AMID HEIGHTENED GEOPOLITICAL TURMOIL, DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS RELAUNCHES NATIONAL SECURITY TASK FORCE

As Americans look for smart solutions to worsening global insecurity, House Democrats draw on new Members with on-the-ground experience

WASHINGTON — Today, the House Democratic Caucus relaunched its Task Force focused on national security issues, combining the expertise of three new Caucus members with the ongoing leadership of task force Founder and Chair Emeritus, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA).

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) announced today that Moulton will return to the National Security Task Force as Chair Emeritus for the 116th Congress. Jeffries also announced that the Task Force will relaunch under the new leadership of Co-Chairs Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-NY) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM).

According to Pew Research Center, a majority of Americans believe the United States will become less important globally by the year 2050, with 60 percent of respondents indicating they expect the country to endure a terror attack equal to or even worse than the September 11, 2001 attacks. As the American people search for an alternative to leadership that alienates our allies and emboldens our adversaries, the newly reconstituted task force reflects the strength, stability and firsthand national security experience furnished by the House Democratic Caucus’ service-oriented class of new Members. The group will bring this knowledge to bear as it engages experts and convenes Members to develop policy solutions to complex challenges threatening our national security, from rogue state actors to non-state terrorist groups, from cyberwarfare to global instability caused by climate change.

“House Democrats know that when it comes to securing the greatest democracy in the history of the world, it takes more than a tweet,” said Jeffries. “Our national security must come before partisan politics and no one exemplifies that more than the leaders of our National Security Task Force, who have each put country over party time and again. My distinguished colleagues here should be commended for their leadership in this regard.”

“As an Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan, I saw the true cost of war and know firsthand the sacrifices our service members make to keep our country safe,” said National Security Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Jason Crow. “This freshman class has the largest number of veterans serving in Congress in more than a decade and it provides us with the unique opportunity to reshape the conversation around national security and foreign policy. We must ensure that America continues to be a leader on the global stage and work closely with our partners and allies to advocate for America’s interests and values across the globe.”

“Our nation’s national security policy isn’t just felt in the halls of Congress, it’s felt by the service men and women at bases like Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and those deployed around the world to protect American interests,” said National Security Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Andy Kim. “This Task Force will work to ensure that those men and women are front of mind as we build a national security policy for the future. I look forward to working with my colleagues, Congressman Crow and Congresswoman Torres Small, to fight for a smarter, strategic national security agenda.”

“At a time when we face complex and ever evolving threats, it is imperative we set aside partisan politics to craft policy that keeps the American people safe,” National Security Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Torres Small said.

“As a member of the House Armed Service Committee that represents critical military installations and national laboratories, I am dedicated to military readiness, base resiliency and enduring investments in our energy infrastructure for our nation’s long-term national security strategy.”

“Democrats have a strong, smart, and strategic approach to national security. I started this task force last Congress to ensure we provide a steady, guiding hand on foreign policy while holding the administration accountable where the president is weakest: in his job as Commander in Chief,” National Security Task Force Founder and Chair Emeritus Rep. Seth Moulton said. “I’m looking forward to working with the new co-chairs, all of whom have the personal and professional experiences to engage our caucus and present new ideas.”

Jeffries announced the relaunched task force as House Democrats continue to advocate for sensible investment in our national security through the conference committee for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed decisively in the House earlier this year.

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