Longtime Leader of Child and Family Policy Danny Davis Retiring
How the end of an era shapes what’s to come.
Longtime Child and Family Policy Leader of Danny Davis Retiring
How the end of an era shapes what’s to come.
U.S. Representative Danny Davis (D-IL) will not seek re-election, retiring at the end of the 119th Congress after 15 terms.
Rep. Davis is the Ranking Member of the U.S. House Ways and Means subcommittee that oversees the child welfare system, safety net programs, and evidence-based home visiting.
Ending an Era
Throughout his career he has led and contributed to numerous significant bipartisan laws reforming child and family policy, including the:
Supporting America’s Children and Families Act (P.L. 118-258)
Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-328)
Supporting Foster Youth and Families Through the Pandemic Act (P.L. 116-260)
Family First Transition Act (P.L. 116-94)
Family First Prevention Services Act (P.L. 115-123)
Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (P.L. 110-351)
Ranking Member Davis holds historical continuity from working on most major child and family legislation since the late 90s. This ends an era, not just a chapter.
Who Holds the Hammer?
This news also kicks off subcommittee succession scenario planning. Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) is next in line of seniority, but that doesn’t automatically translate to a gavel.
Some of this will be a function of which way the midterms break; wins for Democrats would mean more seats (and maybe a Chair’s gavel), while the status quo or expanded seats for Republicans could remove another Democratic seat from the subcommittee.
New subcommittee leadership will matter for a variety of reasons.
It shapes which issues take priority, drives geographic and regional politics, and sets the tone for negotiations.
One Last Time
A leader with such a substantive record of leadership on a policy issue often translates that into a final bipartisan agreement.
It will be worth watching what issues Ranking Member Davis may raise as part of a final legislative legacy.
This could certainly be another reason to bet on the prospects for an older youth bill this Congress…