Will Congressional Progressives Push Their Own Foreign Policy Agenda?

The incoming class of House Democrats is set to be one of the most progressive ever.

by Amy Mackinnon and Robbie Gramer, Foreign Policy

The left wing of the Democratic Party is expected to have more influence in Congress—including on foreign-policy issues—once the legislative session begins in earnest on Capitol Hill, with the ranks of the Congressional Progressive Caucus set to swell to more than 100 members.

At least 15 of the 18 candidates backed by the caucus won their races, including Maxwell Alejandro Frost, the first member of Generation Z—people born in 1997 or later—to be elected to Congress, making the new class of Democrats one of the most progressive ever.

Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez speak about the importance of a Green New Deal at a town hall organized by the Sunrise Movement.

The expanded caucus will give progressives more leverage as Democrats look to stay unified in the face of a Republican majority in the House of Representatives. While the caucus has typically focused its efforts on the domestic front—where President Joe Biden has adopted a number of progressive positions on climate change and student loan forgiveness—the new Congress could provide an opportunity for the caucus to delve more deeply into foreign policy, according to interviews with multiple experts and lawmakers.