Mark Pocan

Mark Pocan

Mark Pocan, entered Congress with the 2012 elections, as a (Wisconsin Democrat, District 2). Pocan is a Victory Fund candidate. He is co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

He was a State Representative from Wisconsin.

He is married to Phil Frank.

Background

Mark Pocan's political roots took hold in blue-collar Kenosha, Wisconsin where he got his start at age eight delivering campaign literature door-to-door for his father, a long-time city alderman.

Pocan came to Madison to attend college and shortly after earning a degree in journalism in 1986 opened up his own small business – a printing company he continues to own and run today. His active years at UW-Madison in College Democrats led to his election in 1991 to the Dane County Board of Supervisors where he served Madison's downtown community for three terms. In 1998 he was elected to succeeded his long-time friend and ally Tammy Baldwin as the state representative from the 78th District, when she left for Congress.

State Assembly

In his six terms as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, Pocan has earned numerous awards for both his legislative victories and his community service. He helped create the Wisconsin Quality Home Care Commission, authored the American Jobs Act and the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Act and was deeply involved in many progressive initiatives focused on collective bargaining rights, public financing of clean elections, domestic partner protections and corrections reform.

For six years Pocan sat on the state's powerful budget writing Joint Finance Committee, including a term as co-chair last session. He has also taken on a leading role among Assembly Democrats, running caucus campaign efforts in 2008 when Democrats went from five seats to successfully retaking the majority for the first time in 14 years.

During recent turmoil in Wisconsin in the fight for workers' rights against an attack from Gov. Scott Walker, Pocan took a visible, leading role, fighting hard for what he believes in, as a legislator and a union member of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.

He has also been active in international affairs with his travel and involvement in Dane County's sister community in Apartado, Colombia.

Affiliations

Pocan identifies as a progressive Democrat, and is a member of a number of organizations, including Wisconsin Citizen Action, the American Civil Liberties Union, Fair Wisconsin, Midwest Progressive Elected Officials Network, Clean Wisconsin, International Union of Painters & Allied Trades , Sierra Club, Southern Poverty Law Center, Colombia Support Network/Apartado Sister City Organization, and the Human Rights Campaign.

Labor Caucus

The Labor Caucus is an official caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives co-chaired by Rep. Mark Pocan, Rep. Donald Norcross, Rep. Linda Sanchez, Rep. Tom Suozzi, Rep. Debbie Dingell, and Rep. Steven Horsford. The new caucus is comprised of over 90 members working to advance the needs of the labor movement, combat the issues facing working families, and connect legislators directly with unions and union leaders.

Ceasefire Now Resolution

November 17, 2023: A full list of members of Congress who have called for a ceasefire in the one month since the Ceasefire Now Resolution was introduced includes: Representatives Cori Bush (MO-01)*, Rashida Tlaib (MI-12)*, Andre Carson (IN-07)*, Summer Lee (PA-12)*, Delia Ramirez (IL-03)*, Jamaal Bowman (NY-16)*, Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12)*, Chuy Garcia (IL-04)*, Jonathan Jackson (IL-01)*, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14)*, Ilhan Omar (MN-05)*, Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)*, Nydia Velazquez (NY-07)*, Barbara Lee (CA-12)*, Pramila Jayapal (WA-07)*, Greg Casar (TX-35)*, Alma Adams (NC-12)*, Maxwell Frost (FL-10)*, Jim McGovern (MA-02), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Al Green (TX-09), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Don Beyer (VA-08), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Becca Balint (VT), and Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), and Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

Resolution condemning socialism

Fedrary 2, 2023 House Republicans moved a Resolution condemning socialism and certain dictators.

The Resolution began:

Whereas socialist ideology necessitates a concentration of power that has time and time again collapsed into Communist regimes, totalitarian rule, and brutal dictatorships;

Whereas socialism has repeatedly led to famine and mass murders, and the killing of over 100,000,000 people worldwide;

Whereas many of the greatest crimes in history were committed by socialist ideologues, including Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Fidel Castro, Pol Pot, Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un, Daniel Ortega, Hugo Chavez, and Nicolás Maduro;

Eighty six Democrats voted no. Forteen voted "present" and six didn't vote.

Representative Mark Pocan voted "Nay".

No to China committee

Sixty-five Democrats in the House of Representatives voted on Tuesday January 10, 2022, against creating a committee to investigate China and find ways to counter the communist country’s growing international influence.

The House overwhelmingly voted to create the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party on a 365 to 65 margin, in one of the first votes since the Republicans took control of the chamber.

However, even though some members did not vote, all 65 lawmakers who voted against the committee’s creation were Democrats, including Mark Pocan.

Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus

The formation of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus was announced on June 4, 2008, by openly gay representatives Tammy Baldwin and Barney Frank. The caucus had 165 members (164 Democrats and 1 Republican) in the 116th United States Congress. The caucus is co-chaired by the United States House of Representatives' nine openly LGBT members: Representatives David Cicilline, Angie Craig, Sharice Davids, Mondaire Jones, Sean Patrick Maloney, Chris Pappas, Mark Pocan, Mark Takano, and Ritchie Torres.

Support for the Council on American Islamic Relations

Mark Pocan wrote a letter of support to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on the occasion of their 24th anniversary in September 2018.

Congressional Freethought Caucus

In 2020 members of the Congressional Freethought Caucus included Mark Pocan .

Defense spending cuts letter

May 19, 2020.

Dear Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Thornberry:

We write to request a reduction in defense spending during the coronavirus pandemic. As you draft this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), we encourage you to authorize a level of spending below last year’s authorized level. Congress must remain focused on responding to the coronavirus pandemic and distributing needed aid domestically. In order to do so, appropriators must have access to increased levels of non-defense spending which could be constrained by any increase to defense spending.

Initiated by Mark Pocan and Barbara Lee.

Peace on Korean Peninsula Act

Congressman Brad Sherman introduced the 'Peace on Korean Peninsula Act' (H.R. 3446) on 5/20/2021 with co-sponsors including Rep. Andy Kim, Rep. Grace Meng, Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Judy Chu, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Katie Porter, Rep. Tom Suozzi, Rep. Al Green, and Rep. Marilyn Strickland.

Further co-sponsors included Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Rep. Mark Pocan, Rep. Chuy Garcia, Rep. Dwight Evans , Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Alan Lowenthal Rep. James McGovern, Rep. Andy Biggs Rep. Raul Grijalva, Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, Rep. Jan Schakowsky.

Progressive Caucus Action Fund Session

Mark Pocan was involved in the Progressive Strategy Summit named "Building Power for the Rest of Us" held on October 24-25 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. Mark Pocan was listed as one of those "featured" in a panel headlined "From the Shop Floor to the House Floor: Bringing; Lessons from the Picket Lines into Policy Debates" which aimed to "discuss our shared goals of rebalancing our economy to achieve racial, gender, and economic justice."

Verbatim:

"A hallmark of the progressive movement is a belief that the experiences and needs of working people should animate our policy and politics. This session will bring together organizers, policy makers, labor leaders, advocates, and activists to discuss our shared goals of rebalancing our economy to achieve racial, gender, and economic justice. Bank workers from Santander and Wells Fargo, women working at Walmart, warehouse workers at Amazon, federal contract workers, and striking UAW workers will describe their campaign goals. Special guest members of Congress and national policy leaders will have the opportunity to describe the change they're fighting for in Washington and recent progress building worker power through legislative campaigns. Some of the questions that may be addressed include: How do we achieve better alignment between policy in Washington and people organizing on the front lines? What are the gaps in existing legislation that need to be filled to support working people in a rapidly changing economy? What are the steps we need to take to rein in corporate power, beyond traditional labor legislation? How does the legislation currently on offer build worker power and achieve racial, economic and gender justice?

Moderator: Dorian Warren, Center for Community Change

Featuring: Rep. Donald Norcross; Rep. Mark Pocan, Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair; Rep. Mark Takano; Randy Bryce; Emily Chatterjee, Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights; Jaya Chatterjee, Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Judy Conti, National Employment Law Project; Andrea Dehlendorf, United for Respect; Vasudha Desikan United for Respect; Jasmine Dixon, United for Respect; Richard Eidlin, American Sustainable Business Council; Joseph Geevarghese, Our Revolution; Terrysa Guerra, United for Respect; Desiree Hoffman, United Automobile Workers; Shane Larson, Communications Workers of America; David Madland, Center for American Progress; Emily Martin, National Women’s Law Center; Michelle McGrain, National Partnership from Women & Families; Guled Mohamad, United for Respect; Josh Nassar, United Automobile Workers; Jackie Parncutt, United Auto Workers, General Motors worker; Dania Rajendra, United for Respect; Larriese Reeves, Santander Bank worker; Alex Ross, Wells Fargo worker; Bill Samuel, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO); Heidi Shierholz, Economic Policy Institute

Supporting Brazilian communists

Sunday, March 14, 2021, will mark the third anniversary of the assassination of Rio de Janeiro City Council member Marielle Franco —a passionate defender of human rights, an Afro-Brazilian, a dissident, and a member of the LGBTQ community. To date, those who ordered her assassination still have not been brought to justice.

We, the undersigned members of the U.S. Congress, affirm our solidarity with all those working in Brazil to bring justice and accountability in the aftermath of this attack on Brazilian democracy. We join elected officials and citizens across Brazil and around the globe in calling for a full and impartial investigation into all aspects of the case.

We are also fully aware that, tragically, this was not an isolated incident: Violence against activists, candidates, and elected officials in Brazil has spiked in recent years, as Jair Bolsonaro has cultivated his political base by engaging in overtly violent, xenophobic, and anti-democratic rhetoric—first as a presidential candidate, and now as President.

Credible death threats forced Brazilian member of Congress Jean Wyllys to resign and leave Brazil shortly after Bolsonaro’s inauguration. And a few months ago, Brazilian Congresswoman Taliria Petrone had to go into hiding due to threats to her and her family. Both of these elected officials, like Marielle Franco, belong to the same opposition party, are Afro-Brazilians, and are outspoken defenders of economic, racial, environmental, and social justice.

As U.S. members of Congress who experienced the January 6 attack on the Capitol, we are particularly cognizant of the seriousness of violence against elected officials and democratic institutions—and the need to ensure accountability when such violence occurs. Justice must be delivered in the aftermath of Marielle Franco’s assassination, and the Brazilian government must adequately protect current elected officials, candidates, and activists against additional violence.

Signers: Rep. Susan Wild, Rep. Raul Grijalva, Rep. Joaquin Castro, Rep. David Cicilline, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Adriano Espaillat, Rep. Mark Pocan, Rep. Hank Johnson.

Resolution calling for a final settlement of the Korean War

February 26, 2019 Press Release

Washington, DC – As President Trump arrives to Hanoi, Vietnam, Rep. Ro Khanna, along with eighteen Democratic Members of Congress, have introduced a resolution calling for a final settlement of the Korean War, now officially in its 68th year.

The resolution -- which is backed by former President and Nobel Peace Laureate Jimmy Carter and a range of Korean-American and pro-diplomacy organizations -- urges the Trump Administration to provide a clear roadmap to achieve a final peace settlement while highlighting the importance of reciprocal actions and confidence-building measures between the parties.

“Historic engagement between South and North Korea has created a once-in-a-generation opportunity to formally end this war,” said Rep. Ro Khanna, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. “President Trump must not squander this rare chance for peace. He should work hand in hand with our ally, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, to bring the war to a close and advance toward the denuclearization of the peninsula.”

“I commend this important resolution that will help bring this nearly 70 year conflict to a close,” said President Jimmy Carter. “I have visited North Korea several times to talk with their leadership and study the best path forward for peace. Ending the threat of war is the only way to ensure true security for both the Korean and American people and will create the conditions to alleviate the suffering of the ordinary North Koreans who are most harmed by ongoing tensions.”

Co-led by prominent progressive Reps. Andy Kim, Barbara Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Deb Haaland, and Jan Schakowsky, the resolution calls on the Trump Administration to make greater efforts to include women in the peace process, citing the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 which Trump signed into law. Women’s rights icon Gloria Steinem, founder of the peace group Women Cross DMZ, published an op-ed in the Washington Post on Sunday in support of the resolution.

The resolution clarifies that ending the war does not necessitate a withdrawal of US troops from Korea or an acceptance of North Korea as a legitimate nuclear power. The resolution calls on the Administration to continue the repatriation of servicemember remains, and expand cooperation to achieve reunions of divided Korean and Korean-American families and facilitate people-to-people exchanges and humanitarian cooperation.

Rep. Khanna has been a consistent voice for diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula. Shortly after Trump threatened “fire and fury” against North Korea, Khanna was joined by over 70 Congressmembers on his bipartisan “No Unconstitutional Strike on North Korea Act”, which would reinforce existing law prohibiting an unauthorized and unprovoked strike on North Korea. He has also been critical of those in both parties who have sought to restrict flexibility in negotiations, instead urging support for the diplomatic approach of our South Korean ally and its President, Moon Jae-in.

Rep. Khanna will travel to Atlanta next week to sit down with Pres. Carter to discuss developments on the Korean Peninsula and solicit guidance from the Nobel Laureate about how the next generation of policymakers can best pursue a pro-diplomacy agenda for America.

Current original cosponsors (18): Pramila Jayapal, Mark Pocan, Barbara Lee, Deb Haaland, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Jan Schakowsky, Raúl Grijalva, Bobby Rush, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Tulsi Gabbard, Adriano Espaillat, Andy Kim, Rashida Tlaib, Judy Chu, Jose Serrano, Gwen Moore.

The resolution is endorsed by organizations including the National Association of Korean Americans, Ploughshares Fund, Women Cross DMZ, Korean Americans in Action, United Methodist Church – Global Ministries, Win Without War, Peace Action, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), Just Foreign Policy, Beyond the Bomb, and Physicians for Social Responsibility.

Peace Action

Peace Action endorsed Mark Pocan in the 2018 election cycle.

RadFest

In the early 2000s, Mark Pocan spoke several times at RadFest, an annual Madison Wisconsin gather of communists, socialists, and progressive activists.

Radfest 2002

RadFest 2002 was held May 31-June 2 at Aurora University's George Williams Lake Geneva Campus.

RadFest was sponsored by the A.E. Havens Center for the Study of Social Structures and Social Change. Its director, Patrick Barrett, said that “the central goal of the conference is to provide an opportunity for progressive activists, organizers and intellectuals to come together to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern, strengthen networks and devise strategies for progressive social, economic and political change.”

The program included

• “LGBT Issues, Civil Rights, and Progressive Coalition Building” (with Jessica Brown, Shamus Khan, Mark Pocan, and Debbie Weill).

RadFest2003

RadFest 2003 - Midwest Social Forum was held at Aurora University, George Williams - Lake Geneva Campus, Williams Bay, WI. May 30-June 1, 2003.

Mark Pocan's future Wisconsin State Senate colleague Mark Miller participated in a forum “Wisconsin’s Future with Healthcare Security for All” (with Gene Farley, Linda Farley, Darcy Haber, Jim McGhee, and Joanne Ricca.

Pocan participated in the “Moving toward Tax Fairness in Wisconsin” with Laura Dresser, and John Peck.

DSA connection

Mark Pocan has ties to Democratic Socialists of America.

Progressive Turnout Project

In 2022 Mark Pocan was supported by Progressive Turnout Project.

Our Revolution endorsement 2022

Our Revolution endorsed Mark Pocan in 2022.

Our Revolution

Our Revolution endorsed Mark Pocan in 2020.

Common Defense endorsement

Common Defense endorsed Mark Pocan for Congress in 2022.

"End the Forever War"

END THE FOREVER WAR PLEDGE

The United States has been in a state of continuous, global, open-ended military conflict since 2001. Over 2.5 million troops have fought in this “Forever War” in over a dozen countries – including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Jordan, Niger, Somalia, and Thailand. I pledge to the people of the United States of America, and to our military community in particular, that I will (1) fight to reclaim Congress’s constitutional authority to conduct oversight of U.S. foreign policy and independently debate whether to authorize each new use of military force, and (2) act to bring the Forever War to a responsible and expedient conclusion.

2020 signatories of the Common Defense pledge.

Federal Elected Officials

Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders, Jon Tester, Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Joaquin Castro, Adriano Espaillat, Ruben Gallego, Barbara Lee, Jim McGovern, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Donald Payne, Jr., Mark Pocan, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, Susan Wild.

DSA/RadFest connection

Democratic Left, Winter 2002, page 15

Madison Area Democratic Socialists of America sponsored a workshop on equitable taxation at RadFest 2002, an annual event for community activists and progressive academics in late May, 2002.

Its workshop on Tax Literacy for Progressives included a preliminary tax quiz and a panel with Mike Prokosch (United for a Fair Economy), Mark Pocan (progressive legislator from Wisconsin), Jon Peacock (state budget analyst from the Wisconsin Commission on Children and Families), and moderator Frank Emspak from the University of Wisconsin School for Workers.

"Coalition for Wisconsin Health" health care bill

In the Summer of 2005, State Senator Mark Miller reintroduced Wisconsin organization Coalition for Wisconsin Health's Wisconsin Universal Health Program legislation. Originally known as LRB-2576, the Bill would get a new number when introduced.

Coalition for Wisconsin Health worked to help Miller recruit new cosponsors for the bill.

Other cosponsors of the WUHP in the 2003- 2004 legislative session who had returned in 2005 were Representatives Leon Young, Mark Pocan, and Terese Berceau, and Senators Tim Carpenter, Spencer Coggs, and Fred Risser.

Newly elected Rep. Chuck Benedict, a physician who took part in Coalition for Wisconsin Health's Beloit forum also agreed to sponsor the bill.

Coalition for Wisconsin Health treasurer at the time was George Robson, Wisconsin United Methodist Federation for Social Action, and Madison Democratic Socialists of America, while Vice Chair was Linda Farley, MD, from the DSA front Physicians for a National Health Program.

National Nurses United endorsement

National Nurses United 2018 endorsements included Mark Pocan WI 2.

Venezuela letter

According to The Mobilizer February 2019 Democratic Socialists of America is behind Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal's Venezuela letter:

DSA is organizing a congressional campaign. California Democrat Ro Khanna and Washington Democrat Pramila Jayapal are circulating a letter "rejected threats of US Military intervention in Venezuela, supporting dialogue to resolve the political crisis there, and opposing broad economic sanctions that hurt ordinary civilians." The letter urges support for a mediation process advocated by the governments of Mexico and Uruguay to promote dialogue. Contact your Congressperson, especially members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, to sign the letter.

Signatories by February 15 deadline included Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, Mark Pocan, Raul Grijalva, Ilhan Omar, Hank Johnson, Adriano Espaillat, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Nydia Velazquez.

Center for Policy Alternatives

In 2006 State Representative Pocan was active with the Center for Policy Alternatives, which had been "helping progressive politicians hone their skills, network, and draft legislation for the last thirty years. The group put out an annual “progressive agenda for the states” that covered a wide array of topics and offers model bills on what the group considers the most important issues of the day. At its annual conference, CPA brings together large numbers of progressive legislators—to combat their isolation and help train them to be more effective communicators and lawmakers, and to build a network of likeminded people in all the states".

Supported Progressive Health Care Reform

In late 2009, Mark Pocan was one of more than 1,000 state legislators to sign a letter entitled "State Legislators for Progressive Health Care Reform". The letter was a project of the Progressive States Network and was developed in consultation with national health care reform advocates, including the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, Community Catalyst, Families USA, Herndon Alliance, National Women's Law Center, Northeast Action, SEIU, and Universal Health Care Action Network. The letter reads in part,

"Failure to pass national comprehensive health reform now will further jeopardize state and local budgets, undermining public services like education, public safety, and transportation infrastructure... We, the undersigned, call on President Obama and the Congress to enact bold and comprehensive health care reform this year – based on these principles and a strong federal-state collaboration – and pledge our support as state legislators and allies in pursuit of guaranteed, high quality, affordable health care for all."

"United States of ALEC"

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is "a scheme to remake America one statehouse at a time," says narrator Bill Moyers. "United States of ALEC" is a documentary collaboration between Okapi Productions, LLC and the Schumann Media Center. This film is the extended version of the report which first aired on public broadcasting stations nationwide featuring the investigative work of the Center for Media and Democracy and Wisconsin activists Lisa Graves, Mark Pocan, John Nichols, Mary Bottari, Joel Rogers, Julie Underwood and more.

Progressive Democrats of America

DSAer Tim Carpenter, PDA's Rob Hansen, Mark Pocan, DSAer Michael Lighty

Mark Pocan, Tim Carpenter

Mark Pocan is very close to the Democratic Socialists of America/Institute for Policy Studies dominated Progressive Democrats of America, and its National Director Tim Carpenter, a former leader of Orange County Democratic Socialists of America.

Progressive Democrats of America, 2024

Progressive Democrats of America House endorsements 2024 Alma Adams, Becca Balint, Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, Greg Casar, Judy Chu, Debbie Dingell, Lloyd Doggett, Chuy Garcia, Raul Grijalva, Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, Jim McGovern, Summer Lee, Joe Neguse, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Mark Pocan, Ayanna Pressley, Delia Ramirez, Jamie Raskin, Jan Schakowsky, Rashida Tlaib, Mark Takano.

PDA 2020 endorsement

In 2020 Progressive Democrats of America endorsed Mark Pocan's congressional run.

PDA across Wisconsin

Progressive Democrats of America, National Nurses United and allies held three events in Wisconsin in early Novemeber 2012.

Friday, November 2nd they hosted a guided discussion at the the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals offices in Milwaukee, moderated by John Nichols (The Nation , MSNBC Contributor). Guest speakers included: PDA's National Director Tim Carpenter, NNU's Director of Public Policy Michael Lighty, Communist Party USA member Judith LeBlanc from Peace Action, and Dr. Robert Kraig from Citizen Action of Wisconsin.

Lighty and Carpenter joined with author/commentator Jim Hightower at the UAW Local 95 Hall in Janesville Saturday November 3rd, 11 am to 1 pm. Rob Zerban--who was challenging Paul Ryan in Wisconsin's 1st District--and John Nichols also appeared. Then, from 2:30 to 3:30 pm. Carpenter and Lighty appeared in Madison, WI, with Mark Pocan, Congressional Candidate in Wisconsin's 2nd District, one of the leaders of the Wisconsin walkout. All three Wisconsin events also sought to help Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, win her close race for the U.S. Senate.

Progressive Democrats of America endorsement

In 2012, Mark Pocan was one of 14 leftist Congressional and Senate candidates endorsed by Progressive Democrats of America, an organization dominated by members or affiliates of Democratic Socialists of America and the Institute for Policy Studies.

PDA "hit its stride", phonebanking

In 2012, PDA hit its stride electorally as well helping its National Board Members Congress members John Conyers (D-MI.), Donna Edwards (D-MD.), Keith Ellison (D-MN.), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ.), James McGovern (D-MA.) and Barbara Lee (D-CA.) sweep to victory.

Other PDA-endorsed winners included Congress members Mark Pocan (D-WI.), Alan Grayson (D-FL.), and Senator Elizabeth Warren, (D-MA.). PDA generated 1000s of Get Out the Vote calls for the above candidates, as well as for newly-elected Ami Bera (D-CA.)

Hosting PDA

According to a New Year 2013 press release from Progressive Democrats of America;

Progressive Democrats of America accomplished a lot in 2012--thanks to your help and support. Together, we helped defeat Tea Party extremists and helped elect strong progressives to Congress. We educated members of Congress every month in our home districts, and in the halls of Congress in Washington, DC. Now, PDA is starting 2013 in a big way!

In just a few days, on January 3rd, our team will be on Capitol Hill as special guests of our newly elected and re-elected progressive candidates including our board members our friends Representatives Alan Grayson, Dr. Ami Bera, and Mark Pocan; as well as newly-elected Senators Tammy Baldwin and Elizabeth Warren. If you're going to be in the DC-area, join us for these exciting swearing in ceremonies, and help us pass out leaflets for our exciting January 19th events!

The Peoples' Inauguration

Progressive Central The Peoples' Inauguration was held Saturday, January 19, 2013, at the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law 5th Floor Moot Court Room, 4340 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC.

The event was sponsored by Progressive Democrats of America, The Nation, National Nurses United, Democrats.com and Busboys and Poets. The event was advertised and promoted by the Institute for Policy Studies.

The 1:00 pm-­‐2:10 pm session "Organizing the Progressive Movement Inside and Outside the Democratic Party" was moderated by John Nichols, and featured Rep. Raul Grijalva -­‐ Rep. Mark Pocan -­‐ Thom Hartmann, PDA National Board/Radio/TV Host and Author -­‐ Lori Wallach , Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch .

PDA contact

In 2013 Progressive Democrats of America assigned activists to deliver their material to almost every US Congressman and several Senators. Dr. Michela Wolkomir, was assigned as contact for Rep. Pocan. In June it was Richard Leskinen.

In 2014 it was Jay Gold.

"House Champions"

Just after the 2014 elections, Progressive Democrats of America stated;

It was a great day for our endorsed candidates and a worse than expected day for Democrats overall. All of our Board Members: Representatives Ellison, Grijalva, Conyers, Lee, and McGovern won! Our House Champions: Representatives Grayson, Schakowsky, Pocan and Nolan won! Future Progressive Champions:Ted Lieu and Bonnie Watson Coleman won!

PDA 2016 endorsements

In 2016 Progressive Democrats of America endorsed;

• Sen. Bernie Sanders - President
• Rep. Alan Grayson - Senate (FL)
• Rep. Donna Edwards - Senate (MD)
• Jamie Raskin - US House (MD08)
• Tim Canova - US House (FL-23)
• Bao Nguyen - US House (CA46)
• Nanette Barragan - US House (CA44)
• Rep. Keith Ellison (MD05)
• Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ03)
• Rep. John Conyers (MI13)
• Rep. Barbara Lee (CA13)
• Rep. Jim McGovern (MA02)
• Rep. Mark Pocan (WI02)
• Rep. Rick Nolan (MN08)
• Rep. Hank Johnson - US House (GA05)
• Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL09)

PDA 2018 endorsement

In 2018 Progressive Democrats of America endorsed Rep. Mark Pocan, WI-02.

Progressive values

In his victory speech, Pocan emphasized the deep progressive roots of the 2nd Congressional District. "This is the district of Fighting Bob La Follette. This is the seat of Bob Kastenmeier. And this is the seat of Tammy Baldwin.

"This is the seat where we expect our representatives to work hard for progressive values and the middle class and lower-income families of Wisconsin, and I will do that."

FightingBob Fest 2016

Congressional Progressive Caucus

In January 2013, Mark Pocan was listed as a new member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

In January 2015, Mark Pocan was listed as First Vice Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Anti-Fracking legislation endorser

On March 14, 2013, Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) and Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) have introduced the Bringing Reductions to Energy’s Airborne Toxic Health Effect (BREATHE) Act, and the Focused Reduction of Effluence and Stormwater runoff through Hydraulic Environmental Regulation (FRESHER) Act, in order to ensure that the hydraulic fracking industry follows the same rules that other industries do in preserving our natural resources. This legislation is focused on ensuring the safety and the health of the communities where the hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, process is already taking place.

The BREATHE Act would ensure that we close the oil and gas industry’s loophole to the Clean Air Act’s aggregation provision, in addition to adding hydrogen sulfide—a chemical associated with nausea, vomiting, headaches, and irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat—to the Clean Air Act’s federal list of hazardous air pollutants.

The BREATHE Act has the following original co-sponsors including: Reps. Rush Holt, Jr., Raul Grijalva, John Sarbanes, James Moran, Michael Quigley, Earl Blumenauer, Gerry Connolly,Zoe Lofgren, Michael Honda, Paul Tonko, Barbara Lee, David Price, Carolyn Maloney, Michael Capuano, Mark Pocan, Jim McDermott, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alcee Hastings, Keith Ellison, Niki Tsongas, William Keating, Adam Smith, Jim Langevin, Chellie Pingree, Judy Chu, Louise Slaughter, Jerrold Nadler, Grace Meng, Jan Schakowsky, Nita Lowey, Jared Huffman, Gary Peters and Alan Lowenthal.

The following organizations have endorsed this legislation and are actively working to garner support within Congress and throughout the country: Physicians for Social Responsibility, Natural Resources Defense Council, Earthjustice, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, Sierra Club, Earthworks, Breast Cancer Action, Clean Water Action, Environment America, Greenpeace, Nature Abounds, Oil Change International, Citizens for a Healthy Community, Citizens for Huerfano County, Clean Water Action Colorado, Erie Rising, Grassroots Energy Activist Network, Holy Terror Farm, San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, SOS Foundation, Western Colorado Congress of Mesa County, Western Slope Conservation Center and Wilderness Workshop.

Colombian connection

The Chinita Six

Action on Colombia, Summer 1994, page 4

In a 1994 Colombia Support Network delegation to Colombia that included Jack Laun, Mark Pocan and Laun met with the Chinita Six, a group of Patriotic Union of Uraba activists detained by the government.

Their names were Jose Antonio Lopez Bula, Edgar Genes Capillo, Nahum Orrego Sossa, Nelson Campo Nunez, Albeiro Bustamante Sanchez, Gustavo Arcia.

Arpato connection

Mark Pocan has traveled to El Salvador and worked with Dane County’s sister community in Apartado, Colombia.

Colombia Support Network

On November 7, 2012, the Madison Wisconsin Colombia Support Network, issued this statement.

Colombia Support Network (CSN) celebrates the election last night of two great friends: Tammy Baldwin, elected to the United States Senate, and Mark Pocan, elected to the United States House of Representatives. Tammy, with the assistance of Mark, drafted our sister community resolution for Dane County and Apartadó. Both Tammy and Mark went to Colombia on a CSN delegation in 1993 and visited San José de Apartadó, 4 years before San José declared itself a Peace Community. Mark has returned since, meeting with Senator Manuel Cepeda - Vargas and 3 other leaders of the Patriotic Union movement days before Senator Cepeda was murdered. He is a former CSN Board Member and is currently on our Advisory Board.

Tammy and Mark have provided great support to our human rights and sister community work on Colombia. We look forward to their solidarity from their new positions as Senator and Representative in Washington D.C. We congratulate them on their election and on their commitment to good government and support for a sensible U. S. foreign policy toward Colombia.

According to Communist Party USA member W. T. Whitney , writing in Marxism-Leninism Today;

In 1985, Colombia’s Communist Party, elements of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and other leftists formed the Patriotic Union, an electoral coalition competing for local, regional, and national political offices. Under the peace initiative launched by the Belisario Betancur government and the FARC, armed insurgents joined regular political processes.

Lobbying Feingold on behalf of the CSN

Not long after Russ Feingold was elected to the United States Senate for his first term, (circa 1993) several members of the Colombia Support Network Board went to meet him at his office, accompanied by future Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin and future Wisconsin State Representative Mark Pocan, at the time both members of the Dane County Board.

Senator Feingold listened carefully to our concerns about the dramatic situation in our sister community of Apartado, even though he had no particular reason to be interested in Colombia, South America.

Letter to Presidents Clinton and Samper

Action on Colombia, Summer 1994

In 1994 a letter was sent to US President Bill Clinton, and Colombian President Samper, apparently from the Colombian Support Network.

It called on the US to "cut off all aid to Colombia until the violence has ended", and called for the appointment of a UN Rapporteur on human rights in Colombia.

Endorsers

• Richard Phelps, Dane County executive
• Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin State Rep.
• Noam Chomsky
• Roy Bourgeois, School of the Americas Watch
• Blase Bonpane, Office of the Americas
• Larry Birns, Council on Hemispheric Affairs
• Martin Sheen
• Jean Gore, WILPF
• Marie Dennis, Maryknoll Society
• Fred Rosen, NACLA
• Mark Pocan, Dane County Supervisor
• Haskell Wexler
• David Newby, President Wisconsin AFL-CIO
• Rev. Tim Kehl, Colombia Support Network

CSN Advisory Board

In the Spring of 1995 Colombia Support Network developed an Advisory Board.

Initial members were;

• Noam Chomsky
• Roy Bourgeois, School of the Americas Watch
• Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive
• Fred Rosen, NACLA
• Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin State Rep.
• Richard Phelps, Dane County executive
• Mark Pocan, Dane County Supervisor

Election observers

With the October (1997) national elections in Colombia, violence was threatened (and acted upon) by several players in that country. Guerrillas, paramilitaries and others threatened to disrupt the electoral processin various regions. Of particular concern to Colombia Support Network was Apartado, Dane County Wisconsin's sister community.

At the request of Apartado Mayor Gloria Cuartas, CSN-Madison agreed to send an election observer, Board Member Mark Pocan, to that violence torn community to observe local elections for Mayor and City Council.

Pocan is a former member of the Dane County Board of Supervisors and has visited Apartado twice before. However, when he tried to join up with the Organization of American States (OAS) election observers, Pocan was unsuccessful.

This was the first time that the Colombian govermment has allowed election observers. The OAS was chosen as the "official" credentialing agency. They were sending approximately thirty five observers to Colombia,but only six or seven to the entire state of Antioquia of which Apartado is a remote part. When CSN approached the OAS they said that they were not allowing United States citizens to go for fear of kidnapping and violence.

CSN and Pocan persisted,however. They solicited the support of both Wisconsin United States Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl. Additionally, the office of Ambassador Harriet Babbitt , the United States representative with the OAS, lobbied the OAS to allow Pocan to be credentialed. Senator Feingold took special interest and wrote a letter to the OAS and Ambassador Babbitt to help secure credentials for Pocan or at minimum to send election observers to the Apartado area.

Thanks to the hard work and persistence of CSN, Senators Feingold and Kohl, Pocan and Ambassador Harriet Babbitt's office,the OAS agreed to send two of their non-United States citizen observers to Apartado, to help ensure fair and free elections.

School of Americas resolution

While in the Wisconsin Legislature Pocan introduced a resolution to urge Congress to close the School of Americas.

This institution is one of the bigger wastes of taxpayer dollars at the federal level. It is responsible for the training of foreign military officers associated with high profile massacres, killings, kidnappings and tortures in Central and South America.

I have seen firsthand the effects of the bloodshed caused by those trained by the School of Americas in both El Salvador and Colombia on Sister City visits. The cost in human and financial terms is significant. Many religious and human rights organizations support its closure.

The Committee on Veteran's Affairs held a hearing on this issue in mid-September. Over 30 people spoke and or registered in favor of the resolution. No one opposed it. I have sent a request to the Chair of the Committee asking for a vote on the resolution. I hope the resolution will be voted on and move to the Assembly floor soon.

CSN press conference

In July 2000 Mark Pocan, Jack Laun of the Colombia Support Network and two representatives of Colombia's indigenous U'wa tribe spoke at a press conference at the State capitol in on the 1.3 Billion military aid package to Colombia passed by the US Congress in June.

Colombia Support Network

As of 2008, the Colombia Support Network Advisory Board consisted of ;.

• Medea Benjamin
• Larry Birns
• Blase Bonpane
• Fr. Roy Bourgeois
• Noam Chomsky
• Pamela Costain
• Kristin Dawkins
• Reverend John Dear
• Kathleen Falk
• Daniel Gomez-Ibanez
• Thomas Gumbleton
• Edward S. Herman
• Doug La Follette
• Robert McChesney
• Gail Phares
• Mark Pocan
• Mark Sherman
• Tony Vento
• Howard Zinn

CSN national meeting

The Board of Directors of the Colombia Support Network invited all CSN members and interested persons to their annual CSN National Meeting, which took place at Edgewood College in Madison on Friday and Saturday, June 5th and 6th, 2015.

This meeting is our annual opportunity to discuss our chapter activities and sister community developments in the context of events in Colombia. We will also discuss the position of the United States government with respect to developments in Colombia.

We have invited Carmenza Tez, the extraordinary Kamentsa indigenous leader, to join us to discuss the struggle of the Kamentsa and Inga indigenous communities of the Sibundoy Valley in Putumayo Department to protect their lands and traditions from threats of multinational mining corporations and the highway being constructed by the Colombian government through a forest reserve where their sacred lands and burial places are located. We expect to have Buddy Bell of Voices for Creative Nonviolence tell us about his visit to the Peace Community of San Jose de Apartado with Dr. Hakim, an Afghan physician who hopes to develop a peace community in his homeland modeled on the community in San Josecito which is the sister community to Dane County, Wisconsin. We also have invited David Newby, former President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO and current President of the Wisconsin Fair Trade Council who will bring us up to date on the effort to defeat the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership. And we have invited Congressman Mark Pocan to discuss with us the work on a Congressional subcommittee of which he is a member which is reviewing the Labor Action Plan of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement as an example of how protections for workers are not being implemented in the international trade agreements to which the U.S. is a signatory. We will also consider the disastrous consequences of Colombia’s National Development Plan for environmental protection in Colombia, and hope Professor Al Gedicks will join us to discuss the threats to the environment and especially to indigenous communities presented by the Colombian government’s development model. We will also of course discuss the prospects for peace through the FARC-Colombian Government dialogue in Havana and how these talks may affect our sister communities. We expect to have additional invited guests at our Conference and will keep you posted as to additional attendees.

We have two excellent interns from the University of Wisconsin helping us in office administration and translations, as well as with several outreach activities, and we hope to sponsor another student’s plan to make a documentary film on the Carol Chomsky Forest project, which seeks to protect an environmentally sensitive area in Cauca Department and campesino farming and homes through a registered “campesino reserve zone”.

Jack Laun

President, CSN

Funding for Colombia

March 28, 2016 Washington, D.C. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL), and 14 of their House colleagues sent a letter to key House Appropriations Committee members asking them to fully fund President Barack Obama’s budget request for aid to Colombia.

Last month, President Obama announced a new aid package totaling $450 million for FY 2017 to assist the Colombian government in implementing a potential peace deal with the FARC guerillas after more than fifty years of violent conflict in the country. The funding would also support Colombia’s efforts to address security challenges including the threat of violent drug cartels.

“Now, just as the peace process is beginning to bear fruit, is not the time to reduce our financial assistance to our ally and partner,” the group wrote in a letter to Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), chair of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), who serves as the subcommittee’s ranking member. “After decades of equipping Colombia to fight, we have a vested interest in helping the Colombian people to rebuild. We must continue the robust, bipartisan support which, at long last, has brought Colombia to the precipice of peace.”

Signers include, Rep. James McGovern, Rep. Sam Farr, Rep. Hank Johnson, Rep. John Lewis, Rep. Linda Sanchez, Rep. Charles B. Rangel, Rep. Jim Himes, Rep. Eric Swalwell, Rep. Filemon Vela, Rep. Tony Cardenas, Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, Rep. Keith Ellison, and Rep. Mark Pocan.

Pocan’s Letter to DHS on Colombian Paramilitaries

January 18, 2017 To Jeh Johnson DHS;

Representatives Mark Pocan, James McGovern, Barbara Lee, and Hank Johnson urge Congress members to consider actions that will allow Colombian Paramilitary leaders to be held accountable for their role in the Colombian Conflict and take on their role in the Colombian Peace Process. This letter urges for the removal of protectional classification of Colombian paramilitary leaders who have been detained in the US only for drug charges and instead urges for their return to Colombia. In Colombia, these paramilitary leaders are subject to serve charges of grave crimes including forced disappearances and murder in Colombia.

Colombia Support Network National Conference

Colombia Support Network National Conference June 2-3, 2017 Edgewood College, Predolin Hall, Room 306 Madison, Wisconsin.

3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. U.S. government policy toward Colombia: What can we expect from the Trump Administration? What should our government’s policy be? (Congressman Mark Pocan (invited), Matthew Rothschild, Norm Stockwell).

"Raise Up America"

On June 21 at the Netroots Nation premiere of the Congressional Progressive Caucus campaign to "Raise Up America." At the Parque de los Pobladores event in San Jose , Rasheen Aldridge opened by saying you "can't survive on $7.35," eliciting a call-and-response from the crowd. Rasheen was there with another worker, Darius Chambers, both supported by Reps. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., Mark Takano, D-Calif., and Mark Pocan, D-Wis., to announce the new three-point campaign to help low-wage workers proposed by the Progressive Caucus.

• Raise the national minimum wage
• Make it easier for low wage workers to unionize
• Require living wages for workers hired by federal contractors.

Rep. Pocan related his recent experience participating in the Food Stamp Challenge, feeling keenly the lack of food and resources that the small allotment provides to a family. Pocan underscored the experience of low wage workers with an observation on the rising wealth disparity in the United States: "One inch of increase to the 99 pecent" is equivalent to "five miles of increase to the one percent." Pocan concluded. "The growing income inequality gap is bad for job growth, it's bad for our deficits, it's bad for the most vulnerable in our society."

Voting rights for all

In May 2013, Mark Pocan and Keith Ellison unveiled a proposal to explicitly guarantee the right to vote in the Constitution.

“The right to vote is too important to be left unprotected,” explained Pocan, who announced the initiative at the state capitol in Madison, Wisconsin, where the Republican state assembly speaker recently announced plans to enact restrictive “voter ID” legislation before the 2014 election. “At a time when there are far too many efforts to disenfranchise Americans, a voting rights amendment would positively affirm our founding principle that our country is at its strongest when everyone participates. As the world’s leading democracy, we must demand of ourselves what we demand of others—a guaranteed right to vote for all.”

Without that clear guarantee, argues Ellison, politicians continue to propose and enact legislation that impedes voting rights. Noting recent wrangling over voter identification laws, burdensome registration requirements and reduced early voting opportunities in various states, as well as a challenge to the Voting Rights Act that is now under consideration by the US Supreme Court, the Minnesota Democrat, who co-chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, says, “Even though the right to vote is the most-mentioned right in the Constitution, legislatures across the country have been trying to deny that right to millions of Americans, including in my home state of Minnesota. It’s time we made it clear once and for all: every citizen in the United States has a fundamental right to vote.”

No cuts rally

Scores of seniors came to the U.S. Capitol October 2013, joined hands with Members of Congress, and formed a human chain in opposition to the Chained CPI formula and all benefit cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The Congressional Progressive Caucus hosted the demonstration, as Alliance for Retired Americans members joined with Social Security Works and other allies. The event was emceed by Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Keith Ellison (D-MN). Other Members of Congress at the event included Reps. Cheri Bustos (IL); David Cicilline (RI); Yvette Clarke (NY); John Conyers (MI); Elijah Cummings (MD); Rosa DeLauro (CT); Alan Grayson (FL); Mike Honda (CA); Steven Horsford (NV); Barbara Lee (CA); Sheila Jackson Lee (TX); Alan Lowenthal (CA); Dan Maffei (NY); Carolyn Maloney (NY); Jerrold Nadler (NY); Mark Pocan (WI); Jan Schakowsky (IL); Mark Takano (CA); and Paul Tonko (NY).

Cuba connections

Cuba, December 2022

On the weekend of December 9th, 2022 Reps. Mark Pocan (WI), Troy Carter (LA), and James McGovern (MA) traveled to Havana, Cuba to meet with Cuban officials, including president Miguel Diaz-Canel and U.S. medical students.

Rep. McGovern’s appearance in Cuba is of particular note as he is a co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), a U.S. agency dedicated to studying and countering nefarious Chinese regime influence in America and advocating against Beijing’s human rights violations. Cuba is a client state of China’s, most recently receiving $100 million in aid from China following Díaz-Canel’s visit to Beijing a month ago.

According to the Castro regime’s National Assembly, the Democrats’ delegation first held a meeting with communist Cuban lawmakers on Friday promoting the “normalization” of relations between the United States and Cuba.

Cuba’s National Assembly informed via a press release published on Saturday that, following their meeting with the communist lawmakers, the Democrat delegation was received by the president of Cuba’s National Assembly, Esteban Lazo Hernández and his delegation.

Lazo Hernández “highlighted” the transcendence of the meeting while expressing that “as neighbors, the closer we are, the better we should relate to each other.”

“We want to work together with you to tear down the walls, to have a more mature and constructive relationship, for the benefit of the peoples of Cuba and the United States,” McGovern stated. The U.S. representative reportedly added that, according to him, there are no reasons for Cuba to have been included in the United States’ list of state sponsors of terrorism.

On Saturday, the Democrat congressmen were received by the Castro regime’s puppet president Miguel Diaz-Canel, the Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, and other government officials.

Humanitarian Needs in Cuba letter

December 16 2021 , House Rules Committee Chair James McGovern (D-MA), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Gregory Meeks (D-NY), House Appropriations subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations Chair Barbara Lee (D-CA), and House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Energy Chair Bobby Rush (D-IL) led 114 Members of Congress in a letter to President Biden asking him to prioritize the well-being of the Cuban people as they experience the worst economic and humanitarian crisis in recent history...

In the wake of this year’s protests, the members urged the administration to support the Cuban people by suspending U.S. regulations that prevent food, medicine, remittances, and other humanitarian assistance from reaching the Cuban people...

Signatories included Mark Pocan.

Lifting travel ban on Cuba

A May 03, 2013 Press release from the radical controlled and Institute for Policy Studies affiliated Latin America Working Group's Cuba Team stated:

Due to your action/emails/phone calls we have 59 signatures from House representatives urging President Obama to support travel to Cuba by granting general licenses for ALL current categories of travel.

By eliminating the laborious license application process, especially for people-to-people groups, that is managed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the majority of the bureaucratic red tape that holds up licensable travel to Cuba would disappear and actually facilitate what the President wanted to see in 2011, liberalized travel regulations.

Signatories included Rep. Mark Pocan.

Congressional Letter for Neutrality, 2014 Salvadoran Elections

On Monday December 16, 2014 Reps. Juan Vargas (D-CA), Mike Honda (D-CA) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) sent a letter to Sec. of State John Kerry – signed by 51 Members of Congress – calling for a public statement of neutrality by the State Department before the first round of El Salvador’s presidential elections on February 2, 2014.

The letter, , highlighted several “important steps” that the current government has taken to “strengthen its democratic system and expand the right to vote to all citizens,” including those living outside of the country, who will be voting by absentee ballot for the first time in February. Since the election of Mauricio Funes, the first President from the Marxist Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) party, the government has increased the number of polling places four-fold to increase accessibility, especially in rural areas.

“We’re glad to see so many Members of Congress expressing respect for the right of the Salvadoran people to determine their own future. That’s an attitude that’s sorely lacking in much of the US’ policy in Central America, especially with regard to economic policy,” said Alexis Stoumbelis, Executive Director for the pro-communist Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES), in Washington, DC, which has observed every post-war election in El Salvador, starting in 1994..

JStreet PAC endorsement

In 2024 JStreet PAC endorsed Mark Pocan.

JStreet endorsement

The socialist infiltrated, anti-Israel "two state solution" JStreet PAC endorsed Mark Pocan in his 2014 Congressional race.

JStreet endorsed her again in 2016.

He has traveled to Israel and the Palestinian Territory and is a strong advocate for US leadership towards two states.

Muslim Left connections

"Eradicate Anti-Muslim Content On Your Platform"

December 15, 2020;

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) today urged immediate action from Facebook to eradicate anti-Muslim bigotry from the platform and demanded Mark Zuckerberg implement six measures to combat bigoted content. In a letter signed by 29 colleagues, Dingell cited instances of anti-Muslim content on Facebook and recent reports showing the role of the platform in inciting violence against the Muslim community.

“Facebook cannot celebrate the success of its platform, while ignoring its role in elevating the dangerous, deadly content targeting Muslim people,” said Congresswoman Dingell. “In Christchurch, New Zealand, a terrorist attack that stole the lives of fifty-one Muslims worshipping in their mosque was streamed live on Facebook around the world. But in the ensuing weeks and months, Facebook failed to offer a single policy intentionally designed to eradicate hateful, anti-Muslim content. Nearly two years later, it’s time for Facebook to demonstrate that this company recognizes the life and death consequences of their lack of action.”

Dingell’s letter was signed by Debbie Dingell, Rashida Tlaib, André Carson, Carolyn Maloney, Ilhan Omar, Jahana Hayes, Max Rose, Barbara Lee, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Bobby Rush, Dan Kildee, Jared Huffman, Kathy Castor, Gwen Moore, Lauren Underwood, Jan Schakowsky, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mark Pocan, Grace Meng, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Darren Soto, Don Beyer, Jim McGovern, Peter Welch, Jamie Raskin, Pramila Jayapal, Yvette Clarke, Raul Grijalva, Earl Blumenauer, and Nydia Velazquez. Additionally, her letter has received the support of the following organizations: CODEPINK, Common Defense, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Islamic Networks Group, Jetpac, Jewish Voice for Peace Action, Justice for Muslims Collective, MomsRising, National Iranian American Council, Peace Action, Progressive Democrats of America, Project South, ReThinking Foreign Policy, and National Network for Arab American Communities.

Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children Act

April 2021—U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) introduced the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, or H.R. 2590, provides that no U.S. funds to the Israeli government may be used to support the military detention or ill-treatment of Palestinian children; the seizure, appropriation, or destruction of Palestinian property and forcible transfer of civilians in the occupied West Bank; or to facilitate further unilateral annexation of Palestinian land by the Israeli government in violation of international humanitarian law.

The bill establishes annual certification and reporting obligations on the Secretary of State to show that no U.S. funds have been used by the Israeli government to support the prohibited activities included in the legislation. The McCollum bill also requires oversight reporting detailing the Israeli government’s human rights violations against Palestinians.

Initial co-sponsors were Reps Bobby Rush, Danny Davis, Andre Carson, Marie Newman, Ilhan Omar, Mark Pocan, Raul Grijalva, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley, Cori Bush, Jamaal Bowman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jesus Garcia .

Sponsoring organizations included Adalah Justice Project, Al-Haq, Americans for Peace Now (APN), American Friends Service Committee, American Muslims for Palestine, Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC), Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Center for Constitutional Rights, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Jewish Allies for a Just Peace in Israel/Palestine, Churches for Middle East Peace, Church of the Brethren – Office of Peacebuilding and Policy, CODEPINK, Defense for Children International – Palestine, Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), Democratic Socialists of America BDS and Palestine Solidarity Working Group, The Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Eyewitness Palestine, Freedom Forward, Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, IfNotNow, Institute for Policy Studies – New Internationalism Project, J Street, Jewish Voice for Peace Action, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, Justice Democrats, MADRE, Massachusetts Peace Action, Middle East Children’s Alliance, MPower Action Fund, National Council of Churches USA, New Generation for Palestine, NGP Action, Norwegian Refugee Council, Palestine Legal, Peace Action, Presbyterian Church (USA), Progressive Democrats of America, Reformed Church in America, Sacramento Democrats for Justice in Palestine, Tree of Life Educational Fund, U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East, United Church of Christ, United Church of Christ Palestine Israel Network, United We Dream Network, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR), US Palestinian Council, Veterans for Peace, Win Without War, Working Families Party.

Supporting Iran Deal

Mark Pocan joined CREDO Mobile, Moveon.org, and U.S. Labor Against the War to support the Iran nuclear deal.

NIAC Action Commends Resolution on JCPOA

July 16 2019 Washington DC – Moments ago, Reps. Barbara Lee, Jan Schakowsky, and David Price introduced a resolution calling for the United States to return to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Iran deal, from which President Trump withdrew in May 2018.

In response, NIAC President Jamal Abdi issued the following statement:

“Donald Trump’s decision to abandon the Iran nuclear deal has put the U.S. on the brink of war with Iran and threatened to undo the hard won constraints against Iran’s nuclear program. Thankfully, many Members of Congress recognize that there is no military solution to the present crisis, and that the best way to de-escalate is for the U.S. to return to compliance with the nuclear deal. Representatives Lee, Schakowsky and Price should be commended for their years of leadership in advancing peace and diplomacy, including by introducing this important resolution.

“There remains strong political will in Congress to restore U.S. credibility and engage Iran diplomatically–despite Trump and Bolton’s push for war. For Members of Congress and Presidential contenders, it is good and important to call out Trump’s dangerous moves that have taken us to the brink of war. Yet, the root cause of this crisis was Donald Trump’s decision to kill a strong nuclear agreement with Iran, which is why signaling support for a return to compliance is so important. The Lee-Schakowsky-Price resolution helps solidify the growing consensus for a JCPOA return while signaling that the window for diplomacy is not shut, nor is the opportunity to restore U.S. credibility with both the international community and the Iranian people.

The resolution was co-sponsored by Reps. Don Beyer, Earl Blumenauer, Steve Cohen, Gerry Connolly, Lloyd Doggett, Anna Eshoo, Ruben Gallego, Raul Grijalva, Deb Haaland, Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, Andy Levin, Alan Lowenthal, Donald Payne, Jr., Mark Pocan, Jamie Raskin, Peter Welch, John Yarmuth.

ARA endorsement, 2012

The Alliance for Retired Americans endorsed Mark Pocan in 2012.

ARA PAF endorsement, 2014

The Alliance for Retired Americans Political Action Fund endorsed Mark Pocan in 2014.

Senior Power Lunch

2015 Senior Power Lunch.

H.R. 1534, The Smarter Approach to Nuclear Expenditures Act

The 2015 Bill H.R. 1534 would reduce the number of nuclear-armed submarines operated by the Navy, to prohibit the development of a new long-range penetrating bomber aircraft, to prohibit the procurement of new intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Sponsor: Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3rd district). Co-sponsors were Reps James McGovern, Mark Pocan, Peter DeFazio, John Conyers, Raul Grijalva, Michael Quigley, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Sam Farr, Jackie Speier, Barbara Lee, Donna Edwards, John Lewis, Jared Polis, Louise Slaughter.

"Progressive Agenda"

Signers of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's May 12, 2015 launched The Progressive Agenda to Combat Income Inequality included US Rep. Mark Pocan.

Condemning Criticism of Islam legislation

On December 17, 2015, Rep. Don Beyer, Jr. introduced legislation condemning "violence, bigotry, and hateful rhetoric towards Muslims in the United States." The legislation is based on unsourced claims that there is a "rise of hateful and anti-Muslim speech, violence, and cultural ignorance," and a "disproportionate targeting" of "Muslim women who wear hijabs, headscarves, or other religious articles of clothing...because of their religious clothing, articles, or observances." The resolution, H.Res.569 - Condemning violence, bigotry, and hateful rhetoric towards Muslims in the United States

The legislation was cosponsored by Rep. Michael Honda, Rep. Keith Ellison, Rep. Joseph Crowley, Rep. Andre Carson, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rep. Betty McCollum, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Rep. Dan Kildee, Rep. Loretta Sanchez, Rep. Charles Rangel, Rep. Scott Peters, Rep. Brad Ashford, Rep. Alan Grayson, Rep. Mark Takai, Rep. Brian Higgins, Rep. William Keating, Rep. Raul Grijalva, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Rep. G.K. Butterfield, Rep. Gerry Connolly, Rep. Ruben Gallego, Rep. Cheri Bustos, Rep. John Delaney, Rep. Kathy Castor, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, Rep. Michael Quigley, Rep. Elizabeth Esty, Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, Rep. Robin Kelly, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Rep. Gregory Meeks, Rep. Grace Meng, Rep. Al Green, Rep. Katherine Clark, Rep. Adam Schiff, Rep. Alcee Hastings, Rep. Sam Farr, Rep. Frank Pallone, Rep. Jim McDermott, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Donna Edwards, Rep. Robert Brady, Rep. Frederica Wilson, Rep. Michael Doyle, Rep. Albio Sires, Rep. Suzan DelBene, Rep. Judy Chu, Rep. Jared Polis, Rep. David Loebsack, Rep. Bill Pascrell, Rep. Debbie Dingell, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Rep. Steve Cohen, Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, Rep. John Yarmuth, Rep. Niki Tsongas, Rep. Jim Langevin, Rep. Mark Pocan, Rep. John Conyers, Jr., Rep. Mark Takano, Rep. Tim Ryan, Rep. Jose Serrano, Rep. Hank Johnson, Rep. Paul Tonko, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Lois Capps, Rep. David Price, Rep. Doris Matsui, Rep. Gwen Moore, Rep. Denny Heck, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Rep. John Carney, Rep. Xavier Becerra, Rep. Eric Swalwell, Rep. John B. Larson, Rep. Dina Titus, Rep. Peter Welch, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, Rep. Jim Himes, Rep. Matt Cartwright.

On CAIR

The council’s work across the nation is critical to building a more equitable and democratic society.”

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) (October 2017).

PFLP meeting

A group of Democratic lawmakers met with an alleged member of a terrorist organization during a trip funded by an anti-Israel nonprofit Spring 2016.

Seventy-one members of Congress were invited on the all-expenses-paid trip to east Jerusalem and Ramallah in the West Bank, but only five accepted: Illinois congressman Luis Gutierrez, Michigan congressman Dan Kildee, Wisconsin congressman Mark Pocan, Pennsylvania congressman Matt Cartwright, and Georgia congressman Hank Johnson.

According to the trip itinerary, the American lawmakers met on May 29 with Shawan Jabarin, an alleged long-time activist for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a designated terrorist organization that has engaged in suicide bombings, assassinations, and plane hijackings. Jabarin serves as director of the Palestinian human rights organization Al Haq, which advocates for economic boycotts of Israel and exploits courts to delegitimize the country, according to NGO Monitor, a pro-Israel watchdog.

The Israeli Supreme Court has described Jabarin as a "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, acting some of the time as the CEO of a human rights organization, and at other times as an activist in a terror organization which has not shied away from murder and attempted murder." Jabarin was found guilty of recruiting operatives on behalf of the PFLP in 1985 and has since been denied exit visas by Israel and Jordan.

The May trip also included meetings with Palestinian political and finance officials, including Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. The meeting with Jabarin featured a number of other officials from Palestinian nonprofits as well as the Palestinian minister for prisoner affairs.

The American Global Institute was another sponsor of the trip.

Letter with NIAC

Washington, D.C. – December 208, National Iranian American Council worked with Rep. Jared Huffman and a group of 13 lawmakers who sent a letter to the the State Department regarding the dire humanitarian impact of U.S. sanctions on the Iranian people. On February 15, the State Department sent its response to the lawmakers. Rep. Huffman’s letter requested responses on the following questions:

Is it a deliberate strategy of the Trump administration to starve the Iranian people or deprive them of basic medicines? If not, what substantive steps has the administration taken to ensure the Iranian people have continued access to life-saving medicines?

Which foreign nations have expressed concern about the humanitarian impact of U.S. sanctions on Iran, and what have they asked the administration to do to ensure the free flow of humanitarian goods to Iran?

According to a report in The Guardian, the United Kingdom, France and Germany have pushed both the State and Treasury Departments to produce a “white list” that would “give clear guidelines about what channels European banks and companies should follow to conduct legitimate transactions with Iran without fear of future penalties.” Has the State or Treasury Departments acted upon this proposal to establish a white channel to ensure the flow of humanitarian goods? If not, why not?

What additional measures have been contemplated to ensure the free flow of humanitarian goods to the Iranian people? If these were rejected, why were they rejected?

Are broader license authorizations or exemptions necessary to ensure the flow of humanitarian goods to Iran? If not, what is the evidence for this assessment?

Other signatories included Reps Barbara Lee, Mark Pocan, Bobby Rush, Ro Khanna, Jim McGovern, Tulsi Gabbard, Zoe Lofgren, Don Beyer, Mark DeSaulnier, Jan Schakowsky, Matt Cartwright, Earl Blumenauer, Anna Eshoo.

Yemen

The US House of Representatives passed a potentially historic resolution on February 13, 2019, calling for an end to US military support for the Saudi-led coalition’s intervention in Yemen that began in 2015. Although the US government has never formally declared its involvement in the war, it assists the coalition with intelligence and munitions and supports the aerial campaign with refueling and targeting.

What is already historic about the resolution (introduced by Democratic Representatives Ro Khanna of California and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin) and its Senate counterpart (introduced by Independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Republican Mike Lee of Utah and Democrat Chris Murphy of Connecticut) is their invocation of the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which restrains a president’s capacity to commit forces abroad. Aimed to prevent “future Vietnams,” the act gives Congress the authority to compel the removal of US military forces engaged in hostilities absent a formal declaration of war.

Anti-war activists in the United States have been organizing against US support for the Saudi intervention in Yemen since 2015. While these efforts made an impact on the public debate about Yemen, they failed to move the policy needle—until an unexpected chain of events in late 2018 gave the campaign new traction and occasioned a momentous grassroots mobilization. The national organizing campaign is led by a combination of Yemen-oriented groups (the Yemen Peace Project, the Yemeni Alliance Committee and others) along with more established anti-war organizations like Just Foreign Policy, Win Without War, Code Pink and Peace Action. The addition of the ascendant Democratic Socialists of America contributed to the momentum. Yet it was the confluence of events outside the control of these groups—but to which these groups were well-positioned to rapidly respond—that propelled the campaign into broad Congressional support for War Powers resolutions in early 2019.

People's Summit 2017

Mark Pocan, Congressman was a speaker at People's Summit 2017.

Netroots 2017

At Netroots 2017, a panel, entitled "Making Congress Listen: How to Transform Trump Anger and Movement Energy into Victories on Capitol Hill," will address how organizers can channel outrage at discriminatory, inhumane policies into positive change. Speakers will outline methods for smart, strategic constituent lobbying and describe how this form of activism fits into a larger movement to move Congress in a more progressive direction.

The event will take place on Friday, August 11th at 9:00 am at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta.

Led by Mike Darner, Executive Director of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the panel will also feature:

Sarah Badawi, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Rep. Mark Pocan, U.S. House of Representatives, Ezra Levin, Indivisible Project, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, U.S. House of Representatives, Yasmine Taeb.

Letter on US-Mexico security Co-operation

From Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice;

Urgent alert from our friends at CISPES- Los Angeles Chapter : "The US plans to expand cooperation between Mexico and the United States to unfairly and inhumanely target Central American migrants and asylum seekers at the upcoming "Conference on Prosperity and Security in Central America".

We asked Representative Alan Lowenthal of Long Beach to author a letter to Secretary Tillerson calling for to put the human rights of Central Americans and all migrants and refugees front and center, and he's circulating a letter now. To have the biggest impact possible we need as many Members of Congress as possible to sign this letter!

Call or email your representative today and ask them to join Mr. Lowenthal as a co-signer.

Representative Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) led 37 Members of Congress, including top Democrats from the Armed Forces, Judiciary and Appropriations committees, in sending a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to raise red flags about “suggestions that the United States deepen security collaboration with Mexico along its southern border [with Guatemala] due to evidence that Mexico’s Southern Border Program has led to wide-spread human rights violations and abuses against migrants and asylum-seekers.”

Signers: Don Beyer (D-VA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Mike Capuano (D-MA), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), John Conyers (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Alcee Hastings (D-FL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-Washington, DC), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA) , Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), James McGovern (D-MA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Jose Serrano (D-NY), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Adam Smith (D-WA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Maxine Waters (D-CA), John Yarmuth (D-KY).

"Anti-trans violence resolution"

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), introduced a resolution in September 2017 against anti-trans violence, specifically noting violence against transgender women of color.

Ellison said in a statement Monday the Transgender Day of Remembrance “takes on even more significance” in 2017 as a result of the significant rate of violence against transgender people.

“We also recognize that the victims of this violence are almost all transgender women and transgender women of color,” Ellison said. “This is an important day, but we should not consider our jobs done because we’ve observed this one day. Instead, we must commit ourselves to the principle of liberty and justice for all and ensure everyone is safe to live and thrive in their community.”

Ellison’s resolution observes transgender women of color are more likely than white transgender women to face mistreatment by police, an assumption they’re sex workers and incarceration in prison.

Among other things, the resolution calls for ending racial profiling in law enforcement practices; ending the practice of placing transgender people in solitary confinement; and ending the practice of immigration detention for vulnerable populations, including transgender people.

Co-sponsors of that resolution are Raul Grijalva, Joe Kennedy III as well as Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.).

Epps-Addison connection

Jennifer Epps-Addison November 16 2018:

Jennifer Epps-Addison, Ilhan Omar, Mark Pocan, Rashida Tlaib.

Democracy Alliance

Pramila Jayapal and Mark Pocan addressed the Spring 2018 Democracy Alliance gathering on "Building a progressive legislation pipeline."

Medicare For All Congressional Caucus founders

In August 2018 Medicare For All Congressional Caucus founding members included Representative Mark Pocan.

Medicare for All Act

In February 2019 Rep. Pramila Jayapal introduced H.R.1384 - Medicare for All Act of 2019. By May 29 she had 110 co-sponsors including Rep. Mark Pocan.

"Green New Deal"

From the Sunrise Movement:

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has released a proposal for a Select Committee on a Green New Deal, a plan that would transform our economy and society at the scale needed to stop the climate crisis.

We have the momentum to make a Green New Deal real, but we need a critical mass of Congresspeople to support the proposal.

Take action on Dec. 10 to show Congress the Green New Deal is a top priority.

Congressional supporters by December 20 2018 included Mark Pocan.

HR 109 endorser

By February 20 2019 endorsers of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's HR 109 (Green New Deal) included Mark Pocan.

CPCC Leadership

Congressional Progressive Caucus Center leadership as of January 2019.

• Robert Borosage - President of the board.
• Mark Pocan - board member.
• Pramila Jayapal - board member.
• Barbara Lee - board member.
• Keith Ellison - board member.
• Raul Grijalva - board member.

References

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References

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