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Ocasio-Cortez Among Top Dems Promoting Biden-Sanders Unity

Associated Press

   WASHINGTON - Joe Biden and the last rival he bested to become the
   presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Bernie Sanders, on
   Wednesday announced the members of joint task forces their campaigns
   will use to promote party unity by hammering out consensus on six top
   policy issues.
   They include New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who will provide
   input on combating climate change and potentially become a key conduit
   between strong progressives who supported Sanders and backers of the
   more centrist Biden.
   Each committee has eight members and will be focused on health care,
   immigration, education, criminal justice reform, climate change and the
   economy, which has taken a sharp downturn amid shutdowns to slow the
   spread of the coronavirus.
   Biden and Sanders differed throughout the primary on a number of
   issues, particularly whether a government-run system should replace
   private health insurance. Biden has continued to resist Sanders's
   "Medicare for All" plan and has instead promoted a public option that
   would operate alongside private coverage.
   The former vice president has taken steps to embrace some policies
   favored by the more liberal wing of the Democratic Party, aware that he
   will need those voters to turn out for him against President Donald
   Trump. That includes embracing proposals backed by Sanders and Sen.
   Elizabeth Warren to expand health coverage eligibility through
   Medicare, cancel student debt for millions of Americans and overhaul
   the nation's system for individuals to declare bankruptcy.
   "A united party is key to defeating Donald Trump this November and
   moving our country forward through an unprecedented crisis," Biden said
   in a statement. "The work of the task forces will be essential to
   identifying ways to build on our progress and not simply turn the clock
   back to a time before Donald Trump, but transform our country."
   Sanders, a senator from Vermont, endorsed Biden within a week of
   leaving the race in April -- unlike in 2016, when he waited until just
   before the party's convention to formally back Hillary Clinton. He
   originally urged supporters to keep voting for him in upcoming
   primaries delayed by the coronavirus outbreak so that he would be able
   to influence the policy platform unveiled during the Democratic
   National Convention -- an event already delayed until August because of
   the pandemic.
   But Sanders and Biden later announced they'd be forming joint
   committees on key issues, potentially helping Biden win over
   progressives who viewed him as too moderate. The groups will meet ahead
   of the Democratic convention and prepare recommendations for its
   platform committee as well as Biden.
   One of Sanders' highest-profile supporters, Ocasio-Cortez, will be
   co-chairwoman of the climate change committee along with former
   Secretary of State John Kerry, who was a visible Biden surrogate. The
   economy committee will be headed by Karen Bass, a congresswoman from
   California, and Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight
   Attendants who has become a visible advocate for labor rights during
   the pandemic.
   Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott is co-chairing the criminal justice
   committee, which also includes Eric Holder, former attorney general
   under President Barack Obama. Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge is helping lead
   the education task force; California Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard is
   co-head of the immigration committee; and the health care group will be
   overseen by Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal and former Surgeon General
   Vivek Murthy.
   Also in the name of Democratic unity, some of Sanders' top former
   campaign advisers have already formed a separate, outside political
   group to promote Biden and progressive ideals.
   In his own statement announcing the task force members, Sanders
   advocated for creating an "agenda the working class of this country
   desperately needs" and a "more just society" amid the pandemic.
   "The Democratic Party must think big, act boldly, and fight to change
   the direction of this country," Sanders said. "I commend Joe Biden for
   working together with my campaign to assemble a group of leading
   thinkers and activists who can and will unify our party in a
   transformational and progressive direction."