A progressive coalition is demanding House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) place certain progressive, current and incoming Democrats on influential House committees.
The coalition has called on the presumptive House speaker to award Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.), and Rep. Ro Khanna (D., Calif.) with assignments on the Ways and Mean Committee. The group also wants Jayapal to be on the Judiciary Committee, Rep.-elect Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) on Appropriations, and Rep.-elect Katie Porter (Calif.) on Financial Services.
New: Progressive coalition goes public with its committee demands for Pelosi. They want Jayapal on Ways and Means (with waiver to stay on Judiciary); Ro Khanna on W&M; AOC on W&M; Rashida Tlaib on Approps; and Katie Porter on Financial Services. pic.twitter.com/jlmBtqAQWX
— Daniel Marans (@danielmarans) December 17, 2018
The coalition consists of groups such as Justice Democrats, Demand Progress, and Democratic Socialists of America.
"As nearly every major potential Democratic presidential contender embraces progressive ideas like Medicare for All, free college, and ending mass deportation and incarceration, we need progressive champions on key House committees that would fight to pass these policies under a Democratic administration, not centrists who would simply cave to their big corporate donors," said Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats.
The executive director of Demand Progress criticized "reactionary Democrats" who are "frequently aligned with groups like the Problem Solvers Caucus, New Democrats and the Blue Dogs" for "holding the Party and country back."
"It's past time to finally have working class fighters ready to stand up to Wall Street and the rest of the capitalist class on the Ways and Means Committee," said Maria Svart, executive director of Democratic Socialists of America.
Last week, Pelosi reached a deal with House Democrats who opposed her bid for the top leadership spot, likely ensuring she becomes speaker of the House when the party takes control of the chamber in January. The progressive coalition said it would be "mobilizing volunteers online, to tweet, call and visit the offices of Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders to make their voices heard."