New Dems Unveil Rural Revitalization Agenda to Grow Rural Economies, Lower Costs, and Improve Health Care

The New Democrat Coalition Rural Revitalization Working Group, led by Working Group Chair Kim Schrier (WA-08), Farm Bill Task Force Chair Jim Costa (CA-21), Rural Broadband Task Force Chair April McClain Delaney (MD-06), and Rural Economy Task Force Chair Josh Riley (NY-19), released its Rural Revitalization Agenda, which offers a path forward for Congress to support the long-term growth and prosperity of communities that are often overlooked and underappreciated.

Through the Rural Revitalization Agenda, New Dems will work to rebuild and reinvest in rural areas by growing local and farm economies, expanding access to affordable housing and high-quality healthcare, and breaking down barriers to success, like lack of high-speed internet, job training, and harmful trade policies.

This week, 36 New Democrat Coalition Members, led by Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) alongside his fellow House Ways & Means Committee members New Dem Chair Brad Schneider (IL-10), New Dem Trade & Tariffs Task Force Chair Don Beyer (VA-08), sent a letter to Ambassador Jamieson Greer, the United States Trade Representative, ahead of the July 2026 joint review of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA).

In the letter, New Dems call on the USTR to use the upcoming USMCA review to update and expand on the existing framework without undermining the successes and essential components that have benefitted the U.S., Canada, and Mexico in the six years the USMCA has been in effect.

The letter reads in part:

“USMCA is an example of what we can achieve when the administration and Congress work together. While there are enhancements that should be made, we believe the 2026 review should aim to build on and refine the successes of USMCA without undermining its core framework.”

New Dems specifically call for the preservation of key innovations in the original deal, including a first-of-its-kind Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) to resolve labor disputes, enhanced environmental protections, and a commitment to innovation. They also urge improvements in enforcement, coordination, and security to ensure the agreement keeps up with emerging challenges in global trade.

Lastly, New Dems call for the Administration to consult with Congress, industry partners, and labor stakeholders – as well as their Canadian and Mexican counterparts – ahead of the 2026 review to ensure the process is transparent and focused on strengthening rather than weakening the agreement.

New Democrat Coalition Chair Brad Schneider (IL-10), Deputy Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), and the Co-Chairs of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Reps. Doris Matsui (CA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), and Paul Tonko (NY-20), released the following statement demanding Congressional action on the Administration’s scorched-earth attacks on clean energy projects as a condition for bipartisan permitting reform negotiations.

“The members of our respective caucuses hold diverse views of how Congress should improve the energy infrastructure permitting process; however, as leaders of these caucuses, we are unified in our belief that the current actions of the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans are blocking us from engaging in good faith, bipartisan permitting reform negotiations.

“Any serious permitting reform package must address – as a threshold matter – the Trump Administration’s active undermining of America’s clean energy industry by using every tool it can find to slow or block projects. The Administration regularly does not follow existing law, including revoking duly issued permits, rescinding previously-awarded grants, and issuing stop work orders on projects well under construction. Over the past 10 months, we have heard outcries over the Administration’s actions from state governments, businesses, and workers responsible for building critical clean energy projects to address growing electricity demand while improving the reliability and affordability of our energy system, but our Republican colleagues in Congress have remained largely silent in the face of the Trump Administration’s abuses.

29 New Democrat Coalition Members, led by New Dem Representative Dr. Kim Schrier (WA-08), penned a letter to the Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Jim O’Neill, urging immediate changes to the procedures of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which advises the CDC on the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

The letter follows several concerning developments regarding ACIP, which saw all 17 of its members fired in June by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. without justification. After replacing the fired ACIP members with a band of known vaccine denialists, the CDC later accepted the Committee’s September vaccine recommendations, which included limiting the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine without evidence.

The letter reads in part:

“The panel’s departure from using sound, reliable data, opting instead to cherry-pick selective studies in forming its guidance, poses a serious risk to public health. The American people deserve recommendations grounded in transparency and comprehensive evidence-based analysis. Anything less risks diminishing public trust in the CDC’s role as the gold standard for public health guidance.”

In the letter, New Dem Members call on the CDC to reinstate all 17 ACIP Members and ensure proper vetting for conflicts of interest and scientific integrity for new members, recommit to transparency and scientific rigor in all ACIP practices and recommendations, and provide evidence-based communication to the American public about recent vaccine recommendations.

In Episode 23, “First Officer,” Reps. Greg Landsman (OH-01) and Marc Veasey (TX-33) are joined by House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05), the second-highest-ranking lawmaker in the House Democratic Caucus. In a wide-ranging discussion, Congresswoman Clark describes the challenges and opportunities facing the Democratic Whip in the current political environment. She also details the lessons we should learn from the shutdown as we approach another funding deadline in January.

The group also touches on the latest developments in the Epstein files, discussing how the American people are demanding transparency and are fed up with the corruption in the White House.