Dear neighbor, 

It is an honor to serve the people of California’s 36th District in the United States House of Representatives. Each day, I’m incredibly grateful to the residents of Los Angeles County who continue to trust me to serve as your voice in Congress.  

This year has been a busy one. As Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, I’ve been laser-focused on pushing back against extremism and continuing our work to lower costs, create jobs, and make our communities safer. Last Congress, with Democrats in control of the House, we passed numerous laws that improved the lives of the American people, including the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, the PACT Act, the American Rescue Plan, and the CHIPS and Science Act. We lowered prescription drug costs, created millions of jobs, protected our environment, helped our veterans, and modernized our nation’s infrastructure.  

Unfortunately, the new majority has not been as productive. Nevertheless, Democrats will not stop fighting to meet the urgent needs of the American people. I look forward to continuing to advocate on behalf of my constituents as we begin the second term of the 118th Congress. Here’s a look at what I worked on this year. 

SECURING FUNDING FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES: This year, I had the pleasure of visiting some of the local nonprofits and organizations for which I secured federal funding during the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations process. Overall, I was able to secure over $22.6 million for 15 local groups that are working hard to address homelessness, protect our environment, support our veterans, provide affordable health care, and more for the residents of Los Angeles County. I am so proud of the work they’re doing and will continue to advocate for these local causes in Congress. 

HONORING OUR VETERANS: As an Air Force veteran, I am committed to meeting the needs of my fellow veterans, active servicemembers, and their families. This year we made significant progress toward that goal in Los Angeles County. I was honored to attend the grand opening ceremonies for multiple new housing opportunities for veterans on the West LA VA campus, which are all part of the West LA VA’s master plan to open and fill at least 1,200 housing units in a supportive community for veterans.  

These new developments were made possible thanks to two pieces of legislation I authored with the late Senator Diane Feinstein which were signed into law in 2016 and 2022. I was glad to see that the VA is on track to set a record for veterans’ care and benefits this fiscal year. We will not stop until all of our veterans receive the support they truly deserve.  

Congressman Lieu attends a ribbon cutting ceremony for new housing on the West LA VA campus with VA Secretary Denis McDonough. May, 2023. 

INVESTING IN OUR NATION’S INFRASTRUCTURE: In the 117th Congress, we passed the historic infrastructure law to rebuild our nation’s roads, bridges, and highways, bring broadband to all American families, get lead out of our drinking water, modernize our public transit systems, and create millions of jobs. Since the infrastructure law’s passage two years ago, our community has benefited from this historic investment.  

The LA Metro’s Purple Line extension was funded in part by grants authorized by the infrastructure law, allowing for the expansion of the Purple Line into West LA. I was pleased to vote in favor of the infrastructure law when it passed the House, and I look forward to watching how it will continue to benefit our communities for decades to come. 

Congressman Lieu visits a project funded by the historic infrastructure law. July, 2023. 

PREPARING FOR THE RISE OF AI: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is advancing quickly and already impacting many areas of society. While this innovation should be encouraged, we also must take reasonable action to protect against the potential harms of AI. This year I introduced the bipartisan and bicameral National AI Commission Act, which would establish a blue-ribbon commission to advise Congress on how best to regulate AI. I also introduced the bipartisan Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Act, which would ensure that AI is never allowed to make nuclear launch decisions without meaningful human control. The United States is the world’s leader in AI technology. We must establish a responsible regulatory framework to ensure that we remain a leader in the space while protecting the American people from AI’s potential risks. To learn more about my work on AI this year, check out this video.

Congressman Lieu speaks at a Washington Post event about how AI will impact labor. September, 2023. 

DEFENDING REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM: While extremists in Congress and across the country try to push for a national abortion ban, I am committed to protecting Americans’ reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy. This year I opposed efforts to punish doctors who provide abortion care, limit access to contraceptives, and impose a blanket abortion ban.  

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer, women and girls in states across the country lost access to reproductive care. It is critical that we protect abortion access everywhere, which is why I am an original co-sponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act. This bill would codify the protections afforded to all Americans under Roe v. Wade. I completely support reproductive freedom and will continue to work with my colleagues to fight back against extremists who want government-mandated pregnancies. 

DELIVERING FOR OUR NEIGHBORS: This year, I closed 2,186 cases on behalf of constituents, introduced 42 bills, recouped $8,485,012 for constituents, cosponsored 428 bills, and sent 23,131 responses to constituent letters.  

It is truly a privilege to serve our community in Congress. If you would like to learn more about my legislative work, please visit my website or call my Washington, DC office at 202-225-3976. If you need assistance with a federal agency, please click here or call my Los Angeles office at 323-651-1040. My office will remain open throughout the holidays, and we are ready to assist you. 

To stay up to date, please visit my website at lieu.house.gov and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. For weekly updates on my work, subscribe to my e-newsletter. 

I look forward to hearing from you. Happy holidays to you and your loved ones. 

Warmly,   

Ted