Another endorsement for Kamala (Rep. Katie Hill, CA)

[PunkinPi]

Link to tweet

Proud to announce my full support of @KamalaHarris for President. She has the vision, strength and values to move our nation forward and I look forward to continuing our work together to put the American people first. 🇺🇸 #ForThePeople

[Hortensis]

1. :) Katie Hill's reportedly become among the most powerful of our freshmen

as Elijah Cummings has named her cochair on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Among other things, she'll be liaison between the committee and leadership. This, of course, comes at a critical moment for our nation, when the committee will be making history.

Another important freshman is ex- Sec of HHS Donna Shalala, who the week after being sworn in agreed to an important role on the powerful Rules Committee even though a newcomer to the legislative branch. She also just announced assignments to labor and education subcommittees, wonder why those?

“The Speaker asked me whether I was willing to do it,” Shalala said. “Alcee Hastings urged me to do it because he said ... I’d learn every issue as part of the Rules and [Rules chairman Jim] McGovern assured me, as did the health committee chairs, that I still would be deeply involved in healthcare. Remember we are in the majority. We have an opportunity to build a consensus, but I have an opportunity to offer amendments myself, which will likely to be listened to very carefully, particularly in areas where I have expertise.”

Shalala’s appointment to the Rules Committee was made earlier than most of her colleagues, a signal that the committee’s work is essential to the Democrats’ early agenda as other committees are still gearing up after eight years of Republican control.

And though most of the debate on the House floor comes in the form of pre-written speeches by various members, Shalala has more responsibility to debate Republican arguments in real-time. “I love debating,” Shalala said. “Remember I teach, so I’m used to explaining things. You have to obviously respond to the other side and you manage the speakers on the subject, and if there’s additional time, then you actually debate.”

Though other committees will contain a slim majority of Democrats after they won 54 percent of seats in the 2018 elections, nine of the 13 Rules Committee members are Democrats to ensure that Pelosi and Democratic leadership won’t be blindsided if one or two Democrats go rogue. Republicans operate the committee in a similar fashion when they’re in power, though Shalala has been assured that the committee’s habit of meeting in the middle of the night during big-time debates won’t happen under Democratic leadership. ...

“We have somebody with incredible expertise ... who will be a fierce defender of the ACA and a fierce advocate for increasing healthcare protections for everybody,” McGovern said. “There’s no learning curve. She’s ready to hit the ground running, as evidenced by the fact that she’s ready to handle this rule.”

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article224221365.html

[PunkinPi]

2. I really like Katie and can't wait to see what she'll do in the years to come. nt

[Hortensis]

3. Yes, and to already be named a vice chair suggests Cummings likes her also. :)

[honest.abe]

4. Good to get endorsements locked up early.

Might convince others to drop out.

Im convinced Kamala is the one and the sooner she locks up the nomination the better.. imo.