Indian-American lawmaker to head Congressional Progressive Caucus

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The increasingly influential Congressional Progressive Caucus announced its senior leadership Dec. 9, 2020, for the 117th Congress. The CPC Executive Board will be chaired by Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington.

“As a lifelong organizer, I am honored that my colleagues have elected me to lead the Congressional Progressive Caucus at this pivotal moment. We have massive crises knocking at our nation’s door, and the work of the Progressive Caucus has never been more important,” Jayapal said in a statement.

Jayapal has become one of the most vocal leaders in the progressive movement nationally during the Trump administration.

“The American people need Congress to lead with vision, conviction, empathy, and dedication to people and families in every community who are struggling right now,” she said, adding that the Congress needed to “act boldly” to restore power to the people.

Jayapal vowed to work with her colleagues to “bring real relief to families, advance racial justice, tackle poverty and inequality of any kind, strengthen worker power, advance climate justice, break up monopolies, bring humanity to our immigration system, and help transform this country so working people finally get ahead.”

California Congressman Ro Khanna, D-California, a strong supporter of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, was appointed one of several Deputy Whips of the CPC.

The full CPC Executive Board for the 117th Congress will be:

• Chair: Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07)
• Deputy Chair: Congresswoman Katie Porter (CA-45)
• Whip: Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (MN-05)
• Chair Emeriti: Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02), Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13), and Congressman Raul Grijalva (AZ-03)
• Vice Chair for Policy: Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08)
• Vice Chair for Communications: Congresswoman-elect Marie Newman (IL-03)
• Vice Chair for New Members: Congressman Joe Neguse (CO-02)
• Vice Chair for Inter-Caucus Relations: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18)
• Vice Chair for Labor: Congressman Don Norcross (NJ-01)
• Vice Chair for Member Services: Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-13)
• Vice Chairs At-Large: Congressman David Cicilline (RI-01), Congressman Jesus “Chuy” García (IL-04), Congresswoman Deb Haaland (NM-01), and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12)
• Deputy Whips: Congressman Mark Takano (CA-41), Congressman Lloyd Doggett (TX-35), Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17), Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Congressman Mondaire Jones (NY-17), Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09), Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Congresswoman-elect Cori Bush (MO-01)
• Executive Board Member At-Large: Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09)
• Special Order Hour Conveners: Congressman-elect Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) and Congresswoman-elect Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03)