Mobile Menu - OpenMobile Menu - Closed

116th Congress

Number: 
116

Minority lawmakers gain unprecedented clout amid pandemic

Minority caucuses in the House are gaining unprecedented political clout, spurred by unity between black, Hispanic, and Asian and Pacific American lawmakers.

Known collectively as the Tri-Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) encompass 131 House Democrats, or 56 percent of the most diverse House Democratic Caucus ever.

But the Tri-Caucus was not always effective in yielding its full voting power to move legislation or leadership battles.

After Hearing From SBA Inspector General, Rep. Chu Condemns SBA Failure to Fully and Faithfully Implement CARES Act

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), Chair of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight, and Regulations, held a virtual forum with the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Inspector General (IG), Hannibal "Mike" Ware, about the report he prepared on the SBA’s implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). According to the CARES Act, the SBA through PPP is supposed to prioritize underserved and rural markets.

House Democrats Propose $10 Billion for Vulnerable Families

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Reps. Judy Chu (CA-27), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Linda Sanchez (CA-38), and Rep. Danny Davis (IL-07) introduced Social Services Pandemic Disaster Relief Act. The bill would provide $10 billion for essential emergency assistance to vulnerable children, families, and individuals, including those who may not be receiving other assistance during the pandemic.

Dem Bill Would Require SBA Data on PPP Loans to Minority, Women, and Veteran-Owned Businesses

WASHINGTON, DC – To ensure that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is prioritizing underserved and rural businesses, as required by the CARES Act, today, Reps. Judy Chu (CA-27), Marc Veasey (TX-33), and Tony Cardenas (CA-29) introduced the PPP Data Diversity and Accountability Act of 2020. This bill would require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to collect and report on demographic data, disaggregated by race, in order to show how many PPP applicants were minority-, women-, or veteran-owned.

Reps. Chu, Schiff Seek Unemployment Relief For Independent Workers With Mixed Income Types

Washington D.C. – Congressmembers and Rep. Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) and Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy last week urging that future coronavirus response legislation ensure that independent workers with multiple types of income are able to access the same unemployment assistance that the CARES Act provides to those with more traditional employment arrangements. 

House Dems Urge PPP Access for Labor Unions

WASHINGTON, DC — On Tuesday, 105 House Democrats, led by House Small Business Subcommittee on Oversight Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), Rep. Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) and Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), sent a letter to House Democratic and Republican leadership urging that labor unions be made eligible to access to recovery funds made possible under the CARES Act, including the Paycheck Protection Program.

Rep. Chu Votes to Improve Paycheck Protection Program

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), voted to pass the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. This bill would increase appropriations for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) from $349 billion to $670.355 billion, including $310 billion for loans. It establishes a set-aside of $30 billion specifically for community banks and smaller lenders with between $10 billion and $50 billion in assets and an additional $30 billion for institutions with less than $10 billion.

Rep. Chu, Senator Hirono, and 100+ Colleagues Call on Congressional Leaders to Ensure Immigrant Families Can Access Critical Services During Coronavirus Pandemic

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Judy Chu (CA-27) and Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and led 28 Senators and 76 Members of the House of Representatives in writing to members of Congressional leadership to call for an inclusive coronavirus relief package that ensures that urgently-needed coronavirus testing and medical care and relief benefits are accessible by all communities, regardless of limited English proficiency or immigration status.

Dem Letter on PPP Demands Rules Requiring Equitable Lending from Banks

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Democratic Members of the House of Representatives, led by Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), chair of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight, and Regulations and Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07) sent a letter to US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Jovita Carranza urging new rules for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP was established by Congress to help small businesses survive the coronavirus crisis without having to let go of staff.

House Dems Call to Protect Americans’ Stimulus Checks from Private Garnishment

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), Chair of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight, and Regulations, and Rep. Joseph Morelle (NY-25), led a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig urging them to use existing regulatory authority to prevent financial institutions from garnishing the stimulus checks to Americans during the coronavirus crisis. The stimulus checks were passed by Congress on March 27, 2020, as part of the CARES Act, to help all Americans weather the economic slowdown.

Pages