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Legislative Updates from Washington, DC
Calling for Congress to Immediately Address the Health Care Crisis
Last week, the House of Representatives reached the critical threshold of 218 signatures needed to force a vote on extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits for working families that are set to expire December 31, 2025. This would prevent millions of Americans from seeing their health insurance premiums skyrocket or get priced out of coverage entirely. Although we will get a vote on this critical legislation, the Speaker and his Republican majority can continue to delay the process for weeks.
Americans shouldn’t have to spend the holidays worrying about how they’re going to afford their health care. I called on Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to keep the House in session until we pass legislation to extend these tax credits.
While I am deeply disappointed that Speaker Johnson did not keep the House in session, the fight is not over. I will keep pushing the Republican majority to bring this legislation to the floor as soon as possible so we can begin to address this health care crisis.
I also joined the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee to raise the alarm on the impending enrollment deadline. You can watch my full remarks here.
Introducing Bipartisan Legislation to Block Scam Robocalls
Nobody likes robocalls — that’s something that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle can agree on. As scam robocalls increase each year, I teamed up with some of my Republican and Democratic colleagues to introduce the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act, which will strengthen efforts to stop unlawful robocalls originating from overseas. You can learn more about the bill and how it will prevent robocalls here.
Advocating for Immediate Tariff Relief to Small Businesses
During my past year in Congress, I’ve heard over and over again from small business owners that President Trump’s tariff policies pose an existential threat to small businesses. The uncertainty and financial strain of the tariffs is causing small businesses across the country to raise prices, cut staff, or even have to close their doors entirely. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and we should be doing everything we can to support and uplift them, not bury them under unpredictable tariffs.
I introduced the Small Business RELIEF Act to immediately exempt small businesses from global tariffs and to provide refunds to the small businesses who have suffered financial losses from these tariff policies. You can learn more about the Small Business RELIEF Act here.
Calling Out the Backdoor Abortion Ban in the Republicans’ Proposed Health Care Plan
 Last week, Congressional Republicans proposed a health care plan that does nothing to stop health care rates from skyrocketing for millions of Americans — and if that wasn’t concerning enough, they also used the bill to shove through a back-door ban on abortion. Under this plan, private insurance companies would be forced to drop abortion coverage — leaving millions of women unable to afford the care they desperately need, even if they live in a state that protects access to abortion.
As the only pro-choice OB-GYN in Congress, I joined Democratic leadership and my fellow members of the Democratic Doctors Caucus to call out this horrifying health care plan and urge my colleagues to pass a clean extension of the ACA tax credits. You can read more about the press conference here.
Joining the Democratic Doctors Caucus in Condemning Dangerous Vaccine Misinformation
As a doctor who cared for patients for more than 20 years, I am horrified that the Trump Administration and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continue to attack vaccines and spread medical misinformation. Vaccines are modern public health miracles that have saved countless lives, and we need to be doing everything we can to increase access to health care.
Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website was updated with a false claim that vaccines may cause autism. With my fellow members of the Democratic Doctors Caucus, we led 65 other Representatives in demanding Secretary Kennedy immediately correct this claim. Claims like this make American families less safe and lead to tragic, preventable deaths.
I also joined the Democratic Doctors Caucus in condemning the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)’s decision to stop recommending the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. This decision was made without any scientific evidence to support the change and puts children at risk. You can read our full statement here.
I’ll keep working with the Democratic Doctors Caucus to call out and condemn this Administration’s continued attacks on science and medicine.
Standing with Epstein Survivors and Voting to Release the Epstein Files
 Last month, after Representative Adelita Grijalva was finally sworn into Congress, we reached the 218-signature threshold to force a vote to release the Epstein Files. I stood alongside survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to deliver a letter to call on Congress to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act and demand the release of the files.
Earlier this year, I met with more than 20 of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s victims, and I took to the House floor to read the letter they shared with us. You can listen to the full letter here.
Much gratitude for and admiration of the brave women who spoke out and to ensure that justice would be done. No one should be above the law. I’ll continue to work to make sure the American people get the transparency they have demanded and the victims get the justice they deserve. We cannot allow corrupt leaders to cover up for the rich and powerful.
Calling Out President Trump and Congressional Republicans for Refusing to Expand Access to IVF Coverage
 As an OB-GYN and member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I believe Congress should be working to expand access to fertility treatment for everyone, including our military families. But at the behest of Speaker Johnson, Congressional Republicans stripped a bipartisan provision to expand IVF coverage for military families from the annual defense bill. I took to the House floor to condemn this decision. You can watch my floor speech here.
Supporting a Bipartisan Cost of Living Increase for Our Veterans
As costs rise across the country, we need to make sure that our veterans’ benefits keep up with the cost of living. I was proud to support the bipartisan Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025, which became law in November and will deliver a 2.8% cost-of-living increase for veterans receiving disability benefits. I spoke on the House floor to urge my colleagues to deliver for veterans and ensure they are receiving the benefits and care they have earned and deserve.
Advocating for Two Life-Saving Bills at the Energy and Commerce Committee
I was proud to speak at the House Energy and Commerce Committee in favor of two life-saving bills: the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2025 and the ADINA Act.
I introduced the bipartisan Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2025 earlier this year to reauthorize crucial federal resources to support newborn screenings. These screenings save and improve the lives of thousands of babies a year and it is imperative that Congress pass the bill to renew this program. You can read more about the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act here.
I also spoke in favor of the ADINA Act, a bill I introduced this year that is named after Adina, a constituent from Minnesota’s Third District who suffered a severe allergy attack due to an unlabeled allergen in an antibiotic. The ADINA Act would require pharmaceutical companies to clearly label medication if they contain common allergens or gluten.
During my remarks, I highlighted two remarkable families who are working hard to pass these life-saving pieces of legislation — including Adina’s family. You can read more about the bills and watch my full remarks here.
Introducing the VA SAFE Care Act
An estimated 1 in 3 female veterans and 1 in 50 male veterans have experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment. Veterans put their lives on the line for our country — and we have to make sure we have the proper resources to care for those who have sacrificed so much for us. I introduced the VA SAFE Care Act to help equip VA medical facilities with the appropriate tools to support and care for veterans who have experienced sexual assault. You can read more about the bill here.
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