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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) issued the following statement after President Trump signed an Executive Order dismantling the Department of Education.

“President Trump’s action today threatens the greatest investment we as a country can make in our future – public education. Across the country, students are struggling, with a recent study finding that more than two-thirds of eighth graders can’t read at grade level. We should be directing more funding to our schools to meet these challenges to support our nation’s students and families. Instead, Trump is stealing resources from tens of millions of students, including those with disabilities, in underserved schools, and who need help affording higher education, all as part of an effort to give even more tax cuts to billionaires and his ultrawealthy donors.

Let’s be clear – abolishing a federal agency requires an act of Congress, and we will fight this blatantly illegal order in the courts. As a senior member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, I urge my Republican colleagues to stand up for the thousands of students, teachers, and families in their districts who will be harmed by this reckless action and fight back with us.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Walnut Creek, CA – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) announced he will host a roundtable discussion on the harm of Republicans’ proposed cuts to Medicaid on Tuesday, March 18^th at 4:00 p.m. PT at the George Miller Center-Concord. He will be joined by medical experts and advocates to discuss how these cuts would harm the 130,000+ people on Medicaid in the district he represents who are at risk of losing their health care under the Republican budget. The roundtable is open to press.

Immediately following the roundtable, Congressman DeSaulnier and the roundtable participants will hold a press conference at 4:20 p.m. to take questions. 

WHO: Congressman Mark DeSaulnier
Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston, Contra Costa County District 5
Sascha Bittner, Disability Advocate, Member of the National Council on Disability
Dr. Brian Blaisch, Pediatrician, Contra Costa Regional Medical Center
Kausha King, Director of Leadership and Programs, Family Resource Navigators
Dr. Gabriela Sullivan, Contra Costa Health Ambulatory Medical Director
Dr. Josie Urbina, UCSF Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology 

WHEN: TUESDAY, March 18, at 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: George Miller Center-Concord, 3020 Grant St, Concord, CA 94520

RSVP: Please RSVP to Mairead Glowacki at (202) 760-1365 or mairead.glowacki@mail.house.gov

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Walnut Creek, CA – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) announced that he will host a town hall in Concord to discuss how he and his Democratic colleagues are fighting back in Congress against the actions of the Trump Administration, including efforts to gut Medicaid and Social Security, on Thursday, March 20^th from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. PT.

At the town hall, Congressman DeSaulnier will share updates from Congress and information on early victories in the courts. He will also take questions from constituents. 
 

Concord Town Hall 
Thursday, March 20^th 
6:30 – 7:30 p.m. PT
Concord, CA
RSVP for Location

 

The event is RSVP only and capacity is limited. To reserve your spot or request special accommodations, visit https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or call (925) 933-2660. 

This will be Congressman DeSaulnier’s 226^th town hall and mobile district office hour since coming to Congress in January 2015.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) made the following statement after the Trump Administration announced it is reducing the Department of Education’s workforce by nearly 50%.

“Education is the single-most important investment we can make in the future of our nation. President Trump’s reckless, shortsighted decision to severely cut public education and eliminate half of the workers at the Department of Education is unconscionable and puts our students and our nation at risk, all so the Trump Administration can give billions of dollars to its ultrawealthy donors through tax cuts,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “As a senior member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, I am angered and saddened for the tens of millions of students, including those with disabilities, children in underserved schools, and those who need help to pay for college, whose lives will be upended by the President’s misguided action. I will do everything I can to fight on their behalf as the President attempts to destroy public education in this country.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) issued the following statement after passage of the Republican funding bill (H.R. 1968) in the United States House of Representatives by a vote of 217-to-213.

“The Republicans’ partisan funding bill is a blank check to President Trump and Elon Musk so they can continue stealing from the American people by dismantling critical services that veterans, seniors, and families rely on in order to give even more tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations. I, along with my Democratic colleagues in the House, were ready and willing to support full-year government funding based upon the bipartisan compromise Republicans agreed to before walking away from the negotiating table. President Trump, Mr. Musk, and their followers in the House have once again chosen the interests of the ultrawealthy over middle-class Americans. I was proud to vote against this shameful betrayal.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

Washington D.C. – Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the Trump Administration’s reported decision to close the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region 9 Office in San Francisco:

“The HHS Region 9 office in San Francisco directly serves the needs of millions of Americans in the Bay Area, the state of California and beyond. By closing our regional office, the Trump Administration would choose to put the health and safety of Bay Area residents and all Californians in jeopardy, gut vital public health initiatives like the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, and potentially axe hundreds of career civil servant jobs held by hardworking Californians.

“This shortsighted office closure would lead to critical service slowdowns for San Franciscans to get the resources they need and detrimental impacts to our public health response capabilities – all in the name of so-called ‘government efficiency.’  It is notable that this reported decision was made by the Trump Administration’s leading vaccine denialist, Secretary Kennedy, whose extreme views on public health are out of step with the vast majority of the American people.  

“Make no mistake: the reported plans to restructure HHS and close the San Francisco regional office would directly harm our most vulnerable communities and make America sicker.  In coordination with my colleagues in the Congress, I am examining all possible avenues to fight back against these irresponsible cuts – and I strongly urge the Administration to reconsider its plans to devalue the public health of our constituents.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

Washington D.C. — Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11) joined Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and Democratic Members of the California Congressional Delegation in urging the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reverse harmful decisions that cancel or freeze federal food assistance programs vital to California’s farmers, food banks and families. Alongside Speaker Emerita Pelosi and Rep. Panetta, this coordinated effort is also led by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-18).

Despite encompassing less than 4% of the country’s farmland, California generates over 11% of the U.S. agricultural value; over a third of the country’s vegetables and over three-quarters of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California.  The Trump Administration’s discontinuation of the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreements for 2025, the Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program, and the freeze of the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) funds threatens the livelihoods of more than 600 California farmers and jeopardizes food assistance for more than six million Californians. A network of 49 food banks, serving 58 counties in California—including the SF-Marin Food Bank, which serves both San Francisco and Marin counties—have already seen over 300 food loads paused or cancelled.

“These programs provide critical support to farmers and food producers in California while ensuring access to nutritious, locally sourced food for families, students, and communities, which we feel are in line with this Administration’s stated goals to provide more opportunities for Americans to eat healthy, support farmers, and boost domestic demand for produce,” wrote the Members. “We remain committed to working with USDA to find solutions that sustain and expand market access for American farmers while ensuring that families and communities continue to benefit from fresh, locally produced food. We respectfully request that you revisit these decisions in light of the millions of our constituents who would be impacted.”

The full letter is available [HERE].

Additional signers of the letter include; Reps. Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Ami Bera (CA-06), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Judy Chu (CA-28), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Lou Correa (CA-46), Jim Costa (CA-21), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Laura Friedman (CA-30), John Garamendi (CA-08), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Adam Gray (CA-13), Josh Harder (CA-09), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Mike Levin (CA-49), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Dave Min (CA-47), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Scott Peters (CA-50), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Norma Torres (CA-35), Derek Tran (CA-45), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Maxine Waters (CA-43), and George Whitesides (CA-27).

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

Washington, D.C. — Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi joined Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee and co-chair of the Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks, and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee for National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs, Rep. Lois Frankel, in conjunction with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Assistant Leader Joe Neguse, and the Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force on an amicus brief with 202 House Democrats standing up to the blatant executive overreach and illegal dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in the matter of American Foreign Service Association, et al. v. Trump, et al.

As the House Leaders argued in their brief, the President’s directive blatantly violated Congress’s lawmaking and spending powers as explicitly outlined in Article I of the United States Constitution, by dismantling a federal agency authorized and repeatedly funded by acts of Congress. The unlawful shuttering of USAID undermines national security and causes irreparable harm to America’s global competitiveness.

The amici curiae include lawmakers deeply engaged in the drafting of the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998—which established USAID as an independent agency—and the subsequent Appropriations Acts. Their brief reaffirms that USAID must be funded as required by law, and that unilateral efforts to “feed USAID to the wood chipper” or “close it down” violate Article I of the Constitution, a position reinforced by the Continuing Resolution enacted by Congressional Republicans on March 15, 2025.

The full amicus brief is available HERE.

The shuttering of USAID, including placing thousands of workers on leave and halting nearly all congressionally approved foreign aid, undermines a critical component of the federal government responsible for global stability and American security. For nearly 40 years, USAID has played a central role in preventing crises, fostering economic opportunities abroad, and mitigating the conditions that contribute to violent extremism and instability. Scaling back its work not only weakens these efforts but also creates a vacuum for global competitors like China, Russia, and Iran to expand their influence.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

Washington, D.C. – This week, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi sat down with Karen Tumulty at The Century Foundation to mark the 15th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), calling its passage the “opportunity of a generation” and reflecting on the historic, hard-fought path that led to its enactment.

“We came here to do a job, not keep a job.  Despite protests, despite vicious yelling in the Capitol, it was such a joy,” Speaker Emerita Pelosi said.  “We thought we were joining the ranks of those who passed Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.”

Read coverage of the event below:

The Century Foundation: Speaker Emerita Pelosi, President Obama Join Hundreds at TCF Event to Commemorate ACA 15th Anniversary
[Staff Writer, 3/27/25]

 Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Congressional champion of the law, offered insight into the ACA’s passage, including the “atmospherics” the day the legislation passed in the House. Despite protests, yelling that could be heard in the Capitol that she described as “vicious,” she said, “It was such a joy. We thought we were joining the ranks of those who passed Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.”

Moderator Karen Tumulty, associate editor and columnist at the Washington Post, asked Speaker Pelosi to describe getting the votes in the first place:

For 100 years, presidents had tried to bring health care reform into play, into the lives of the American people, from Teddy Roosevelt on, Franklin Roosevelt, Truman, LBJ with Medicare and Medicaid, and then the Clintons. But, when Barack Obama became president, it was clear, and we had the majority, that we had an opportunity of a generation and we were not going to let another hundred years go by before we passed affordable health care.

She discussed overcoming seemingly intractable issues like abortion (with allies and opponents in nuns and bishops); regional disparities in costs assuaged through late-night negotiations and a letter from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius committing to action outside of the legislation; and leading the House to support the Senate bill. She described a different letter from “the saintly, remarkable, wonderful” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that had the signatures of fifty-one senators supporting changes to the Senate bill necessary for passage in the House. “He made it happen, Harry did.”

One of the most memorable quotes from the fight to pass the ACA was Speaker Pelosi’s statement of her strategy in January 2010 after a special election made the prospects for health reform dim: “You go through the gate. If the gate’s closed, you go over the fence. If the fence is too high, we’ll pole vault in. If that doesn’t work, we’ll parachute in. But we’re going to get health care reform passed for the American people.“ At a press conference after passage, she said she was asked, “which one did you do?”

I said we did the first one: we pushed open the gate because it was not just the courage of my members who were there strongly and knew why they were there, to push open that gate to pass this bill. It was the outside mobilization, it was … all the groups that represented people with one diagnosis or another, it was people who just wanted health care.

The history of the ACA hardly ended with its passage. Speaker Pelosi said “one of the hardest jobs I had in leadership” was preventing repeals of parts of the law. She also discussed the repeal effort in 2017 led by President Trump and the Republican-led Congress: “The thumbs down heard round the world by John McCain really saved the Affordable Care Act but it was saveable because of this outside mobilization.”

Speaker Pelosi also drew from the ACA saga lessons for current debates. She discussed the potential cuts to Medicaid in the current Congress:

We can’t let it happen. It’s just too big a burden for individuals to pay and their families. If you know any people with a child born with other abilities, but not all of them, you would know how important Medicaid is to those children and how it makes a difference in how they can learn and grow and the rest.

Tumulty asked about members of Congress who voted for the bill, knowing that it would likely prevent their reelection in conservative districts, comparing it to current times. She said, “We came here to do a job, not keep a job.”

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

San Francisco – Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and his decision to share classified U.S. military plans in a Signal group chat:

“By disclosing classified U.S. military plans on an unofficial and unsecure messaging app, the Secretary of Defense demonstrated that his incompetence led to recklessness.  In my thirty years of experience working with the Intelligence Community, I have never before seen such horrifying incompetence in the securing of our nation’s intelligence.  How dare he put our Troops at risk with this cavalier behavior.  There must be accountability.

“If any rank-and-file personnel in the Intelligence Community were to put our national security at risk in this way, they would be fired immediately and possibly prosecuted.  Secretary Hegseth cannot be held to a different standard.

“Our work in Intelligence has always been about force protection.  Our brave men and women in uniform deserve better than a leader at the Pentagon who not only recklessly puts them in danger, but could cost us the cooperation of our Allies in sharing Intelligence — further jeopardizing our national security.

“It is TIME NOW for the Secretary of Defense to resign.”