The CPC was founded in 1991 and currently has more than 80 members. The Caucus is co-chaired by Representatives Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA). Of the 20 standing committees of the House, 11 are chaired by members of the CPC.
History
The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) was established in 1991 by five members of the United States House of Representatives: Representatives Ron Dellums (D-CA), Lane Evans (D-IL), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Maxine Waters (D-CA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Then-Representative Bernie Sanders was the convener and first. The founding members were concerned about the economic hardship imposed by the deepening recession, the growing inequality brought about by the timidity of the Democratic Party response at the time. Until 1999 worked in open partnership with "Democratic Socialists of America"
Additional House representatives joined soon, including Major Owens (D-NY), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), David Bonior (D-MI), Bob Filner (D-CA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Patsy Mink (D-HI), George Miller (D-CA), Pete Stark (D-CA), John Olver (D-MA), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
The CPC’s founding statement of purpose states that it was “organized around the principles of social and economic justice, a non-discriminatory society, and national priorities which represent the interests of all people, not just the wealthy and powerful”. The founding members underscored that the Cold War was over, and that the nation’s budget and overall priorities should reflect that. They called for cuts in outdated and unnecessary military spending, a more progressive tax system in which wealthy taxpayers and corporations contribute their fair share, a substantial increase in federal funding for social programs designed to meet the needs of low and middle-income American families, and trade policies that increase the exports of more American products and encourage the creation of well-paying jobs and sound investment in America. They also expressed their belief that those policy goals could be achieved in concert with a commitment to long-term fiscal responsibility.
Ideology
According to its website, the CPC advocates "universal access to affordable, high quality healthcare," fair trade agreements, living wage laws, the right of all workers to organize into labor unions and engage in collective bargaining, the abolition of significant portions of the USA PATRIOT Act, the legalization of same-sex marriage, strict campaign finance reform laws, a complete pullout from the war in Iraq, a crackdown on corporate welfare and influence, an increase in income tax rates on the wealthy, tax cuts for the poor, and an increase in welfare spending by the federal government.
Supporting organizations
The non-profit organization most closely associated with the Congressional Progressive Caucus is the American Progressive Caucus Policy Foundation which works to connect the caucus to progressives outside the Congress.
In addition, an array of national liberal organizations work to support the efforts of the progressive caucus, including the Institute for Policy Studies, The Nation magazine, MoveOn.org,(George Soros), National Priorities Project, Jobs with Justice, Peace Action, Americans for Democratic Action, and Progressive Democrats of America. Also co-sponsoring the kickoff event were the NAACP, ACLU, Progressive Majority, League of United Latin American Citizens, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, National Council of La Raza, Hip Hop Caucus, Human Rights Campaign, Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs, and the National Hip Hop Political Convention.
House members
Map showing districts represented by House members of the CPC, excluding the Virgin Islands.
All members are members of the Democratic Party or caucus with the Democratic Party. There are currently (July 2009) 83 total declared Progressives including 79 voting Representatives, 2 non-voting Representatives and 2 Senators.
Arizona
• Ed Pastor (AZ-4, Phoenix)
• Raúl Grijalva (AZ-7, Tucson) - Co-Chair
California
• Lynn Woolsey (CA-6, Santa Rosa) - Co-Chair
• George Miller (CA-7, Richmond) - Chairman, House Education and Labor Committee
• Barbara Lee (CA-9, Oakland) - Chairwoman, Congressional Black Caucus
• Pete Stark (CA-13, Fremont)
• Michael Honda (CA-15, San Jose)
• Sam Farr (CA-17, Monterey)
• Henry Waxman (CA-30, Los Angeles) - Chairman, House Energy and Commerce Committee
• Xavier Becerra (CA-31, Los Angeles)
• Judy Chu (CA-32, El Monte)
• Diane Watson (CA-33, Los Angeles)
• Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34, Los Angeles)
• Maxine Waters (CA-35, Inglewood)
• Laura Richardson (CA-37, Long Beach)
• Linda Sanchez (CA-39, Lakewood)
• Bob Filner (CA-51, San Diego) - Chairman, House Veterans Affairs Committee
Colorado
• Jared Polis (CO-02, Boulder)
Connecticut
• Rosa DeLauro (CT-3, New Haven)
Florida
• Corrine Brown (FL-3, Jacksonville)
• Alan Grayson (FL-8, Orlando)
• Robert Wexler (FL-19, Boca Raton)
• Alcee Hastings (FL-23, Fort Lauderdale)
Georgia
• Hank Johnson (GA-4, Lithonia)
• John Lewis (GA-5, Atlanta)
Hawaii
• Neil Abercrombie (HI-1, Honolulu)
• Mazie Hirono (HI-2, Honolulu)
Illinois
• Bobby Rush (IL-1, Chicago)
• Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL-2, Chicago Heights)
• Luis Gutierrez (IL-4, Chicago)
• Danny Davis (IL-7, Chicago)
• Jan Schakowsky (IL-9, Chicago)
• Phil Hare (IL-17, Rock Island)
Indiana
• André Carson (IN-7, Indianapolis)
Iowa
• Dave Loebsack (IA-2, Cedar Rapids)
Maine
• Chellie Pingree (ME-1, North Haven)
Maryland
• Donna Edwards (MD-4, Fort Washington)
• Elijah Cummings (MD-7, Baltimore)
Massachusetts
• John Olver (MA-1, Amherst)
• Jim McGovern (MA-3, Worcester)
• Barney Frank (MA-4, Newton) - Chairman, House Financial Services Committee
• John Tierney (MA-6, Salem)
• Ed Markey (MA-7, Malden)
• Mike Capuano (MA-8, Boston)
Michigan
• Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (MI-13, Detroit)
• John Conyers (MI-14, Detroit) - Chairman, House Judiciary Committee
Minnesota
• Keith Ellison (MN-5, Minneapolis)
Mississippi
• Bennie Thompson (MS-2, Bolton) - Chairman, House Homeland Security Committee
Missouri
• William Lacy Clay, Jr. (MO-1, St. Louis)
• Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5, Kansas City)
New Jersey
• Donald Payne (NJ-10, Newark)
• Frank Pallone (NJ-06)
New Mexico
• Ben R. Luján (NM-3, Santa Fe)
New York
• Jerry Nadler (NY-8, Manhattan)
• Yvette Clarke (NY-11, Brooklyn)
• Nydia Velazquez (NY-12, Brooklyn) - Chairwoman, House Small Business Committee
• Carolyn Maloney (NY-14, Manhattan)
• Charles Rangel (NY-15, Harlem) - Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee
• Jose Serrano (NY-16, Bronx)
• John Hall (NY-19, Dover Plains)
• Maurice Hinchey (NY-22, Saugerties)
• Louise Slaughter (NY-28, Rochester) - Chairwoman, House Rules Committee
• Eric Massa (NY-29, Corning)
North Carolina
• Mel Watt (NC-12, Charlotte)
Ohio
• Marcy Kaptur (OH-9, Toledo)
• Dennis Kucinich (OH-10, Cleveland)
• Marcia Fudge (OH-11, Warrensville Heights)
Oregon
• Earl Blumenauer (OR-3, Portland)
• Peter DeFazio (OR-4, Eugene)
Pennsylvania
• Bob Brady (PA-1, Philadelphia) - Chairman, House Administration Committee
• Chaka Fattah (PA-2, Philadelphia)
Tennessee
• Steve Cohen (TN-9, Memphis)
Texas
• Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX-18, Houston)
• Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30, Dallas)
Virginia
• Jim Moran (VA-8, Alexandria)
Vermont
• Peter Welch (VT-At Large)
Washington
• Jim McDermott (WA-7, Seattle)
Wisconsin
• Tammy Baldwin (WI-2, Madison)
• Gwen Moore (WI-4, Milwaukee)
Non-voting
• Donna M. Christensen (Virgin Islands)
• Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)
Senate members
• Bernie Sanders (Vermont)
• Tom Udall (New Mexico)
Former members
• Sherrod Brown (OH-13) - Elected to Senate
• Julia Carson (IN-07) - Died in December 2007
• Lane Evans (IL-17) - Retired from Congress
• Cynthia McKinney (GA-4) - Lost Congressional seat to current caucus member Hank Johnson
• Major Owens (NY-11) - Retired from Congress
• Nancy Pelosi (CA-8) - Left Caucus when Elected House Minority Leader
• Hilda Solis (CA-32) - Became Secretary of Labor in 2009
• Stephanie Tubbs Jones (OH-11) - Died in 2008
• Paul Wellstone (MN Senate) - Died in plane crash in 2002
In Conclusion
These individuals working with ACORN, SEIU, and the Apollo Alliance were the ones that brought us the Stimilus Bill, Cap & Trade, Health care Bill and the budget with all of its PORK.
It is time for "WE THE PEOPLE" to remove these individuals from office and take back this country.
Sources:
Congressional Progressive Caucus Webpage
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/
wikipedia.org
Sergeant- Rock
20 September 2009
No comments:
Post a Comment