Bipartisan Policy Center Action (BPC Action) is the advocacy organization affiliated with the center-left Bipartisan Policy Center. BPC Action’s staff includes members affiliated with both the Democratic and the Republican Parties, but BPC Action’s executive director, Michele Stockwell, is a former aide to House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD). ¹

History

BPC Action is the advocacy arm of the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a center-left think tank in Washington, D.C. that professes to support ostensibly bipartisan policies on issues including health care, national security, and economic growth. ²

BPC Action advocates for the policies and research proposed by BPC. BPC Action uses BPC research to engage in “aggressive advocacy” campaigns to push new legislation, while also creating strategic education and outreach campaigns. ³

Leadership

Michele Stockwell is the executive director of BPC Action. Stockwell has worked for a number of Democratic officials, beginning her career on the staff of U.S. Representative Dave McCurdy (D-OK). Stockwell later worked as policy director for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D—MD). Stockwell has also worked as a senior policy advisor on the staff of U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT). Stockwell went on to advise Lieberman’s 2004 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. ⁴

Laura Hall is managing director of BPC Action. Hall previously worked as legislative director for U.S. Representative Dennis Moore (D-KS). ⁵

BPC Action has two directors, Kimberly Dean and Kate Cassling. Dean previously worked as chief of staff for U.S. Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY). ⁶ Cassling was previously a legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). Before that, Cassling worked for U.S. Representative Dina Titus (D-NV) and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). ⁷

Marlies Dikkers is the project coordinator at BPC Action. Before working at BPC Action, she was a fellow at public relations firm VOX Global. Dikkers has also worked for U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM). ⁸

Loren Long is communications manager at BPC Action. Previously, Long was the communications manager at the Millennial Action Project (MAP), an advocacy organization that encourages millennial politicians to engage in nominally bipartisan but funcitionally left-progressive action. She was also the first publicist for Regnery History, a conservative publishing company. Long also worked on former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam’s (R) campaign. ⁹

Kimberly Olson Dorgan, of KODorgan Consulting, is the chair of the 13-member BPC Action board of directors. ¹⁰ Other board members include Democratic fundraiser Rachel Hirschberg, former Obama White House aide Broderick Johnson, and former GOP spokesman Kevin Madden. ¹¹

Advocacy

BPC Action has called for lawmakers to reach a deal on immigration that would trade increased funding for border security in exchange for permanent legal status for illegal immigrants given legal status by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. ¹²

BPC Action has also advocated for legislation to promote the development of environmentalist energy to prevent climate change and for legislation to mandate paid family leave. ^{13 14}

1. BPC Action Leadership. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/leadership/
2. About Us. BPC Action. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/about-us/
3. About Us. BPC Action. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/about-us/
4. BPC Action Leadership. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/leadership/
5. BPC Action Leadership. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/leadership/
6. BPC Action Leadership. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/leadership/
7. BPC Action Leadership. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/leadership/
8. BPC Action Leadership. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/leadership/
9. BPC Action Leadership. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/leadership/
10. BPC Action Leadership. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/leadership/
11. BPC Action Leadership. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/leadership/
12. Press Release. “The Time for a Border Security and Dream Deal is Now.” January 31, 2020. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/border-security-dream-deal/
13. Press Release. “House Energy Package a Step in the Right Direction.” September 24, 2020. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/house-energy-package-step-in-right-direction/
14. Paid Family Leave. BPC Action. Accessed October 4, 2020. https://bpcaction.org/paid-parental-leave/