Press Releases
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
February 02, 2018
Rep. Takano Statement on Release of “Nunes Memo”
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement after Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee, with support from the Trump administration, declassified and published a misleading, incomplete, and partisan memo attacking the FBI and Justice Department's investigation into the Trump campaign's connection to Russian interference in the 2016 election. "The decision by House Republicans and the Trump administration to published the 'Nunes memo' is … Continue Reading
February 01, 2018
Rep. Takano: DOL Must Withdraw Proposed Tip Rule
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), ranking member of the Committee on Workforce Protections, called on the Department of Labor (DOL) to withdraw its proposed tip pooling rule, which would allow employers to pocket or redistribute the tips earned by workers. This morning, a Bloomberg BNA report revealed that senior DOL officials hid an internal economic analysis that found the rule would cost workers billions of dollars in tips. "The Department of Labor's decision to hide … Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
Rep. Takano Statement on State of the Union
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. "Like so many of his public statements, President Trump's State of the Union address was misleading, divisive, and provided no substantive vision for conquering the challenges confronting our nation. He claimed credit for an economy that he inherited and promised spending that his own party does not support. He portrayed immigrants as … Continue Reading
January 26, 2018
Rep. Takano Statement on Trump Administration’s Radical Immigration Proposal
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement after the Trump administration published a radical immigration proposal that uses the fate of Dreamers as leverage to dramatically restrict legal immigration to the United States. "In producing such a radical immigration proposal, President Trump makes clear that he views Dreamers not as people but as bargaining chips in a larger effort to dramatically restrict legal immigration to the United States. … Continue Reading
January 25, 2018
Rep. Takano Introduces Legislation to Study Racial Disparities in Auto Insurance Market
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) introduced legislation today to increase transparency and study racial disparities in the auto insurance market. The FAIR RATES Act of 2018 directs the Federal Insurance Office to collect local-level data from large auto insurance companies, publicly disclose that data, and submit an analysis to Congress on the impact of race on insurance prices. A recent ProPublica report found that some large insurers charge drivers in minority neighborhoods … Continue Reading
January 22, 2018
Rep. Takano Statement on Three-Week Continuing Resolution
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement after voting against a short-term continuing resolution, which does not include a solution for Dreamers, funding for community health centers, or disaster recovery funding for states still reeling from natural disasters. "This continuing resolution is further proof that the Trump administration and the Republican Congress lack both the competence and the moral authority to govern this country effectively. … Continue Reading
January 18, 2018
Rep. Takano Statement on Continuing Resolution
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano released the following statement after voting against the continuing resolution, which would fund the government through February 16 but excluded protections for Dreamers. "The continuing resolution passed tonight by the House of Representatives contained many provisions that I supported, including a six-year extension of the Children's Health Insurance Program. However, it also failed to include essential, bipartisan priorities. "When the … Continue Reading
January 10, 2018
Rep. Takano, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Applaud Progress in Restoring Benefits to Deported Veterans
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Veterans Committee Democrats applauded the progress being made by the Department of Veterans Affairs in restoring access to disability benefits and health care for American veterans who were deported after their service. On November 20, 2017, the VA formally established a location in Tijuana where deported veterans can receive a Compensation & Pension (C&P) Exam, which is a mandatory step that … Continue Reading
December 21, 2017
Rep. Takano Statement on Disaster Funding Bill
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement after voting in support of the Disaster Supplemental Funding Bill, which provides emergency funding for disasters caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, as well as the California wildfires. "Over the past several weeks, wildfires in California have damaged more than 21,000 homes and more than 2,800 businesses. The total cost of that damage is estimated to top $9 billion, and families across the … Continue Reading
December 21, 2017
Rep. Takano Statement on Disaster Funding Bill
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement after voting against the continuing resolution, which would fund the government through January 19 but excludes several key priorities. "I have repeatedly said that Congress should not leave Washington without fully funding the Children's Health Insurance Program, fully funding our Community Health Centers, providing disaster relief for California and other hard-hit states, and finding a permanent solution … Continue Reading
December 19, 2017
Rep. Takano: GOP Tax Bill is Immoral
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement after voting against GOP tax bill, which would cut taxes for corporations and the wealthiest families while adding more than a trillion dollars to the deficit. "Today, the House of Representatives missed a huge opportunity to cut taxes on middle-class Americans, grow the economy, and invest in our country. Instead, Republicans used a rushed and partisan process to pass an immoral piece of legislation that cuts … Continue Reading
December 19, 2017
Rep. Takano Statement on HR 4242
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), vice ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released the following statement after voting against advancing H.R. 4242, the VA Care in the Community Act, out of Committee. The bill would consolidate care in the community but continues the chronic underfunding of veterans' care, which would have serious and long-term consequences for veterans. "Consolidating VA's many care in the community programs is a bipartisan … Continue Reading
December 15, 2017
Sablan and Takano Statement on NLRB Chairman’s Abuse of Power During Final Days
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, and Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-M.P.), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, released the following statement after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued multiple, rushed 3-2 decisions that will undermine workers' rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). These decisions included Hy-Brand Industrial Contractors, … Continue Reading
December 13, 2017
Rep. Takano Statement on PROSPER Act
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement after the PROSPER Act was advanced out of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce despite unanimous opposition from Committee Democrats. "The PROSPER Act would have profound and devastating consequences for America's higher education system. "It would make college unaffordable for millions of low-income students by cutting the grant programs and subsidized loans that make a good education accessible … Continue Reading
December 06, 2017
English Teacher Turned Congressman Dusts Off Red Pen, Grades Majority Leader McConnell’s Op-ed on GOP Tax Bill
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano, an English teacher for more than two decades, dusted off his red pen today to grade Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's op-ed on the Senate Republican tax bill, which was published in the Wall Street Journal over the weekend. The final grade: "F." In his edits, Rep. Takano identifies several flaws in the substance and style of Mr. McConnell's prose and reminds the Senate majority leader of previous discussions about waiting until the last minute to write … Continue Reading