement is reached.The letter was signed by the following members of Blue Dog Coalition leadership: Reps.

WASHINGTON—Today, the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition announced its endorsement bipartisan, bicameral legislation to provide robust support to state and local governments on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. TheState and Municipal Assistance for Recovery and Transition (SMART) Actwill provide $500 billion in emergency funding to every state, county and community in the country, while prioritizing assistance to the areas with the greatest need.

WASHINGTON—Today, the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition endorsed the"March to Common Ground" framework, which was developed by members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus (PSC) in order to help break the gridlock on a fifth COVID-19 relief package and encourage House leadership, Senate leadership, and the White House to go back to the negotiating table.The framework includes