Progressive Groups Urge Pelosi to Limit Corporate Power on Key Committees

Today 19 groups wrote to House Speaker-Designate Nancy Pelosi to urge her to limit the power of corporate-aligned Democrats on some of the House's most powerful committees, including Appropriations, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Intelligence, and Ways and Means. The groups also urge Pelosi to protect the public interest from the corrosive influence of corporate special interests by limiting the extent to which members beholden to corporate power are rewarded with subcommittee chairs.

The full list of signers is below; text of the letter may be found here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/demandprogress/letters/2018-12-20_Joint_Letter_to_Pelosi_re_Problem_Solvers.pdf

The organizations particularly urged Pelosi to limit the committee power of members of the so-called Problem Solvers Caucus (PSC). A series of recent articles have demonstrated how billionaires from private equity and other problematic sectors of the economy have funded "No Labels" and the "Problem Solver's Caucus" with an eye toward thwarting the populist mandate that Democrats received in November.

The groups assert that "If Democrats are to deliver on the promises made to voters during the 2016 elections, the Caucus must effectively advance an agenda that will make a difference for regular Americans, and forcefully oppose proposals that would undermine this goal." They note that recent reporting on, and demands made by, the PSC and the associated No Labels organization make it clear that they will work "to impede the will of Democratic voters."

According to Demand Progress Executive Director David Segal, "As the Democratic Party's base and Americans more generally recognize the importance of instituting programs like Medicare for All and ensuring full employment, reactionary Democrats-- frequently aligned with groups like the Problem Solvers Caucus--are holding the Party and country back. We need leadership to put progressives on key committees so they can fight for economic prosperity for everybody, not just corporations and those who are already wealthy."

"Americans are sick of politicians who run populist campaigns and then govern according to the whims of billionaires," said Revolving Door Project Director Jeff Hauser. "Voters want to know if the commitment by Democrats to clean up Washington is real. The identity of who runs congressional committees will make a huge difference in whether Democrats ultimately live up to their mandate or not."

List of signers:

• Allied Progress
• American Family Voices
• Communication Workers of America
• Consumer Action
• Courage Campaign
• CREDO
• Daily Kos
• Demand Progress Education Fund/Rootstrikers
• Freedom to Prosper
• Grassroots Collaborative
• Next Door Project
• Patriotic Millionaires
• People's Action Institute
• Progress America
• Progressive Democrats of America
• Revolving Door Project
• Take On Wall Street
• Social Security Works
• Working Families Party