{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://levin.house.gov/press-release/levin-encourages-next-generation-leadership-ways-and-means-committee", "Levin Encourages the Next Generation of Leadership on Ways and Means Committee", "2016-11-29", "2016", "2016-11", "Democrat", "House", "MI", "Sander Levin", "L000263", "levin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Sander Levin (D-Royal Oak) shared the following letter with his Democratic Colleagues today regarding the Ranking Member position on the Ways and Means Committee:\nDear Democratic Colleague,\nDonald Trump as President changes virtually everything.\u00a0 It has been important that we have taken some time over the last weeks to discuss the future of our Democratic Caucus for we have not faced such an \u201call hands on deck moment\u201d as we do right now.\nI want to do my part to ensure that we are united in the efforts necessary to stop President Trump and Speaker Ryan as they seek to take this country in a very different direction and turn back the clock on progress we have made and had hoped to continue making.\nSo, for two reasons, I have decided not to seek re-election to the Ranking position on the Ways and Means Committee.\nFirst, it is imperative that we support younger Members as they seek to fully assume the mantle of leadership in the four years ahead, as we also continue to tap the experience of those who have led so many of these battles.\nSecond, I want to be free to focus in addition to tax reform on two of my legislative passions: health care and trade.\nAs Chair in 2010 when we passed the Affordable Care Act, I feel a sense of responsibility to help preserve it and there are now 20 million people counting on us to stop President Trump and the House Republicans from repealing it.\u00a0 In addition, Medicare and Medicaid which have been strengthened by ACA are again under attack by Republicans who have repeatedly tried to turn them into vouchers or block grants.\nFrom trying to address unfair trade with Japan in the 1980s, opposing NAFTA in the 1990s, calling out China\u2019s currency manipulation and other unfair trade practices in the 2000s, and writing the language that added labor and environmental standards to trade agreements for the first time, I also feel a special responsibility to continue putting forward solutions to the challenges of globalization as an alternative to the demagoguery of Donald Trump.\nMy determination to fight harder than ever in the next months has only deepened with the news that the creator of the media platform for the dangerous alternative right movement which promotes conspiracy theories and white nationalism will take a seat in the White House advising the next U.S. President.\nI have very much appreciated your support and look forward to our continued efforts together.\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://levin.house.gov/press-release/levin-encourages-next-generation-leadership-ways-and-means-committee"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7000879850238562, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}