Dear neighbor, 

As we arrived in Washington this week to begin the 118th Congress, House Democrats were ready to hit the ground running and get to work for the American people. However, despite having a majority of seats in the House, Republicans have failed to elect a Speaker – something that hasn’t happened for 100 years. As a result, the House of Representatives has been unable to organize for multiple days, hindering our ability to legislate and support our constituents effectively. Democrats are ready to work but the inability of House Republicans to govern has gone from embarrassing to dangerous for our nation. 

Despite this mess, House Democrats stand united for the American people. On 13 ballots for the Speaker of the House election, all 212 Democrats have stood together to support Representative Hakeem Jeffries, who is immensely qualified to lead the House. We have shown again and again that we are ready to get to work on behalf of everyday Americans. I was honored to nominate my friend Congressman Jeffries for Speaker before one of these historic votes.

Rep. Lieu gives speech on House floor nominating Rep. Jeffries for Speaker of the House

Over the past two years, Democrats have helped our nation recover from a deadly pandemic, made unprecedented investments in infrastructure, passed gun safety legislation, brought manufacturing jobs back home, and reduced the cost of life-saving drugs. Over the next two years, we’re committed to building on these monumental achievements. We’re ready to work together For The People to lower costs, create better-paying jobs, and make our communities safer.

In Case You Missed It: I joined Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus Representative Pete Aguilar for our first Caucus press conference as Chair and Vice Chair. We discussed the chaos we’re seeing across the aisle, and what Democrats are focused on in this new Congress. Watch the full broadcast here:

Representatives Lieu and Aguilar hold first Caucus press conference in the 118th Congress

I’m also thrilled to share the news that before the holidays I secured over $22 million in funding for 15 local projects in our community as part of the annual spending bill that President Biden signed into law late last year. These projects will help tackle some of the most pressing needs in our district including providing mental health and housing care for vulnerable people, endangered wildlife protection, and supportive programming for young students. Learn more about the 15 projects here. 

In addition, two bills I authored were signed into law: The Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Boundary Adjustment Study Act. Both bills will serve to benefit the important ecosystems in and around Los Angeles County. I look forward to continuing to advocate for the needs of our community in the 118th Congress.

Lastly, today is the two-year anniversary of the January 6th attack on the Capitol. As we reflect on this stain on our nation’s history, Democrats remain steadfast in our commitment to protect our sacred democracy and Constitution. I’m incredibly proud of the work the January 6th Select Committee has done to uncover the facts behind the insurrection and work to prevent it from ever happening again. Read the committee’s full report here.

Rep. Lieu joins Members on Capitol Steps for a moment of silence to honor the brave law enforcement officers who defended our nation’s Capitol on January 6th

For additional information on my work in Congress, please visit my website at lieu.house.gov and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have any questions or concerns, please call our D.C. office at (202) 225-3976 or our Los Angeles district office at (323) 651-1040. 

Sincerely, 

Ted