New Democrat Coalition
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The New Democrat Coalition is an organization within the United States House of Representatives, currently chaired by Representatives Jim Davis of Florida, Ron Kind of Wisconsin, and Adam Smith of Washington. It is made up of 74 centrist, pro-growth members of the House of Representatives who are working to find mainstream, bipartisan solutions to America's problems.
The group was founded in 1997 by Representatives Cal Dooley (California), Jim Moran (Virginia) and Tim Roemer (Indiana). Since its creation, two-thirds of Democrats elected to the House have joined the NDC, making it the largest and one of the most influential caucuses in the House. The NDC has worked to craft and pass legislation, including Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) for the People's Republic of China, digital signatures, and H-1B visa reform and continues to work on matters such as privacy, broadband, expanding e-learning opportunities and making government more accessible and efficient through the use of technology. Many in the party's left wing criticize the group, however, for their alleged lack of focus on social justice and the poor, the party's traditional base.
Reference
- Adapted from NDC government page (http://www.house.gov/adamsmith/NDC/ndc.html)