Press Releases
Rep. Takano Reintroduces Higher Education Regulations to Protect Students and Hold For-Profit Colleges Accountable
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) reintroduced the Protections and Regulations for Our Students, PRO Students, Act. The PRO Students Act is a comprehensive piece of legislation designed to protect students from for-profit colleges by establishing strong regulations for the for-profit college system. This legislation was originally introduced by Rep. Takano in 2015. The abrupt closures of for-profit colleges such as Corinthian Colleges, ITT Technical Institutes, and more-recently … Continue Reading
June 13, 2019
Reps. Takano, Hill, and Cook Secure Bipartisan Amendment to Prevent Consolidation of Defense Media Activity in the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act
Riverside, CA - Reps. Mark Takano (D-CA), Katie Hill (D-CA), and Paul Cook (R-CA) secured a bipartisan amendment to prevent the consolidation of Defense Media Activity (DMA) in the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The amendment, which was adopted Wednesday, would limit any funds from being used to consolidate the DMA until 180 days after the date of enactment of this act - providing Congress additional time to consider and respond to a potential consolidation of DMA. "This … Continue Reading
June 12, 2019
Senate Passes Rep. Takano’s Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act
Riverside, CA - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement after the Senate unanimously passed the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019, H.R. 299. "Tonight, we can finally tell the tens of thousands of veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War but wrongly denied benefits that justice is finally coming. By passing the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, Congress has proven to the nation, to our veterans and their families, and the … Continue Reading
June 11, 2019
Rep. Takano and Chairman Scott, Sens. Brown and Murray Introduce Legislation to Expand Overtime Pay for Millions of Workers
Washington, DC - Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) and Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) and U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Patty Murray (D-WA) today introduced legislation to make millions of American workers newly eligible for overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours a week, providing economic security to millions of working families. The Restoring Overtime Pay Act would increase the overtime salary level from $23,660 per year to nearly $51,000 per year, making roughly 4.6 million workers … Continue Reading
June 07, 2019
Chairman Takano and Rep. Vargas Demand Answers from Acting ICE Director Following GAO Report on the Deportation of U.S. Military Veterans
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.) authored a letter to Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Mark Morgan following a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report's findings on the issue of the deportation of U.S. military veterans, as reported by CNN. The report released on Thursday found that ICE has not been following existing policies for non-citizen veterans who may be … Continue Reading
May 28, 2019
Rep. Takano Releases Updated Report on the Heavy Burden of Rent in Riverside
Riverside, CA - Rep. Takano (D-Calif.) released an updated version of his 2014 report examining rent costs, household income trends, and housing availability in Riverside County. The report found that about one in three households in the Inland Empire are severely rent burdened, with 30.2 percent of all Riverside County renters spending more than half of their annual income on rent. Since 2007, Riverside County's median annual income has decreased by 7.2 percent while rent has gone up by 3.8 … Continue Reading
May 22, 2019
Rep. Takano and Chairwoman Adams Lead 75 House Democrats in Opposing Department of Labor’s Proposed Overtime Rule
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC), led 75 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Department of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta expressing opposition to the Department's proposed overtime rule and urging the withdrawal of this rule, which would fail to strengthen protections for millions of American workers. In the letter, Members write, "The Department's proposed salary threshold of $35,308 … Continue Reading
May 21, 2019
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on Iran
Washington, DC - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released this statement following a bipartisan briefing on Iran and the current escalating tensions being provoked by President Trump and his administration: "Today, I attended a bipartisan Congressional briefing on Iran with Secretary Mike Pompeo, Acting Secretary Mike Shanahan, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford. The purpose of this intelligence briefing was to … Continue Reading
May 17, 2019
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on Passage of the Equality Act
Washington, DC - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), co-Chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, released this statement following the passage of H.R. 5, the Equality Act, which would extend anti-discrimination protections to LGBTQ Americans with regard to employment, education, access to credit, jury service, federal funding, housing and public accommodations: "The House has taken a historic vote to extend federal protections from discrimination to LGBTQ Americans. Our nation was founded on the principle … Continue Reading
May 17, 2019
Rep. Mark Takano Leads Bipartisan Letter Opposing the Relocation of Defense Media Activity Functions from March Air Reserve Base
Riverside, CA - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) sent a letter signed by Rep. Calvert and Sens. Feinstein and Harris of California to Acting Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, expressing concern and opposition to the Department of Defense's ongoing effort to relocate Defense Media Activity (DMA) functions currently stationed at March Air Reserve Base, which would lead to the elimination of the positions of about 250 employees. In the letter, Members write, "DMA-Riverside stands as a … Continue Reading
May 17, 2019
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on Fighter Jet Crash at March Air Reserve Base
Riverside, CA - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released this statement following the Military F-16 Fighter Jet Crash at March Air Reserve Base. "I am grateful that no one was seriously injured after an F-16 fighter jet crashed at a warehouse near March Air Reserve Base. I will be requesting more information from Commander Coburn on what went wrong during the exercise and what measures are being implemented to avoid another dangerous incident. Thank you to the first responders at the scene who … Continue Reading
May 10, 2019
Rep. Takano Delivers Floor Speech in Spanish for Mothers Separated from their Children at the Border
Washington, D.C. - In honor of Mother's Day, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) delivered a speech on the House Floor to express solidarity with mothers separated from their children at the border due to President Trump's family separation policy. You can download the speech here. Spanish transcript of Rep. Takano's speech: Este día de las madres, tengo un mensaje para todas las mamás que fueron separadas de sus hijos en nuestra frontera después de hacer un viaje largo y … Continue Reading
April 24, 2019
Rep. Takano: “I will actively oppose any efforts to move crucial DMA capabilities outside of March ARB.”
Riverside, CA - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement following confirmation that the U.S. Department of Defense is considering the relocation of Defense Media Activity (DMA) functions currently stationed at March Air Reserve Base. "I am disappointed in the Department's push to consolidate its Defense Media Activity functions to other parts of the country, and I will actively oppose any efforts to move crucial DMA capabilities outside of March ARB. "DoD has been … Continue Reading
April 15, 2019
Rep. Takano Commends UCR for Receiving $2.5 Million Federal Grant to Support Business Growth in Riverside
Riverside, CA - The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2.5 million federal grant to the University of California, Riverside (UCR) for use in a life sciences industry business incubator. The Inland Empire Entrepreneurial Life Science Incubator Acquisition Project will support life sciences-focused businesses by creating job opportunities for the region's workforce and addressing the demand for more high-skilled workers. … Continue Reading
April 10, 2019
Rep. Mark Takano: "This Is A National Crisis"
Riverside, CA - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released the statement below following several concerning reports of veteran suicides in the past week. "My sincere condolences to the family and friends of the veteran who died by suicide last night outside the Austin VA facility. This is a national crisis that we all need to address. Every new instance of veteran suicide showcases a barrier to access, but with three incidents on VA property in … Continue Reading
March 13, 2019
Rep. Takano Introduces Legislation to Expand Clean Energy Storage and Launches Bipartisan Advanced Energy Storage Caucus
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif), together with Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY), introduced three pieces of legislation to expand clean battery energy storage and launched the bipartisan Advanced Energy Storage Caucus to promote understanding of energy storage systems. The energy storage legislative package introduced includes the Storage Technology for Operational Readiness and Generating Energy Act (STORAGE Act), Battery Storage Innovation Act, and the Advancing Grid Storage … Continue Reading
March 12, 2019
Rep. Takano Helps Introduce the Dream and Promise Act as an Original Cosponsor
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) joined Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Reps. Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.), Velázquez (D-NY), Clarke (D-NY), and Members of the House Democratic Caucus in introducing H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act of 2019. The bill was unveiled at a press event and Rep. Takano's remarks can be found here. The Dream and Promise Act's designation as H.R. 6 underscores its status as a priority of the House Majority. This legislation is the 116th Congress' version … Continue Reading
March 08, 2019
Rep. Takano Statement on Closure of Dream Center For-Profit Colleges
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano released this statement following the closure of 22 Dream Center Education Holdings, LLC for-profit college campuses. "More than 10,000 students across the country had their dreams stifled by yet another set of for-profit college closures, including students at the Art Institute of California, Inland Empire campus. Now these students who were pursuing an education and hoped to earn a degree have been left with burdensome debt and credits they cannot … Continue Reading
March 01, 2019
Rep. Takano: “New overtime salary threshold ignores the economic realities middle-class workers are facing”
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement following reports that the U.S. Department of Labor plans to raise the overtime pay threshold to $35,000 from $24,000 through new rulemaking. "The Department of Labor's new overtime salary threshold ignores the economic realities middle-class workers are facing across the country. The $35,000 overtime pay threshold is woefully inadequate compared to the Obama-era regulations that would have increased the … Continue Reading
February 26, 2019
Rep. Takano Introduces Let It Go Act to Stop Personal Use of Campaign Funds After the Campaign Ends
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) introduced the Let It Go Act to limit how long former political candidates can hold on to campaign funds while presenting them the option to return the money to donors, donate it to charity, or transfer to another candidate - all permissible uses under current election law. "Americans make financial contributions to a candidate of their choice with the expectation that those funds will be put to good use by the candidate's campaign," said Rep. … Continue Reading