Press Releases
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on Racist Letters Mailed to Riverside Nail Salon
Riverside, CA - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released this statement following reports of a nail salon in Riverside receiving anonymous, racist letters in the mail targeting their Asian American employees. "I was horrified and disgusted after reading the anonymous, racist, hate-filled letter sent to Top 10 Nails & Spa in Riverside - I was also infuriated and I condemn this racist act. The letter explicitly and unashamedly contains the slurs and stereotypes that the Asian American … Continue Reading
March 25, 2021
Reps. Takano, Adams, Scott and Sen. Brown Urge Secretary Walsh to Restore Overtime Pay Protections for Millions of Workers
Riverside, CA - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC), Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), sent a letter to Secretary Marty Walsh urging the Department of Labor to take strong action to restore overtime pay protections for millions of workers. In the letter they state, "In 2016, the Obama Administration's DOL finalized a rule (Obama Rule) that would have increased the salary threshold to the 40th percentile of earnings of full-time, salaried workers in … Continue Reading
March 18, 2021
Rep. Takano Applauds Biden Administration’s Action on Borrower Defense Claims
"I applaud Secretary Cardona for taking this important and necessary action, which will provide 72,000 defrauded student loan borrowers with the full debt relief they are legally entitled to. For years, I have been a strong advocate for full debt forgiveness for these borrowers - because they were entitled to it after the Department of Education found that ITT Technical Institute and Corinthian Colleges cheated and defrauded them. Now, these borrowers and their families can breathe a sigh of … Continue Reading
March 18, 2021
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on the House Passage of the American Dream and Promise Act
Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released this statement following the passage of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, in the House of Representatives. This legislation allows U.S.-raised immigrant youth known as Dreamers - individuals enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program - to earn lawful permanent residence and American citizenship. Additionally, H.R. 6 includes protections and a pathway to citizenship for Temporary Protected Status … Continue Reading
March 10, 2021
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on the Final Passage of the American Rescue Plan
Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released this statement following the final passage of the American Rescue Plan, a bold and robust COVID-19 relief package. "One year ago, the coronavirus pandemic upended our lives and unleashed devastation in communities across America. Since then, we have suffered great loss as a nation and Americans are ready to turn the page on this difficult chapter. To do that, we must follow public health guidance and make investments that will help … Continue Reading
March 03, 2021
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on the Passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released this statement following the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a comprehensive, transformative piece of legislation to hold law enforcement accountable and reform our justice system. "Months after millions of Americans took to the streets to protest the horrific murders of George Floyd and so many innocent, unarmed Black men and women at the hands of police officers, the House has once again passed the George … Continue Reading
March 03, 2021
Chairman Mark Takano, Rep. Anthony Brown, and Senator Blumenthal Announce Legislation to Create Commission on LGBTQ Servicemembers and Veterans
Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), Chair of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and co-Chair of the Equality Caucus, and Rep. Anthony Brown (D-MD) introduced the Commission on LGBTQ Servicemembers and Veterans Act in the House, legislation that would establish a commission to conduct an investigation into the historic and ongoing impacts of discriminatory military policies and practices on LGBTQ servicemembers and veterans. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) will be … Continue Reading
February 26, 2021
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on the Passage of the American Rescue Plan
Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released this statement following the passage of the American Rescue Plan in the House, President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. "The coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis it has caused have upended our lives and millions of people in Riverside County and across the nation are hurting. By passing the American Rescue Plan, we can help people endure these compounding crises and put our country on a path to … Continue Reading
February 25, 2021
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on the Passage of the Equality Act
Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released this statement on the House passage of the Equality Act. Rep. Takano is a co-Chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus and in 2012 he became the first openly gay person of color elected to Congress. "Over the past few years, we have seen progress being made to establish rights for LGBTQ+ people in America. Marriage equality is a right nationwide and last year the Supreme Court extended protection from discrimination to LGBTQ+ people in the … Continue Reading
February 24, 2021
Rep. Takano and Rep. Evans Reintroduce Bill to Ensure People Released From Prison Can Obtain Proper State ID Cards
Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Penn.), reintroduced the Restoring Access Through Identification Act to ensure people who are released from prison are able to obtain proper state ID cards by requiring the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to cover the costs associated with obtaining identification cards. Covering the cost of obtaining a state-issued ID prior to release helps remove some of the barriers people face to reintegrating back into the … Continue Reading
February 19, 2021
Rep. Mark Takano Reintroduces the Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act
Riverside, CA - Today, on the Day of Remembrance for Japanese American internment, Representative Mark Takano (D-CA), reintroduced the Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act to prohibit the imprisonment or detainment of American citizens solely on the basis of race, religion, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or disability. This legislation establishes clear legal protections to prevent atrocities such as the internment of Japanese Americans during … Continue Reading
February 18, 2021
Chairman Takano, Reps. Vargas and Grijalva Introduce Comprehensive Legislative Package to Prevent the Deportation of Veterans
Riverside, CA - Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41), Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51), and Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-3) reintroduced?the?Veteran Deportation Prevention and Reform Act to prevent noncitizen veterans from being deported, improve tracking of noncitizen veterans in immigration proceedings, and bring certain eligible deported veterans back home. This bill was originally introduced in the 116th Congress. "It's a disgrace that veterans are falling through the cracks of our broken … Continue Reading
February 16, 2021
Rep. Mark Takano and Rep. John Rutherford Relaunch the Congressional Deaf Caucus in the 117th Congress
Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Representative John Rutherford (R-Fla.) relaunched the Congressional Deaf Caucus in the 117th Congress. Reps. Takano and Rutherford will serve as co-chairs of this bipartisan caucus dedicated to bridging the communication divide between Members of Congress and their respective Deaf and Hard of Hearing constituents, as well as empowering these individuals by promoting equal access to government for all. "Serving as co-chair of … Continue Reading
February 12, 2021
Reps. Takano and Foster lead Members in Sending Letter to House CAO Requesting Security Assessment of Capitol Technology Infrastructure Following the Jan. 6 Insurrection
Riverside, CA - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) and Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) led a group of Members in sending a letter to the Chief Administrative Officer and the Acting Chief Information Officer of the House raising concerns about the potential threat the January 6th insurrectionists presented to House technology infrastructure. In the letter, the Member say, "On January 6, 2021, insurrectionists successfully infiltrated the Capitol complex and compromised the security and integrity of … Continue Reading
February 09, 2021
Rep. Takano Praises Inclusion of Provision to Close the “90-10 Loophole” in the Latest COVID-19 Relief Package
Riverside, CA - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Chair of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, praised the inclusion of a provision that would close the "90-10 loophole" which allows predatory for-profit educational institutions to exploit veterans and waste the GI Bill benefits veterans have earned in the latest COVID-19 relief package. "Predatory for-profit colleges have taken advantage of the '90-10 loophole' to cheat veterans and servicemembers out of their education benefits … Continue Reading
February 02, 2021
Rep. Takano and Sen. Hirono Renew Efforts to Award Fred Korematsu the Congressional Gold Medal
Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) introduced bicameral legislation to award Fred Korematsu the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his legacy of fighting against the illegal incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and for being a staunch defender of civil rights. "Fred Korematsu was a fierce advocate for justice, a civil rights icon, and a defender of the rights of all people. In the face of injustice … Continue Reading
January 25, 2021
The Equality Caucus Applauds Biden Administration for the Reversal of the Transgender Military Ban
Washington, D.C. - The Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus today expressed its appreciation for the steps taken by the Biden Administration to reverse the harmful ban on transgender people serving openly in the military. This policy, which has harmed both the individuals impacted and the nation's security, is overdue for reversal. "Anyone willing to serve our country in the Armed Forces should be treated with respect and dignity," said Equality Caucus Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01). "I am … Continue Reading
January 25, 2021
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on President Biden Reversing the Trans Military Ban
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released this statement after President Biden signed an executive order reversing the discriminatory trans military ban. "By reversing the discriminatory trans military ban, President Biden is signaling to all of our troops that their service is welcome and appreciated in the United States of America. To have this be one of his first acts as Commander in Chief is a relief after four years of bigoted attacks against trans people, and it's a … Continue Reading
January 13, 2021
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on His Vote to Impeach President Donald Trump
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released this statement on his vote to impeach President Donald Trump for inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. "Today, I voted to impeach President Donald Trump for inciting a violent and deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. I took this solemn action in accordance with the oath I swore to support and defend our Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. "President Trump has shown himself to be a clear and … Continue Reading
January 12, 2021
Rep. Takano to Vote for Resolution Calling on Vice President Pence to Invoke the 25th Amendment to Remove Trump from Office
Washington, D.C. - Tonight, following last Wednesday's insurrection at the U.S. Capitol incited by President Trump, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) will vote in support of H. Res. 21, a resolution calling upon Vice President Mike Pence to immediately use his powers under section 4 of the 25th Amendment to convene and mobilize the principal officers of the executive departments to declare that the President is unable to successfully discharge the duties and powers of his office, and to transmit to … Continue Reading