Congressional Progressives Unveil ‘Bold’ Agenda for Second Biden Term

Progressive lawmakers have already introduced bills for many items on the agenda, including a Green New Deal for Public Schools, expanding the Supreme Court, comprehensive voting rights protection, and legalizing marijuana.

Critics noted the conspicuous absence of Medicare for All—once a top progressive agenda item—and foreign policy issues including ending Israel’s genocide, apartheid, occupation, settler colonization, and ethnic cleansing in Palestine.

Jayapal told NBC News that the CPC is focusing its blueprint exclusively on domestic goals—especially ones it feels can be achieved.

“The way we came to this agenda is to say that we were going to put into this agenda things that were populist and possible… and affected a huge number of people,” she said. “We haven’t taken a position on particularly Israel and Gaza in the progressive caucus, and so that’s not on here.”

The CPC agenda is backed by a wide range of labor, climate, environmental, civil rights, consumer, faith-based, and other organizations.

“The Congressional Progressive Caucus is leading the way for Congress to address the major issues affecting working families, from reducing healthcare and housing costs to strengthening workers’ rights to join unions, earn living wages and benefits, and have safe workplaces,” Service Employees International Union president Mary Kay Henry said in a statement.

“SEIU is proud to partner with the CPC to move these priorities forward and build a more equitable economy in which corporations are held accountable for their actions,” she added.

Mary Small, chief strategy officer at Indivisible, said: “House progressives were the engine at the heart of our legislative accomplishments in 2021 and 2022. They’ve continued that momentum to be true governing partners to the Biden administration as those laws and programs are implemented.”

“That’s why Indivisible is so supportive of the CPC’s Proposition Agenda, a bold vision for progressive governance in 2025 and beyond. From reproductive rights to saving our democracy to economic security for all, the CPC is driving forward exactly the sort of legislative goals we want to see in our next governing moment.”

That moment is far from guaranteed, with not only the White House hanging in the balance as Biden will all but certainly face former Republican President Donald Trump in November’s election but also the Senate Democratic Caucus clinging to a single-seat advantage over the GOP. Republicans currently hold the House of Representatives by a five-seat margin.