In Case You Missed it:
My Legislation to Prohibit Eminent Domain of Mt. Cristo Rey
I introduced legislation to prohibit the Trump administration from exercising eminent domain at Mount Cristo Rey.
Mount Cristo Rey is a religious and cultural landmark that has been central to our community for generations. Rather than working with border communities to advance effective border security, the Trump Administration continues to disregard the people, history, and culture that make our region special. I will continue to fight for its preservation.
Read my full press release here.
I Introduced Bipartisan Legislation to Cut Red Tape and Accelerate Military Construction
At Fort Bliss and installations across the country, servicemembers should not have to wait years for the facilities and infrastructure they need because of outdated red tape, and taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay millions more in construction costs because of it, either.
I have been working to reform the outdated military construction process in order to make it less costly and bring more projects to fruition. My legislation lays the groundwork to give installation commanders greater flexibility to use strong local partnerships for minor construction projects. That means faster and more affordable construction, increased partnerships with local governments, and a better quality of life for our servicemembers.
Read my full press release here.
Introducing Legislation to Strengthen Military Child Care and Expand Employment Opportunities for Military Spouses
I introduced legislation that would direct the Department of Defense to identify ways to strengthen the military childcare workforce while creating meaningful employment opportunities for military spouses.
Supporting our servicemembers means supporting their families. Military spouses often sacrifice their own careers, stability, and opportunities every time they answer the call and have to start over in a new community. The Military Spouse Employment and Child Care Readiness Act provides a crucial first step toward removing unnecessary barriers to employment for military spouses, strengthening military childcare, and ensuring military families have the support they need to thrive.
Read my full press release here.
I Spoke on the House Floor to Oppose Additional Funding for the War in Iran
On Wednesday, I spoke on the House Floor against the nearly $100 billion request by the Trump administration for the war in Iran.
Watch or read my full remarks here.
I Voted Against Watered-Down Republican Attempt at Stock Trading
Members of Congress should not engage in stock trading; I don’t do it, never have, and support legislation to stop it. If Republicans were serious about ending insider trading that allows Members of Congress to enrich themselves, they would bring a bill to the floor that creates true reform.
Instead, the Republican proposal not only literally fails to ban stock trading, but is paired with a voter suppression bill that targets married women who have changed their last name, making voting for these women extremely difficult, and in some cases, likely impossible. They aren’t just unserious about banning stock trading, but they’re trying to gaslight the American public. I voted no on their bill.
My Statement on Bad Faith, Partisan Funding Deal
For the last two years, House Republicans have not meaningfully engaged with Democrats in discussions about funding our government. Because they control every lever of government - the House, Senate and White House - Republicans consistently choose to go it alone. But when the time comes time to bring their funding bills to the floor for a vote, they suddenly no longer want to go it alone and expect House Democrats to blindly support their funding bills.
This week, Republicans put a bill on the floor to fund the government through December 4th, with the potential to add millions more funding for Customs Border Protection when, as of June 1st, this agency still has $59 billion available. Meanwhile, the American people are struggling to pay for groceries, utilities and gas — all because of Trump’s tariffs and his illegal war — and we should be working together to address these crises and help our constituents, not throwing more money at agencies that currently have billions available. I'm voting 'no.'
This isn’t how government should function and as an appropriator, I urge my Republican colleagues to work with us and earn our votes.
