Table Of Content
Hakeem Jeffries of New York was on course on Friday to be the first Black party leader in Congress, declaring his candidacy for House minority leader after securing key endorsements to succeed Nancy Pelosi, the current speaker who announced her withdrawal from leadership on Thursday. The Minority Whip is a member of the minority party who assists the minority leader in coordinating the party caucus in its responses to legislation and other matters. They are reckoned as the second most powerful member of their party, behind the minority leader.
Party whips and assistant party leaders
Over the past two years Democrats have passed the American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. In remarks to reporters on Wednesday, Jeffries traced his ascent from the Brooklyn hospital where he was born, the son of a caseworker and a social worker. Moved by what he described as a desire to “advance the ball for everyday Americans”, he first won election to the New York state assembly, where he sat for six years.
History
Crow was on the team and recounted a tense moment during the Senate trial when a protester burst into the chamber during Jeffries' presentation and it was unclear if he had a weapon or would threaten the lawmakers inside. One younger House Democrat, Rep. Nanette Barragán, D-Calif., who was elected in 2016, told NPR she was excited about the major shift in who will lead her party in the House. Barragán pointed out that she and Jeffries come from similar backgrounds, with working-class parents. Through a series of phone calls with Trump, several House members, as well as the speaker, they worked to structure roughly $9 billion in economic aid for Ukraine as forgivable loans — just as it was in the final package.
Who Is Hakeem Jeffries?
Jeffries is a former lawyer who represents a diverse district in Brooklyn and Queens once represented by Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to serve in Congress. He is known on Capitol Hill as a disciplined tactician with a measured style and a penchant for pop culture references. Shortly before Thanksgiving, Pelosi, who has led Democrats since 2003, announced that she intended to pass the torch and would support Jeffries, another barrier-breaking leader. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told theGrio this week that Biden thinks Jeffries is “incredibly impressive” and is looking forward to working alongside him as the new House Democratic leader.
Origin of the post
Like the Speaker of the House, the Minority Leaders are typically experienced lawmakers when they win election to this position. When Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, became Minority Leader in the 108th Congress, she had served in the House nearly 20 years and had served as minority whip in the 107th Congress. Gephardt's predecessor in the minority leadership position was Robert Michel, R-IL, who became GOP Leader in 1981 after spending 24 years in the House. Michel's predecessor, Republican John Rhodes of Arizona, was elected Minority Leader in 1973 after 20 years of House service.
White House touts Mitch McConnell’s line on Trump, border policy - MSNBC
White House touts Mitch McConnell’s line on Trump, border policy.
Posted: Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:15:13 GMT [source]
In a display of unity after midterm elections in which they lost the House but had a stronger than expected showing, Democrats skipped a vote and by acclamation elected Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York to be minority leader, making him the first Black person to claim the top spot. Representative Katherine Clark of Massachusetts was elected as whip, the lead vote counter for House Democrats, and Representative Pete Aguilar of California as the chairman of the party caucus, in charge of messaging. For Johnson, just six months into his job as speaker, the political crosscurrents are even more difficult. He is clinging to his leadership post as right-wing Republicans threaten to oust him for putting the aid to Ukraine to a vote. While McConnell has embraced American leadership abroad his entire career, Johnson only recently gave complete support to the package.
Recent News
Democrats prepare to ride to Johnson's rescue, gingerly - Roll Call
Democrats prepare to ride to Johnson's rescue, gingerly.
Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 17:57:09 GMT [source]
Philanthropic and real estate leaders reacted with hope and skepticism to the initiative, LA4LA, which Bass unveiled Monday during her State of the City address. The bill underscores Rep. Torres’s unwavering commitment to improving fire safety for New Yorkers and all Americans. Fire Administration Act in the wake of the deadly Twin Parks North West fire last year, which President Biden signed into law, and is currently leading the Safer Heat Act of 2023 to address underlying manufacturing issues and safety concerns with space heaters.
The attempt to oust Johnson comes just months after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed from the top leadership post in early October. Such efforts reveal the divide among House Republicans as they look to expand their majority in November. Told theGrio he is concerned that a few House Republicans may vote to replace House Speaker Mike Johnson with Jeffries, the House minority leader. Washington — House Democrats elected Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York as their next party leader in a unanimous vote on Wednesday, ushering in a generational shift as Democrats prepare to relinquish control of the lower chamber in January. Since 1995, the only two Majority Leaders to become Speaker are John Boehner and Kevin McCarthy, though indirectly as their party lost control in the 2006 and 2018 midterm elections.
Political career
Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, also from New York, will lead the Democratic Party in their respective chambers over the next two years as Biden continues to mull over whether he will seek reelection in 2024. On Saturday morning, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries officially made history as the first African American to lead a major party in Congress. Crow said that episode shows that Jeffries "knows where he's going, but he also knows where he's from. And I think that's important as a person and as important as a leader to never forget your background, never forget who you are." He acknowledged the caucus is "a big family, and an enthusiastic family and sometimes a noisy family." In a veiled reference to the House GOP conference and its allegiance to former President Donald Trump, Jeffries added "I'd much rather be a coalition than a cult."
An advocate of social and economic justice, Jeffries notched a top legislative achievement with the bipartisan First Step Act, criminal justice reform legislation signed into law by then-President Trump. He also served as one of the House prosecutors in the first impeachment of Trump. He ascended to caucus chairman in 2019, serving two terms in a higher tier of leadership, leading caucus meetings and hosting weekly news conferences alongside Aguilar, his deputy. That group of octogenarians will continue their service into the next Congress, though only Clyburn wants to remain in leadership. But he’s facing an eleventh-hour challenge for the post of assistant Democratic leader from Rhode Island’s Rep. David Cicilline, who announced a surprise bid Wednesday. The FIRST STEP Act provides retroactive relief for the shameful crack cocaine sentencing disparity that unfairly destroyed lives, families and communities.
“People are a little less cynical, because she has shown that things can be done,” said Bojarsky, pointing to Bass’ executive order speeding up affordable housing construction and other programs led by her office. “On December 6, 2023, the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously passed an updated version of the legislation that directs the CPSC to create a stronger, more comprehensive safety standard for lithium-ion batteries used in micromobility devices. We strongly support these changes, which expand the scope of the legislation to include equipment related to or used in conjunction with rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, including chargers, cables, external packs on chargers and freestanding charging stages. We believe this legislation, as amended, is well positioned to combat the increasing frequency of lithium-ion battery-related fires and will ultimately save lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment