As a longtime advocate for climate action and member of the House Natural Resources Committee and Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, I have led aggressive legislation to protect our planet for future generations. One of the first bills I supported in Congress banned new offshore drilling along our coast and protected the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. I also introduced the American Coasts and Oceans Protection Act to ban new offshore drilling activity along the Southern California coast. Following the October 2021 oil spill off the coast of Orange County, I led the effort to advance legislation ending new drilling and strengthening oversight of offshore drilling companies.

I know that we can protect our environment, combat the climate crisis, and grow our economy at the same time. California has proven it is possible and I have used our success as a model for action in Washington. I introduced legislation to transition America to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), expand charging infrastructure, and convert Park Service and Forest Service fleets to ZEVs so that we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manufacture the cars of the future right here in America.

I have also worked across the aisle on bipartisan efforts to combat climate change. I fought for the inclusion of provisions in the bipartisan infrastructure law to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure, invest in the supply chain for batteries, provide $1.5 billion for clean hydrogen manufacturing, invest $550 million in the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, and much more.

With two young children at home, I will always work to protect our planet for future generations.

I was raised in South Orange County by a Mexican-American mother and a Jewish-American father. I am the grandson of Mexican immigrants on my mother’s side. Having not graduated high school themselves, my grandparents sent all five of their daughters to college. At age 50, my grandfather, Rosendo Bringas, became an American citizen, and it was among the proudest days of his life.

I want to preserve the values and aspirations of so many immigrants like my grandparents, who dream of the uniquely American opportunity for self-improvement. I believe that immigrants should be treated with dignity and respect.

I proudly cosponsored the American Dream and Promise Act to protect DACA recipients, many of whom serve in our military, on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, or make incredible contributions to our country in other ways.

I worked to prevent the Trump Administration’s hateful immigration policies throughout my time in office. I cosponsored several pieces of legislation to prevent family separation at the border and help families who had been separated reunite, including the Keep Families Together Act, the Reuniting Families Act, and the REUNITE Act.

I also cosponsored the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, the Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act, and the Homeland Security Improvement Act. I opposed efforts to ban entry into the United States on the basis of race or religion and co-sponsored the NO BAN Act.

I support more funding for smart border security technology, but I know that a wall from sea to shining sea along our southern border isn’t going to make us any safer – it’s a waste of taxpayer dollars. I have been to the border, toured ports of entry, and met with immigration officials. I know that what they need is 21st Century infrastructure and better technology, and I voted several times to provide funding for modern technology.

Ultimately, I believe that members of both parties need to come together on comprehensive immigration reform, including a path to citizenship. 

Our country is strongest when everyone can participate in our democracy, which is why I have always been a strong advocate for strengthening voting rights and expanding access to the ballot box. 

One of the first bills I supported in Congress was the For the People Act, which would expand voting rights, secure our election system against foreign interference, and remove the corrupting influence of “dark money” from American politics. I also signed on to legislation to restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965, make elections more transparent, and make sure every eligible voter can participate in our elections.

I also strongly believe that for our democracy to succeed, we must strengthen accountability and transparency in government and campaigns, protect the truth, and put our country over our political party.

Since I began campaigning in March of 2017, I have not accepted a dime of corporate PAC money. I also cosponsored the No Pensions for Corrupt Politicians Act to exclude Members of Congress from receiving retirement benefits if the member is convicted of specified campaign finance violations relating to the use of campaign funds for personal use, including conspiracy to commit such an offense. And I am a proud member of the End Corruption Caucus. As I have demonstrated, I will always support efforts to increase transparency and accountability in government.

I believe that Congress has a responsibility to secure our election systems against foreign interference and prevent further attempts by foreign powers to influence the results of our elections. I supported $425 million that was allocated in the 2020 appropriations package for election security and will continue to fight for more transparency and accountability in Washington.

California is already experiencing the devastating effects of climate change, including the historic drought that has struck our state. This drought threatens our environment, our economy, and our health, which is why I have secured funding and advocated for policies to strengthen emergency preparedness and improve our supply of clean, usable water.

I secured more than $10 million for the South Coast Water District’s Doheny Desalination Slant Well Project to increase the water supply here in the 49th District. I worked across the aisle to introduce the Desalination Research Advancement Act to spur new investments in environmentally-responsible desalination technology. I was also proud to help secure $250 million in the bipartisan infrastructure law for desalination projects, as well as $1 billion for water recycling projects. These investments are similar to my Desalination Development Act, which raises the funding authorization for desalination projects and creates new environmental safeguards for the funded projects. Ultimately, these investments will promote innovation, expand our water supply, and protect our state against future droughts.

But even as we work to address the current drought, we must step up our fight against climate change in order to prevent future crises as well. That is why I introduced legislation to transition our nation to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and ban new offshore drilling off the coast of California. It is why I fought to make sure the bipartisan infrastructure law made investments to combat the climate crisis and why I will continue to use my office to promote sustainability and reduce emissions.