Politics
Biden, Buttigieg, Harris to headline House Dem retreat as party eyes 2024
By Jake Beardslee · February 5, 2024
In brief…
- Top Biden officials to speak at House Dem retreat next week
- Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg among featured speakers
- Democrats to rally around retaking House majority in 2024
- Sessions to focus on policy priorities like economy, infrastructure
Top Biden administration officials will join House Democrats next week for their annual retreat, where the party aims to rally behind retaking the House majority in 2024.
Vice President Kamala Harris is slated to kick off the three-day retreat on Wednesday in an “armchair conversation,” according to House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar. She will be followed on Thursday by the keynote address from President Joe Biden himself.
Other speakers include Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Natalie Quillian and Energy Department official Jigar Shah on the final day Friday. They plan to discuss “the implementation of our incredible legislative accomplishments,” Aguilar wrote in a letter to House Democrats.
The sessions will center around the party’s top policy priorities like lowering costs, investing in infrastructure and protecting reproductive healthcare access. Labor leaders such as United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain and Service Employees International President Mary Kay Henry will also participate in panels.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Finish the Job,” with Democrats looking to craft their case to voters on building on the economic progress made under their leadership. Lawmakers will hear from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on their “path to reclaiming the majority in 2024,” as well as the Biden campaign on efforts to keep the White House.
“We will spend the coming days at the Issues Conference discussing our plans to ‘Finish the Job’ when we are in the majority and will continue to build on the economic progress we have made on behalf of the American people,” Aguilar wrote.