Press Releases
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on the Department of Education Expanding Debt Relief for Corinthian Students
Washington, DC - On Monday afternoon, the Department of Education announced that it would be expanding debt relief for students of Corinthian Colleges. After the announcement, Rep. Mark Takano released the following statement: "Today's announcement from the Department of Education is welcome news to those who were defrauded and mislead by Corinthian Colleges. By expanding the requirements needed to receive debt relief, and announcing that a 'Special Master' will oversee this borrower defense … Continue Reading
May 15, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Votes No on National Defense Authorization Act
Washington DC - Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) released the following statement after voting against the National Defense Authorization Act: "Earlier today, I voted no on the National Defense Authorization Act, which would fund our Department of Defense and determine how money is spent within the DoD, despite supporting the NDAA in the past. I would have been happy to support the NDAA this year, especially since it contains a version of the Work for Warriors Act legislation that I introduced … Continue Reading
May 14, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on Attempting to Restore Education Benefits for Servicemembers Attending Colleges that Suddenly Close
Washington DC - Earlier today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) submitted an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which would restore eligibility for Department of Defense benefits, including tuition assistance, if an individual is unable to complete their education due to the closure of the school. Last month, Corinthian Colleges Inc. closed its remaining campuses, leaving more than 16,000 students in limbo and thousands of employees without a job. It is estimated that the … Continue Reading
April 30, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Introduces Legislation Granting VA Health Providers Collective Bargaining Rights
Washington DC - Earlier today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) introduced the VA Employee Fairness Act of 2015, which would repeal the provision in existing law that prohibits Veterans Health Administration nurses and health care providers from being able to bargain collectively to improve staffing levels and compensation. Currently, the VA places limitation on the ability of nurses and other frontline health care providers to collectively bargain on issues related to compensation or staffing. Such … Continue Reading
April 30, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Introduces Higher Education Regulation Legislation to Protect Students
Washington DC - Earlier today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA), and Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) introduced the Protections and Regulations for Our Students Act, also known as the PRO Students Act. Currently, 30 State Attorneys General, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Securities Exchange Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Department of Justice are investigating for-profit colleges for fraudulent practices. Earlier this week, Corinthian … Continue Reading
April 29, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Speech to Congress
Washington DC - Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) released the following statement after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe addressed a joint session of Congress: "I thank Prime Minister Abe for addressing Congress earlier today and reaffirming the bond between our nations, which has only grown stronger over time. I was especially moved when Prime Minister Abe offered his condolences to the Americans lost during World War II and when Lt. General Lawrence Snowden, who served in Iwo Jima, shook the … Continue Reading
April 28, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Statement After Attending Oral Arguments for Obergefell v. Hodges
Washington, DC - Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), one of the seven openly gay Members of Congress, released the following statement after attending oral arguments for the Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges, which questions whether the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to grant and/or recognize same-sex marriages: "During oral arguments for Obergefell v. Hodges, the legal team for the plaintiffs made it clear, as it has always been, that the Constitution is intended to grant rights - not strip … Continue Reading
April 23, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Introduces Legislation to Close Social Security and Medicare LGBT Loopholes
Washington DC - Earlier today, Rep. Mark Takano introduced the Social Security and Medicare Parity Act, which would close several loopholes in the Social Security Act and guarantee that all married couples, traditional and same-sex, receive the Social Security and Medicare spouse and survivor benefits that they have earned. After the Supreme Court issued its ruling for United States v. Windsor, the Department of Justice conducted a review to determine implementation of spouse and survivor … Continue Reading
April 15, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Introduces Helping Schools Protect Our Children Act
Washington DC - Earlier today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) introduced the Helping Schools Protect Our Children Act, which will ensure that teachers receive the training they need to properly recognize signs of sexual abuse in children. According to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, which is a voluntary data collection system, an estimated 679,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect in 2013. Of those children, 9% were victims of sexual abuse. Currently, 48 states mandate … Continue Reading
April 15, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on the Air Force KC-46A Basing Decision Impact on March Air Reserve Base
Washington DC - Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) released the following statement after it was announced that March Air Reserve Base was not selected as a candidate to receive the KC-46A Pegasus aerial tanker: "I am extremely disappointed that March Air Reserve Base was not selected as a candidate for KC-46A MOB 3. I will be asking the Air Force for detailed information about the factors contributing to this decision, in particular, exactly how March ARB was evaluated. I would also like to know why, … Continue Reading
April 08, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano to Attend Summit of the Americas with Bipartisan Congressional Delegation
Washington DC - Tomorrow, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) will travel to Panama with a bipartisan group of members of Congress during the Summit of the Americas, a two day international summit with leaders from North America, Central America and South American, and the Caribbean. Rep. Takano will be joined by Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), Rep. David Sckweikart (R-AZ), Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), and Rep. Bradley Byrne … Continue Reading
April 07, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on March Air Reserve Base Receiving Department of Transportation Grant for Infrastructure Improvements
Washington DC -Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) released the following statement after the Department of Transportation announced that March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, CA has been awarded a $2.5 million grant for infrastructure improvements: "I'm incredibly pleased that the Department of Transportation has awarded March Air Reserve Base $2.5 million so that it can improve base infrastructure and maintain its status as an important component of our military. These improvements will help preserve … Continue Reading
March 27, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on the Retirement of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid
Washington DC -Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) released the following statement after Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid announced that he would not seek re-election in 2016: "For his entire life, Senator Reid has been a fighter, first in the boxing ring and then in the Senate, where he fought for middle-class families, women's rights, health care reform, and equality for minorities. His legendary work ethic and tough as nails mentality combined with his calm demeanor is the embodiment of the saying, … Continue Reading
March 26, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Introduces the Keith Nolan Air Force Deaf Demonstration Act
Washington DC - Earlier today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) introduced the Keith Nolan Air Force Deaf Demonstration Act, which would allow deaf and hard of hearing individuals to serve in the United States Air Force in a demonstration program. Original co-sponsors include Rep. Niki Tsongas, Rep. John Delaney, Rep. Ted Lieu, and Rep. Chris Van Hollen. Currently, the Department of Defense sets medical standards for enlistment. Within the "hearing" section, there are requirements for hearing levels … Continue Reading
March 26, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Statement on House Republican Budget
Washington DC - Earlier today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Republican budget: "The budget passed by House Republicans today once again shows their commitment to ending Medicare as we know it, gutting education programs, repealing Obamacare, and increasing taxes on middle class families in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy. Upon winning the majority in the Senate in last year's midterm elections, Speaker Boehner … Continue Reading
March 25, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Introduces the Charter School Transparency, Accountability, and Quality Act
Washington DC - Earlier today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) introduced the Charter School Transparency, Accountability, and Quality Act, which will increase the information available regarding charter schools and improve charter laws. The dramatic growth of the charter school sector has raised many questions about the accountability, transparency, and quality of these rapidly opening charter schools. Only 15 states and the District of Columbia have established standards for charter school … Continue Reading
March 25, 2015
Rep. Takano Part of Bipartisan Group to Reintroduce the Veteran Spouses Equal Treatment Act
Washington, D.C. - Today Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), Ranking Member of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, led a bipartisan group of colleagues to reintroduce the Veteran Spouses Equal Treatment Act, to ensure all military families have equal access to the benefits they earned serving our country. The bill is cosponsored by Representatives Mike Coffman (R-CO), John Conyers (D-MI), Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), Richard Hanna (R-NY), David Jolly (R-FL), … Continue Reading
March 19, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Red Pen Markup Part Deux: The Marco Rubio Net Neutrality Op-Ed Edition
Washington DC - Earlier today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) took a red pen to Florida Senator Marco Rubio's recent op-ed on Net Neutrality. In the markup, Rep. Takano calls the op-ed "intentionally misleading," "poorly researched and sourced," and urges Senator Rubio not to draft essays on his return flights from Iowa. In the op-ed, which is littered with errors, Senator Rubio claims that, "By labeling ISPs as public utilities, an extraordinary amount of power over the Internet, including … Continue Reading
March 09, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Reflects on Commemoration of 50th Anniversary of the March in Selma
Washington DC - This past weekend, Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) attended the commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the civil rights march in Selma, Alabama. Throughout the weekend, Takano visited historic landmark locations and memorials, met with civil rights icons, attended events with Rep. John Lewis, and was present for President Obama's speech in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. After the event, Takano released the following statement reflecting on the weekend: "This past weekend, I was … Continue Reading
March 06, 2015
Rep. Mark Takano Joins More Than 200 Congressional Democrats On SCOTUS Brief in Support of Marriage Equality
Washington DC - Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) joined 166 other members of the United States House of Representatives and 44 Senators in filing a brief with the United States Supreme Court today. The amici curiae filed by the members of Congress calls on the Supreme Court to rule in favor of marriage equality in the cases to be heard by the Court in April. "It is time for the Court to complete the important work that it began with the Windsordecision in 2013 and bring marriage equality to every … Continue Reading