I’ve been hearing from an increasing number of residents who are scared, upset, and frustrated. We’ve seen incredibly harmful policies and hurtful actions coming out of the Trump Administration since inauguration.
I’ve heard from a mother who worried Trump’s attempt to freeze federal funds would hurt a mental health program her child relies on. I’ve heard from residents angered by how Elon Musk, an unelected billionaire, is encouraging federal workers to resign and trying to gain access to your social security data. I’ve heard from seniors who are scared that their health care could be stripped away at any moment. This is a direct quote from a woman who called my office the other day: “I feel unsafe with this president.”
We’ve also seen straight up unconstitutional efforts from the Trump Administration to circumvent Congress, and people are urging me and my Democratic colleagues to fight back and preserve our democracy. I am committed to doing everything in my power to stand up for residents at home here in the Bay Area, and everyday Americans across the country who are just trying to make ends meet. In this fast-moving environment, the Trump Administration’s policies are causing chaos and confusion.
A lot of the work he’s doing is causing irreparable harm. He’s trying to push the boundaries of our Constitutional system, and I promise you, I won’t back down.
Here are just a few steps I’m taking:
- Helping local cities, agencies, and nonprofits that rely on federal grants by providing up-to-date information on Trump’s executive actions, as soon as it is available. My primary objective is to support local communities who will be harmed by attempts to dismantle government services and programs.
- Coordinating with my fellow House Democrats to strengthen our unified resistance against House Republican’s razor-thin majority as we face key votes and upcoming budget negotiations.
- Increasing engagement with constituents to educate our community and empower more local participation in civic action. Sign up for my newsletter to be notified of an upcoming Town Hall later this month.
- Co-chairing the Taskforce on Strengthening Democracy, where I’ll work to protect your foundational freedoms and fight back against attempts to dismantle our constitutional system.
- Speaking out against the unlawful firing of FBI agents for doing their jobs and the President pardoning the most violent criminals who physically attacked Capitol police officers on Jan. 6th.
- Sharing information and resources about the rights and protections everyone in America has, regardless of documentation status.
- Aggressively speaking out against illegal executive attempts to circumvent the legislative process and bypass Congress. Along with my colleagues, I have sent letters to federal agencies demanding answers regarding efforts to siphon off federal funds to critical infrastructure, climate resilience projects, and lifesaving medical research.
- Making clear to the Trump Administration that Congress alone has the power of the purse, and that freezing or delaying congressionally-appropriated funds is illegal.
- Continuing to be fully committed to protecting Medicare and Social Security.
- Reintroducing my Poverty Line Act and proposing legislation that directly aims to help low-income families afford basic needs.
- Refusing to be discouraged by the utter chaos that is ensuing and showing up with all of the energy and urgency I can muster.
Additionally, here are some legislative actions I have taken:
Cosponsored the Taxpayer Data Protection Act, which would stop people with conflicts of interest or without a security clearance from accessing the highly sensitive Treasury Department payment system–which is responsible for Social Security and Medicare benefits.
Cosponsored the Consistent Legal Expectations and Access to Records (CLEAR) Act, which explicitly states that all temporary organizations– such as DOGE– must comply with FOIA law.
Cosponsored the Reveal and Stop Elon Musk’s Conflicts of Interest Act, which requires any employee, including “Special Government Employees,” who has a financial interest in government contracts (owner, controlling stakeholder, or CEO of a company contracted by the Federal government) to file a Public Financial Disclosure Agreement.
Signed on to a letter to Treasury Secretary Bessent demanding that the Treasury provide information outlining the extent of Elon Musk’s access to personal data and the federal payment system, and requesting a legal justification for this unprecedented level of access.
Signed on to a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Acting Director Vought and Treasury Secretary Bessent expressing concerns regarding the involvement of DOGE at the CFPB and the orders to halt the agency’s operations.
Cosponsored the Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act which prevents DOGE from accessing your sensitive social security data.
Cosponsored the Bolstering America’s Democracy and Demanding Oversight and Government Ethics Act (BAD DOGE Act) which repeals the Executive Order that established DOGE.
Cosponsored the Ending DOGE Conflicts Act which would require Elon Musk to publicly disclose all of his potential financial conflicts of interests.
Sent a letter to Speaker Johnson which demanded that he reject any efforts to slash Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security funding because it would force many elderly Americans out of senior homes to give in order to give tax cuts to wealthy.
Cosponsored Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act which would prevent Elon Musk and the Trump administration from shutting down any Social Security offices.
Sent a letter to the Acting Social Security Commissioner urging the stop any actions to shut down Social Security offices and fire their workers.
Led a coalition of 23 lawmakers in introducing legislation calling on the President and his Administration to immediately comply with all court orders.
Signed on to a letter to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary to express concerns about the upcoming confirmation vote of Kash Patel to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Sent a letter to President Trump opposing his undemocratic voting rights executive order.
Cosponsored the Resolution in Support of Public Education, which condemns actions to weaken or eliminate the Department of Education and emphasizes the importance of public education.
Cosponsored Department of Education Protection Act which would prevent the using any Department of Education funds to shut down its office.
Sent a letter to Education Secretary McMahon to demand a meeting and discuss how the mass firings will critically impact essential education programs and services.
Led a letter with 67 lawmakers from the House and Senate to Secretary of State Rubio urging the reversal of the Department of State’s discriminatory passport policy affecting transgender, non-binary, and intersex Americans.
Sent a letter to the VA Secretary opposing the VA’s recent decision to target and stop providing care to Trans and Intersex veterans.
Sent a letter protesting DOGE’s dismantling of agencies responsible for enforcing civil right housing laws and preventing housing discrimination.
Sent a letter to Secretary Noem and Secretary Rubio opposing the illegal arrest of Mahmoud Khalil for exercising his first amendment rights.
Cosponsored the Equality Act which would amend civil right laws to extend protection to LGBTQ+ individuals
Sent a letter demanding that the FBI protect any employee listed on “DEI watch lists” and start investigations into its harms.
Sent a letter to President Trump demanding he reverse his dangerous executive order which restricts gender affirming care funding for transgender youth.
Sent a letter protesting the inhumane abduction of Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal resident, and demanding that he be released.
Sent a letter to President Trump speaking out against the cruel practices used to detained many immigrant families and children.
Sent a letter to Energy Secretary Wright arguing against canceling funds to California’s Hydrogen Hub, which lowers the cost of energy for millions of families.
Sent a letter protesting the dismantling of a critical EPA office that deals with environmental emergency and important independent research.
Sent a letter which challenges the EPA administrator’s false claims that reducing environmental regulations benefit Americans.
Sent a letter urging the EPA Administrator to reverse the reckless decision to eliminate all environmental justice regional offices and programs.
Cosponsored the Defending American Jobs and Affordable Energy Act which stops Trump’s harmful executive order to declare a National Energy Emergency.
Sent a letter urging the EPA to end its reckless, unjustified attack on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
Sent a letter to Speaker Johnson in support of tax credits supporting electric vehicles.
Sent a letter demanding an end to the illegal firings of Department of Energy employees.
Sent a letter demanding the EPA to disclose which companies are seeking a Presidential exemption to the Clean Air Act.
Cosponsored a Resolution Condemning the Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement condemning President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and pushing Congress to prioritize US leadership in climate change solutions.
Sent a letter denouncing the illegal canceling of funds that would be used to build EV charging stations across the country.
Sent a letter to Attorney General Bondi protesting the DOJ’s decision to reassign lawyers in charge of enforcing environment laws.
Cosponsored the Prevent Tariff Abuse Act, which would reassert Congress’ power to levy tariffs and prevent presidents from unilaterally raising tariffs.
Signed on to a letter demanding the heads of 20+ agencies immediately clarify that federal employees do not have to respond to Elon Musk’s reckless “What did you accomplish last week?” email and that nonresponse does not constitute resignation.
Sent a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins to exempt all VA employees from President Trump’s cruel executive order designed to fire federal workers.
Sent a letter to FTC Commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya protesting the unlawful firings and how they will hurt small businesses and ordinary Americans.
Sent a letter demanding President Trump to reinstate two commissioners at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission who were unfairly fired by the administration.
Sent a letter denouncing the reckless closures of important government agencies.
Sent a letter questioning the Trump Administration’s decision to severely reducing staff from an agency that manages disaster relief funds.
Sent a letter calling out the reckless decision to fire 7,000 employees at the IRS right before tax season.
Sent a letter to President Trump opposing the decision to place tariffs on Canada, which is our largest trading partner and biggest ally.
Filed an amicus brief which highlights the illegal and unconstitutional attempt to fire FTC commissioners.
Filed an amicus brief speaking out against the Trump administration’s unconstitutional actions to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which plays an essential role in protecting the consumer rights of many Americans.
Filed an amicus brief in support of Congress’ right to fight Trump’s unlawful attempts to fire important federal workers.
Cosponsored the Protect America’s Workforce Act, which would restore collective bargaining rights for 1.5 million American federal employees.
Signed on to a letter to NIH Director Memoli calling for the end of the HHS communications freeze and for research to continue unabated.
Signed on to a letter to NIH Director Memoli urging the reversal of the shutdown of public-facing work at NIH, which will suspend clinical trials and threaten our ability to research life-saving cures for cancer and Alzheimer’s.
Sent a letter to Secretary Kennedy demanding an explanation regarding his reckless decision to shut down Health and Human Services offices, which help support underprivileged children.
Cosponsored Stop RIFs at the Department of Health and Human Services which prevents reductions in force (RIFs) within the Department of Health and Human Services.
Sent a letter opposing the decision to freeze Title X Family funds.
Sent a letter protesting an effort to disband reproductive health services for veterans.
Sent a letter to President Trump and HHS Secretary Kennedy demanding that they reinstate all recently fired employees within a division.
Cosponsored the Public Health Funding Restoration Act which would allocate $2 billion to federal public health departments.
Sent a letter denouncing the Trump administration’s plan to disband the essential division of HIV Prevention.
Sent a letter opposing the abrupt and reckless firing of 168 workers at the National Science Foundation.
Sent a letter speaking out for the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration which provides so many essential public safety services.
Sent a letter highlighting the catastrophic impact that tariffs will have on the supply of medicine and essential medical goods.
Sent a letter protesting the decision to close the Office of Minority Health, which is responsible for reduce health disparities for minority communities.
Sent a letter to Acting NIH Director Memoli on how slashing researching funding will hurt many programs at colleges in California.
After being hospitalized for 10 days, immediately rushed to the airport when I was released so I could fly to D.C. and vote NO on Republicans’ harmful budget cuts.
Signed on to a letter to Secretary of State Rubio expressing grave concerns about the shutdown of USAID and President Trump’s unilateral decision to restructure an independent agency without Congressional consultation.
Signed on to a letter asking Trump to immediately halt and reverse the harmful impacts of executive actions that have led to funding freezes and mass firings impacting Tribal programs.
Sent a letter elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the devastating impact such cuts would have on communities throughout the country.
Sent a letter to President Trump calling out the harms from his decision to weaken language options for people not proficient in English.
Sent a letter to President Trump urging him to halt plans that target government programs that help homeless Americans.
Sent a letter to Secretary Turner protesting the decision to slash programs that combating housing discrimination.
Sent a letter demanding the USDA stop the cancellation of programs that provide food assistance to schools and families.
Sent a letter in support of public radio and television, which allow many communities to access news and educational information.
Sent a letter to President Trump opposing his dangerous proposal to take over the USPS.
Sent a letter demanding that all staffs and funding cuts for the NOAA and NWS be reversed as they are crucial in providing public safety and emergency preparedness to many Americans.
Sent a letter in support of Aviation safety departments, which ensure public safety to millions of plane passengers and employees.
Cosponsored the Save NOAA Act which would prohibit President Trump from singlehandedly dismantling the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) without Congressional approval. NOAA is a core department responsible for climate prediction and protecting endangered marine life.