Letters Sent
Currently showing results in the 115th Congress where the type is press_release
Rep. Takano Statement on VA Implementation of Executive Order Limiting the Use of Official Time
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released this statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Labor Management Relations issued a notice of implementation of Executive Order #13837, which drastically limits the use of official time: "Instead of working to ensure that the VA is well-staffed, well managed, and capable of providing veterans with quality services, the Trump Administration has focused its efforts on undermining worker protections and attacking VA … Continue Reading
July 16, 2018
Rep. Takano’s Bill to Extend Paid Sick Leave Benefits to Wounded Warriors Working at the VA Passes the House
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Rep. Steve Stivers' (R-Ohio) Veterans Providing Healthcare Transition Improvement Act passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives. This bipartisan bill will ensure that newly hired veterans with service-connected injuries working in medical positions at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are able to take paid sick leave to receive the care they need. This bill will also help in hiring and recruiting veterans to fill VA "Title … Continue Reading
May 17, 2018
Reps. Takano and Bonamici Raise Concerns about Conflict of Interest at the Office of Federal Student Aid
Washington, D.C. - Today, Reps. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), and two other Democrats sent a letter to Department of Education General Counsel Edward Muniz to inquire about the ethics and standards of conduct within the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA). The Office of Federal Student Aid releases billions of dollars in student aid each year. Since the majority of employees at FSA are career staff, they are not required to sign the ethics pledges that President Trump's … Continue Reading
April 26, 2018
Rep. Takano Statement on Dr. Ronny Jackson
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), the vice ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released the following statement after Dr. Ronny Jackson withdrew from consideration as Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. "Given the serious allegations of misconduct - in addition to his lack of management experience- it is clear that Dr. Jackson made the right decision by withdrawing from consideration as the next VA Secretary. "In terms of both the size of … Continue Reading
April 26, 2018
GAO Report: Shadowy Industry is Manipulating Student Loan Borrowers, Default Rates
Washington, D.C. - Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report - commissioned by Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) - revealing how the little-known but increasingly harmful "default management industry" is using misleading information, coercion, and even $25 gift cards to manipulate student loan default rates. In response to the report's findings, Mr. Takano and Ms. DeLauro joined the GAO in calling for improvements to the Cohort Default Rate … Continue Reading
April 13, 2018
Rep. Takano Statement on U.S. Military Strike in Syria
Riverside, Calif. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), the vice ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released the following statement after President Trump ordered military strikes in response to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad's use of chemical weapons against civilians. "President Bashar Al-Assad must be held accountable for his use of chemical weapons against civilians. However, President Trump's decision to use military force in Syria without a coherent strategy and … Continue Reading
March 28, 2018
Rep. Takano Statement on Firing of Secretary Shulkin
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), the vice ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released the following statement after President Trump fired VA Secretary David Shulkin. "Secretary David Shulkin was fired because he refused to implement a radical plan - pushed by the Koch brothers - to force millions of veterans into the for-profit health care system. I appreciate Dr. Shulkin's service to the country and I am deeply concerned about what his dismissal … Continue Reading
March 27, 2018
Rep. Takano: Census is Not a Tool for Political Gain
Riverside, Calif. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), a member of the House Census Caucus, released the following statement in response to the Trump administration's decision to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census. "The Constitution clearly states that the goal of the decennial census is to provide an accurate count of people living in the United States. By adding a citizenship question, the Trump administration is purposefully undermining that goal in order to intimidate minority … Continue Reading
March 23, 2018
Rep. Takano: Trump's Ban on Trans Servicemembers is a Disgrace
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), the first openly gay Member of Congress elected in California, released the following statement in response to President Trump's decision to reissue a ban on transgender people serving in the military. "President Trump's decision to reissue a ban on transgender servicemembers is a disgrace to the office he holds and the country he took an oath to protect. Any person who has the courage and patriotism to serve a nation at war should receive our … Continue Reading
March 22, 2018
Rep. Takano Opposes Omnibus Spending Bill
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement after voting against the omnibus spending bill, which passed the House this afternoon. "Just 16 hours after it was released, Speaker Paul Ryan asked Members of Congress to support a 2,000-page bill that spends $1.3 trillion in taxpayer dollars. Even worse, he asked Members to support the bill without allowing a vote on the fate of Dreamers, without allowing a debate on the continued expansion of military … Continue Reading
March 20, 2018
Announcing the First Annual International Chart Day
Today, Tumblr and the Society for News Design, in collaboration with the office of Congressman Mark Takano (CA-41) announced the first annual "International Chart Day," to take place on April 26th. Charts and other variations of information graphics have been around for hundreds of years, and are an important tool for making complex information easier to understand. The growing debate over "fake news" is only going to increase the importance of the chart in dispelling untruths and countering … Continue Reading
March 14, 2018
Rep. Takano Challenges For-Profit Colleges to Support Protections for Students and Taxpayers
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), a public school teacher for 24 years and a community college trustee for two decades, challenged the for-profit education industry today to support the Department of Education's existing Gainful Employment and Borrower Defense rules. The Obama-era rules, which are aimed at protecting students and taxpayers from fraudulent for-profit colleges, are being revised and weakened by the Trump administration. Rep. Takano issued the challenge at a … Continue Reading
March 12, 2018
GOP Education Platform: Train Teachers to Fire Weapons, Not to Teach Students
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), a public school teacher for 24 years, released the following statement in response to the Trump administration's proposal to offer "rigorous firearms training" to teachers. The proposal comes just four months after House Republicansadvanced a Higher Education Act reauthorization bill that eliminates funding for teacher training and loan forgiveness programs that help recruit and support educators. "The Trump administration's proposal to offer … Continue Reading
March 09, 2018
Education Department Betrays Students…Again
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement in response to the Department of Education's "notice of interpretation" that exempts federal student loan servicers from state regulation. "The Trump administration's attempt to block states from holding unethical student loan companies accountable is a disgraceful escalation of its attack on students and the integrity of the higher education system. At a time when 42 million Americans owe roughly $1.4 trillion in … Continue Reading
March 07, 2018
Rep. Takano: 6th Circuit Delivers Another Landmark Victory for LGBT Rights
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), the first openly gay Member of Congress elected in the state of California and the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, released the following statement in response to a ruling by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in EEOC v. R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes. The court found that LGBT workplace discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. "For the second time in two weeks, a federal court has … Continue Reading
March 06, 2018
Rep. Takano: President Trump Must Choose Between Veterans and Billionaires
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), vice ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released the following statement after a joint House and Senate Veterans Committee hearing on the legislative priorities of key veterans service organizations. "Today, multiple veterans service organizations once again expressed the importance of a strong and sustainable VA health care system that can provide veterans the quality of care they deserve. The question is: Will … Continue Reading
March 05, 2018
Rep. Takano Donates Pizzas to Striking West Virginia Teachers
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), a public-school teacher for 24 years, made a $100 donation today to buy pizzas for the West Virginia teachers striking for a living wage and to express his support for increasing wages for teachers across the country. "I know from experience that teaching is one of the most meaningful and difficult jobs imaginable," said Rep. Takano. "A teacher's salary will never reflect their impact on our communities and no teacher joins the profession in … Continue Reading
February 28, 2018
Rep. Takano Slams Proposal to Shield Unethical Student-Loan Debt Collectors from Accountability
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement in response to reports that the Department of Education is moving forward with plans to issue a rule blocking states from regulating unethical student-loan debt collectors. "When a company deceives a student about their student loan options, it puts that student's financial and educational future in jeopardy. That is why dozens of states, including my home state of California, have taken action to protect students … Continue Reading
February 26, 2018
Rep. Takano Statement on Court Ruling in LGBT Workplace Discrimination Case
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), the first openly gay Member of Congress elected in the state of California, released the following statement regarding a ruling by the Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit in Zarda v. Altitude Express, Inc. The court found that LGBT workplace discrimination violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964. "In spite of the progress we've made toward LGBT equality, it is still possible for LGBT employees to get married on Saturday, post pictures on Sunday, … Continue Reading
February 09, 2018
Rep. Takano Statement on Budget Deal
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement regarding the budget agreement, which President Trump signed into law this morning. "The budget agreement that President Trump signed into law this morning contains many provisions that I support. Securing a decade of funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program, increasing support for Community Health Centers, and lifting the 'sequester caps' that have strangled domestic spending for several years are … Continue Reading