Newsroom
April 17, 2026
?— Today, Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39) pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on if he would insist President Trump undergo an assessment of his mental fitness. Sec. Kennedy’s answer was unambiguous: “Absolutely not.” The exchange came during a Committee on Education & the Workforce hearing where Rep. Takano presented Sec. Kennedy with the President’s own statements over the last few weeks, which included erratic behavior like posting an image of himself as Jesus Chr… Continue Reading
April 10, 2026— Today, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, Representative Mark Takano (CA-39), Representative Lateefah Simon (CA-12), and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) reintroduced the Day of Silence resolution to bring attention to bullying, harassment, and discrimination LGBTQI+ students face in school. “The classroom should be a space for every student to learn in a safe environment without fear of being singled out for who they are,” said Rep. Mark Takano, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus… Continue Reading
March 31, 2026— Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Chiles v. Salazar, a case on the constitutionality of Colorado’s ban on licensed mental health professionals engaging in conversion therapy for minors, Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Takano released the following statement: “Young LGBTQI+ people will suffer because of today’s Supreme Court decision. This decision, however, doesn’t change the fact that these practices are still dangerous, disproven, and denounced by every major medical ass… 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
April 17, 2026