PAWTUCKET – Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) hosted a press call highlighting the ways that Democrats are fighting to provide much-needed help to frontline workers in the upcoming coronavirus relief bill. Cicilline was joined on today’s call by Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Katherine Clark (MA-05), Steering and Policy Committee Co-Chair Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), U.S. Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02), and U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III (MA-04).
Press Releases
2020/05/01
2020/04/21
PAWTUCKET – Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) issued the following statement today:
“As all of us work to flatten the curve, our first priority must be ensuring that working men and women make it through this crisis. I’m proud that we’ve reached an agreement that will provide more relief for workers and small business owners, deliver critical resources for hospitals and health care workers, and lay the groundwork for a national strategic testing policy that is essential for reopening our economy.”
2020/04/21
PAWTUCKET – House Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) and House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (NY-12) announced today that they have introduced legislation to prohibit banks from collecting overdraft fees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As we all do our parts to flatten the curve, it’s critical that Congress do whatever it takes to make sure working people get through this crisis with their finances intact,” said Cicilline. “Under President Trump, the big banks are doing just fine. They don’t need to be punishing their customers with overdraft fees right now. This is a commonsense bill that protects consumers. Members of both parties should get behind it today.”
2020/04/21
Join me WEDNESDAY, April 22nd at 11am for my next Facebook Live Town Hall on the coronavirus pandemic. This time, we'll talk about housing resources available to Rhode Islanders and plans to address the housing crises in recovery efforts.
I'll be joined by Brenda Clement (Housing Works RI), Carol Ventura (RI Housing), Caitlin Frumerie (RI Coalition for the Homeless), and Melina Lodge (Housing Network of RI) to field your questions about housing resources available to Rhode Islanders, and I'll share what we have done in Congress to provide relief for Rhode Islanders.
2020/04/16
PROVIDENCE, RI – In an effort to provide employment and training services to Rhode Islanders who were laid off because of the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency, U.S. Representatives David Cicilline and Jim Langevin, and U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, today announced $2,326,005 in federal funding for Rhode Island through Dislocated Worker Grants (DWG).
2020/04/09
WASHINGTON - Today, House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law Chairman David N. Cicilline (D-RI), Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce Chair Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), introduced the COVID-19 Price Gouging Prevention Act to protect American consumers from price gouging during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would prohibit the sale of consumer goods and services at an unconscionably excessive price during the public health emergency declared as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020/04/07
Cites leadership of Allstate and American Family Mutual, urges other providers to do the same
PAWTUCKET – As Americans under quarantine are staying home and driving less, U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) is calling on America’s leading car insurance companies to rebate to customers a portion of their premiums so as to not unfairly profit off the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020/04/06
PAWTUCKET – In a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, House Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) raised serious concerns today about the proposed acquisition of Credit Karma by Intuit, TurboTax’s parent company.
“Intuit’s proposed acquisition of Credit Karma bears all the traditional signs of a dominant incumbent seeking to tame a maverick competitor,” Cicilline wrote. “Our antitrust laws require that TurboTax compete on the merits rather than be permitted to purchase its way out of competing. In light of this concern, I request that the Antitrust Division closely scrutinize this merger to protect the competitive process and the American people as they file their taxes.”
2020/03/27
Third COVID-19 relief package will benefit Rhode Island with new resources
WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) voted today to send a $2.2 trillion stimulus bill to the President. The bill provides substantial relief for Rhode Islanders impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020/03/27
WASHINGTON – Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) spoke on the House floor today in support of the third coronavirus emergency relief package. Video of Cicilline’s remarks can be accessed by clicking the image below and the text is embedded below:
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Congressman David N. Cicilline
Remarks as Delivered
March 27, 2020
Mr. Speaker, this is a public health crisis unlike any other in modern history.
2020/03/26
PAWTUCKET – Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) issued the following statement today:
“We are in the middle of an unprecedented public health crisis. The COVID-19 epidemic is impacting communities here in Rhode Island and all across America.”
“This third round of funding begins to meet the scale and severity of the challenges we face. It will provide significant resources to help Rhode Island hospitals treat their patients and keep health care workers safe. Although Mitch McConnell made clear over the past few days that he wanted to put corporations first, Democrats succeeded in our efforts to include real relief for families and working people.”
2020/03/24
Washington – U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse along with Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced $539,250 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help eight Rhode Island health centers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Health centers may immediately use the awards to address screening and testing needs, acquire medical supplies, and boost their telehealth capacity.
“Our trusted community health centers are well-positioned to be important assets in the fight against COVID-19,” said the members of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation in a joint statement. “This federal funding will give neighborhood health centers the ability to test and treat patients with milder cases of respiratory illness, relieving some of the burden on our hospitals.”
2020/03/23
PAWTUCKET – Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) issued the following statement today:
“This bill addresses many key priorities for Rhode Island that I’ve raised with Speaker Pelosi over the past week. Chief among these are critical financial support to ensure hospitals can care for patients and provide health care workers and first responders with the best protective equipment available, direct cash payments for working people, relief for small businesses, expanded unemployment insurance, and strong prohibitions on the use of taxpayer money for stock buybacks.”
2020/03/20
PAWTUCKET – Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) led 37 of his colleagues in a request for stronger unemployment insurance in the next coronavirus supplement package to help affected workers make ends meet.
“As states continue to respond to this crisis, they require additional federal support to alleviate pressure on their already strained resources,” the members wrote in a letter to negotiators. “Strengthening the federal government’s share of unemployment insurance will allow these states to direct resources to the critical infrastructure necessary to respond to this pandemic.”
Specifically, Cicilline requested that the next coronavirus response legislation should:
2020/03/20
PAWTUCKET – Democratic Policy and Communications Committee Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) is fighting to protect students during the COVID-19 crisis. The Rhode Island Congressman asked House negotiators today to defer or forbear all federal student loans in the next stimulus package.
“As negotiations continue on a recovery package for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic, we ask that you take steps provide relief for millions of student loan borrowers,” Cicilline and 56 of his colleagues wrote in a letter. “With this in mind, we ask that the Department of Education be required to place all student loans in a state of deferment or forbearance, thus relieving borrowers of the worry of making their next loan payments if they are unable to.”
2020/03/20
WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressmen David N. Cicilline (RI-01) and Mark Pocan (WI-02) today sent a letter to the Speaker of the House of the Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, requesting direct and immediate financial assistance to small businesses, independent contractors, sole proprietors, and gig economy workers in the House’s next legislative package to combat the effects of the coronavirus outbreak.
“Small businesses and their employees are the backbone of our economy. We have an obligation to do everything we can to keep them afloat during this unprecedented crisis,” Congressman Cicilline said. “As Congress works to provide additional emergency funding in response to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s crucial that we take steps to provide direct assistance to small businesses.”
2020/03/19
WASHINGTON – Democratic Policy and Communications Committee Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) and Congressman Don Young (AK-AL), co-chair of the House Afterschool Caucus, led a bipartisan request today with 48 members to House leaders crafting the next round of emergency funding asking for an immediate increase of $500 million for 21st Century Community Learning Centers to provide necessary relief to families and educators affected by the growing pandemic.
2020/03/19
WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressmen David N. Cicilline (RI-01) and Mark Pocan (WI-02) led a group of 82 members of Congress today in demanding that Secretary of Defense Mark Esper provide an urgent report on what is being done to protect our nation’s servicemembers around the world from exposure to the coronavirus.
“While we understand that this crisis continues to evolve rapidly, it is essential that the proper actions be taken to address the danger posed to U.S. forces,” the members wrote. “This includes minimizing exposure of our nation’s servicemembers, ensuring that testing is available to those who may experience symptoms, and that rapidly and efficiently providing the proper treatment to those who become infected.”
2020/03/19
Bill will help prepare U.S. to respond to the next global pandemic
WASHINGTON – Democratic Policy and Communications Committee Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) introduced the Allied Health Personnel Shortage Act today to address the growing shortage of clinical lab professionals and other associated health care workers nationwide. The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for a strong allied health care workforce made up of clinical lab technicians, respiratory therapists, and radiographers, amongst others.
2020/03/20
WASHINGTON – Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) led 45 members of Congress today calling on the nation’s largest credit card companies to stop collecting interest and waive all late fees until the COVID-19 pandemic has ended.
“The COVID-19 pandemic will present many hardships for Americans across the nation,” the members wrote. “We believe that you, as our country’s largest credit card issuers, have a unique opportunity and responsibility to help mitigate some of the financial harms Americans face as a result of this pandemic. Specifically, we urge you to cease collecting interest on balances and waive all late fees during the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.”