The Democratic Caucus works with every Democratic member of the House of Representatives to help achieve consensus, bring their ideas and work to the forefront and ensure members have the tools they need to implement their goals. It is the only subgroup within the House of which every Democrat is a Member.
The Caucus nominates and elects the House Democratic Leadership, approves committee assignments, makes Caucus rules, enforces party discipline, and serves as a forum to develop and communicate party policy and legislative priorities. It accomplishes these tasks through weekly Caucus Meetings, on-going Issue Task Forces, the yearly Caucus Issues Conference, periodic special events, and continual Member-to-Member communication.
Since its first meeting on April 2, 1796 – to oppose a treaty with Great Britain that did not adequately protect American sailors – the Caucus has functioned as a key vehicle for developing Democratic policy and strategy. From 1796 to 1820, for example, the Caucus nominated presidential candidates (and eventual presidents) Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe. And in the late 1930s, the Caucus played a key role in preserving Democratic unity and protecting President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” from aggressive Republican opposition.
- from dems.gov/who-we-are
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This page was last edited on Saturday, 28 Nov 2020 at 21:17 UTC
