Republicans are gearing up to move their agenda through Congress via “reconciliation”—the same process they used during the first Trump administration to slash the corporate tax rate and give breaks to the top 1 percent. Understanding reconciliation is essential for tracking the GOP’s policy plans, anticipating impacts on the rest of us, and holding lawmakers accountable to the people they serve. 

We’ll break down what you need to know about reconciliation and what it means for our communities. We’ll explain why this process matters, discuss history’s lessons learned, and answer YOUR questions! We’ll hear from: 

• Trisha Maharaj, Associate Policy Director, Indivisible 

• Bobby Kogan, Senior Director of Federal Budget Policy, Center for American Progress

• Ben D'Avanzo, Senior Strategist, Health and Economic Policy, National Immigration Law Center

• Catherine Rowland, Legislative Affairs Director, Congressional Progressive Caucus Center (Moderator)

How does the United States’ unprecedented military spending impact border communities? The Congressional Progressive Caucus Center (CPCC) explored the ways militarization harms immigrant families, border communities and all of us with organizers and experts from across our movement. Learn more and read the report in our “Militarism at Home” series.

Speakers:

John Motter, About Face and Ground Game Los Angeles

Pedro Rios, San Diego Program Director, American Friends Service Committee

Lindsay Koshgarian, National Priorities Program Program Director, Institute for Policy Studies

Roshni Ahmed, Campaign Manager, Defund Hate Coalition

Jesse Franzblau, Senior Policy Analyst, National Immigrant Justice Center

Budgets reflect our nation's priorities; they are a roadmap of what - and who - our government invests in. Each year, our elected representatives vote on investing in childcare, education, healthcare, military spending, and more each year in the appropriations process. How do we make sure federal spending invests in our communities?

The CPCC hosted a virtual educational briefing that dives deep into the all-important topic of Congress' power of the purse. Our special guests walked through the budget and appropriations process and shared insights into how our communities can make our voices heard. Panelists explained how we can invest and protect the human needs programs our families depend on in the face of a new Congress and new challenges.

For more, check out our explainer Show Me the Money: A Timeline of Key Steps in the Appropriations Process.

Speakers:

Ross Brennan, Senior Legislative Affairs Associate, CPCC

Leticia Mederos, Partner, Actum LLC

Erika Andiola, Comms Director, Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights

Ashik Siddique, Research Analyst, Institute for Policy Studies

Sara Wiggins, Parent and Advocate, Parents Together

On Thursday, March 16th at 1 pm ET, the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center (CPCC) hosted The Power of the Pen: Building Justice Through Executive Action, an educational briefing on executive actions. The briefing explores the power - and the limits - of executive action and digs into the policy changes created by executive action under the Biden Administration and additional executive actions that could benefit our communities across the country.

Speakers:

Elyse Redden, Homes Guarantee Campaign & Faith in the Valley

Anthony Rogers-Wright, Director of Environmental Justice, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest

Dr. Sanjeev Sriram, Social Security Works

Sarah Anderson, Global Economy Project Director, Institute for Policy Studies

Laura Williamson, Associate Director of Democracy, Demos