Newsroom
March 20, 2025
— Representative Mark Takano (CA-39), a former public school teacher and senior member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, released the following statement following President Trump signing an Executive Order directing Secretary McMahon to begin illegally dismantling the Department of Education: “Secretary McMahon has been directed to deny American students their right to a free and fair education,” said Rep. Takano. “It is impossible to complete the work the Department of Education… Continue Reading
March 17, 2025- Congressman Mark Takano released the following statement on the passing of Rep. Nita Lowey:“I had the privilege of serving along side Congresswoman Nita Lowey for nearly a decade in Congress until her retirement in 2020," said Congressman Takano. "She always warm and friendly, but beneath that grandmotherly exterior was woman who wielded enormous influence quietly and effectively. I thought of her as “non-showy Lowey.” A pioneer in many ways, she was one of the few women serving in Congress i… Continue Reading
March 13, 2025- Congressman Mark Takano released the following statement on the passing of Rep. Raúl Grijalva:"I am deeply saddened by the passing of my good friend Raúl Grijalva. He first came into my awareness when he was among the first to endorse former Vermont Governor Howard Dean for President in 2003/2004. We forged a deep friendship when I was first elected to Congress in 2012. He was instrumental in insisting that I lead the fight in Congress on the issue of deported veterans. I will miss his warm, a… Continue Reading
July 12, 2013
Over rancorous Democratic objections, the Republican-led U.S. House passed a farm bill Thursday that does not include reauthorization of the food stamp program. The vote was 216-208. No Democrats voted for the bill. During the nearly seven hours of debate on the legislation, Democrats repeatedly called their Republican counterparts heartless, callous and cruel for their efforts to pass a farm bill with nutrition programs stripped from it. Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., was one of many Democrats … Continue Reading
July 11, 2013Rep. Mark Takano, a former high school teacher, took a red pen to a letter about immigration reform some of his Republican colleagues were circulating. The California Democrat "graded" the two-page unsigned letter, giving it an F and asking the writers to "see me after votes," posting a copy on his Tumblr page. He was okay with the first sentence, "Our immigration system is broken and in need of serious reform," saying it was a "strong thesis." Even when the Republicans said they wanted a secure… Continue Reading
July 11, 2013You can take the teacher out of the classroom — even send him to Congress — but you can't take the classroom out of the teacher. Or take away his red pencil. Before coming to Washington, freshman Democrat Mark Takano taught English for 23 years — mostly at Rialto High School. He must have been a tough grader. In the midst of the heated Congressional debate over immigration, Takano tries humor — a bit of political fun at the expense of his GOP colleagues. Republican House members were circulat… Continue Reading
March 07, 2024