New Democrat Coalition

The New Democrat Coalition is a Congressional Member Organization within the United States Congress made up of Democrats who support an agenda that the organization describes as moderate and pro-growth. A July 2009 Press release described the organization as "the largest moderate coalition in the U.S. House of Representatives", announced the election of Representative Joseph Crowley (New York) as the Coalition's Chair and counted 68 Members in the House of Representatives.^[1] In January 2009, at the end of the 110th Congress, there were 59 members listed on Chair Representative Ellen Tauscher's roster. The Senate New Democrat Coalition counted 21 members in the Senate in August 2002, 15 of whom remain in the Senate as of the beginning of the 111th Congress.

Overview

The New Democrat Coalition was founded in 1997 by Representatives Cal Dooley (California), Jim Moran (Virginia) and Timothy J. Roemer (Indiana) as a congressional affiliate of the avowedly centrist Democratic Leadership Council, whose members, including former President Bill Clinton, call themselves "New Democrats." As of July 2009, the House New Democrats are chaired by Representative Joseph Crowley (New York), with Vice-Chairs Representatives Melissa Bean (Illinois), Ron Kind (Wisconsin), Allyson Schwartz (Pennsylvania) and Adam Smith ( Washington), who also serves as chair of the group's political action committee.

The Senate New Democrat Coalition was founded in the spring of 2000 by Senators Evan Bayh (Indiana), Bob Graham (Florida), Mary Landrieu (Louisiana), Joe Lieberman (Connecticut), and Blanche Lincoln (Arkansas).^[2]

The NDC has worked to craft and pass legislation, including Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) for the People's Republic of China, fast track Trade Promotion Authority, digital signatures, and H-1B visa reform and continues to work on matters such as privacy, broadband, expanding e-learning opportunities and making government more accessible and efficient through the use of technology. Many in the Democratic Party's left-wing criticize the group, however, accusing it of ignoring social justice and the poor.

The NDC is a member of the Alliance of Democrats international; the Democratic Party as a whole does not participate in any internationals on account of its political divisions, but does permit its affiliated organizations to do so.

New Democrat Coalition members (House)

Map of House caucus members during the 112th Congress

The following members of the House of Representatives currently belong to the New Democrat Coalition.^[3]

Arizona

• Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-8)

California

• Lois Capps (CA-23)
• Adam Schiff (CA-29)
• Loretta Sanchez (CA-47)
• Susan Davis (CA-53)

Colorado

• Diana DeGette (CO-1)
• Jared Polis (CO-2)
• Ed Perlmutter (CO-7)

Connecticut

• John B. Larson (CT-1)
• Joe Courtney (CT-2)
• Jim Himes (CT-4)
• Chris Murphy (CT-5)

Florida

• Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20)

Georgia

• John Barrow (GA-12)
• David Scott (GA-13)

Indiana

• André Carson (IN-7)

Louisiana

• Cedric Richmond (LA-2)

Michigan

• Gary Peters (MI-9)

Missouri

• Russ Carnahan (MO-3)

Nevada

• Shelley Berkley (NV-1)

New Jersey

• Rush D. Holt (NJ-12)

New Mexico

• Martin Heinrich (NM-1)

New York

• Steve Israel (NY-2)
• Carolyn McCarthy (NY-4)
• Gregory Meeks (NY-6)
• Joseph Crowley (NY-7), Chair
• Eliot L. Engel (NY-17)
• Brian Higgins (NY-27)

North Carolina

• Mike McIntyre (NC-7), charter member

Oregon

• Kurt Schrader (OR-5)

Pennsylvania

• Jason Altmire (PA-4)
• Allyson Schwartz (PA-13), Vice-Chair

Texas

• Charlie Gonzalez (TX-20)

Virginia

• Jim Moran (VA-8), charter member
• Gerry Connolly (VA-11)

Washington

• Jay Inslee (WA-1)
• Rick Larsen (WA-2)
• Adam Smith (WA-9), Vice-Chair, charter member

Wisconsin

• Ron Kind (WI-3), Vice-Chair, charter member

Former members

Former Representatives

Members who have left Congress:

• James A. Barcia (MI-5), charter member, did not seek re-election
• Chris Bell (TX-25), lost re-election following redistricting
• Ken Bentsen (TX-25), charter member, did not seek re-election
• Ed Case (HI-2), did not seek re-election
• Bob Clement (TN-5), charter member, did not seek re-election
• Jim Davis (FL-11), charter member, did not seek re-election
• Peter Deutsch (FL-20), charter member, did not seek re-election
• Bob Etheridge (NC-2), charter member, lost re-election in 2010
• Harold Ford (TN-9), did not seek re-election
• Kirsten Gillibrand (NY-20), appointed to Hillary Clinton's vacant Senate seat
• Jane Harman (CA-36), resigned in 2011
• John J. LaFalce (NY-29), charter member, did not seek re-election
• Nick Lampson (TX-22), lost re-election in 2008
• Bill Luther (MN-6), charter member, lost re-election following redistricting
• Tim Mahoney (FL-16), lost re-election in 2008
• Denise Majette (GA-4), did not seek re-election
• Bob Matsui (CA-5), charter member, deceased
• Karen McCarthy (MO-5), charter member, did not seek re-election
• Juanita Millender-McDonald (CA-37), deceased
• Earl Pomeroy (ND), charter member, lost re-election in 2010
• Max Sandlin (TX-1), charter member, lost re-election following redistricting
• Thomas C. Sawyer (OH-14), charter member, lost re-election following redistricting
• Charles Stenholm (TX-17), charter member, lost re-election following redistricting
• Ellen Tauscher (CA-10), appointed Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs
• Jim Turner (TX-2), charter member, did not seek re-election

Disaffiliated members

Former members who remain in Congress, but who are no longer affiliated with the NDC:

• Dennis Cardoza (CA-18)
• Jim Clyburn (SC-6), charter member
• Jim Cooper (TN-5)
• Norman D. Dicks (WA-6), charter member
• Mike Michaud (ME-2)
• Brad Miller (NC-13)
• Mike Thompson (CA-1)
• Bill Pascrell (NJ-8), charter member
• Steve Rothman (NJ-9), charter member
• Heath Shuler (NC-11) ^[4]
• Pete Visclosky (IN-1), charter member

Senate New Democrat Coalition members

The following Senators belong or belonged to the Senate New Democrat Coalition.^[5][6][7]

Current senators

• Dianne Feinstein (CA, by 2001)
• Thomas R. Carper (DE, by 2001; co-chair from 2003)
• Joe Lieberman (CT, founder)
• Bill Nelson (FL, by 2001)
• Mary Landrieu (LA, founder, co-chair from 2003)
• John Kerry (MA, from 2000)^[8]
• Debbie Stabenow (MI, by 2001)
• Kent Conrad (ND, from 2000)
• Ben Nelson (NE, by 2001)
• Tim Johnson (SD, from 2000)
• Maria Cantwell (WA, by 2001)
• Herb Kohl (WI, from 2000)

Former senators

• Blanche Lincoln (AR, founder, from 1999; defeated in 2010)
• Evan Bayh (IN, founder, retired from senate in 2011)
• Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY, from 2001; retired from Senate in 2009 to become Secretary of State)^[9]
• Bob Graham (FL, founder, chair from 2000–2003; retired from Senate in 2003)
• Max Cleland (GA, from 2000; defeated in 2002)
• Zell Miller (GA, from 2001; retired from Senate in 2004)
• John Breaux (LA, from 2000; retired from Senate in 2004)
• Jean Carnahan (MO, from 2001; defeated in 2002)
• John Edwards (NC, from 2000; retired from Senate in 2004)
• Bob Kerrey (NE, from 2000; retired from Senate in 2000)
• Richard Bryan (NV, from 2000; retired from Senate in 2000)
• Chuck Robb (VA, from 2000; defeated in 2000)
• Jon Corzine (NJ, from 2004; retired to run for Governor in 2005)

See also

• Congressional Progressive Caucus
• Blue Dog Coalition
• New Democrats
• Democratic Leadership Council

References

1. ^ New Democrat Coalition (July 2009). "New Dems Announce New Coalition Leadership: Rep. Crowley Elected Coalition Chairman". Press Release. New Democrat Coalition. http://ndc.crowley.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=177&Itemid=61. Retrieved August 11, 2009. 
2. ^ About the Senate New Democrat Coalition (DLC)
3. ^ NDC Member List
4. ^ http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ca10_tauscher/NDCMEMBERSELECT.html
5. ^ NDN: Senate New Democrat Coalition Members (August 2000)
6. ^ NDN: Senate New Democrat Coalition Members (July 2001)
7. ^ NDN: Senate New Democrat Coalition Members (August 2002)
8. ^ Milligan, Susan (December 16), "Party Moderates to be Key Players", Boston Globe 
9. ^ Harwood, John (July 16), "Democratic Centrists Declare Cease-Fire with Liberals to Establish United Front", Wall Street Journal, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB995228486181999191.html?mod=googlewsj 

External links

• Congressional New Democrats homepage
• DLC New Democrat Coalition page
• DLC: New Democrats Form House Coalition (March 11, 1997)
• NDC: New Democrat Coalition Adds 10 Freshmen Members To Its Ranks (January 31, 2003)
• House New Democrat Coalition Announces New Leaders, Membership for 109th (February 9, 2005)
• NDC government page^{[dead link]}