Eric Swalwell

The Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision put in place unrestricted corporate spending creep into our electoral system. This ruling also provides an unfair financial advantage to large corporations during our elections. Additionally, in Shelby County v. Holder, the Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that required some jurisdictions to receive federal preclearance before enacting changes to voting laws.

Since these rulings, dirty maps, dirty money, and voter suppression floods our electoral system. I am devoted to working toward an election system that is open and fair for all Americans. This system must be wholly American, free of interference from foreign adversaries who would seek to influence our elections for their own gain.

What I am Doing for You

I am an original cosponsor, voted for, and the House passed, the Protecting Our Democracy Act (117th). This comprehensive legislation includes a sweeping package of reforms that would strengthen America's democratic institutions against future presidents, regardless of political party, who seek to abuse the power of their office for corrupt purposes.

I introduced H.R. 1266, the Duty to Report Act (117th), which would require federal candidates, their families, and their campaigns to inform the FBI of any efforts by a foreign power to provide dirt on a candidate's opponent. For years, America has helped protect against terrorist attacks by telling Americans, "If you see something, say something." The same should go for protecting our elections against foreign interference. Provisions of my bill were included in the House-passed Protecting our Democracy Act.

I introduced H.R. 1264, the Corporate Duty to Report Act (117th), which would make it a crime for a corporation to knowingly receive funds for an independent expenditure or a foreign national without reporting it to the FBI. It also would be a civil violation for a corporation to knowingly receive money to run a political communication without reporting that outside communications are independent expenditures or made by a foreign national. Provisions of my bill were included in the House-passed Protecting our Democracy Act.

I introduced H.R. 1265, the Enhancing Protections for Whistleblower Anonymity Act, to impose criminal penalties on any federal official who knowingly communicates the identity of a whistleblower, or information which would reveal such a person's identity, to the general public. Whistleblower safety must be paramount. In fact, for decades Republicans and Democrats have universally agreed that exposing whistleblowers to harm undermines policies that encourage those to come forward with allegations of serious wrongdoing. Provisions of my bill were included in the House-passed Protecting our Democracy Act.

I cosponsored and voted for H.R. 1, the For the People Act (117th), which passed in the House. This bill makes it easier, not harder, to vote by implementing automatic voter registration, requiring early voting, vote by mail, reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and ensuring the integrity of our elections. The bill curbs big money's influence by requiring all political organizations to disclose large donors and revamping the Federal Election Commission to ensure there's a cop on the campaign finance beat. And H.R. 1 takes real action to "drain the swamp" by extending conflict-of-interest laws to the President and Vice President by requiring the release of their tax returns, closing loopholes that let former members of Congress avoid cooling-off periods for lobbying, breaking the revolving door between industry and the federal government, and establishing a code of conduct for the Supreme Court.

I wrote several portions of H.R. 1, including 1) clarifying that operating fake polling places or drop boxes to prevent another person from registering to vote is a serious federal crime; 2) putting Congress on record opposing efforts to intimidate or engage in deceptive practices to dissuade students from exercising their right to vote; and 3) requiring schools to make voting information more accessible to students online and through social media.

I'm an original cosponsor of, voted for, and the House passed, H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 (117th), to strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965 - which was weakened by a pair of Supreme Court rulings over the course of the last decade - to limit states from restricting voting access.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 5076, the Preventing Presidential Election Interference Act (117th), to extend the Hatch Act - which prohibits using one's official authority to involve oneself in a federal election - to cover the president and vice president.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 2301, the Automatic Voter Registration Act (117th), to require that states ensure anyone who provides identifying information to the state motor vehicle authority is automatically registered to vote. The bill improves on current law by shifting the burden for registering to vote from the individual to the state, ensuring that more eligible voters are able to make their voices heard.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 1059, the America Votes Act (117th), to protect citizens who face disenfranchisement because of restrictive state voter identification laws. The bill establishes new federal protections for voters arriving at polls to affirm their identity by submitting a sworn written statement, even if they do not have government-issued identification. Voters who sign a sworn, written statement can vote using a standard – non-provisional ­­– ballot.

I cosponsored H.R. 347, the Presidential Tax Transparency Act (117th), to require sitting presidents and vice presidents, and major party candidates for the presidency and vice presidency to publicly disclose their ten most recent federal income tax returns.

I cosponsored H.R. 1366, the Protect the Youth Vote Act of 2021 (117th), to block systematic efforts across the country to suppress the voices of young Americans. The bill would outline specific practices that violate the 26th Amendment, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18; provide authority for courts to retain jurisdiction in areas where they have found that a state or jurisdiction violated the 26th Amendment; let voters or the Attorney General receive preventative relief against actions that violate the 26th Amendment; require transparency on any violations of the 26th Amendment and reasonable public notice for voting changes; and allow the Attorney General authority to request federal observers where there is a serious threat of youth voter suppression.

As a former Alameda County prosecutor, I know first-hand how dangerous our communities can be and the importance of keeping Americans safe. I spent seven years fighting to make sure that those who violated the law were punished, and I have now brought that spirit to Congress. The federal government should be both addressing regional and national crime issues and supporting state and local law enforcement with the resources they need to protect our streets.

Additionally, America was founded on ideals that all individuals are created equal, regardless of race, religion, sex, status, or orientation, as one nation subject to the rule of law. One of my priorities in Congress is to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity, justice, and equity.

I have addressed issues of justice by authoring legislation to promote individual rights, cosponsoring bills that protect individuals, and continuing to demand accountability. I have the great honor of serving on the House Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over a wide range of issues including crime, civil rights and liberties, immigration, bankruptcy, antitrust, intellectual property, and all constitutional amendments. Working on this committee allows me to influence important legislation that positively impacts California’s 14th District.

What I Am Doing For You

I am proud that my legislation, the bipartisan Homicide Victims' Families Rights Act, was signed into law by President Biden. This bill will provide family members and loved ones of homicide victims under federal law the right to have their loved one’s cold case file reviewed using the newest technologies. If a federal investigator feels it would lead to probative leads, a full reinvestigation will then occur. My legislation requires the federal government to notify individuals of their rights and to provide them with updates on any cold case review. Data will also be collected on systemic problems with cold case investigations, including information on clearance rates. Now that my legislation is federal law, I am working to encourage states to pass similar statutes to work toward total justice for victims of these senseless crimes.

I introduced H.R. 4857, the Journalist Protection Act, to make it a federal crime when an individual intentionally harms or intimidates a journalist in the course of newsgathering for a media organization. My bill represents a clear statement that assaults against journalists engaged in reporting is unacceptable, with assistance to ensure law enforcement is able to punish those who interfere with newsgathering.

I led 105 members in sending a May 2021 letter to House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy demanding he meet with Metropolitan Police Department Office Michael Fanone. Officer Fanone bravely defended the United States Capitol on January 6 and suffered severe injuries. The letter was sent to McCarthy during National Police Week, a time to celebrate the heroism of our law enforcement officers and commemorate those who lost their lives in the line of duty.

I was an original cosponsor of, voted for, and the House passed, a bipartisan bill to award three congressional gold medals to the United States Capitol Police and those who protected the U.S. Capitol against the violent insurrection of January 6, 2021. The sacrifice of Capitol Police Officers Brian Sicknick and Howard Liebengood, Metropolitan Police Department Officer Jeffrey Sme Goodmith, and the courage of countless others exemplify the patriotism and the commitment of law enforcement to risk their lives in service of our country.

I am an original cosponsor of the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (FAIR) Act, to re-establish Americans’ 7th Amendment right to a jury to seek justice and accountability through the court system by eliminating forced arbitration clauses in employment, consumer, and civil rights cases. 

I am a cosponsor of the Supreme Court Ethics Act, which requires the Judicial Conference of the United States to promulgate a code of ethics for the Supreme Court, ensuring neutrality and transparency in our judiciary. I am also a cosponsor of the Decennial District Court Judgeships Act, which would add hundreds of additional federal district court judges to help provide swift justice to individuals in need, and the Circuit Court Judgeships Act, which will add additional federal circuit judges.

I cosponsored and voted for, and the House passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021. This bill is a bold, comprehensive approach to hold police accountable, end racial profiling, change the culture of law enforcement, empower our communities, and build trust between law enforcement and our communities by addressing systemic racism and bias to help save lives. The Justice in Policing Act would: 1) establish a national standard for the operation of police departments; 2) mandate data collection on police encounters; 3) reprogram existing funds to invest in transformative community-based policing programs; and 4) streamline federal law to prosecute excessive force and establish independent prosecutors for police investigations.

I'm an original cosponsor of, I voted for, and the House has passed H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, to grant statehood to the District of Columbia and ensure its residents have an equal voice in our democracy. It is inexcusable that the more than 700,000 American citizens who live in the District if Columbia are denied full voting representation in Congress based on where they live. Ensuring every American can participate fully in our democracy is a fundamental value.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 1522, the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Act, to grant statehood to Puerto Rico and ensure its residents have an equal voice in our democracy. It's time to end more than 120 years of colonialism and provide full rights and representation to more than 3.2 million Americans. Back-to-back hurricanes, earthquakes and now the COVID-19 pandemic have proven that the Island’s colonial status is simply not working.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act, to create a commission to examine slavery and discrimination in the United States from 1619 to the present and recommend appropriate remedies. We must continue a national conversation about how to confront the brutal mistreatment of African Americans during slavery, Jim Crow segregation, and the enduring structural racism that still plagues our society today.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 963, the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (FAIR) Act, to re-establish Americans’ 7th Amendment right to seek justice and accountability through the court system by eliminating forced arbitration clauses in employment, consumer, and civil rights cases. The bill would let consumers and workers to agree to arbitration after a dispute occurs. 

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 3642, a bipartisan bill to award a Congressional gold medal to the 369th Infantry Regiment, commonly known as the "Harlem Hellfighters", in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service during World War I. The Hellfighters, the most celebrated African-American regiment in World War I, confronted racism even as they trained for war, helped bring jazz to France, then battled Germany longer than almost any other American doughboys. Like their predecessors in the Civil War and successors in the wars that followed, these African-American troops fought a war for a country that refused them basic rights – and their bravery stood as a rebuke to racism, a moral claim to first-class citizenship.

I cosponsored H.Con.Res.19, urging the establishment of a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. The Commission will examine the effects of slavery, institutional racism, and discrimination against people of color, and how our history impacts laws and policies today.

One of my top priorities is to create new jobs and opportunities for everyone living in California's Fourteenth Congressional District. The federal government must have policies that support economic growth and focus on expanding the middle class through innovation and technology. That means we must change our federal tax code to reward companies that create jobs in this country and remove systemic incentives to ship jobs overseas.

We also must update and expand educational opportunities so that our children are prepared for the high-tech jobs of the future, and we must support research into new, clean energy sources as a way to support domestic industry and protect our environment.

We cannot let partisan and ideological differences stand in the way of our coming together for the common good. I will always support a good idea, whether it is proposed by a Democrat or by a Republican if it means more jobs, higher incomes, and a better quality of life for Americans.

What I am Doing for You:

I voted for H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021; President Biden signed it into law on March 11, 2021. This law:

Put Vaccines in Arms: The plan mounted a national vaccination program that included setting up community vaccination sites nationwide and addressing disparities facing communities of color. It also took other measures to combat the virus, including scaling up testing and tracing, addressing shortages of personal protective equipment and other critical supplies, investing in high-quality treatments, and addressing healthcare disparities.

Put Children Safely Back in School: The plan made a nearly $130 billion investment in school re-opening and making up for lost learning.

Put Money in People's Pockets: The plan finished the job on the President's promise to provide $2,000 in direct assistance to households across America with checks of $1,400 per person, following the $600 down payment enacted in December. The plan also provided direct housing assistance, and nutrition assistance for 40 million Americans, expanded access to safe and reliable child care and affordable health care, extended unemployment insurance so that more than 20 million American workers can pay their bills and supported 27 million children with an expanded Child Tax Credit and more than 17 million low-wage workers through an improved Earned Income Tax Credit.

Put People Back In Jobs: The plan provided crucial support for the hardest-hit small businesses, especially those owned by entrepreneurs from racial and ethnic backgrounds that have experienced systemic discrimination, with Economic Injury Disaster Loan grants, expanded Paycheck Protection Program eligibility, and more. The plan also provided crucial resources to protect the jobs of first responders, frontline public health workers, teachers, transit workers and other essential workers that all Americans depend on.

I introduced H.R. 5033, theRare Earth Magnet Manufacturing Production Tax Credit Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill to provide tax credits for the domestic production of rare earth magnets - which are important in many modern devices including electric vehicles - including through international supply chain collaborations with allied nations. To read more about this bill, click here.

I'm an original cosponsor of and voted for, and the House passed, H.R.842, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act of 2021. This bipartisan bill streamlines access to justice for workers who suffer retaliation for exercising their organizing rights; gives workers the power to override so-called "right-to-work" laws that prevent unions from collecting dues from the workers they represent; enhances workers' right to support boycotts, strikes, or other acts of solidarity; authorizes a private right of action for violations of workers' rights; authorizes meaningful penalties for companies and executives that violate workers' rights; closes loopholes that corporations use to erode workers' rights; prevents companies from denying workers' access to justice; requires employers to be transparent with their workers; prevents employers from interfering in union elections; allows workers to hold union elections in a safe environment; and facilitates timely first contracts between companies and newly certified unions by requiring mediation and arbitration to settle disputes.

I cosponsored and voted for, and the House passed, H.R. 1065, the bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. This bill would require employers to reasonably accommodate workers and job applicants who need accommodations due to pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 603, the Raise the Wage Act of 2021, to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. After 2025, the bill would automatically increase the minimum wage each year at the same rate that median wages increase. It also would gradually eliminate the lower, subminimum wages for disabled, youth, and tipped workers, which contribute to wage theft and exacerbate the wage gaps that harm women and Black workers. (I previously cosponsored this bill in the 114th, 115th, and 116th Congresses.)

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 804, the FAMILY Act, to provide workers with up to 12 weeks of financial support during a family or medical leave from work. This would cover the time taken following the birth or adoption of a child including time to recover from pregnancy and childbirth, as well as leave taken to care for a sick child, parent, spouse, or domestic partner, recover from illness personally, or time taken for military caregiving and leave purposes.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 308, the SAFE (Secure And Fair Elections for) Workers Act, a bipartisan bill that demands the National Labor Relations Board use the available technology of the 21st century to conduct union elections remotely, allowing workers to organize while ensuring the safest workplace possible during the pandemic.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 3194, the Fairness for Farm Workers Act, to update the nation's labor laws to ensure farm workers receive fair wages and compensation. The bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to end the overtime and minimum wage exemptions for farm workers.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 2817, the Child Care for Working Families Act, comprehensive legislation to address the child care crisis and ensure that working families can find and afford high-quality child care. This bill would make child care affordable for working families, expand access to preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds, improve the quality of care for all children, and increase compensation and provide training for childcare workers. Overall, the CCWFA would jumpstart our economy by creating roughly 700,000 new childcare jobs, helping 1.6 million parents—primarily mothers—go back to work, and lifting one million families out of poverty.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 869, the Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act, a bipartisan bill to authorize nearly $25 billion in support to U.S. researchers who have been impacted by the pandemic. Although coronavirus-related research is a current federal government priority, most other research has been delayed due to the closures of campuses and laboratories. The people who comprise the research workforce – graduate students, postdocs, principal investigators, and technical support staff – face financial and other hardships from the disruption of their research activities. The RISE Act will provide necessary relief to preserve the current scientific workforce and ensure that the United States is prepared to continue our global scientific leadership once this crisis ends.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 1996, the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill to allow marijuana-related businesses in states with some form of legalized marijuana and strict regulatory structures to access the banking system. Forty-seven states, four U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia – representing 97.7 % of the U.S. population – have legalized some form of recreational or medical marijuana, including CBD. Yet current law restricts legitimate licensed marijuana businesses from accessing banking services and products, such as depository and checking accounts, resulting in businesses operating in all cash. This is a serious public safety risk for our communities, inviting theft, robberies, burglaries, or worse.

I cosponsored H.R. 2341, the Bring Jobs Home Act, to cut taxes for American companies that move jobs to the U.S. from another nation, and to close tax loopholes that reward companies shipping jobs overseas.

I cosponsored H.R. 928, the American Family Act of 2021, to permanently expand and improve the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and make it a dramatically more effective tool for reducing child poverty and supporting families with kids. The bill would provide $300 per month, per child for children under 6 years of age and $250 per month, per child for children between the ages of six and 17—increasing the credit for all children. This bill also, for the first time, makes the credit fully refundable and extends the CTC to the United States Territories. The American Rescue Plan includes one year of an expanded and improved CTC modeled after the American Family Act.

I cosponsored H.R. 1346, the Hospitality and Commerce Job Recovery Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill to bring back the millions of travel jobs lost to the pandemic by providing a temporary business tax credit to revitalize business meetings, conferences, and other structured events; a temporarily restored entertainment business expense deduction to help entertainment venues and performing arts centers recover; an individual tax credit to stimulate non-business travel; and tax relief for restaurants and food and beverage companies to help restore food service jobs and strengthen the entire American food supply chain.

I cosponsored H.R. 890, the Gym Mitigation and Survival (GYMS) Act, a bipartisan bill to provide much-needed assistance to gyms, fitness studios, and fitness facilities that have struggled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The GYMS Act would provide $30 billion to the Small Business Administration to disburse grants to eligible fitness businesses. Facilities would be required to certify economic needs and recipients can use funds for expenses such as payroll, rent and mortgage obligations, utility payments, worker protection expenditures, and more.

I cosponsored H.R. 2586, the Fire Fighters and EMS Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, a bipartisan bill allowing firefighters and emergency service providers the right to join a union and collectively bargain, which is currently limited in 21 states.

I cosponsored H.R. 1753, the Improving Access to Nutrition Act, to permanently eliminate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility's three-month time limit and ensure that all people have access to nutrition assistance while seeking full-time work.

I cosponsored H.R. 4934, the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a bipartisan bill to reestablish the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force to investigate challenges related to pay inequity, advance recommendations to address such challenges and create action plans to implement the recommendations.

I cosponsoredH.R. 6398, the FAIR Act, to provide federal employees with a 5.1% pay increase in 2023. I will continue to advocate for the Federal workforce to ensure that people serving our country receive fair and competitive compensation.

I believe that providing a quality education should be one of our nation's highest priorities. All across the East Bay, educators are working to recover the learning loss from the pandemic. Our schools are investing in the latest technology, rewarding outstanding teachers, and expanding access to before and after-school programs. We need to ensure our students are making academic progress and getting prepared for the 21st century workforce, while recruiting and retaining high-quality educators.

In higher education, our students are acquiring more student loan debt than ever before. Over 44 million Americans carry more than $1.5 trillion in student loan debt – a crushing burden that slows our economy and puts the American Dream out of reach for many. The average 2018 college graduate has about $29,200 in student loan debt, according to the Institute for College Access and Success.

Much of this burden falls upon the millennial generation: the largest, most educated, most diverse generation in American history—and a generation that feels increasingly disenfranchised, disenchanted and distanced from the political and policy process. Many fully employed millennials can't afford to save a cent to marry, have kids, buy a home or eventually retire; all their income must go to serving their debt while barely keeping themselves afloat. This is among the top concerns voiced at meetings hosted by the Future Forum, a group I founded in 2015 and now comprised of 51 young House Democrats, focusing on bridging the gap between Congress and young Americans by discussing issues of importance to millennials.

Obtaining the education needed to compete in today's economy must not require entire families to incur lifetimes of debt. I believe that a quality education prepares students for future careers in our global economy, and allows students to grow and thrive in their communities.

What I am Doing for You

I introducedH.R. 4725, theNo Student Loan Interest Act, which would significantly reduce the burden of interest charges on student loan borrowers. This bill would eliminate and forgive all interest charges on new and existing student loans, and lower the student loan interest rate to zero. I also led my colleagues in a letter to President Biden urging the administration to maintain a zero percent interest rate on federal student loans.

I introduced H.R. 4724, theStrengthening Forgiveness for Public Servants Act, which would enhance student loan forgiveness for teachers, police officers, public health workers and others who dedicate their careers to public service. Public servants would receive loan forgiveness in proportion to their years of public service.

I introduced H.R. 4723, the Fairness in Forgiveness Act, which would let current and former long-time workers at all 16 privately operated Department of Energy National Laboratories seek forgiveness of their federal student loans through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

I introduced H.R. 4726, theStudent Loan Interest Deduction Act, which would expand the student loan interest deduction by increasing the maximum tax deduction for interest paid on any qualified education loan from $2,500 to $5,000 for individuals (and to $10,000 for joint filers). It also permanently eliminates income-based phase-outs at $65,000 for individuals ($130,000 for joint followers) in the current deduction.

I introduced H.R. 4727, theSTEM K to Career Act, which seeks to improve the employment of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teachers and the education of STEM students. It would forgive student loan obligations of borrowers employed as full-time STEM teachers in low-income elementary schools, increase the tax deduction for expenses by schools relating to STEM supplies, create a tax credit for the employment of STEM interns, and a tax credit for employing individuals that participate in STEM apprenticeship programs.

I co-introduced H.R. 4907, thePrivate Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act, to restore fairness in student lending by treating privately issued student loans the same as other types of consumer debt and so that they are dischargeable in bankruptcy.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 1919, the Enhanced Access to SNAP Act (or EATS Act), to address the growing crisis of food insecurity among college students by permanently expanding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility to millions of college students experiencing hunger on a daily basis.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 1959, theAlice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act, a bipartisan bill amending the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to require a state to identify, evaluate, and provide special education and related services to children who have visual or hearing disabilities (or both) and also are, or may be, classified in another disability category. A state must ensure that it has enough qualified personnel to serve children who have such disabilities and that a full continuum of alternative placements is available to meet the needs of disabled children for special education and related services.

I cosponsored H.R. 5984, theIDEA Full Funding Act, a bipartisan bill that would mandate incremental increases in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act funding to reach full 40 percent funding in FY 2029 and each subsequent fiscal year.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 5342, theTyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment of 2021, to require colleges and universities to have policies in place to prohibit harassment and establishing a competitive grant program to support campus anti-harassment programs, including prevention, counseling, and training.

With bipartisan support, I cosponsored H.R. 4402, theSafe Schools Improvement Act of 2021, which would provide dedicated funding to states for mental health services providers, thus lowering the student-to-staff ratios for school counselors, psychologists and social workers.

I cosponsored H.R. 3519, theStop Child Hunger Act, to ensure that children who qualify for free or reduced lunches receive electronic benefit transfer cards during school breaks or while schools are not operating in-person.

I cosponsored H.R. 5595, theCollege Student Hunger Act, to remove barriers that prevent low-income students from accessing benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) to ensure no college student goes hungry.

I cosponsored H.R. 3312, theReal Education & Access for Healthy Youth Act, to create a grant program creates to provide evidence-based sex education and access to youth-friendly sexual health services to young people in public schools, communities, and institutions of higher education.

I cosponsored H.R. 2283, theTeaching Asian Pacific American History Act, to promote the teaching and learning of Asian Pacific American history in schools across the United States. The bill would require grant applications from Presidential and Congressional Academies to include Asian Pacific American history as part of their American history and civics programs offered to students and teachers; it also would encourage the inclusion of Asian Pacific American history in national and state tests administered through the National Assessment of Educational Progress, and promote collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution's Asian Pacific American Center to develop innovative programming regarding Asian Pacific American history.

I cosponsored H.R. 4674, theCollege Affordability Act, which would reauthorize the Higher Education Act of 1965 to lower the cost of college, to hold colleges accountable for students' success, and to give a new generation of students the opportunity to graduate on-time and transition to successful careers.

To improve transparency and flexibility for students and their families, I introduced H.R. 3095, theKnow your Repayment Options Act, which would inform all federal student loan borrowers of all repayment options on a yearly basis, particularized for each individual, so they can pick the plan that works best for them.

I pushed for financial equality for students by cosponsoring H.R. 885, thePrivate Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act, to restore fairness in student lending by treating privately issued student loans the same as other types of private debt are treated in bankruptcy. Until 2005, this type of student loan debt was dischargeable in bankruptcy, but a change to the bankruptcy code removed this consumer protection.

I also cosponsored H.R. 1707, theBank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act, which would let students refinance their student loan debt at the same low rate being offered currently to new borrowers.

To increase kids' access to the skills demanded in a rapidly advancing workforce, I cosponsoredH.R. 3808, theTeacher Education for Computer Science (Teach CS) Act, which would increase expertise in computer science by building a robust pipeline from our colleges and universities to the classroom.

We have a responsibility to ensure that this country is preparing for a safe, reliable and secure energy future. Overreliance on a limited range of fuel technologies, foreign sources of energy, and finite resources is unreasonable. We cannot drill our way out of our energy problems; we only have two percent of the world's proven oil reserves but we use about 20 percent of the world's oil.

Our strength will lie in our ability to transition to new, cleaner, more sustainable resources. And we must recognize the impact that our energy choices have on public health and the global environment, now and far into the future.

As co-chair of the Critical Materials Caucus, I am working to encourage innovation in the field of renewable energy and secure the materials necessary to transition to a renewable energy economy. In addition, addressing the climate crisis is imperative for our national security, the ecosystems that feed us, our public health and safety, and our future economic well-being.

We also must work hard to protect our environment and be good stewards of our land, air, and water; I help protect our environment close to home as an advisory member of the Tri-Valley Conservancy.

What I am Doing for You

I introducedH.R.5033, the Rare Earth Magnet Manufacturing Production Tax Credit Act,which would help produce rare earth magnets in the United States that are critical to the production of electric vehicles.

Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (R-Puerto Rico) and I introduced H.R. 6138, the Preventing Our Next Natural Disaster Act, a bipartisan bill to help communities better prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters including those driven by climate change. The bill would make several changes to FEMA's pre-disaster mitigation grant program by increasing funding, ensuring that communities who need it most get access to this funding, and improving data collection to better track and manage resources before and after natural disasters.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.Res. 332, a "Green New Deal" nonbinding resolution that envisions a 10-year national mobilization akin to FDR's New Deal that would put millions to work in good-paying, union jobs repairing the nation's infrastructure, reducing air and water pollution, and fighting the intertwined economic, social, racial and climate crises crippling the country.

I cosponsored H.R. 848, the Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now (GREEN) Act of 2021, a comprehensive use of the tax code to combat the threat of climate change. The bill builds on current successful tax incentives that promote the deployment of green energy technologies, while providing new incentives for activities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 5423, the Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act, to provide tax credits for American manufacturers at every stage of the solar manufacturing supply chain, from polysilicon production to solar cells to fully assembled solar modules. The bill would create tens of thousands of good-paying American solar jobs and free the U.S. from dependence on foreign solar panel manufacturers like China.

I cosponsored H.R. 3097, the Green Transportation Act, to direct cities and states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. This sector represents the single largest source of carbon pollution in the United States, which makes tracking and reducing those emissions an urgent priority in mitigating the climate crisis.

I cosponsored H.R. 1915, the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill to authorize $50 billion in direct infrastructure investment over the next five years to address America's crumbling wastewater infrastructure and local water quality challenges.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 3116, the Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism (COAST) Anti-Drilling Act, a bipartisan bill to prohibit the U.S. Department of Interior from issuing leases for the exploration, development, or production of oil or gas along the Atlantic Coast, including the North, Mid-, and South Atlantic and Straits of Florida planning areas.

I cosponsored H.R. 653, the West Coast Ocean Protection Act, to permanently ban oil and gas drilling in federal waters off the coast of California, Oregon and Washington.

I cosponsored H.R. 3053, the American Coasts and Oceans Protection Act, to prohibit any new leasing for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas along the Southern California coast, from San Diego to the northern border of San Luis Obispo County.

I cosponsored H.R. 815, the Arctic Refuge Protection Act, to repeal the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil and gas program and to designate approximately 1,559,538 acres of land within Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

I cosponsored H.R. 1788, the Clean Energy Hydrogen Innovation Act, to expand the definition of eligible hydrogen projects under the Department of Energy's Loan Guarantee office.

I cosponsored H.R. 2885, the Preventing Outages With Enhanced Resilience and Operations Nationwide Act of 2021 (POWER ON) Act, to provide $100 million for electric grid resilience grants through the Department of Energy to enhance the physical resilience of the electric grid; the money could be used for activities, technologies, equipment, and hardening measures to enable the electric grid to better withstand the effects of extreme weather, wildfires, or any other natural disaster.

I voted for H.R. 803, the Protecting America's Wilderness and Public Lands Act, which passed the House. This legislation is a package of eight bills that all received bipartisan votes of support in the House during the 116th Congress and were originally reported out of the House Natural Resources Committee. The bill designates approximately 1.5 million acres of public land as wilderness, protects more than 1.2 million acres of public land from new oil and gas and mining claims, ensuring that iconic landscapes like the Grand Canyon and Colorado's Thompson Divide are permanently protected from the irreversible threats posed by extraction, and incorporates more than 1,200 river miles into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers

Far too many mass shootings plague our nation. As a former prosecutor whose father is a retired police officer and whose two younger brothers currently serve in law enforcement, I have witnessed first-hand the destruction of firearm violence. I will never stop working towards solutions that protect our communities and keep our children safe from this serious epidemic.

At the same time, I am the son and brother of responsible gun owners. Like them, I know that most Americans are law abiding citizens who respect gun violence prevention reforms as much as the Second Amendment. I will also continue respecting their rights to lawfully own a firearm.

In Congress, I support common-sense reforms to prevent gun violence and make Americans safer. We must keep dangerous weapons off our streets, improve our background check system, and provide schools with the required resources to keep our children secure. To keep weapons of war out of our communities, I support banning the manufacture, sale, and possession of military-style semiautomatic assault weapons and high-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. We should also create a federal buyback system to allow individuals who already own these firearms to receive compensation when complying with new prohibitions. Read more about my proposal in my USA Today op-ed.

What I am Doing for You

I authored the No Guns for Abusers Act, to help states enforce laws that remove illegal firearms from domestic abusers. The risk of intimate partner homicide is five times greater if an abuser has access to a firearm. My bill would require the Attorney General to award grants to states to help enforce existing relinquishment laws or to encourage the adoption of programs that support domestic abuse survivors.

I proudly voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation, the first to become law in 30 years, provides life-saving reforms including enhancing background checks, supporting crisis intervention tools that remove firearms from dangerous individuals, addressing the "boyfriend" loophole, funding community violence intervention programs, limiting gun trafficking, and making critical investments in mental health and school safety.

I cosponsored and voted for, and the House passed, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. This bill would expand the federal background check system to cover all firearm sales, including those at gun shows, over the internet, or in classified ads, while also incentivizing states to provide more accurate and complete information to the national background check database.

I cosponsored and voted for, and the House passed, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021. This bill would close the "Charleston loophole," a gap in federal law that lets gun sales proceed without a completed background check if three business days have passed.

I cosponsored and voted for, and the House passed the Violence Against Women Act. This legislation included key firearm violence prevention measures, including those that require the federal government to notify local officials when a convicted domestic abuser attempts to illegally obtain a firearm. This program, known as the NICS Denial Notification, was a program I worked on as part of the NICS Denial Notification Act of 2021.

I cosponsored and voted for, and the House passed the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act. This legislation would establish a federal Extreme Risk process in all fifty states with funding to support such programs. Commonly referred to as "red flag" laws, these important measures help remove firearms from individuals who are clearly dangerous with a propensity for imminent violence.

I am an original cosponsor of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2021, to ban certain assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, stemming the tide of weapons of war to our schools and communities. I am an original cosponsor of the Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act, to ensure that the gun industry - including manufacturers, sellers, and interest groups - is not shielded from liability when negligently manufacturing clearly dangerous firearms or ammunition that cause serious harm. The bill would repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, effectively giving victims of gun violence their day in civil court.

Everyone should have access to quality, affordable healthcare, including preventative services, regardless of their economic background or medical history. I was not in Congress when it became law, but I support the goals of the Affordable Care Act and will work to strengthen and improve it. I also believe that robust funding of research programs at the National Institutes of Health and other agencies is key to improving outcomes for patients and reducing costs in our healthcare system.

What I am Doing for You

I'm an original cosponsor of, I voted for, and the House passed H.R. 3755, the Women's Health Protection Act, to codify the Roe v. Wade decision by creating a statutory right for health care providers to provide abortion care, and a corresponding right for their patients to receive that care, free from medically unnecessary restrictions - such as mandatory waiting periods, biased counseling, two-trip requirements, and mandatory ultrasounds - that single out abortion and impede access. Abortion care is healthcare.

I'm an original cosponsor ofH.R. 1976, the Medicare for All Act of 2021, to guarantee health care to everyone in America as a human right by providing comprehensive benefits to all with no copays, private insurance premiums, deductibles, or other cost-sharing.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 4974, the State Public Option Act, to establish a state public option through Medicaid to provide all individuals with the choice of high-quality, lower-cost health coverage.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 3407, the Mothers and Offspring Mortality & Morbidity Awareness (MOMMA's) Act, to tackle the growing epidemic of maternal mortality and severe morbidity by standardizing maternal mortality and morbidity data collection across states, and authorizing a designated federal agency to aggregate that data; empowering the CDC to provide technical guidance and publish best shared maternal mortality and morbidity prevention practices; authorizing evidence-based national obstetric emergency protocol and best practices to save mothers' lives; expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage through one full year after giving birth; and ensuring improved access to culturally competent care training and workforce practices throughout the care delivery continuum.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 3126, the Healthy Maternal and Obstetric Medicine (Healthy MOM) Act, to ensure that all women eligible for coverage through the Affordable Care Act insurance marketplaces, as well as women eligible for other individual or group health plan coverage, can access affordable health coverage throughout their pregnancies. The bill would do this by establishing a special enrollment period for expectant mothers. Right now, marriage, divorce, having a baby, adoption and changing jobs are considered qualifying life events that trigger a special enrollment period; however, becoming pregnant is not considered a qualifying event.

I'm an original cosponsor ofH.R. 3537, the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act, a bipartisan bill directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to support research on, and expanded access to, investigational drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 1305, the Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal (REPEAL) HIV Discrimination Act, to modernize laws and policies to eliminate discrimination against those living with HIV/AIDS. Federal and state laws, policies, and regulations should not place a unique or additional burden on individuals solely as a result of their HIV status, and this bill offers a step-by-step plan to work with states to modernize their laws.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 6117, the PrEP Access and Coverage Act, to create a grant program to fund uninsured patients' access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention and cover services related to treatment.

I cosponsored, voted for, and the House passed H.R. 941, the Timely ReAuthorization of Necessary Stem-cell Programs Lends Access to Needed Therapies (TRANSPLANT) Act, a bipartisan bill to ensure the continued, equal-access provision of lifesaving transplants for patients in need of life-saving cellular therapy by reauthorizing the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and the National Cord Blood Inventory for five years.

I cosponsored H.R. 4311, theMedicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Benefit Act, to expand Medicare benefits to include items and services such as dentures, preventive and emergency dental care; refractive eye exams and eyeglasses; and hearing aids and exams, and to provide for appropriate payment to health providers through Medicare Part B.

I cosponsored H.R. 151, the Preventing Future Pandemics Act, a bipartisan bill directing the State Department to work with international partners to shut down commercial wildlife markets, end the trade in live wildlife for human consumption and stop the associated wildlife trade, end the import, export and sale of live wildlife for human consumption in the United States, and phase out demand for wildlife as a food source.

I cosponsored H.R. 366, theProtecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill to eliminate most geographic and originating site restrictions on the use of telehealth in Medicare and establishing the patient's home as an eligible distant site; authorize the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service to continue reimbursement for telehealth for 90 days beyond the end of the public health emergency; make permanent the disaster waiver authority, enabling Health and Human Service to expand telehealth in Medicare during all future emergencies and disasters; and require a study on the use of telehealth during COVID, including its costs, uptake rates, measurable health outcomes, and racial and geographic disparities.

I cosponsored H.R. 3183, the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, a bipartisan bill to provide immediate access to support and medical care for individuals with metastatic breast cancer who already qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and are therefore eligible for Medicare. Under current law, these individuals must wait five months for SSDI and 24 months for Medicare benefits to take effect. This bill would waive both waiting periods, potentially improving outcomes for Americans with late-stage cancer.

I cosponsored H.R. 3085, the Equity in Neuroscience and Alzheimer's Clinical Trials (ENACT) Act of 2021. This bipartisan bill would increase the participation of underrepresented populations in Alzheimer's and other dementia clinical trials by expanding education and outreach to these populations, encouraging the diversity of clinical trial staff, and reducing participation burden, among other priorities. Alzheimer's disease and dementia disproportionately affect older Black and Hispanic Americans compared to older White Americans. Black Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's and Hispanic Americans are one and a half times more likely to develop the disease. However, most of the Alzheimer's research to date has not included sufficient numbers of Blacks, Hispanics, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans to be representative of the U.S. population.

I cosponsored H.R. 2517, the Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer's Act, a bipartisan bill to help the 95% of individuals with dementia that have one or more other chronic conditions, such as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. The bill reduces medical complications for these patients by creating a new way to fund dementia care through Medicare; this new model of managing care can help reduce hospitalizations and emergency department visits and delay nursing home placement, which improves the quality of life for patients and makes treatment more affordable.

I cosponsored H.R. 1474, the Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Act, a bipartisan bill to provide training and support services to those providing unpaid care to patients with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia and requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to coordinate with the Office of Minority Health and the Office of Women's Health to ensure that women, minorities, and other underserved communities are not left behind.

I cosponsoredH.R. 623, the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0, a bipartisan bill to provide a new source of funding for the National Institutes of Health's Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program by redirecting penalties collected from pharmaceutical, cosmetic, supplement, and medical device companies that break the law.

I cosponsored H.R. 2631, the Amputation Reduction and Compassion (ARC) Act, a bipartisan bill to require Medicare, Medicaid, and plans sold on the federal healthcare exchanges to fully cover screening tests for beneficiaries who are at-risk of Peripheral Artery Disease.

I cosponsored H.R. 2255, the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bipartisan bill to support visas for foreign-born doctors currently serving among the American healthcare workforce and additional visas for foreign-born nurses to come serve in the United States. The bill would reallocate visas previously authorized by Congress that have not currently been used; of these, 15,000 visas would be reallocated for foreign-born physicians and 25,000 visas for foreign-born nurses.

I cosponsored H.R. 4576, the Support Through Loss Act, to invest $45 million annually to the National Institutes of Health for federal research into miscarriage and pregnancy loss; to require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to develop and disseminate public information regarding pregnancy loss, including information on the incidence and prevalence of pregnancy loss, as well as the range of treatment options for pregnancy loss and recurrent pregnancy loss; and to ensure employers provide at least three days of paid leave for workers to process and cope following a pregnancy loss, an unsuccessful assisted reproductive technology procedure, a failed adoption arrangement, a failed surrogacy arrangement, or a medical diagnosis or event that impacts pregnancy or fertility.

I cosponsored H.R. 1439, the Expanded Genetic Screening Act, to expand coverage to include the noninvasive prenatal test - the gold standard of genetic screening tests - for all Medicaid beneficiaries, not just high-risk pregnancies.

I cosponsored H.R. 1577, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, a bipartisan bill to expand access to treatment options for Medicare beneficiaries affected by obesity.

I cosponsored H.R. 3630, the Lymphedema Treatment Act, a bipartisan bill to require Medicare Part B to cover physician-prescribed compression therapy items that are used to treat lymphedema.

I cosponsored H.R. 1368, the Mental Health Justice Act of 2021, to establish a grant program for states and local governments to train and dispatch mental health professionals to respond to mental and behavioral health emergencies.

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and I led 40 of our colleagues in writing a letter in July 2021 asking Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra to issue guidance that federally-funded and federally-administered health insurers must cover all pregnancy and pregnancy-related services, including coverage of maternity care for dependents.

Three million renters in California are rent burdened, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent, while homeownership remains out of reach for many families. In addition, the Bay Area is one of the most expensive property markets in the United States, with single-family homes selling for about three times the national average. In addition to driving up prices for first-time homebuyers, rising prices have contributed to increased homelessness and a shortage of affordable housing.  In CA-14, I’m working to increase housing supply to both drive down housing prices and increase our affordable housing stock.

What I Am Doing For You

I introduced H.R.8340, the Educator Down Payment Assistance Act to make homeownership more accessible and affordable for teachers. Educator shortages have only worsened during the pandemic and housing affordability is the biggest reason given for teachers leaving the profession. This bill would establish a new grant program to provide down payment assistance to full-time public-school educators and school staff who are first-time home buyers.

I’m a cosponsor of H.R. 2573, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, a bipartisan bill that would expand the Housing Credit by 50 percent over the next two years, in effect increasing California’s affordable housing production by 330,000 over 10 years. It also reduces the bond financing threshold from 50% to 25% to increase the amount of housing that can be built or preserved.

I'm a cosponsor of H.R. 2143, the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, a bipartisan bill that would establish a new business-related tax credit to finance home building and rehabilitation.

I'm a cosponsor of H.R. 5078, the First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act, which would increase the cap from $10,000 to $25,000 for penalty-free withdrawals from tax-exempt retirement plans (like 401ks) to go towards the purchase of a home.

I’m also advocating for improvements to the Department of Veterans Affairs Home Loan Guaranty program. The program has helped millions of veterans purchase homes, but the home buying process has changed significantly since the VA last implemented substantive changes to origination fees and the appraisal process. I led a letter to the VA urging the Department to consider additional flexibilities.

We are a nation of immigrants, welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds. Unfortunately, our current immigration system is not living up to these basic ideals.

To bring our fundamentally broken, outdated immigration system into the 21st century, we must implement comprehensive reform. We must provide a road map so that undocumented workers can earn legalized status and citizenship, reduce backlogs and allow families to be reunited, let undocumented kids brought here years ago have the same opportunities as everyone else, and let businesses, including those in the high-technology sector, attract and retain workers from abroad when domestic talent is not available. Comprehensive reform also must include improvements to secure our borders and remove from this country undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes after they serve their sentences.

As the US withdrew from Afghanistan in August of 2021, almost 80,000 of our Afghan allies fled the country to come to America. They are Afghan nationals who risked their lives to support the US mission in Afghanistan. They have more than earned the right to come to America and build a life here with their families. My district has one of the largest Afghan and Afghan-American populations in the country. Our immigration system is still struggling to ensure that all of our Afghan allies can live and prosper here in America. I am committed to ensuring that our Afghan allies can build a better life for themselves and their loved ones here in America.

I am confident that we can adopt reforms that would provide a way to bring undocumented workers out of the shadows, allow our economy to use the best and brightest human capital, and impose meaningful border security.

What I am Doing for You

I'm an original cosponsor of, voted for, and the House passed H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021, to provide vital protections to up to 3.4 million immigrants, many of whom have spent much of their lives in the United States. The bill offers a path to lawful permanent resident status for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status recipients, and Deferred Enforced Departure recipients.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 1177, the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, President Biden's bold, inclusive, and humane framework for the future of the United States immigration system. The bill would provide millions of hardworking, undocumented immigrants with a pathway to earned citizenship, including Dreamers, Temporary Protective Status recipients, and essential workers who have made enormous sacrifices during the pandemic; prioritize family reunification and keeping families together; and bolster the country's long-term economic growth. The bill would also equip the country to responsibly and effectively manage the border with smart and effective investments, address root causes of migration that force people to leave Central America, and restore the United States' commitment to human rights.

I am a cosponsor of H.R. 8685, the Afghan Adjustment Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill to expand eligibility for special immigrant visas (SIV) to more Afghan nationals and their families and streamline the immigration process for humanitarian parole applicants from Afghanistan. This bill will make vital improvements to the process all of our Afghan allies must go through to establish lawful permanent residence in the US, a privilege they have rightfully earned.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 3648, the Equal Access to Green cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill that will benefit the U.S. economy by letting American employers focus on hiring immigrants based on their merit, not their birthplace. The bill phases out the 7% per-country limit on employment-based immigrant visas; it also raises the 7% per-country limit on family-sponsored visas to 15%.

I cosponsored, voted for, and the House passed H.R. 1333, the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act, which strengthens the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, and restores the separation of powers by limiting overly broad executive authority to issue future travel bans.

I cosponsored H.R. 5227, the LIFT the BAR Act of 2021, a bill to restore access to federal benefits like Medicaid, CHIP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Social Security Insurance to lawfully present immigrants.

I cosponsored, voted for, and the House passed H.R. 1573, the Access to Counsel Act, to ensure that U.S. citizens, green card holders, and other individuals with legal status are able to consult with an attorney, relatives, or other interested parties to seek assistance if they are detained by Customs and Border Protection for more than an hour at a port of entry, including airports.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 572, the National Office of New Americans Act, to establish an office within the Executive Office of the President to coordinate federal, state, and local efforts that help immigrants and refugees obtain employment, and assist with language access, and civic engagement. It would also oversee the coordination of work by federal, state, and local governments to support integration efforts, such as helping to attain citizenship.

I cosponsored H.R. 2222, the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, to end the inhumane conditions of detention centers and protect the civil and human rights of immigrants. The bill urgently reforms the alarming injustices of a broken, for-profit immigration detention system by ending the use of private detention facilities altogether, repealing mandatory detention, stopping family detention, and prohibiting solitary confinement while also restoring due process and increasing oversight, accountability, and transparency measures.

One of my biggest priorities in Congress is reducing travel time for commuters in California's 14th District. With increasing housing costs, the number of East Bay commuters whose journey to and from work takes 90 minutes or more in each direction is drastically increasing. We must do all that we can to minimize traffic congestion to help improve people’s lives and reduce our climate impact.

What I Am Doing For You

I am pushing for funding for Valley Link, a transformative 42-mile, 7-station passenger rail project that would connect the existing Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station in Alameda County to the approved Altamont Corridor Express North Lathrop Station in San Joaquin County. The project would also be a national model of environmental sustainability by identifying and integrating cost-effective ways to maximize the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions into the system’s planning, design, and operation. Connecting BART to ACE has been among my top priorities since I came to Congress more than a decade year, and I am pleased that the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will help secure these investments.

I am also a strong advocate for Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Amtrak, which serve constituents and visitors with multiple stations dispersed throughout the 14th District.

I voted for H.R. 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This law will:

Make the largest federal investment in public transit ever.

Make the largest federal investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak. 

Make the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system.

Make the largest investment in clean drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in American history, delivering clean water to millions of families.

Ensure every American has access to reliable high-speed internet.

Help us tackle the climate crisis by making the largest investment in clean energy transmission and EV infrastructure in history; electrifying thousands of school and transit buses across the country; and creating a new Grid Deployment Authority to build a resilient, clean, 21st-century electric grid.

I’m a cosponsor of the H.R. 3339, the National Infrastructure Bank Act, which would create and finance a public bank that leverages public and private dollars to help rebuild our nation’s roads, highways, bridges, and environmental and energy projects of national or regional significance.

I’m a cosponsor of H.R. 384, the Bicycle Commuter Act, which would make the bicycle commuter benefit a pre-tax benefit and allow employees to receive a bicycle benefit of up to 30% of the parking benefit.

I'm an original co-sponsor of H.R. 3097, the Green Transportation Act, which would require the Department of Transportation to establish its own greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in its long-range public transit and highway planning.

LGBTQ+ rights are human rights. No one should face discrimination because of who they are and who they love, yet the fight for equal protection under the law is far from over. The federal government currently has no law against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Meanwhile, women continue to earn less than men – earning about 77 cents for every dollar that men receive for equal work - so I am working to provide support and opportunities for women because when women succeed in work and at home, our economy and communities succeed. And every woman deserves access to reproductive health services and the ability to make her own decisions about her health, so I am fighting for women's rights and will stand up against any legislation that would prevent a woman from making her own healthcare decisions.

What I am Doing for You

I'm an original cosponsor of, I voted for, and the House passed H.R. 8296, the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022, to codify the Roe v. Wade decision by creating a statutory right for health care providers to provide abortion care, and a corresponding right for their patients to receive that care, free from medically unnecessary restrictions - such as mandatory waiting periods, biased counseling, two-trip requirements, and mandatory ultrasounds - that single out abortion and impede access.

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and I led 40 of our colleagues in writing a July 2021 letter asking Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra to issue guidance that federally-funded and federally-administered health insurers must cover all pregnancy and pregnancy-related services, including coverage of maternity care for dependents.

I cosponsored and voted for, and the House passed, H.R. 5, the Equality Act, to ensure the same protections already extended to other protected classes are equally available to LGBTQ+ Americans. It would amend existing federal civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in education, employment, housing, credit, federal jury service, public accommodations, and the use of federal funds.

I cosponsored and voted for, and the House passed, H.R. 1620, the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2021. This bipartisan bill authorizes funding for a variety of critical grant programs, including for victim services, prevention, training, education, enforcement, economic stability, and other programs that support survivors and help them to heal and to access justice. VAWA's authorization expired in 2018.

I cosponsored and voted for, and the House passed,H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act. This bipartisan bill would ensure that employers pay women and men equally for equal work.

I cosponsored and voted for, and the House passed, H.J.Res. 17 to eliminate the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The amendment was proposed to the states in House Joint Resolution 208 of the 92nd Congress, as agreed to in the Senate on March 22, 1972; it shall be part of the Constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.

I cosponsored and voted for, and the House passed, H.R. 1065, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. This bipartisan bill would require employers to reasonably accommodate workers and job applicants who need accommodations due to pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 3485, the Global Respect Act, to impose sanctions on foreign individuals responsible for human rights violations against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals abroad.

I cosponsored H.R. 1201, the International Human Rights Defense Act of 2021, to make permanent the State Department position of a special envoy for LGBTQI+ rights.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 3834, the LGBTQ Essential Data Act, to require the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the reporting of violent deaths by law enforcement, so that lawmakers and researchers are better prepared to enact violence prevention measures.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 2328, the Prohibition of Medicaid Funding for Conversion Therapy Act, to prevent Medicaid funds from being used to pay for conversion "therapy" and crack down on misleading billing tactics, which have allowed taxpayer dollars to fund the discredited practice.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 5744, the Customer Non-Discrimination Act, to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in public accommodations.

I cosponsored H.R. 1140, the Juror Non-Discrimination Act of 2021, which would prohibit the exclusion of individuals from jury service on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 2234, the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Act, to repeal the discriminatory Hyde Amendment banning use of federal funding for abortion services, which disproportionately affects low-income women and women of color. The bill would ensure that all women, regardless of income, insurance or zip code, can make personal reproductive health care decisions without interference from politicians.

I cosponsored H.R. 1670, the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act, to repeal the Helms Amendment, which attacks reproductive rights by banning the use of U.S. foreign assistance funds on abortion services overseas. Repealing the Helms Amendment is a critical step toward achieving reproductive and economic freedom and equity for millions worldwide.

I was an intern on Capitol Hill on September 11, 2001, and am mindful of the threats we face here at home. It is also a key job of the federal government to protect our homeland from terrorism and be prepared to respond in the unlikely event of an attack. As a member of the Intelligence, Judiciary, and Homeland Security committees, I believe protecting Americans is Congress' most solemn duty.

As threats to our homeland become more diverse and the threat actors more dispersed, I believe we must enhance our security in two key areas. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security both make it clear - the greatest threat posed to our homeland is domestic violent extremism. As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I am committed to addressing the problem of domestic terrorism, violent white supremacy, and anti-government movements.

Cybersecurity is another relatively new threat to our homeland security. The threat actors in cyberspace range from sophisticated state actors like Russia and China to terrorist groups that are increasingly funded by ransomware and cryptocurrency, to malicious non-state actors seeking to disrupt our modern economy. In Congress, I try to educate my colleagues on the cybersecurity threats to our security and enhance our policies to better protect our critical infrastructure. Unfortunately, cybersecurity vulnerabilities are pervasive across our power grids, water and sanitation systems, oil and gas pipelines, transportation networks, and the ever-expanding internet infrastructure that we all rely on to stay connected.

What I am Doing for You:

I introduced H.R. 7777, the Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Training Act, a bill to establish, within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), an initiative to provide the cybersecurity workforce with no-cost training related to securing industrial control systems. Industrial Control Systems are used in critical infrastructure and manufacturing processes vital to the American economy and homeland Security. This bill was included in the Omnibus appropriations package that passed the House and was signed into law by President Biden.

I introduced H.R. 8403, the Proactive Cybersecurity Initiatives Act of 2022, a bill to mandate proactive cybersecurity measures like penetration testing, continuous monitoring and deceptive environments on government information networks. This bill would enhance the cybersecurity of all government systems and also compel CISA to report to Congress on efforts to secure government networks against cybersecurity vulnerabilities. This bill was included in the Omnibus appropriations package that passed the House and was signed into law by President Biden.

I cosponsored H.R. 6825, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program Improvement Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill to improve the Nonprofit Security Grant Program and raise the authorized funding level to $500 million for each fiscal year through 2028.

I introduced H.R. 4491, the National Security Council Modernization Act of 2021 to give the Secretary of Health and Human Services, whose department oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other disease surveillance agencies, a seat on the NSC. This would ensure that emerging public health threats are evaluated as potential national security threats, and would provide a readily-available forum for the Secretary to share information on such diseases with national security-oriented departments such as the Department of Defense. The bill also strengthens the NSC by permanently seating the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of National Intelligence, and by allowing only Senate-confirmed officers of the United States to serve as full members – thus limiting the president's ability to politicize the NSC.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 3243, the Pipeline Security Act, a bipartisan bill to explicitly codify the roles of the Transportation Security Administration and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in securing critical infrastructure pipelines.

I cosponsored H.R. 350, the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act (DTPA) of 2021, a bipartisan bill to strengthen the federal government's efforts to prevent, report on, respond to, and investigate acts of domestic terrorism by authorizing offices dedicated to combating this threat; requiring these offices to regularly assess this threat; and providing training and resources to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement in addressing it. DTPA would authorize three offices, one each within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to monitor, investigate, and prosecute cases of domestic terrorism. The bill also requires these offices to provide Congress with joint biannual reports assessing the state of domestic terrorism threats, with a specific focus on white supremacists.

I cosponsored H.R. 2119, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill to reauthorize and increase funding for the Family Violence Prevention Services program, and to update the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Other legislative highlights in the 117th Congress:

I joined a letter to the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, requesting support for programs to combat violence and sexual assault.

I joined a letter to the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, supporting at least $49 million for the Department of Justice's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative to address the rape kit backlog.

I joined a letter to the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, supporting multiple juvenile justice programs, including $80 million for the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) State Formula Grants Program and $96 million for the JJDPA Title V Delinquency Prevention Program.

I joined a letter to the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, supporting $151 million for the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Reduction Grant Program and language to ensure its funds are only used for DNA backlog reduction.

I am committed to protecting our seniors and preserving the programs that have kept so many healthy and out of poverty. I support preserving and strengthening Medicare, and I believe that turning Medicare into a voucher system would hurt seniors and raise barriers to care. In Congress, I will work to preserve and protect Social Security, for example by raising the cap on earnings subject to the payroll tax, and strengthen Medicare to protect patients and support the physicians who care for them.

I strongly oppose using the Chained Consumer Price Index (CPI) to calculate cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for Social Security Benefits. While the budgetary challenges we face are serious, we should not be balancing the budget on the backs of seniors.

What I am Doing for You

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 5723, the Social Security 2100 Act, to increase benefits for all recipients by about 2 percent; improve the annual COLA formula to better reflect the costs incurred by seniors; set the new minimum benefit at 25 percent above the poverty line and tie it to wage levels to ensure that the minimum benefit does not fall behind; improve benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households; repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) that currently penalize many public servants; end the 5-month waiting period to receive disability benefits; provide caregiver credits to ensure that caregivers are not penalized in retirement for taking time out of the workforce to care for children or other dependents; extend benefits for students through age 22; and increase access to benefits for children who live with grandparents or other relatives. Presently, payroll taxes are not collected on wages over $142,800; this bill would apply the payroll tax to wages above $400,000, a provision that would only affect the top 0.4% of wage earners.

I cosponsored H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill to eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset, two titles of the Social Security Act that unfairly reduce or eliminate Social Security benefits for millions of Americans who have devoted much of their careers to public service. This bill ensures that a teacher who spends his or her summers working a second job or a police officer who changes careers after years of service will not face a possible 40 percent reduction in their Social Security benefits. (I previously cosponsored this bill as H.R. 141 in the 116th Congress, H.R. 1205 in the 115th Congress, H.R. 973 in the 114th Congress, and H.R. 1795 in the 113th Congress.

I cosponsored H.R. 2062, the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act, to overturn a Supreme Court decision requiring that individuals prove that age discrimination was the decisive and determinative cause for the employer's adverse action, rather than just a motivating factor in the employer's adverse action.

I cosponsored H.R. 3351, the CPI-E Act, to base cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) on the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly.

I cosponsored H.R. 4144, the Seniors And Veterans Emergency (SAVE) Benefits Act, to provide a one-time 3.9 percent COLA for 2016.

I cosponsored H.R. 775, the Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act, a bipartisan bill to repeal the Medicare cap on therapy services for seniors.

I cosponsored H.R. 1571, the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act, a bipartisan bill to deem an individual receiving outpatient observation services in a hospital entitled to Medicare coverage of any post-hospital extended care services in a nursing facility.

I cosponsored H.R. 4442, the CONNECT for Health Act, a bipartisan bill to expand access to telehealth and remote patient monitoring services under Medicare.

I have signed multiple letters in support of the Medicare Advantage program.

The biggest challenges facing our country deserve innovative solutions, and I believe that we need to empower our scientists and engineers to find them.

I also am proud to support the two national laboratories in our district, Lawrence Livermore and Sandia, in my work in Congress as they are on the forefront of many technological breakthroughs that will power the future.

I am thrilled that Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF)—the United States' most cutting-edge nuclear research facility—has achieved fusion ignition, potentially providing a new clean, and sustainable energy source. This breakthrough will ensure the safety and reliability of our nuclear stockpile, open new frontiers in science, and enable progress toward new ways to power our homes and offices in future decades. I commend the scientists and researchers for their hard work and dedication that led to this monumental scientific achievement, and I will continue to push for robust funding for NIF to support advancements in fusion research.

I will continue to advocate for increased funding for NIF and the Inertial Confinement Fusion program. NIF is a key element of the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) science-based Stockpile Stewardship Program to maintain the reliability, security, and safety of the U.S. nuclear deterrent without full-scale testing. NIF is the world's most precise and reproducible laser system, which under extreme conditions, causes hydrogen atoms in the target to fuse and release energy in a controlled thermonuclear reaction.

What I am Doing for You

I cosponsored H.R. 4346, the CHIPS and Science Act, which seeks to bolster the US semiconductor supply chain and promote research and development of advanced technologies in the United States. This legislation makes historic investments to surge production of American-made semiconductors, tackle supply chain vulnerabilities, bolster America's scientific research and technological leadership, and strengthen America's economic and national security, and was signed into law in 2022.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 849, the Scientific Integrity Act, a bipartisan bill that sets clear, enforceable standards for federal agencies and federally-funded research to keep public science independent from political or special interest meddling. The bill provides much-needed protections for our federal scientists, helps restore public trust, and better enables us to address and solve the many pressing challenges our communities face from pandemics to climate change.

I'm a cosponsor of H.R. 869, the Research Investment to Spark the Economy Act (RISE Act) of 2021, which would provide $25 billion in emergency relief to U.S. researchers at independent research institutions, public laboratories and universities throughout the country may continue their important, federally-funded projects through the pandemic.

I introduced H.R. 2687, the Securing Energy Critical Elements and American Jobs Act, to promote collaboration and research in the fields of energy critical elements and to ensure a reliable supply of rare earth elements. These elements are critical for numerous advanced technologies from hybrid vehicles and solar panels to military electronics.

I helped lead 24 House members in urging strong funding for the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under the National Nuclear Security Administration's Inertial Confinement Fusion and High Yield Campaign, a program that maintains our national security and keeps America moving toward a new energy future.

I cosponsored H.R. 565, the Stepping Up to STEM Education Act, which would establish an office of STEM Education at the Department of Education, create state STEM networks, and create an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Education (ARPA-ED).

I will work to ensure our national security remains strong. When our service members are called to serve, it is imperative that we provide our troops with the equipment and weapons they need to be successful. I will continue to support policies that protect our troops, their families, and our nation.

And we must make good on our promise to help our fighting men and women when they return home; we owe them much more than a "thank you for your service," we owe them real actions to provide meaningful support. The federal government must live up to its responsibilities to properly support those who served in our armed forces and their families. I firmly believe that this is one of our nation's chief responsibilities.

Long wait times and scheduling problems at VA Medical Centers are deeply concerning, and I am working to ensure veterans are receiving timely access to quality care. After learning of long wait times at VA Medical Centers, I wrote a letter to the VA Secretary requesting a system-wide audit of scheduling practices and wait times. I've also visited the VA facility in Livermore and have been assured by the director and her staff that while long wait times and access issues are occurring at VA centers across the country, this is not the case in the Bay Area. I will diligently work to ensure this remains true and to improve care for all veterans around the country.

What I am Doing for You

I cosponsored, voted for, and the House passedH.R. 3967, the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022, a bipartisan bill to create a presumption of service-related disability/illness from toxic exposure to airborne hazards like burn pits and Agent Orange as well as radiation from testing sites. The bill lifts the burden of proof off of Veterans and requires the VA to streamline its review process for toxic exposure claims. It is the greatest expansion of VA benefits in more than 30 years. This bill was signed into law by President Biden on August 10, 2022.

I cosponsored H.R. 8616, theVA Loan Informed Disclosure (VALID) Act of 2022, this bipartisan bill requires a Federal Housing Administration mortgage notice to a veteran to contain comparative rate and fee information about loans available under the Veterans Affairs home loan program.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 1282, the Major Richard Star Act, a bipartisan bill to provide combat-injured veterans with less than 20 years of military service their full benefits.

I'm an original cosponsor ofH.R. 1948, the VA Employee Fairness Act of 2021, which would ensure that VA's Title 38 healthcare professionals — including nurses, physicians, dentists, and physician assistants who serve our veterans — have the same workplace rights currently granted to other VA clinicians and federal employees. By providing full collective bargaining rights to these healthcare professionals, VA will be better equipped to retain and recruit top-tier staff to care for our nation's veterans and empower VA staff to speak up about patient safety concerns.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 2709, the Access to Contraception for Servicemembers and Dependents Act, to ensure military families receive the quality reproductive health care they deserve. The bill would bring health care provided by the military in line with current law for civilian populations by ensuring that those who receive health care through the military have access to all forms of Food and Drug Administration-approved contraception with no health insurance co-pay. The legislation would also guarantee access to emergency contraception for survivors of sexual assault upon their request and require the Defense Department to develop a comprehensive family planning education program.

I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 3224, the I am Vanessa Guillén Act, to revolutionize the military's response to reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault by making sexual harassment a standalone offense within the Uniform Code of Military Justice and moving prosecution decisions of sexual assault and sexual harassment cases out of the chain of command, as well as establishing a process for compensating servicemembers who survive sexual violence when the military has been negligent. It also reforms the Army's Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) program.

I'm an original cosponsor and voted for H.R. 1448, the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veterans Therapy Act, which passed the House of Representatives in 2020. This bipartisan bill would authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to create a pilot program on dog training therapy and provide service dogs to veterans with mental illnesses regardless of whether or not they have mobility issues.

I cosponsored H.R. 2734, the Veterans Health Family Services Act, to ensure that servicemembers' and veterans' fertility treatments (such as IVF and counseling) are included as part of their health benefits.

I cosponsored H.R. 2974, the Military Spouse Hiring Act, a bipartisan bill that incentivizes employers to hire spouses of members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Research from the Department of Defense and the Hiring Our Heroes Foundation has found that unemployment rates for military spouses far exceed that of the national average; this bill would help close the gap by expanding the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include the hiring of qualified military spouses, allowing employers to claim a tax credit equal to a portion of the wages paid to those spouses.

I cosponsored H.R. 475, the Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act, a bipartisan bill that aligns military dependents covered by Tricare with civilian providers by raising the age for Tricare coverage to 26 years of age, as is the case with every other healthcare insurance provider.

I'm an original cosponsor of, voted for, and the House passed H.R. 707, the Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act, a bipartisan bill to honor a top-secret World War II unit with Congress's highest expression of national appreciation.