Issues

I am committed to fighting for equal rights for all Americans. Here in Texas, we are the #1 target of GOP voter suppression, and home to a movement to reinvigorate voting rights nationwide.

In the face of  ruthless attempts by the GOP to undermine our democracy with racist voter suppression bills, we must push back and ensure our voices are heard at the ballot box. The House passed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, but so far Senate Republicans have blocked the passage of these bills crucial to restoring the full protections of the Voting Rights Act.

As an original co-sponsor of the Equality Act, a bill that would ban discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity, I am encouraged by the bill’s passage in the House, and I recognize there is much work to be done to protect our LGBTQ+ neighbors from discrimination. I’ve served as Vice Chair of the Equality Caucus, pressing for further progress to achieve true equality.

Since the onset of the pandemic, I have worked to ensure business owners, artists and musicians, public schools, families, and working people receive the help they need as we recover from the devastating and unequal effects of COVID-19. As Chair of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, I gaveled in our first hearing featuring an Austin physician focused on ensuring vaccines are delivered faster and more equitably.

With my support, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act, which has ensured more vaccines, unemployment assistance and critical funds for those in need. As part of this plan, which not a single Republican voted to support, parents began receiving direct payments in July through an expanded child tax credit, which has helped slash child poverty by roughly 30%.

When Governor Abbott refused to release federal funds to public schools, I led the Texas congressional delegation in urging the Administration to ensure the money is spent directly to support our students and teachers. By taking on Governor Abbott and standing up for Texas students, we successfully unlocked billions for Texas students.

• On May 3 2021, I led advocac for a TRIPS Waiver to enable swift, affordable global vaccine production.
• On February 26, 2021 I gaveled in a hearing as Chair of the Health Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee to discuss vaccine transparency, access, and equity. We heard from the local Director of Advocacy and External Affairs at Ascension Seton, who discussed the importance of equitable distribution of vaccines.
• Throughout January and February , as Trump falsely assured us that the federal government had coronavirus “under control,” I urged stronger action. On February 13, I along with Rep. Castro contacted the CDC seeking information about the precautions being taken at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, where infected patients were being held. I was deeply concerned about the lack of communication or support from the federal government. The CDC failed to address these concerns, and erroneously allowed a patient who had tested positive to leave the base and enter the San Antonio community, putting residents in danger.
• On February 20, after HHS Secretary Azar refused to promise that a vaccine developed with taxpayer dollars would be widely accessible, my colleagues and I raised concerns about the affordability of a vaccine developed with the private sector. A week later, the administration reversed course and directed its teams to ensure that anything resulting from partnerships with the private sector would be made accessible.
• When it came to my attention that the Department of Commerce was encouraging the export of medical supplies that we knew would be in critically short supply in the case of an outbreak, I asked Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross for an explanation as to why these critical supplies were being exported when we would need them here in the United States.
• On February 26, Trump said, “we’re testing everybody that we need to test. And we’re finding very little problem.” However, on March 5, Vice President Pence stated that the administration would not be able to deliver on a promise that FDA Commissioner Hahn made to Congress regarding coronavirus testing. I was alarmed by the administration’s complete failure to ramp up testing as cases and deaths grew and knew Trump’s statements were false. On March 6, I led a letter to FDA Commissioner Hahn requesting a more accurate timeline and estimates regarding urgently needed testing. That same day, I wrote Secretary Azar seeking estimates of the costs of coronavirus testing. I was concerned that tests developed with taxpayer dollars in public-private partnerships would be out of reach for many Americans and leave us all without the protection of widespread testing.
• On March 13, I led an effort urging Secretary Azar to establish a Special Enrollment Period for Affordable Care Act Marketplace coverage. I knew that our ability to combat the coronavirus rested on our ability to provide care that tens of millions of Americans could not afford.
• Speaking to Governors on March 16, President Trump said, “respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment – try getting it yourselves.” I was disturbed by this lack of initiative and disregard for vulnerable States. On March 17, I joined colleagues asking about specific Department of Defense resources that had not been utilized in our coronavirus response, urging use of the Defense Production Act.
• On April 1, I urged Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Rettig to reconsider their decision not to send payments to Social Security and Supplemental beneficiaries automatically and instead require them to submit a tax return before receiving funds. Millions of beneficiaries do not normally file returns, which unnecessarily created a substantial delay for the most vulnerable Americans.
• On April 9, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and I urged Vice President Pence, Secretary Mnuchin, and Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Vought to act on troubling provisions in the coronavirus relief bill. These provisions sheltered large amounts of income and would reduce government revenue by almost two hundred billion dollars over ten years, constituting massive tax giveaways. Even more troubling is the fact that the provisions may have been designed to help Trump’s businesses and those of his associates who have influence in the White House. We requested communications and analyses regarding these provisions in order to understand why the administration would have pushed for such provisions during a time when Americans are in need of financial support.
• After learning of widespread testing inaccuracies, Representative DeLauro and I sent FDA Commissioner Hahn a letter on April 9 asking for information about the FDA’s response and policy aimed at ensuring test accuracy.
• On April 23, I urged Secretary of Education DeVos to help insure that students are able to continue seeking federal funds for college with the FAFSA, the Free Application for Student Aid. The economic recession triggered by the coronavirus is forcing millions of students to reevaluate their options, and the guidance we urged from the Department of Education will help them better navigate the challenging situation.
• When FDA Commissioner Hahn failed to respond to our April 9 inquiry, Congresswoman DeLauro and I followed up on April 29 in writing. We asked that the FDA revise its oversight policy regarding the manufacture of coronavirus testing. The FDA has ceded regulatory authority and decided to waive steps that ensure medical products on the market are safe and reliable, putting patients at risk and allowing faulty tests to stay on the market. We requested information regarding testing accuracy, the FDA’s current oversight, and specific action plans to rectify inaction.
• In response to the Texas Workforce Commission’s inability to address unemployment claims in a timely manner and deliver relief to desperate Texans, my Democratic colleagues from Texas and I urged Governor Abbott on April 28 to waive the two-week recertification requirement, which would make the system more efficient and provide for the more than 1.4 million Texans who have lost jobs due to the coronavirus.
• Again, Rep. DeLauro and I took steps to ensure the affordability of coronavirus drugs. On April 30 we urged HHS Secretary Azar to provide a breakdown of expenditures and sources of funding which the federal government has spent on the research and development of remdesivir, a possible new coronavirus treatment. We asked for transparency to ensure that a drug developed with taxpayer money would be available to everyone and better mitigate the spread of the virus.
• On May 4, I urged Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day to provide information regarding the production, distribution, and pricing of remdesivir, a possible new COVID-19 treatment. We pointed out that remdesivir would not have been developed without taxpayer dollars and sought information that will help us hold Gilead accountable and ensure that the treatment is available to all who need it. 
• In June 2020, I gaveled in a hearing as Chair of the Health Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee to discuss the disastrous regulatory rollback that left nursing homes vulnerable and ill-equipped to protect their residents from COVID-19. The hearing featured an Austin woman who lost her brother to COVID-19 while he resided in a nursing home.

An overwhelming majority of Americans made their choice clear:  Donald Trump, a constant threat to our values, lives and democracy, had to go. I voted to impeach Trump. Twice. I am inspired by the many I represent who are committed to creating a more respectful and inclusive community, resisting hate and intolerance.

Trump lowered the high office daily. But the beauty of our Nation is that we never only look out for just ourselves. We look out for each other and we stand together. While some will seek new ways to divide us, we must work together to defeat the many challenges we face.

Trump could not get away with his misconduct — one outrage after another — without the unflinching support of his many Republican enablers in Congress.

More than just defeating Trump, we must defeat Trumpism. We need to march, not just on the streets, but find ways in our daily lives to promote change. We must fight to promote equality, to preserve our democracy, and demand accountability. We will never yield to those who would drag us backward into a past that we will never accept. 

With a Democratic majority in the House, I worked with my colleagues to pass H.R. 1446, background checks bill. But too many Republicans, backed by the gun lobby, continue to block action in the Senate. Republicans are making almost every place we go less safe.  

In a prior Congress, I helped passed legislation in the House, the Wounded Veteran Job Security Act, to ensure that wounded veterans returning from service are not forced to choose between keeping their job at home and getting needed treatment. As I visit with Texas veterans, I understand the need for prompt, nearby care, which is why I worked to expand veterans’ health facilities so Texas veterans don’t have to drive long distances for the basic health care they have earned. We must work to improve the VA, not to end, “privatize,” or dismantle it. 

The Affordable Care Act helps ensure doctors and big insurance companies treat families fairly in everything from finding a doctor to receiving a diagnosis and receiving treatment. It’s not right that high medical bills are the number one cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. Following a May 2019 Health Subcommittee hearing I convened on the predatory practice of surprise medical billing, the No Surprises Act, which was modeled off of my End Surprise Billing Act, was signed into law in December 2020 and took effect January 2022. As Health Subcommittee Chairman in the House Ways & Means Committee, I am working to secure affordable health care for all Americans.

It is deeply unacceptable that Texas has the highest rate of uninsured residents, and shameful that GOP leaders will not expand access to Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act. That is why I authored the COVER Now Act, legislation to allow counties to access federal funds in states that refuse to expand Medicaid. 

I have also authored legislation to expand Medicare coverage to include hearing, vision, and dental care. Because I believe health care is a right, not a privilege, I support Medicare for All and endorse approaches to build toward that goal, including lowering the age for Medicare. I also filed the Stop the Wait Act, fighting for fairness for people with disabilities and ending burdensome waiting periods before collecting disability payments and receiving Medicare coverage. 

The Republicans’ repeated attempts to undermine the Affordable Care Act risk the health of American families. While the Department of Justice sought to destroy the entire ACA, I opposed Republican efforts to sabotage health care. Republicans merely offered a “Trumpcare” health plan, attempting to replace Obamacare with “I don’t care.” I firmly opposed Republicans’ “NothingCare” proposals. Instead of repealing Obamacare, Congress needs to work together to ensure health care is affordable.

The pandemic has deepened existing inequities and exposed the urgency of our work for  health care access. I convened a hearing on the benefits of telehealth featuring an Austin physician. I recently introduced a bipartisan bill to ensure patients who have benefited from expanded telehealth access during the pandemic can continue to use it. 

Texas Republicans are interfering with individuals’ constitutional right to make their own health care decisions.  I have a 100% pro-choice lifetime voting record and have been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Fund. We must defend reproductive freedom for all Texans and all Americans.

Our planet is at stake, now more than ever. That is why I have joined as a sponsor of the Green New Deal – a resolution offering important broader goals, with the hope for continued work to implement its provisions into legislative language.

Normally, Texas weather is either hot or hotter. Increasingly, we just have hotter. By the turn of the century, Texas can expect about 100 days that reach 100 degrees or more annually — what a world we are bequeathing to our children and grandchildren.

We need to act now at all levels to keep our world livable. That is why I introduced the Green Transportation Act, which directs cities and states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, the single largest source of carbon pollution in the United States. Because many parts of the country are not accounting for transportation emissions, this represents an important step in seeking to reduce pollution by mandating the tracking of emissions and creation of local plans to reduce them, while providing federal support.

If we want to change the climate, we need to change the political climate. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement was an historic mistake. I am pleased that the Biden/Harris Administration has reversed course. This is a necessary step to reducing our carbon emissions and restoring American leadership on climate change. A warming planet will overwhelm our Gulf Coast, expand the Sonoran desert into much of Texas, and hasten the spread of disease. We need an agenda governed by sound science that truly reflects the consequences of inaction. Together, and by reaching out to our neighbors, we must act now to create a sustainable, green economy, reduce carbon emissions, and increase renewable energy. For my work, the Sierra Club has endorsed my re-election.

I have been a strong advocate of tax reform, including tax law simplification and protecting individuals and small businesses from bearing the burden dodged by multinational corporations.

I voted against the Trump-GOP tax scheme because it hurt middle-class families and gave giant multinationals tax breaks for shipping jobs abroad and hiding profits in offshore tax havens. The Joint Committee on Taxation – Congress’ official, nonpartisan tax scorekeeper – found in the first year after the Republican tax law multinationals paid an effective tax rate of just 7.8%. That’s far less than the percent paid by a teacher, firefighter, or nurse.

To level the playing field, I authored legislation – the “No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing” Act – to ensure big corporations do not get a tax break for shipping jobs overseas and to close the loopholes that let multinationals book profits from selling to American consumers in an offshore haven. President Biden included key elements of my bill in his Build Back Better Act to end these incentives for outsourcing, making the tax code fairer for workers and businesses in the United States.

I am a strong supporter of the expanded Child Tax Credit, which lessens the tax burden for working families and has helped to lift so many children out of poverty. We passed this relief as part of the American Rescue Plan, and it’s already slashed child poverty by almost 30%. These are the investments we can make in our future by requiring multination corporations and the very wealthiest few to pay their fair share.

Your retirement nest egg faces many threats. I am working to ensure seniors can enjoy a safe and healthy retirement that they worked a lifetime to earn. AARP honored me with its Champion Legislative Leadership Award for my efforts to strengthen seniors’ access to healthcare.In the wake of the 1929 stock market crash and bank failures, President Franklin Roosevelt actually understood how to “Make America Great Again.” It wasn’t through stirring hate or fear mongering; he didn’t settle for the “every person for themself” approach. Instead, he established that pillar of retirement safety, Social Security. In more than eight decades, Social Security has never been a day late or a dollar short. 

Despite these benefits, the drive to dismantle Social Security remains a real threat. Some see privatization as an option, a tantalizing prize for a host of Wall Street financial interests. But privatizing will only reduce solvency and endanger benefits for millions of current beneficiaries.

My longstanding efforts to remove Social Security numbers from Medicare cards were finally successful. The Medicare Identity Theft Prevention Act will ensure more seniors are protected from identity theft. 

Students should be able to receive all the education for which they are willing to work. We need a stronger commitment to education from pre-K to post-grad. Our economy and democracy depend on it.   

During the pandemic, students have experienced many challenges. I worked with my Democratic colleagues to secure federal funding to public elementary, secondary schools and universities to help cushion the pandemic’s blow.

Students’ futures are at stake. The cost of higher education continues to grow higher and higher, and if Republicans have their way, the amount of student financial assistance will shrink until it disappears. Between 2004 and 2012, the average Texas student debt balance grew by 61 percent. This must change.

I authored the successful American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) that provides up to $10,000 over four years to reimburse higher education expenses for students and their families. For the first time since higher education tax credits were created, my tax cut expanded the definition of a “qualified education expense” to include textbooks, making them more affordable. I also introduced a bill removing a major financial and logistical barrier to students securing higher education opportunities. My Tax Free Pell Grants Act expands the usage of Pell Grants on a tax-free basis and improves coordination with the AOTC.

As a strong advocate for student debt reduction, my work has resulted in simplifying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students and their families may now use earlier tax data to complete the FAFSA, and the form is now available in October instead of January. These improvements mean that applications may be filed months earlier than previously possible, making applying for aid easier and more reliable. Recognizing the need for further simplification, I introduced the Equitable Student Aid Access Act, which proposes important changes to the federal aid model.

I remain a strong supporter – and sponsor – of Senator Elizabeth Warren’s “Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act.” Senator Warren, a former UT Law professor, is a friend committed to reform. Her student loan bill would have directed the Secretary of Education to refinance the unpaid principal, accrued unpaid interest, and late charges on some Direct Loans and Education Loans. Participation would be fully voluntary, and would have been paid for by closing tax loopholes for the wealthiest few.

Small businesses are the driving force in our Nation’s economy and we need to clear the highway for them, I have supported legislation making it easier for small businesses to raise capital and cut some of the red tape that makes it harder for start-ups to get off the ground.

I have voted against tax schemes that favor multinationals at the expense of small businesses—I seek a level playing field.

These centers have aided thousands of small businesses. The New Markets Tax Credit is another important tool for attracting capital to underserved communities that badly need it. As a member of the Congressional STEM Education Caucus, I know the key role that science, technology, engineering, and math play in enabling the U.S. to remain the economic and technological leader globally.

Finally, on behalf of small business and entrepreneurs locally, I work to obtain federal funding to supplement important local efforts. I voted for several coronavirus relief packages that are providing support for our local small businesses.

In 2020, millions of Americans joined together as one voice, to protest racial injustice and make it clear that Black lives matter. I am an original sponsor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which passed the House but remains blocked by the Republican obstruction in the Senate.

In 2018, with my support, Congress passed the First Step Act to reform federal sentencing guidelines and invest in rehabilitation efforts, including vocational and job readiness training, addiction treatment, and trauma care services. But as it was named, this was merely a first step.

Our criminal justice system is far too broken to freeze at the First Step. Sentencing guidelines still tie the hands of judges and disproportionately impact communities of color. For-profit companies still own much of our prison system as well as detention facilities separating immigrant families and abusing young children. As part of our commitment to criminal justice reform, we must ensure the safety and fair and humane treatment of those who are in prison or detained.