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There is no greater honor for me than to represent and speak for the people of San Francisco in the Congress of the United States. This past weekend, I was joined by hundreds of Grassroots VIPs (Volunteers In Politics) for my community swearing-in and national kickoff to Save Our Health Care.

Honored by the presence of San Francisco’s new Mayor, Daniel Lurie, led in prayer by Michael Pappas, Executive Director of San Francisco Interfaith Council, and regaled with the musical gifts of world-renowned violinist Carlos Reyes and Grammy-winning vocalist Tony Lindsay, I was proud to be sworn in for a new term as your Congresswoman by my granddaughter Bella, in loving community with dear friends and family.

You have heard me say time and again that our firefighters are our nobility — they protect our lives at the risk of their own. In the past election, I was honored to campaign for San Francisco Proposition H to protect the health care of our firefighters. Joined by Firefighters Local Union 798’s Floyd Rollins and past President and former SFFD Deputy Chief Shon Buford on Sunday, I saluted our San Francisco firefighters for their leadership for our city and for their heroic participation in fighting the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.

Our Heroes in Blue also received high praise in a message of deep gratitude from our new Senator Adam Schiff who joined us on video as he worked tirelessly on behalf of constituents impacted by the wildfires in Southern
California.

Proud of the leadership of the women of Labor on picket lines and at bargaining tables, I welcomed San Francisco Labor Council Executive Director Kim Tavaglione and thanked her and our many friends and partners from the Labor Community for their hard work and support. As I always say, "we don’t agonize, we organize – and we unionize!"

We are facing a challenging time in our country and, once again, there is a direct assault on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. We chose to act this week as we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said: “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhuman because it often results in physical death.”

Every single one of us is just one diagnosis, one accident, one tragedy, one phone call away from needing health care and the protections guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act. And studies show that the more people have health care, the more they have housing and food security. Essential kitchen table needs are connected.

And that’s why each of us must not only save our health care but strengthen our health care and strengthen working families. We can do this: the leadership of our San Francisco grassroots VIPs was key to passing the Affordable Care Act in 2010 and to saving it in 2017. Our grassroots organizing started with community events of people telling their personal health stories right here in San Francisco, eventually growing to 10,000 grassroots events across the
country.

That same outside mobilization and groundswell of grassroots action will Save Our Health Care again in 2025 and win back the House in 2026!

Just a few days since we were together in San Francisco and via Zoom nationally with patient advocates from across the country, many of you have already joined our campaign to Save Our Health Care. If you have not done so already, please sign up to get involved and tell your personal health care story here: https://www.saveourhealthcare.org/

Friends, thank you for your generous support, uplifting messages and prayers that enable me to continue fighting alongside you for our shared values. I am grateful for all that you do and all that we will accomplish together this year.

Together, we will defend our freedoms, protect our most vulnerable communities and Save Our Health Care by ensuring that the Affordable Care Act and other vital pillars of health for the American people are here to stay.