Reps. Hill, Gooden, Gonzalez, Neguse To Lead Only Bipartisan Caucus for Young Members of Congress

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

June 20, 2019

Contact: Julia Schechter, (917) 282-2754

Millennial Action Project announces new co-chairs of the Congressional Future Caucus

Washington – Millennial Action Project today announced Reps. Katie Hill (D-CA 25th District), Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH 16th District), Lance Gooden (R-TX 5th District) and Joe Neguse (D-CO 2nd District) as the new co-chairs of the Congressional Future Caucus, the only bipartisan group of legislators under age 45 in Congress focused on next generation leadership and policy solutions. The 116th Congress is the youngest in a generation, thanks to the record number of Millennial legislators that took office this January.

“At a time when our national politics have become increasingly fractured, it’s inspiring to see these legislators come together to prioritize progress over partisanship,” said Steven Olikara, President and CEO of Millennial Action Project. “Young people are tired of politics as usual and are looking for leaders who will shake things up, roll up their sleeves and get to work on the issues they really care about. I can’t wait to see what Reps. Hill, Gooden, Gonzalez and Neguse will accomplish together.”   
 
The new co-chairs will lead a national movement of young elected officials breaking through partisan gridlock to reestablish political cooperation and create meaningful progress in government. Under its new leadership, the Congressional Future Caucus will focus on issues related to the future of work, higher education, clean energy infrastructure and affordable housing.  

“This caucus offers a unique opportunity to look for bipartisan solutions through the lens of a new generation. Millennials have revolutionized modern communication, transportation, and healthcare. I look forward to bringing that same approach to the political challenges we face,” added Representative Lance Gooden.

“As one of the youngest members of Congress, I am incredibly excited for the opportunity to collaborate with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to lift up the voices of our next generation as a co-chair of the Congressional Future Caucus,” said Representative Joe Neguse. “Across issue areas, from climate change to student loan debt, the voices of our young people are vitally important in every conversation. This is the generation that will have to deal with the reality of climate change if we are not able to act with urgency to reduce carbon emissions, and they are the generation most at risk of seeing voter turnout rates drop if we cannot reform our voting system to ensure our young people can access and participate effectively in our democracy. I look forward to working with Representatives Hill, Gonzalez and Gooden to ensure that the 116th Congress is working in a bipartisan manner to find solutions for the issues that impact our young people.” 

 “I came to Congress on the promise to put forth bipartisan solutions to expand our economy, generate jobs for the 21st century, and make my Northeast Ohio community a destination where young people want to settle down and raise their families. We need policies that will help communities like mine grow and expand in a 21st century economy, especially when it comes to issues like workforce development and student loan debt. This caucus can help generate the new and innovative solutions that will get us there,”noted Representative Anthony Gonzalez.

 “Young people are the future. As a millennial, I’m proud to be working across the aisle to make sure that our concerns, our issues, and our voices are considered at the highest possible levels. So often, young people are the ones who stand up and say: I didn’t make this mess, but I’m going to clean it up. That’s exactly what the Congressional Future Caucus is all about and I’m looking forward to the work we are going to get done on behalf of our communities, together,” remarked Representative Katie Hill.

 While there has been a great deal of attention directed at dysfunction and gridlock in government, there is a counter-movement underway–led by Millennials–that seeks to disrupt the status quo in government. Millennial Action Project has spearheaded this work at the state level, establishing State Future Caucuses for young members in nearly 30 legislatures across the country.    

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Media contact: Julia Schechter, (917) 282-2754 or [email protected]

 The Millennial Action Project (MAP) is a national, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to activating young policymakers to bridge the partisan divide and lead a new era of collaborative governance. In 2013, MAP organized America’s first-ever bipartisan caucus for young members of Congress, the Congressional Future Caucus. Shaping the next generation of leadership, MAP’s Future Caucus Network has expanded into nearly 30 state legislatures and grown into the largest nonpartisan organization of Millennial elected officials in the U.S. More info available at: futurecaucus.org.