RLC Weekly: Defending the Progress We've Made

November 1, 2024
In The News

Colleagues,

Four years ago, Americans saw an economy that was hemorrhaging millions of jobs. They saw small businesses going under in their community while they were struggling to make ends meet. The prior administration's mismanaged response to the COVID-19 pandemic made a terrible situation even worse. We now see headlines like these.

The Regional Leadership Council (RLC) will let readers use whatever statistics they want. The bottom line is this: the laws that Democrats passed to safely reopen schools and businesses, lower costs, honor our Veterans, and reinvigorate America's infrastructure, manufacturing, and clean energy capacity have made us far better off. Here are the ways that House Democrats are telling that story this week:

Lowering Costs and Protecting the Affordable Care Act

House Democrats are committed to lowering costs by discussing the laws and policy proposals that impact health care costs. Many lawmakers sounded the alarm after a video surfaced of House Speaker Mike Johnson (LA-04) indicating that there would be "no Obamacare" in the House Republican Conference's proposals for health care reform. House Democrats warned their constituents of higher health care costs and fewer protections should those proposals come into effect. Be sure to see how House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) and Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05) communicated the consequences of this dangerous proposal here and here. 

Additionally, Rep. Pat Ryan (NY-18) and Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26) took to social media to remind Medicare enrollees about the ways they can save on prescription drugs this open enrollment period – which expanded to health care exchange plans today. See this outreach here and here.

Lifting Up Workers, Growing the Middle Class

The staying power of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act were on display in Nevada this week. Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su announced over $700 million to support registered apprenticeships for women and bolster the construction of the Brightline West Project. Reps. Dina Titus (NV-01), Susie Lee (NV-03), and Steven Horsford (NV-04) stood with members of NABTU to celebrate this announcement and to underscore the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to creating good-paying union jobs. Read more about these latest investments here.

Building Safer Communities

This week was further evidence that the Investing in America agenda is building safer, healthier, and more prosperous communities by lowering pollution and protecting clean drinking water. At the Port of Baltimore, President Joe Biden announced $3 billion from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Clean Ports Program, $147 million of which will help the Port of Baltimore expedite decarbonization. Read more on this announcement here. In Michigan, Reps. Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Shri Thanedar (MI-13) joined EPA Administrator Region 5 Debra Shore and Mayor Mike Duggano to announce $28 million for area ports. Rep. Dingell says this project will "make our ports cleaner and more energy efficient, and ensure workers are included and prioritized in the transition." For more inspiration on these announcements, see this post from Rep. Shontel Brown (OH-11).

What Else?

  • The Department of Commerce (DOC) has published a Notice of Funding Opportunity to help develop sustainable semiconductor materials and processes. Read the details here.
  • The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced nearly $635 million for small and medium-sized bridge projects across America. See where here.

For more updates on how to help implement the Investing in America agenda locally, please follow us on social media and share your story on how these investments are making a difference in your community. You can also visit our website for additional resources that will help track these historic investments.