The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is a caucus in the Democratic congressional caucus in the United States Congress. The CPC is a left-leaning organization that works to advance progressive and liberal issues and positions.
In the 116th United States Congress, the CPC has 98 members, making it the second largest caucus within the Democratic Party and the third largest caucus in Congress. The CPC is currently co-chaired by U.S. Representatives Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA).
The CPC was created in 1991 by six members of the United States House of Representatives: U.S. Representatives Ron Dellums (D-CA), Lane Evans (D-IL), Thomas Andrews (D-ME), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). More House Members joined shortly after, including Major Owens (D-NY), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), David Bonior (D-MI), Bob Filner (D-CA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Patsy Mink (D-HI), George Miller (D-CA), Pete Stark (D-CA), John Olver (D-MA), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Sanders was the convener and first CPC Chairman. Bill Goold was Staff Coordinator for the Progressive Caucus in its early years until 1998.
In April 2011, the Congressional Progressive Caucus released a proposed "People's Budget" for fiscal year 2012. Two of its supporters said: "By having a fair tax code, by building a strong American economy, and by bringing our troops home, we achieve a budget surplus of over $30 billion by 2021 and we end up with a debt that is less than 65% of our GDP. This is what sustainability looks like".
All members are members of the Democratic Party or caucus with the Democratic Party. In the 116th Congress, there are 97 declared Progressives, including 95 voting Representatives, one non-voting Delegate and one Senator.
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National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is an American nonprofit organization. It works for gun rights. It was founded in 1871. The current executive of the association is Wayne LaPierre of New York, who has served since 1991. Oliver North has been its President since 2018. The movie star Charlton Heston was also president of the NRA, from 1998 to 2003.
In the United States, attitudes and thoughts about guns have changed over time, and the NRA changed too.
The NRA began after the American Civil War. Leaders of the Union army were upset because the Union recruits could not shoot guns well. They would fire and miss many times, and this wasted ammunition. They started the NRA to teach men how to use guns. For most of the 20th century, the NRA was mostly about teaching people how to use guns. The NRA cooperated with the government. For example, the State of New York helped the NRA buy a gun range.
At first, the NRA supported laws limiting gun ownership. It agreed with the government that criminals and the mentally ill should not own guns. When there were many handguns in the United States, the NRA supported laws saying people should need a permit to buy one. When the first automatic weapons came out, the NRA supported laws requiring permits for them too. The NRA helped Congress develop the National Firearms Act of 1934, the Gun Control Act of 1938, and other gun laws in the 1960s.
In the late 20th century, the NRA began to change. There was civil unrest in the 1960s in America, and President John F. Kennedy was killed with a firearm. Many people began to want guns to protect their own households. In 1971, federal agents from the government's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms killed an NRA member because he had illegal weapons. In 1975, the NRA started its political lobbying group, the Institute for Legislative Action. Lobbying is when an organization sends lawyers and other people to talk to politicians so they will write laws the organization wants and talk to voters so they will elect politicians who will do what the organization wants. Around this time, the United States Supreme Court made it much easier for organizations to make campaign contributions. Politicians use campaign contribution money to pay for TV ads and posters and other ways of talking to voters. Politicians with lots of campaign contributions have an easier time winning elections. The NRA began fundraising so it could give money to politicians who promised to oppose gun control laws and let people own as many guns as they wanted to buy. Slowly, the NRA became more about politics than about gun education.
By 2020, the NRA had become one of the most powerful lobbying organizations in America. The NRA writes "report cards" on politicians and sends them to voters, giving the candidates "grades" based on how many times they voted for or against gun rights or gun control. The NRA began endorsing, or recommending, presidential candidates with Ronald Reagan in the 1980 United States presidential election.
In 2020, the United States Attorney General Letitia Jones moved to end the NRA. Jones said NRA officials had taken donated money and used it on themselves and given special contracts to their family and friends. American nonprofits are not allowed to do this. If someone donates money to a nonprofit, the nonprofit must use the money the way it promises to use it.
Ron Dellums
Ronald Vernie "Ron" Dellums (November 24, 1935 – July 30, 2018) was an American politician. He was Oakland's forty-eighth mayor. From 1971 to 1998, he was elected to thirteen terms as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Northern California's 9th Congressional District.
When President Ronald Reagan vetoed Dellums' Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986, a Democratic-controlled House and a Republican-controlled Senate overrode Reagan's veto, the first override of a presidential foreign policy veto in the 20th century.
Dellums died on July 30, 2018 in Washington, D.C. from prostate cancer, aged 82.
Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act
The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (), often referred to as the Brady Act and commonly called the Brady Bill, is an Act of the United States Congress that made background checks on firearm purchasers in the United States required and created a five-day waiting period on purchases.
The original legislation was introduced into the House of Representatives by Representative Charles E. Schumer in March 1991, but was never brought to a vote. The bill was reintroduced by Rep. Schumer on February 22, 1993 and the final version was passed on November 11, 1993.
It was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on November 30, 1993 and the law went into effect on February 28, 1994. The Act was named after James Brady, who was shot by John Hinckley, Jr. during an attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981.
Iraq Resolution
The Iraq Resolution or the Iraq War Resolution (formally the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002, is a joint resolution passed by the United States Congress in October 2002 as Public Law No: 107-243, authorizing military action against Iraq.
Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists
The Authorization for Use of Military Force allows the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for the attacks on September 11, 2001.
The authorization granted the President the authority to use all "necessary and appropriate force" against those whom he determined "planned, authorized, committed or aided" the September 11th attacks, or who harbored said persons or groups. The AUMF was signed by President George W. Bush on September 18, 2001.
Public Policy Polling