Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Voting Record — NY-14, U.S. House

May 1, 2026press_release_house

Ocasio-Cortez, Gillibrand, Schumer, Espaillat, Torres Lead Call For Trump Administration To Release $156.5 Million In Bronx Stations Accessibility Upgrade Funding

Position: The members call on the Department of Transportation to release $156.5 million in previously awarded All Stations Accessibility Program grant funding to the MTA for Bronx subway station accessibility upgrades, citing the critical importance of ADA compliance and concerns that the funds remain unobligated under a new internal review process.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Charles Schumer (D-NY), along with Congressmen Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and Ritchie Torres (NY-15) called on U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy to swiftly complete the agency’s review for an All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) grant that the MTA was selected for to improve accessibility in Bronx subway stations so individuals can continue to safely use New York’s world-class public transportation system. The MTA was selected for the grant nearly two years ago and remains the only grant awardee that has yet to receive the funds. In the letter to Secretary Duffy, the members underscored the critical importance of releasing the ASAP grant funding, “The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that public transportation be accessible to people with disabilities. However, infrastructure built before the passage of the ADA in 1990, like much of the New York City subway system, must be retrofitted to be fully accessible to people with disabilities.” The ASAP grant’s central purpose is to fund state and local capital projects to meet or exceed ADA accessibility standards at train stations, which remain low in New York City with only 32% of train stations being fully accessible. While this grant for $156.5 million was announced nearly two years ago, the money “remains unobligated and in limbo under the new internal grant review process DOT imposed upon itself at the start of this Administration to review already announced and awarded, but not yet obligated, grants to ensure compliance with its new policies and executive orders,” the members wrote. The members closed by urging a swift review of the grant, underscored by the fact that “DOT recently issued a third Notice of Funding Availability (NOFO) for ASAP, making $686 million in FY 2025 and FY 2026 IIJA advance appropriations funding available. The NOFO states that ‘if more funding becomes available for the program before projects are selected, FTA may add it to the total funding available for award under this NOFO.’ We are concerned this caveat leaves the door open for DOT to cancel the FY 2024 award MTA successfully competed for and provide it to another recipient applying for the new NOFO.” The full letter can be found HERE. ###

infrastructure

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April 28, 2026press_release_house

Ocasio-Cortez Presses EPA Administrator Zeldin on Trump’s Decision to Allow Bayer to Poison Americans for Profit

Position: Representative Ocasio-Cortez opposes the Trump administration's decision to grant Bayer federal immunity from lawsuits related to glyphosate exposure, arguing that the herbicide poses documented cancer risks and that immunity would prevent Americans from seeking legal recourse.

WATCH HERE Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) questioned Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin on the Trump administration’s decision to give the German pharmaceutical giant, Bayer, federal immunity to poison Americans for profit during a hearing in the Environment Subcommittee of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the herbicide, Roundup, and is commonly applied to crops, such as corn and soybeans, that have been genetically modified to withstand its effects. Glyphosate was originally manufactured and sold as Roundup by Monsanto, which was acquired by Bayer in 2018. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2015 classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Bayer, a multibillion-dollar chemical company and the only U.S. producer of glyphosate-based herbicides like Roundup, has paid out billions to end tens of thousands of lawsuits that claimed Roundup caused cancer. Now, Administrator Zeldin and the Trump Administration are utilizing every resource to give companies like Bayer the authority to poison Americans without legal repercussions. Find Representative Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks as delivered below: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good afternoon, Secretary Zeldin. This week is a big week in the Supreme Court and Congress regarding considerations of glyphosate. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, which is produced by Bayer, the multibillion-dollar foreign chemical company that also owns Monsanto. It's used on hundreds of millions of acres of farmland in the U.S. including corn, wheat, soybeans and even almonds. And glyphosate is even used to dry out crops before they are harvested. Correct, Administrator Zeldin? Correct. Thank you. Glyphosate is also internationally recognized as likely carcinogenic to humans, with particular links to Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. In fact, tens of thousands of lawsuits in the United States, many issued by farmers with high exposure, have been filed against Bayer for failing to warn them about the cancer risk of exposure. Now, interestingly, Administrator Zeldin, on February 18th of this year, President Trump released an executive order to increase the production of glyphosate in the United States, correct? Yes. And not only did that executive order call to increase the production of glyphosate, it also called for legal immunity for Bayer from the tens of thousands of Americans who are seeking justice in court for their toxic exposure. Now, Secretary Kennedy was here a couple of weeks ago, and when he was asked about glyphosate and the rollbacks against protections against toxic chemicals, he said that we “would have to ask Lee Zeldin about that.” So you're here before us today. Administrator Zeldin, have you ever participated in a meeting with Bayer where you discussed the legal or litigation issues that the company was facing? No, I never did. Okay. I have some- My meeting with them was very brief and that topic did not come up. All right, I do- Are you aware of any outreach that they would have in your agency about this? I could say that I directly had a brief meeting. Okay. But it was a brief meet and greet, and that topic did not come up. Thank you, Mr. Chair, I'd like to submit EPA visitor logs from July 7th, 2025 to the committee. Without objection so ordered. And you're certain they didn't bring up anything regarding your work? I'm telling you 100%. Absolutely. I- I- Maybe there was some brainstorming that was done beforehand of potential topics- Are you aware of any- But that topic was not brought up. Are you aware of anything brought up to any members of your staff or your team? Your senior team? I am not aware of that, no. Okay. I would like to submit to the record some internal emails from the EPA that I have acquired via a Freedom of Information Act submission. Without objection so ordered. We have documentation here, emails from your senior advisor for Agriculture and Rural Affairs saying that you were meeting with the Bayer CEO last year. He said in these emails that they will be bringing up some legal/judicial issues. More specifically, in this internal email, in your EPA, it says that Bayer was specifically seeking to and discussing Supreme Court action, they will want an update on EPA's regulatory review, and that, interestingly, Bayer will provide a small thanks for updating the glyphosate web page from the EPA and work on MAHA. Do you have any idea what they might have been referring to in this email? Well, first off, as I mentioned a few minutes ago, it's possible that the team was doing brainstorming of potential topics. Okay. As somebody who actually attended the meeting- Thank you. I’m sorry, I just have 40 seconds. I'm not trying to be rude. This glyphosate update that they're referring to seems to be correlated to the EPA agency withdrawing its support for California's cancer warning on glyphosate. Now, this is important because five days after the EO this year, Bayer filed their opening brief to the Supreme Court, citing Trump's executive order and hinging their case on the EPA's warnings, or lack thereof, of glyphosate. So we have internal emails from your agency saying that Bayer wanted to thank you and your agency for removing support for California's warning because their case before the Supreme Court right now hinges on you not warning the American people and withdrawing your support on glyphosate. Do you understand the conflict of interest that is before the American people right now, Mr. Secretary? The gentlelady’s time has expired. You mind if I respond Chairman? Thank you. The gentleman may respond. Okay. So right now, EPA is completing an assessment due in 2026. And I understand this is a very important topic for many people in this country, this review that the EPA is being conducted, my guidance to dedicated career staffers, and then we have people who've been there for 20, 30 years is that I don't want to preach- It’s taking a while, Secretary Zeldin, because- Let me answer. The Supreme Court is going to be making decisions this week, and Congress is voting this week on legal immunity. You made your point. Now I'm asking. Do you mind if I answer? This is an important part of this, that I'm sure you also care about. And I think the timing is also very important, Secretary Zeldin. The gentlelady’s time has expired. Thank you. Should I complete my answer or no? Mr. Administrator, you can respond in writing. Sure. Okay. ” ### Issues:Committees and Caucuses

environment

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April 23, 2026press_release_house

Ocasio-Cortez, Huffman, Hernández, Velázquez Launch Investigation into Misuse of Puerto Rico-Energy Resilience Fund

Position: The lawmakers oppose the Department of Energy's reallocation of Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund money away from solar and battery projects for vulnerable populations toward fossil fuel infrastructure, and demand transparency and congressional briefing on the fund's use.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ranking Member Jared Huffman (CA-02), Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández (D-PR), and Representative Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) led 42 other lawmakers in pressing the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to explain why it stripped solar power and backup batteries from Puerto Rican families with disabilities, very low-income households, rural health clinics, and the communities that wait longest for the lights to come back on after a disaster and used the funds to bailout a global fossil fuel company in bankruptcy. In a letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, the lawmakers demanded a congressional briefing and warned that the Department is quietly steering the money toward a new methane gas pipeline instead, even though solar is the most reliable and cost-effective source of electricity for the island. “DOE’s lack of transparency, wasteful reuse of the funding, disregard for congressional intent, and potentially illegal cancellation of contracts—combined with the resulting increase in energy poverty and loss of energy security—raise serious questions about the Department’s uses of the Puerto Rico-Energy Resilience Fund (ERF),” the lawmakers said in their letter. “While the ERF funds were initially allocated in a transparent way that incorporated the communities most affected, ERF funds are now being redirected under a thick blanket of secrecy,” the members wrote. They highlighted how several major players, including DOE, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), and the private energy operators Genera and LUMA, have all refused to reveal which projects will now receive the funding. Committee Democrats have confirmed that at least one of the projects in line to receive the funding is a new methane pipeline across the main island. The members also raise serious concerns about whether “reallocation decisions being made behind closed doors are for the benefit of everyday Puerto Ricans or special interests with a major financial stake in expanding methane gas use,” noting the influence of New Fortress Energy, a multinational corporation facing bankruptcy whose future depends on selling more methane gas in Puerto Rico. “Trying to force a liquefied methane pipeline project onto the people of Puerto Rico would help lock in the need to import fuels—keeping methane gas prices exorbitant for decades to come, putting ratepayers on the hook for funding it, and adding to already astronomical electricity costs,” the lawmakers wrote. The members requested DOE brief Congress on the matter no later than April 30, 2026 as the first step in their investigation. Read the full letter HERE. Background In 2022, Congress committed $1 billion to help hurricane-proof Puerto Rico by providing solar panels and batteries to tens of thousands of families. Under the Trump administration, DOE froze every ERF project regardless of how far along it was in implementation. In September 2025, DOE pulled $365 million slated to help 175 small health care facilities serving 300,000 patients and apartment and condo buildings home to more than 400,000 residents. On January 9 of this year, DOE rescinded another $350 million dedicated to homes with people with disabilities, very low-income households, and families whose lights are the last to be turned back on after a disaster. The full list of signers includes Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii), Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Rep. Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.), Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Congressional Hispanic Caucus –Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García (D-Ill.), Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Resident Commissioner Pablo Hernández (D-Puerto Rico), Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Rep. Rob Menendez (D-N.J.), Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Rep. Dave Min (D-Calif.), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rep. Nellie Pou (D-N.J.), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Rep. Emily Randall (D-Wash.), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.). ### Issues:Puerto Rico

environment

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April 21, 2026press_release_house

Ocasio-Cortez Questions Secretary Kennedy Decision to Send Billions to Insurance Giants Under Investigation

Position: Representative Ocasio-Cortez opposes Secretary Kennedy's decision to increase Medicare Advantage reimbursement rates by 2.48%, which will provide an additional $13 billion in taxpayer funding to insurance companies she characterizes as engaged in fraud, arguing this contradicts prior commitments to address corporate fraud in the program.

WATCH HERE Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) questioned Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy for his decision to send billions of taxpayer dollars to insurance giants under investigation for corporate fraud during a hearing in the Health Subcommittee of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Last June, Representative Ocasio-Cortez questioned HHS Secretary Kennedy about corporate fraud in the Medicare Advantage program. She discussed how UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health, and other for-profit health insurance companies with Medicare Advantage plans defraud the federal government by nearly $80 billion each year. Last year, Secretary Kennedy committed to looking into that fraud. In January 2026, CMS proposed a 0.09% increase to Medicare Advantage reimbursement rates for 2027, a near-flat payment update. This drew immediate backlash from industry trade and front groups like America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and the Better Medicare Alliance, as well as dragging down stock prices with major MA players like UnitedHealth Group, Humana, CVS Health, and Elevance Health all seeing a drop. Due to industry pressure, two weeks ago, Secretary Kennedy decided to increase payment rates by 2.48%, which will give these for-profit health insurers an additional $13 billion in taxpayer dollars in 2027. When this final rate notice was announced, major insurers saw their stocks skyrocket. Find Representative Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks as delivered below: “How are you doing, Mr. Secretary? Good. Thank you for asking. No, of course, of course. I'm not sure if you remember our last chat about a year ago where we talked about Medicare Advantage. But, you know, I think one area of agreement that we have, I hope, is that these insurance companies are fleecing the public. Right. Can we agree on that? Absolutely. And they are- I mean, it's highway robbery on the American people, on people who are sick, on seniors. We're on the same page about that, right? Yes. And last year I brought up Medicare, the Medicare Advantage program, to you because these corporations like UnitedHealthCare, Aetna are known to be defrauding the public. And really, we know that with Medicare Advantage, it's to the tune of about $80 billion. And the Department of Justice has, in fact, opened an actual- You mentioned United last time. So you remember this, right? Yes. Okay. I'm glad that we're able to, kind of jog the memory on there. And we chatted about this and we actually chatted about it afterwards, too. And so we know this, we're all on the same page here. United, CVS/Aetna, they’re defrauding the American public to the tune of $80 billion a year. We know that they're doing this to the public. You know it, I know it. We've even had some bipartisan chat about this. And so I was surprised to see about two weeks ago, you had decided to give them another $13 billion. And it was used through the mechanism of the MA reimbursement rates. But I want to know, why did you do that? And first of all, I agree with you on everything that you said. We, you know, we have to look at the reimbursements that the industry get, which they said there's been a 5% increase in cost, and that if we didn't give them the full 5% they were going to lose, they were- and it would impair patient choice, particularly in some regions of the country the industry would leave. We gave them a 2% raise. And I, I hear what you're saying, Mr. Secretary, that the industry is saying that they're increasing these costs, but the industry is defrauding the public. So we know they're lying. We know they're lying through even their mechanisms. They are upcoding. They are telling us, the public, the government, Medicare, our systems, that people are sicker than they are so that they can get more money. They're lowering their reimbursement rates. They're increasing denial. So we know that these folks are lying. We know that they're bad actors. And if I'm hearing you correctly, we are giving them more money because they're saying that they need it? Can I answer the question? Yeah. First of all, I appreciate everything you've done and you speaking out about upcoding. We are ending upcoding. We're using AI now to detect it, to prosecute it, and to end it. Yeah, they're lying. But my job as HHS Secretary, I have to balance the impact on patients if there are no options in those areas. So we do- We have to do a lot to verify- We don't trust. We do a lot to verify. And I hear what you're saying. I mean, even when you talked about that 2% is something that I found interesting too, because that 2.48% wasn't initially what you were going to go for. You had announced in January that, in fact, CMS had proposed an increase of 0.09%. Yeah. Which would have essentially kept payments flat at minimum, to these corporations like United and Aetna that are robbing us. And so, there was an interesting amendment that you had made. We've got the experts saying, okay, even when you start looking at that inflation rate or that cost rate, even that at most is 0.09%. But then it seemed as though there was some industry backlash. And now we're at 2.48%. We're giving them $13 billion when they are stealing $80 billion a year as it is. I say we let them eat it. Why not? Well, you can see from what we originally published what our intention was: to give them essentially nothing. And we got a huge blowback, not only from the industry, but providers and everybody else who said we are going to experience closures. We're going to experience places where you cannot get insurance. It is going to leave all these patients high and dry. We did our own investigation. And, you know, you can look at health care- Representative, time’s up. I really appreciate you giving me a chance to answer questions. I can't thank you enough for that. ” ### Issues:Committees and CaucusesHealthcare

healthcare

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April 16, 2026press_release_house

Ocasio-Cortez Denounces Trump’s Unconstitutional War in Iran on House Floor

Position: Representative Ocasio-Cortez opposes the Trump administration's military actions in Iran, characterizing them as illegal and unconstitutional, and calls for Congress to pass a War Powers Resolution to restrain and end the military engagement.

WATCH HERE Last week, President Trump threatened to use our military to carry out acts of genocide against the Iranian people, and he has continued to repeat that threat while marshalling 10,000 more troops into harm’s way. Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) delivered the following remarks on the floor of the House of Representatives in support of the coming War Powers Resolution on Trump’s illegal war in Iran: “Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In February, the Trump administration, in conjunction with the Israeli government, launched an illegal and disastrous war in Iran. They provided no rationale to the American people. They sought no legal authority from Congress. And they have since descended our world and our global economy into chaos. And that was just the beginning. Now, President Trump has threatened to use the United States military to carry out acts of genocide against the Iranian people, innocent civilians. Up until today, he has done this on his own, a rogue actor. But today we vote on whether or not he will do this in the name of the American people. Congress must vote to exercise our power to stop this chaos, or whether we sanction it, and we must vote to restrain it. I urge our colleagues that we vote yes, and that we end and stop all that is imperiled before us. And with that, I yield back. ” ###

foreign_policy

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March 31, 2026press_release_house

Ocasio-Cortez, Markey Blast Trump Administration Attempt to Pay $1 Billion in Taxpayer Funding to Kill Offshore Wind Projects

Position: Ocasio-Cortez and Markey oppose the Trump administration's plan to pay TotalEnergies $1 billion in taxpayer funds to cancel offshore wind projects, arguing the payment lacks statutory authority, diverts public money to fossil fuel expansion, and undermines domestic energy supply and grid reliability.

Letter Text (PDF) Washington (March 31, 2026) - Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today wrote to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in opposition to the Trump administration’s decision to pay TotalEnergies, a French energy company, nearly $1 billion in U.S. taxpayer money to cancel two offshore wind facilities off the East Coast of the United States. The lawmakers asked the Administration to stop this pay-off, which will keep much-needed American-made power off the grid, and to explain the statutory authority and funding source of the proposed transfer. The wind farms could have produced enough electricity to power more than one million homes and businesses in New York and New Jersey, and approximately 300,000 in North Carolina. In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “With the TotalEnergies payoff, the Trump administration promises an extraordinary transfer of taxpayer dollars to a foreign company to halt private offshore wind development and prop up fossil fuel company exports and profits. It has done so with no explanation of its authority—or the source of the funding—to transmit $1 billion to a private company. Moreover, TotalEnergies has made clear it will plow these taxpayer-funded proceeds into expanded oil and gas development, including a Texas liquefied natural gas export facility, effectively using U.S. public funds to ship American energy overseas, strain domestic supply, weaken grid reliability, and expose American families to higher and more volatile prices.” The lawmakers requested responses to questions by April 10, 2026, that include: What specific statutory authority permits the Department of the Interior to use taxpayer funds to compensate TotalEnergies for relinquishing valid offshore wind leases? What is the source of the funds for this payment, and did Congress appropriate them for this purpose? What specific evidence supports the Administration’s assertion that these offshore wind projects pose a national security concern? How does the Department reconcile those national security claims with recent federal court decisions finding insufficient evidence to support them? What analysis has the Department conducted on how canceling these offshore wind projects will affect domestic energy supply, grid reliability, and consumer electricity and fuel costs? What analysis has the Department conducted on how canceling these offshore wind projects will affect offshore wind workers, including workers in the offshore wind supply chain? ###

environmenteconomy

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March 26, 2026press_release_house

Ocasio-Cortez, Scott, Murray, Warren Establish Child Care for America Working Group to Lower Costs, Deliver Child Care for Every American Family

Position: The representatives and senators advocate for federal investment in child care as public infrastructure, with affordability protections including income-based payment caps and free care for low-income families, positioning this as essential economic policy to support working families.

Washington, D.C. – Today, longtime leaders on child care Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and Bobby Scott (VA-03), along with U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), established a new working group as the latest major push in Democrats’ fight to lower costs and deliver child care for every American family. The Child Care for America working group will bring Democratic members of Congress together to coordinate broad support for landmark child care legislation. “It is time that we deliver on our promise to give working families the quality, affordable child care that they deserve. That is why I am proud to stand beside my colleagues to build a vision for the future of affordable child care for all Americans,” said Representative Ocasio-Cortez. “Trump wants to spend our taxpayer dollars on a war with Iran that no one asked for—I want to make affordable child care a reality for every family in America,” said Senator Murray. “There’s a split screen in Congress right now: Republicans want to burn money on tax cuts for billionaires and regime change wars—Democrats want to lower the cost of basics like child care for families here at home. I’m linking arms with my colleagues to deliver a proposal that Americans everywhere can get behind to finally fix child care in America. Americans deserve a more hopeful vision for the future than the Republican plan for government that just funds endless wars and cuts food stamps. Government can do good things to make life better for our families—let’s finally make high-quality, affordable child care accessible for every working family.” “Delivering high-quality child care is one of the best tools we have to make life more affordable for families. In the richest nation in the world, we should invest in child care like public infrastructure — not treat it like a privilege reserved for only the wealthiest Americans,” said Senator Warren. “Democrats are leading the charge on lowering costs and delivering child care for every American family.” “Our economy forces too many workers to choose between their jobs and caring for their children. Let’s be clear. The child care crisis cannot be solved without sustained public funding. We must expand access to affordable, quality early learning opportunities, provide child care workers with the support they deserve, and give parents the freedom to pursue rewarding careers and contribute to our economic growth,” said Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce. The working group will be guided by the following principles: Affordability: Family costs must be predictable and affordable, with payments capped at no more than 7 percent of income, free child care for families with the lowest incomes, and guaranteed access with no waiting lists. Child Care as Public Infrastructure: Federal funding must expand and stabilize child care supply, support safe facilities, and ensure resources meet all families where they are. Boosting Worker Pay: Child care workers must be paid fairly and supported as professionals, with living wages, access to benefits, paid leave, retirement, and professional development. High Quality and Accountability: Federal responsibility must be clear and enforceable, with the federal government covering at least 90 percent of system costs and having the ability to directly support localities when states fail to act, bolstered by strong reporting, oversight, and accountability standards. Accessibility: The child care system must meet families where they are, with support for nontraditional hours, inclusive care for children with disabilities and developmental needs, language access, culturally responsive services, and full-day, full-year integration with Head Start and Early Head Start. Urgent Implementation: The federal government must provide investments and support to ensure the child care supply scales up rapidly and addresses the immediate affordability crisis. The new working group comes as momentum grows across the country for real progress on child care, as families face rising costs and limited access. Child care now averages more than $13,000 per year—up 29 percent since 2020—and in most states costs more than rent for many families, even exceeding in-state college tuition. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani successfully campaigned on free child care, and one of his very first actions in office was to announce a plan to introduce universal child care for New York children under five. Last year, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that the state would make child care free. Earlier this year, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie launched his Family Opportunity Agenda, which will ensure that every San Francisco family with children under five years old has access to child care. Both New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill — previous House lead of Sen. Warren’s child care bill — and Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger won competitive elections after pledging to increase access to child care. Lowering child care costs is both good policy and what the American people want. In November, Democratic operative James Carville wrote in a New York Times op-ed: “When 70 percent of Americans say raising children is too expensive, we should not fear making universal child care a public good.” And Democratic operative David Plouffe recently asserted that “establish[ing] universal child care” should be part of the party’s 2028 platform. Independent polling shows that voters across the political spectrum say child care is unaffordable. Seventy-two percent of Republican voters said increasing federal funding for child care was an important priority, along with 70 percent of political independents and 90 percent of Democrats. The Trump administration has worked to rip away child care funding and support for families, including with recent efforts to freeze federal funds for child care and family assistance in five states over debunked claims of potential fraud and misuse of taxpayer funds. ###

economyeducation

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March 12, 2026press_release_house

Representative Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Murray Introduce Legislation to Codify Minimum Wage and Overtime Protections for Home Care Workers

Position: The release advocates for federal legislation to extend minimum wage and overtime protections to home care workers, amending the Fair Labor Standards Act to guarantee these protections for over 3 million workers.

Washington, D.C.–Today, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced the Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act, legislation that would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to guarantee minimum wage and overtime protections for over 3 million home care workers. “Congress has a moral obligation to protect those who care for our most vulnerable communities, and home care workers are the backbone of our long-term care system,” said Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “I am proud to introduce the Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act with Senator Patty Murray to finally codify the minimum wage and overtime protections our home care workers deserve and prevent future attacks on their livelihoods.” “In Washington state and across our country, home care workers ensure that seniors and people with disabilities can live in their homes with dignity and respect. They play a vital role in our communities and too many of them are struggling to make ends meet on the low wages they’re receiving. Instead of supporting these workers, Donald Trump wants to overturn a rule that ensures that home care workers receive the same basic minimum wage and overtime protections as everyone else. That’s why today we are introducing the Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act. This bill makes sure that home care workers and domestic workers at least have the basic wage protections they deserve and can continue to earn a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work. No loopholes, exceptions, or sabotage from a billionaire President without a clue,” said Senator Patty Murray. “We are at a crossroads in this country. Our need for care is growing every single day, yet we continue to treat the home care workforce as disposable. We cannot allow the fundamental right to a minimum wage and overtime to be at the whim and mercy of this administration. Rolling back these protections would hurt an already struggling workforce and the millions of families who rely on their care. The Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act is our chance to finally enshrine these protections in federal law and help ensure that the workers who enable the dignity of our older and disabled loved ones are able to work with dignity too,” said Ai-jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. “Home care workers keep our parents and grandparents alive. Yet many are still paid less than the price of a cup of coffee per hour. This workforce is mostly women of color who have been undervalued for generations. Rolling back wage protections is immoral,” said SEIU Executive Vice President Leslie Frane. “Home care workers represent a lifeline for millions of families — yet too many are denied even a minimum wage and often go unpaid for hours spent off the clock keeping their clients safe. Poverty wages are driving caregivers out of this lifesaving field, leaving families without support, hospitals and nursing homes overwhelmed, and seniors and people with disabilities at risk of losing the freedom to live with dignity in their own homes. Congress must act now to protect these essential workers and the families who depend on them. On behalf of the thousands of AFSCME members in home care, we thank Senator Murray and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez for introducing this critical legislation, and urge Congress to pass it now,” said Lee Saunders, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. For decades, federal labor law has included a loophole that excluded most home care workers. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Labor finalized regulations to finally expand minimum wage and overtime pay for home care workers. In July 2025, the Trump administration took action to roll back the 2013 rule and strip home care workers’ rights to minimum wage and overtime pay. If the Trump administration’s proposal is finalized, more than one-quarter of all home care workers in the country will immediately lose their right to federal minimum wage and overtime protections. The legislation is cosponsored by 58 representatives, including Alma Adams (NC-12), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), André Carson (IN-07), Judy Chu (CA-28), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Tim Kennedy (NY-26), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), George Latimer (NY-16), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), John Mannion (NY-22), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Sarah McBride (DE-AL), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Jim McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Summer Lee (PA-12), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24). The legislation has 17 original cosponsors in the Senate, including Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The full bill text is available here. A one-pager of the bill is available here. ### Issues:EconomyHealthcare

economy

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February 28, 2026press_release_house

Ocasio-Cortez Statement on Trump’s Combat Operations in Iran

Position: Representative Ocasio-Cortez opposes the Trump Administration's military operations in Iran, characterizing them as unlawful, unnecessary, and unconstitutional. She argues that diplomacy was available and that Congress, not the President, has constitutional authority to authorize war, and she commits to voting for a War Powers Resolution to halt the operations.

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) released the following statement after the Trump Administration’s announcement of the beginning of a massive U.S. military operation in Iran. “The American people are once again dragged into a war they did not want by a president who does not care about the long-term consequences of his actions. This war is unlawful. It is unnecessary. And it will be catastrophic. “Just this week, Iran and the United States were negotiating key measures that could have staved off war. The President walked away from these discussions and chose war instead. President Trump flippantly acknowledged the possibility of American casualties, stating “that often happens in war.” “Mr. President: this was not an inevitability. This is a deliberate choice of aggression when diplomacy and security were within reach. Stop lying to the American people. “Violence begets violence. We learned this lesson in Iraq. We learned this lesson in Afghanistan. And we are about to learn it again in Iran. Bombs have yet to create enduring democracies in the region and this will be no different. “In moments of war, our Constitution is unambiguous: Congress authorizes war. The President does not. I will do my part to uphold our Constitution by voting YES on Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie’s War Powers Resolution. Every member of Congress must join us in rejecting this aimless war.” ### Issues:Foreign Policy

foreign_policy

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February 26, 2026press_release_house

Ocasio-Cortez, Casar, Senator Markey Reintroduce Connect the Grid Act

Position: The representatives advocate for requiring Texas's electric grid (ERCOT) to interconnect with the nation's major electric grids and submit to federal regulatory oversight, arguing this would improve reliability, reduce outages during extreme weather, lower costs, and facilitate clean energy distribution.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Greg Casar (TX-35), Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and 13 other Representatives reintroduced the Connect the Grid Act, which would require the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to connect to the nation’s major electric grids. By connecting the ERCOT grid, all Texans and Americans would have more reliable electricity, saving lives in future natural disasters. The U.S. would also be better-able to reach its climate goals with Texas’s clean energy production. “Because millions of Texans are not interconnected to the national grid, they are susceptible to mass power outages in extreme weather — exactly when they need reliable energy the most,” said Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “I’m proud to join Representative Casar in re-introducing the Connect the Grid Act to protect vulnerable communities while strengthening our energy resilience and fighting the climate crisis.” “It’s been five years since Winter Storm Uri, where more than 10 million Texans lost power and hundreds died as a result of a failed electric grid. The federal government has a responsibility to save lives during natural disasters. We will continue this fight until Texans have reliable power — that’s why I’m reintroducing the Connect the Grid Act,” said Congressman Greg Casar. “Year after year, families are left with power disruptions and skyrocketing bills from extreme weather disasters. By creating new connections between regions of the grid, we can reduce both weather-related outages and price hikes — especially in Texas,” said Senator Ed Markey. “I support Congressman Casar’s leadership in working to remove Texas’ outdated exemption from federal grid oversight and invest in the ability to transfer electrons between region grids, which will save lives, lower costs, and bring more clean power to the people.” The Connect the Grid Act would: Require interconnection between ERCOT and grids that it neighbors. Make sure ERCOT is subject to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) oversight for just and reasonable pricing and transmission planning. Require FERC and the Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct a study on the benefits of interconnection with Mexico. About 90% of the state of Texas’s electricity is run solely through the Texas grid. Because millions of Texans are not interconnected to the national grids, they are susceptible to mass power outages in the extreme cold or extreme heat — when we need reliable energy the most. The remaining 10%, like El Paso in the West and Beaumont in the East, are connected to other grids and did not suffer mass power outages during Winter Storm Uri in 2021. The bill is co-sponsored by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representatives Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Al Green (TX-09), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12). The bill is endorsed by Center for Biological Diversity, Dove Springs Proud, League of Conservation Voters, LIUNA Local 1095, People's Action Institute, Popular Democracy, Progress Texas,San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, Southwest Laborers District Council (SWLDC-LIUNA), Sunrise Austin, Texas Campaign for the Environment, Texas Organizing Project, Workers Defense Project, and Indivisible. ###

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

See how Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez actually votes — against your values.

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Ocasio-Cortez, Gillibrand, Schumer, Espaillat, Torres Lead Call For Trump Administration To Release $156.5 Million In Bronx Stations Accessibility Upgrade Funding

Ocasio-Cortez Presses EPA Administrator Zeldin on Trump’s Decision to Allow Bayer to Poison Americans for Profit

Ocasio-Cortez, Huffman, Hernández, Velázquez Launch Investigation into Misuse of Puerto Rico-Energy Resilience Fund

Ocasio-Cortez Questions Secretary Kennedy Decision to Send Billions to Insurance Giants Under Investigation

Ocasio-Cortez Denounces Trump’s Unconstitutional War in Iran on House Floor

Ocasio-Cortez, Markey Blast Trump Administration Attempt to Pay $1 Billion in Taxpayer Funding to Kill Offshore Wind Projects

Ocasio-Cortez, Scott, Murray, Warren Establish Child Care for America Working Group to Lower Costs, Deliver Child Care for Every American Family

Representative Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Murray Introduce Legislation to Codify Minimum Wage and Overtime Protections for Home Care Workers

Ocasio-Cortez Statement on Trump’s Combat Operations in Iran

Ocasio-Cortez, Casar, Senator Markey Reintroduce Connect the Grid Act

Recent news mentions

Recent stock activity

Top PAC donors · 2026 cycle

Top individual contributors · 2026 cycle

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

See how Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez actually votes — against your values.

Alignment with your views

Prediction track record

Consistency insights

118-hr-6285·Consistent

118-hr-4366·Consistent

118-hr-1·Consistent

118-hr-6544·Consistent

118-hr-4665·Notable gap

AI rep analysis — Pro

Campaign promises

Crossing the aisle

Recent votes

Recent statements

Ocasio-Cortez, Gillibrand, Schumer, Espaillat, Torres Lead Call For Trump Administration To Release $156.5 Million In Bronx Stations Accessibility Upgrade Funding

Ocasio-Cortez Presses EPA Administrator Zeldin on Trump’s Decision to Allow Bayer to Poison Americans for Profit

Ocasio-Cortez, Huffman, Hernández, Velázquez Launch Investigation into Misuse of Puerto Rico-Energy Resilience Fund

Ocasio-Cortez Questions Secretary Kennedy Decision to Send Billions to Insurance Giants Under Investigation

Ocasio-Cortez Denounces Trump’s Unconstitutional War in Iran on House Floor

Ocasio-Cortez, Markey Blast Trump Administration Attempt to Pay $1 Billion in Taxpayer Funding to Kill Offshore Wind Projects

Ocasio-Cortez, Scott, Murray, Warren Establish Child Care for America Working Group to Lower Costs, Deliver Child Care for Every American Family

Representative Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Murray Introduce Legislation to Codify Minimum Wage and Overtime Protections for Home Care Workers

Ocasio-Cortez Statement on Trump’s Combat Operations in Iran

Ocasio-Cortez, Casar, Senator Markey Reintroduce Connect the Grid Act

Recent news mentions

Recent stock activity

Top PAC donors · 2026 cycle

Top individual contributors · 2026 cycle

118-hr-6285Consistent

118-hr-4366Consistent

118-hr-1Consistent

118-hr-6544Consistent

118-hr-4665Notable gap