Issues

Our nation is dangerously divided and our democracy is undergoing a critical stress test. Rampant misinformation and outrageous conspiracy theories are fanned by right wing media and amplified on social media with disastrous and deadly results.

Anna witnessed this firsthand during the terrifying January 6th siege on the Capitol when a vicious mob, incited by the former president, attempted to stop the counting of Electoral ballots and upend the peaceful transition of power, a hallmark of our democracy.

As a member of Congress, Anna took an oath of office to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” These are not just words for Anna - these words are her North Star.

She has consistently offered bills and voted for legislation that promote democracy at-home and abroad and address the dangerous amplification of fake news.

She co-sponsored and voted for the Madeline Albright Democracy in the 21st Century Act to support democracy around the world by increasing funding for pro-democracy groups and activities.

At home, her work has focused on protecting the integrity of elections, increasing transparency, and expanding voting rights access, especially for minorities.

She co-sponsored the Freedom to Vote Act that addresses voter suppression efforts around the country by improving access to the ballot, advancing commonsense federal election standards and campaign finance reform, and ending gerrymandering. The Act also includes provisions from her Election Day Holiday Act which would make presidential elections a federal holiday so no one has to choose between working and voting.

Other pro-democracy legislation that Anna has authored include:

★ Protecting Americans from Dangerous Algorithms Act. Limits large social media companies’ immunity from liability if it uses an algorithm to amplify harmful content involving civil rights or acts of international terrorism on its platform.

★ The Presidential Tax Transparency Act. Requires candidates for the presidency and vice presidency, and presidents and vice presidents to share their tax returns with the public. (Initially introduced in 2016 after Donald Trump broke with modern norms and refused to disclose his tax returns. Reintroduced multiple times, including in 2023, and was included in major election reform legislation, the Protect Our Democracy Act, in December of 2021.)

★ The Foreign Entities Reform Act of 2019 (FERA). Requires public disclosure of foreign agent-backed media content to Americans. American consumers have a right to know whether a campaign ad is foreign-government backed propaganda.

★ Amendment to the Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act. Requires increased transparency and disclosure from entities that purchase political advertisements via cable, satellite, or broadcast television or radio. Voters have a right to know who’s paying for political ads.

Anna voted to overturn Citizens United - every contribution to every candidate and political committee should be public. In 2020 and 2022, she earned an “A” rating from End Citizens United Action Fund.

Our economy has come a long way since the dark days of the pandemic. We now have record low unemployment, strong job growth, rising wages and decreases in the deficit and inflation. And yet some prices are still too high, supply shortages of prescription drugs and critical components remain, and many, especially in marginalized communities, do not feel financially secure.

As President Biden said in his State of the Union Address, “Every member of our community should have decent housing, health care, and fair working conditions...”

Anna is working to improve the lives of all her constituents to ensure that the economy of our nation and our Silicon Valley region continue to grow, innovate and compete effectively.

She co-sponsored the Raise the Wage Act, which would gradually increase the federal minimum wage from its current $7.25 to $17 per hour by 2028. And, she was an original co-sponsor of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which strengthens employees' rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace, and introduced the Workforce Mobility Act to limit employers’ ability to require employees to sign non-compete agreements. She voted for funding to expand broadband access to all - a necessity for school children, remote workers and everyone to succeed.

Anna has championed the effort to repeal the Trump Administration’s imposed cap on the State and Local tax (SALT) deduction which disproportionately affects high cost of living states like California. In Anna’s District this unfair cap hits middle class families the hardest, with nearly 200,000 households in her District having claimed the SALT deduction prior to the imposition of the $10,000 cap, with an average deduction of $63,000. Anna is a co-founder of the bipartisan SALT Caucus which was formed to fight for tax relief for middle class families and voted to raise the $10,000 cap on the SALT deduction.

Anna is the Co-Chair of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) caucus, which has organized several impactful member briefings on AI. She understands how important it is for U.S. innovation and competitiveness to bring stakeholders together to gain a better understanding of this complex and exciting new technology that holds both promise and peril.

Anna is the author of the bipartisan, bicameral 2020 law that established the National AI Research Resource Task Force to study the feasibility of establishing a national artificial intelligence research resource. And, in 2023 Anna introduced the National AI Commission Act to make recommendations to Congress on how to regulate AI without stifling innovation. She also introduced the Creating Resources for Every American to Experiment with Artificial Intelligence (CREATE AI) Act to spur AI research and innovation beyond Big Tech’s research labs. The bill establishes a national AI research resource to provide access to much-needed compute and datasets for academics, nonprofit researchers, the public sector, and startups.

For her leadership in AI, in September, 2023, TIME chose her for their Most Influential People in AI List.

Below are examples of other recent legislation that Anna has authored, co-sponsored or voted for to strengthen our economy and competitiveness:

★ The Supporting American Printed Circuit Boards Act: enhances America’s economic leadership by encouraging domestic printed circuit boards manufacturing and R&D to reduce supply chain disruptions and address security concerns related to overseas production. Anna introduced the bipartisan bill in the House in 2022;

★ The Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act: boosts domestic semiconductor manufacturing and reduces reliance on foreign producers. Anna’s bill passed the House in 2023;

★ The Drug Origin Transparency Act: requires drug manufacturers to disclose the full supply chain for drugs and their ingredients and to include sourcing information on consumer drug labels to assist with identifying and mitigating potential supply chain issues. Anna introduced this bill in the House in 2023;

★ CHIPS & Science Act: legislation that provides $280 billion in new funding to stimulate domestic research and manufacturing of semiconductor chips and includes Anna’s provision to expand funding eligibility to U.S. suppliers of materials and equipment used in the production of chips. Became law in 2022; and

★ America COMPETES Act, a comprehensive package of bills that address supply chain weaknesses, encourages the manufacture of key products in America such as computer chips, personal protective gear and pharmaceutical ingredients, boosting U.S. competitiveness in the global market - the Act includes 5 of Anna’s bills and 2 of her amendments. Passed the House in 2022.

Anna authored an anti-discrimination Amendment to the America COMPETES Act which was passed by the House of Representatives on February 4, 2022, that provides that “The President shall ensure that the provisions of this Act which are aimed at countering the influence of the Chinese Communist Party are implemented in a manner that does not result in discrimination against people of Asian descent on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, or nationality.”

Anna is the Democratic Leader of the House Health Subcommittee and served as the Chair of the Health Subcommittee in the 116th and 117th Congresses. She is the first woman to ever serve in this leadership role in the history of Congress.

Anna is a seasoned and influential healthcare leader who authored portions of the Affordable Care Act and numerous other healthcare bills, including the creation of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). BARDA plays a major role in enabling private sector innovators to rapidly develop and deploy lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines.

Anna’s legislative efforts are on the cutting-edge to transform medicine and healthcare, and stimulate research and biomedical innovation. Last year her bill to create the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an independent health agency that incubates and fosters biomedical innovation to transform how we detect, treat, and cure the deadliest diseases, became law. Below are a few of the recently announced ARPA-H research projects:

— use AI to conduct precision surgery on tumors,

— use mRNA technology to prompt immune cells to fight cancer, and

— make joints weakened by arthritis and osteoporosis regrow.

In this Congress, Anna has been a leader on legislation to reduce premature births (the PREEMIE Act), better prepare for future pandemics (the reauthorization of her Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act), and address critical drug shortages.

Anna supports universal healthcare. She understands the burdens of the high costs of pharmaceutical drugs and led the effort to reduce prescription drug prices by allowing Medicare to directly negotiate, just as we do at the Veterans Administration. She has increased funding for mental health services, opioid treatment, and research to develop cures for the deadliest, most aggressive diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and pancreatic, liver, lung and ovarian cancer.

Anna is a staunch defender of women’s rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, human rights, civil rights, privacy rights - and the right to live a dignified life with equal opportunity to pursue the American dream. She believes that we owe it to future generations to protect the planet and ensure that our workplaces, neighborhoods and schools are safe from gun violence.

★ Women’s Rights and Reproductive Rights. Over her entire career in public office, Anna has fought for a woman’s right to choose and equality for women and girls. She will not rest until the right to choose is restored and equality is achieved.

Anna cosponsored and voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify Roe. She is an original co-sponsor of the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act so that women can travel legally across state lines to obtain lawful abortions or obtain drugs that are approved to terminate pregnancies in the mail.

Anna introduced the SAFER Health Act which would strengthen health privacy laws for women seeking reproductive healthcare services. The bill would prevent the disclosure of an individual's personal health information related to an abortion or pregnancy in a legal proceeding without the individual's authorization.

She was a staunch proponent of the successful California Proposition 1 - Right to Reproductive Freedom Constitutional Amendment. The proposition amended the California Constitution to expressly include an individual’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including the fundamental right to choose to have an abortion and the fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptives.

Anna is proud to have received many awards, certifications and endorsements for her work on women’s issues, including Planned Parent Action Fund, National Organization for Women Political Action Committee and National Women’s Political Caucus.

★ On LGBTQIA+ Rights. Anna has a long record of fighting for equality and justice when it was not popular or widely accepted. She was one of the few elected officials to publicly embrace the Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee (BAYMEC), an LGBTQIA+ political organization founded in the early 1980’s.

Anna is a co-sponsor of the Equality Act which would extend anti-discrimination protection under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sexual orientation and gender identity. She voted for the Respect for Marriage Act which repealed the Defense of Marriage Act that denied to same-sex couples all benefits and recognition given to opposite-sex couples.

Anna is a proud member of the Congressional Equality Caucus which works for the repeal of discriminatory laws, the elimination of hate-motivated violence, and equality for all.

★ On Human and Civil Rights. In ways big and small, Anna stands with those who need a strong voice to dismantle systems that perpetuate inequality.

As Chair of the House Subcommittee on Health, Anna held hearings to put a spotlight on racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 and passed legislation to address Black maternal deaths in the U.S.

She has marched against AAPI hate and stood with Black Lives Matter activists.

She is a tenacious champion of human rights who successfully led a 20-plus year effort for the U.S. to officially recognize the 1915 slaughter of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians as a genocide, ending the 100 year silence of the U.S.

Anna leads and is a member of many Congressional Caucuses dedicated to human rights, including:

— Congressional Caucus on Vietnam - fights for civil, political, and religious freedom for the citizens of Vietnam;

— Caucus on Religious Minorities in the Middle East, Co-Chair and Founding Member - promotes religious freedom and protecting religious minorities from persecution;

— Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus - addresses the needs of the AAPI community in all areas of American life; and

— Congressional Privacy Caucus - legislative advocates for personal privacy.

★ Protect Our Climate. Anna is an original co-sponsor of the Green New Deal and voted for the Inflation Reduction Act which is the most significant investment to address climate change in U.S. history. Her work to protect our environment has earned her endorsements from the Sierra Club, a 100% score from the League of Conservation Voters, and accolades from the Sempervirens Fund for her work to successfully create the Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument.

★ Address Gun Violence. Anna voted for the Safer Communities Act of 2022 that takes rational, commonsense measures to reduce gun violence and provides millions of dollars for mental healthcare, including suicide prevention. Recognizing that much more needs to be done to address the near daily gun-related tragedies in our country, Anna supports a ban on assault weapons, universal background checks and safe storage laws.

Anna’s gun control voting record and advocacy have earned her multiple Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate distinctions and an “F” grade from the National Rifle Association.

Anna is a congressional leader with extensive state and local government experience. She comes from local government, having served as a San Mateo County Supervisor for 10 years. She has a broad understanding of issues facing our schools, businesses and nonprofits, as well as long-standing personal and professional ties in our region. She’s an effective partner and collaborative problem solver. City, county and state electeds can count on Anna when it comes to modernizing public transportation, addressing affordable housing, improving education, and responding to natural disasters.

★ Modernize Transportation Infrastructure

Modern public transportation networks are critical for our region’s future. Anna is proud to have secured $647 million in federal funding to electrify Caltrain. Electrification of this 150-year old rail system will make it faster, quieter, and cleaner. It will improve local air quality by 97 percent, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enable Caltrain to carry the equivalent of 5½ lanes of freeway traffic in passengers per hour.

Anna voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the largest investment in infrastructure in U.S. history. This bill provides funding for clean technologies, wildfire prevention and drought mitigation and will bring a guaranteed funding of $4.5 billion to the Bay Area. Nationally, it is estimated to create 2 million new jobs per year over the next 10 years rebuilding our roads, highways, bridges, airports, water systems, and ports, and address the broadband needs of her constituents and underserved communities across the country.

Anna’s work to alleviate traffic and improve our transportation system:

— Obtained federal funding in 2022 to upgrade our public transit systems:

• $8.5 million for Caltrain crossings in Menlo Park, Mountain View and Palo Alto; and

• $6.62 million to improve transportation safety in Saratoga, Boulder Creek, Half Moon Bay, Pacifica and along the Caltrain corridor;

— Advocate for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure;

— Promote development and regulation of autonomous vehicles; and

— Support research and development on alternative modes of transportation.

★ Affordable Housing

One of the biggest challenges in our region is the lack of affordable housing. Too many of our teachers, essential workers, and adult children struggle to remain here or are forced to leave the area. This is not acceptable and it’s not sustainable, with the composition and identity of our local communities at risk. Because local communities can’t ‘do it all,’ the solutions will come from local, state, and federal partnerships, as well as the private and nonprofit sectors and school districts working together.

Anna has been a true partner to local leaders in creating new housing and preserving existing low-income housing:

— She secured $26 million to help save the Buena Vista Mobile Home Park and is collaborating with local government and school districts on the building of affordable housing for teachers;

— Wilton Court, the first affordable community in Palo Alto to open in the last five years, received $16.5 million in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits; and

— In 2022, Anna secured $3.25 million for housing projects in her district - $2.5 million to provide transitional housing for individuals experiencing homeless in San Jose and $750,000 for permanent supportive housing in Mountain View.

Anna has consistently voted for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, the HOME Investment Partnership Program, NeighborWorks, Section 8 Vouchers, and funds to address homelessness in our region.

Anna voted for the American Rescue Plan Act that produced $4.75 billion for state and local governments to address homelessness, and $35 billion to help prevent evictions and foreclosures during the pandemic.

★ Education

Anna’s record of support of public education and students is long and exemplary:

— In 2022, she secured over $1.6 million for education in her District, including $1 million for a pilot project to extend broadband internet services to families in Lakeside Joint School District and Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary School District in Santa Clara County and $644,000 for student mental health screening at Campbell Union Elementary School District;

— She introduced the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program to encourage students to study and pursue a career in public health and voted for legislation to increase broadband access to help eliminate the achievement gap;

— She supports all costs paid for community college;

— She supports a zero percent interest rate on higher education loans and the refinancing of existing student loans at a zero percent interest rate;

— She is an active member of the House Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Caucus and a leading proponent of STEM education in the U.S. House of Representatives;

— She established the Congressional App Challenge in 2013, an annual software application development competition for high school students in her District and across the country to promote interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields;

— She is an original cosponsor of a bill that would provide universal access to high-quality preschool for 3 and 4 year olds;

— She wrote legislation to bring mental health services to elementary, middle and high schools across the country; and

— She has voted consistently to increase federal funding for special education students.

From her first term in Congress when she established a Student Advisory Board to this day, high school students from throughout her District have studied public policies and made recommendations to her on what should be advanced in Congress. Over a thousand students have participated over the years and Anna has turned their work into legislation. The Board brings the voices of students to Congress and encourages young people to become involved in public service.

Anna’s campaign is honored to be a partner campaign with Representative Jamie Raskin’s Democracy Summer program. This program “seeks to bring about political change in America by training and deploying the next generation of Democratic organizers and leaders.”

Anna believes in the importance of mentoring young people and is proud to have mentored many local elected leaders and staffers.