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Overview
The Problem Solvers Caucus
(click here for more details below)
The creation of the Problems Solvers Caucus was years in the making.
What began as informal “get to know you” meetings organized by No Labels eventually led to more substantive cooperation across the aisle, the Caucus being formalized and aligning behind several bipartisan proposals.
Following the 2018 elections, the Problem Solvers led the effort to make some of the most important changes to House rules in three decades, which was expected to clear the way for debate and votes on more bipartisan bills in Congress.
Congressional actions and achievements since the rule changes has proven the success of this effort, making bipartisanship a strong voting bloc in the House.
Details
The Problem Solvers Caucus
Beginning in 2017, the Problem Solvers Caucus became an independent member-driven House Caucus, co-chaired by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) featuring robust standards of conduct for members.
These standards include a promise not to campaign against any other member of the Caucus and an agreement to vote together for any policy proposal that garners the support of 75 percent of the entire Problem Solvers Caucus, as well as 51 percent of both the Democrats and Republicans in the Caucus.
The Caucus has cleared this 75 percent threshold on several occasions including when the members:
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Supported and voted into law a “clean” continuing resolution—free of any ideological riders—to avert a government shutdown (April 2017)
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Released the first and only bipartisan health care proposal in the 115th Congress, which served as the framework for a similar proposal subsequently released in the Senate by HELP Committee Chairs, Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Patty Murray (D-WA)
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Released a comprehensive bipartisan proposal to rebuild American infrastructure (January 2018)
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Released the first bipartisan immigration proposal in the House; pairing a long-term solution for the Dreamers with investments in border security (January 2018)
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Supported the long-term budget deal that averted another government shutdown and could not have passed without the Problem Solvers’ bipartisan votes (February 2018)
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Released a proposal to enhance gun safety and prevent episodes of mass violence (March 2018)
Frustrated by the refusal of House leadership to seriously consider these proposals, No Labels, in June 2018, announced The Speaker Project, a reform plan that proposes using the election of a new speaker of the House as leverage to make rules changes that would give bipartisan ideas a fair hearing and a fighting chance in the next Congress.
On July 25, the Problem Solvers Caucus released Break the Gridlock, which has the same goals and echoes many of the same proposals originally offered in The Speaker Project.
Twenty Caucus members later commit to only vote for a House speaker who supports these rule reforms.
Shortly after the November 2018 midterm elections, the Problem Solvers deliver.
On November 28, 2018, nine Democratic members of the House Problem Solvers Caucus announce they had reached agreement with likely speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic leadership on an ambitious rules reform package that will create a rare opening for bipartisan legislation in the next Congress.