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Prediction track record
How often we called Jimmy Panetta's passage votes correctly, from their stated positions on each bill's tagged topics. Excludes “unclear” calls and abstentions.
A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress.
To prohibit the disclosure of records by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development of individuals for the purposes of immigration enforcement, and for other purposes.
Based on 1 data point across public statements and recorded votes · AI analysis of public records
119-hr-2913·Consistent
Ukraine Support Act
72/100
What they said
Oct 23, 2026
The lawmakers urge the Department of Defense to expand its Starshield contract and restore Ukraine's access to Starlink and Starshield satellite communications, including unlimited-speed service and geographic coverage over Russian territory. They also urge the DoD to evaluate its authorities under Title I of the Defense Production Act to guarantee continued access.
The statement urges DoD to restore and expand Ukraine's access to Starlink/Starshield satellite communications and to consider Defense Production Act authorities, which is a narrow question of commercial satellite service provision. The bill broadly supports Ukraine through lend-lease, loans, reconstruction, and sanctions, and the rep's yes vote is directionally aligned with supporting Ukraine, but the bill does not specifically address Starshield access or DPA Title I, so the match on the specific question is partial.
Pairs with ambiguous language and high uncertainty are withheld until more data is available. Procedural, cloture, and amendment votes are excluded — they don't cleanly signal substantive support or opposition.
Pro analysis
AI rep analysis — Pro
Get an AI-narrated read on Jimmy Panetta's full voting record against your stated values — aligned themes, conflicts, notable votes, and what to watch for.
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Crossing the aisle
Passage votes where Jimmy Panetta broke ranks with ≥75% of Democrats. Threshold catches substantively partisan splits; unanimous-ish or close votes are excluded.
Rep. Panetta Joins Bipartisan, Bicameral Group of Lawmakers Urging Pentagon to Restore and Expand Starshield Access for Ukraine
Position: The lawmakers urge the Department of Defense to expand its Starshield contract and restore Ukraine's access to Starlink and Starshield satellite communications, including unlimited-speed service and geographic coverage over Russian territory. They also urge the DoD to evaluate its authorities under Title I of the Defense Production Act to guarantee continued access.
Monterey, CA – United States Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Mike Quigley (IL-05), and Jim Costa (CA-21), alongside Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), urged Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense (DoD) to expand its Starshield contract and restore Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield satellite communications following recent disruptions. They specifically called for renewing unlimited-speed service to ensure Ukraine has the capacity it needs. The lawmakers also pressed the DoD to evaluate its authorities under the Defense Production Act to guarantee continued, reliable access.
“Ukrainian forces depend on these services for command and control, intelligence sharing, battlefield communications, and the operation of unmanned systems,” wrote the lawmakers. “Any degradation in service, including reduced connection speeds, restricted geographic coverage, or interruptions in access, undermines Ukraine’s military effectiveness and provides Russian forces with an operational advantage that will extend the conflict and put more civilians in harm’s way.”
The lawmakers called on DoD to maintain the geographic coverage Ukraine needs for its lawful military operations, including over Russian territory, and to ensure any transition from commercial Starlink to government-contracted Starshield happens without interruption.
“Decisions regarding service availability, coverage, and performance should not be left solely to the discretion of a private provider when they have direct consequences for Ukraine’s ability to defend itself,” continued the lawmakers.
In addition, the lawmakers urged DoD to evaluate its authorities under Title I of the Defense Production Act, which allows the federal government to require companies to give priority to government orders.
“These authorities should be considered alongside existing contractual mechanisms to ensure that Ukraine maintains reliable access to the bandwidth, service levels, and geographic coverage required for its lawful military operations,” added the lawmakers.
“The United States and Europe have made significant investments in Ukraine’s defense because of how a Russian victory would put our security at risk. Those investments should not be undermined by preventable disruptions to the communications infrastructure on which Ukrainian forces depend,” concluded the lawmakers.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Secretary Hegseth,
We write to express our serious concern about recent disruptions to Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield satellite communications services and to urge the Department of Defense to take immediate steps to restore and sustain Ukraine’s access to these critical capabilities.
Reliable satellite communications are essential to Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russia’s ongoing aggression. Ukrainian forces depend on these services for command and control, intelligence sharing, battlefield communications, and the operation of unmanned systems. Any degradation in service, including reduced connection speeds, restricted geographic coverage, or interruptions in access, undermines Ukraine’s military effectiveness and provides Russian forces with an operational advantage that will extend the conflict and put more civilians in harm’s way.
We urge the Department to expand its existing Starshield contract to ensure Ukraine has the satellite communications capacity, coverage, and reliability necessary to sustain its military operations and renew Starshield’s unlimited-speed service. In the interim, the Department should take all necessary steps to ensure that Ukrainian forces maintain access to satellite communications at speeds and service levels at least equivalent to those previously available, through whatever combination of Starlink and Starshield services is necessary.
Critically, this should include maintaining the geographic coverage required for Ukrainian military operations, including connectivity over Russian territory where necessary to support Ukraine’s lawful military operations, consistent with applicable U.S. law and policy. Decisions regarding service availability, coverage, and performance should not be left solely to the discretion of a private provider when they have direct consequences for Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.
The Department should also ensure that any transition between commercial Starlink services and government-contracted Starshield capabilities occurs without interruptions or reductions in service. This requires sufficient contracted capacity, clear service-level requirements, and appropriate oversight to ensure that Ukraine’s operational needs are met.
We also urge the Department to evaluate the use of authorities under Title I of the Defense Production Act (50 U.S.C. § 4511), in coordination with the Department of Commerce as appropriate, to prioritize the provision and expansion of satellite communications services necessary to support Ukraine’s defense. These authorities should be considered alongside existing contractual mechanisms to ensure that Ukraine maintains reliable access to the bandwidth, service levels, and geographic coverage required for its lawful military operations.
The United States and Europe have made significant investments in Ukraine’s defense because of how a Russian victory would put our security at risk. Those investments should not be undermined by preventable disruptions to the communications infrastructure on which Ukrainian forces depend. Ensuring reliable access to satellite communications is essential to sustaining Ukraine’s defense and protecting U.S. national security interests.
We urge the Department to act expeditiously to expand its Starshield arrangements and ensure uninterrupted satellite communications support for Ukraine.
Sincerely,
###
Issues:
National Security
Rep. Panetta Leads Bipartisan Letter Raising Concerns About Meta’s Use of Research Tax Credit for Data Centers
Position: The lawmakers express concern that Meta's data center buildout costs may be claimed under the federal research tax credit, arguing that commercially available equipment and routine construction do not meet the statutory definition of qualified research and that the credit should not be expanded to subsidize ordinary capital expenditures.
Monterey, CA – United States Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and Greg Steube (FL-17) wrote a bipartisan letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressing concerns about reports that Meta is seeking to use the federal research tax credit for its data center buildout. The bipartisan letter, co-led by Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-04) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01), emphasized that any claims by Meta for the federal tax credit must meet the clearly defined requirements for qualified research and experimentation.
Congress established the research tax credit in 1981 amid concerns about declining private-sector research investment and U.S. technological competitiveness. By reducing the cost of qualifying research, the credit is meant to encourage businesses to pursue projects involving technical uncertainty and experimentation, rather than simply purchasing and deploying proven technology.
“We are concerned by Meta’s apparent position that expenditures associated with its massive data-center buildout qualify for the research credit,” wrote the lawmakers. “The purchase and deployment of commercially available servers, networking equipment, electrical infrastructure, cooling equipment, and other proven technologies cannot be transformed into qualified research merely because they are installed at unprecedented scale or in new configurations.”
To qualify for the credit, research must meet a four-part test, including being technological in nature, addressing technical uncertainty, seeking to develop or improve a product or process, and involving a process of experimentation. Certain activities, including research conducted after commercial production begins and duplication of an existing product or process, are excluded. The lawmakers emphasized that the scale or configuration of a data center does not, by itself, establish that its construction and equipment costs qualify.
“Allowing ordinary data-center construction and deployment costs to qualify would significantly expand the research credit beyond its intended purpose and risk converting an incentive for technological experimentation into a subsidy for capital expenditures that companies would undertake in the ordinary course of business,” continued the lawmakers.
“The research credit is an important tool for promoting American innovation. Protecting its integrity requires ensuring that it rewards genuine research and experimentation rather than subsidizing routine capital investment,” concluded the lawmakers.
In addition to Reps. Panetta, Steube, Thompson, and DelBene, the letter was also signed by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Donald Beyer (VA-08), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Danny Davis (IL-07), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), John James (MI-10), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Victoria Spartz (IN-05), Lori Trahan (MA-03), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).
The full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Secretary Bessent:
In light of concerning reports that Meta Platforms, Inc. is seeking to claim the research credit under 26 U.S.C. § 41 for substantial expenditures associated with its data center buildout, we write as Members of Congress to reaffirm that the credit is intended to incentivize qualified research and experimentation, not subsidize the routine deployment of existing technology. We believe that the credit remains a critical support for American innovation, but that an overly expansive interpretation of qualifying expenditures risks undermining its purpose by subsidizing ordinary capital investment rather than encouraging genuinely novel research.
Congress created the research credit as part of the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 in response to declining private-sector research and development investment and concerns about U.S. technological competitiveness. The credit was designed to encourage companies to undertake additional research and experimentation, not to subsidize ordinary capital investment or the deployment of established technology.
Internal Revenue Code Section 41 and Treasury Regulation 1.41-4 establish specific requirements for activities to constitute qualified research. Research must satisfy the IRS four-part test, which mandates the research must aim to develop or improve a product, process or technique, be technological in nature, eliminate uncertainty about capability, design, or methodology and importantly belong to a process of experimentation. A company must pinpoint the specific components of a project that are technically uncertain and prove it used scientific experiments to overcome that uncertainty.
These limitations are particularly important in distinguishing genuine research and experimentation from ordinary commercial activity. IRS guidance makes clear that research conducted after the beginning of commercial production and the duplication of an existing product or process do not qualify. Likewise, uncertainty about how best to configure or implement existing technology does not, alone, establish that a taxpayer has undertaken the process of experimentation required by Section 41. The IRS has repeatedly found that proven and commercially available equipment and technology is not eligible for the credit.
As a result, we are concerned by Meta’s apparent position that expenditures associated with its massive data-center buildout qualify for the research credit. The purchase and deployment of commercially available servers, networking equipment, electrical infrastructure, cooling equipment, and other proven technologies cannot be transformed into qualified research merely because they are installed at unprecedented scale or in new configurations.
Allowing ordinary data-center construction and deployment costs to qualify would significantly expand the research credit beyond its intended purpose and risk converting an incentive for technological experimentation into a subsidy for capital expenditures that companies would undertake in the ordinary course of business.
The research credit is an important tool for promoting American innovation. Protecting its integrity requires ensuring that it rewards genuine research and experimentation rather than subsidizing routine capital investment.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your response.
###
Issues:
Economy and Business
Rep. Panetta Leads Call for Transparency, Accountability in the Administration’s Global Health Strategy
Position: Rep. Panetta and 34 other lawmakers urged the State Department to publicly release global health agreements and provide detailed answers on performance measurement, spending oversight, and responses to misuse of funds under the Administration's global health strategy, which shifts assistance directly to foreign governments. The release states support for global health efforts on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and Ebola while calling for safeguards against waste, fraud, and abuse.
Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) wrote a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio requesting greater transparency and stronger oversight of the Trump Administration’s “America First Global Health Strategy.” Rep. Panetta led 34 other lawmakers in calling for the public release of global health agreements and detailed answers about how the Administration will measure results, monitor spending, and respond to the misuse of U.S. taxpayer dollars.
Following the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the transfer of foreign assistance responsibilities to the U.S. Department of State, the Administration announced roughly $16 billion in bilateral assistance programs for 36 countries. Under the new model, assistance goes directly to foreign governments. However, only a handful of the agreements have been made publicly available, and the lawmakers raised concerns that many participating governments have a history of corruption involving foreign assistance.
“While we applaud efforts to build up global health mechanisms that fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, Ebola and other infectious diseases, this new model raises significant concerns about the efficient and transparent use of U.S. taxpayer dollars,” wrote Rep. Panetta and his colleagues. “Given that the Administration’s dismantling of USAID was triggered by alleged wasteful spending, we want to ensure this new foreign assistance model is free of waste, fraud and abuse.”
The lawmakers highlighted the multiple layers of oversight USAID used to monitor funding provided to nongovernmental organizations and other implementing partners, including contracting officers, program officials, technical experts, and the USAID Office of Inspector General. They cited testimony from the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the USAID Office of Inspector General indicating limited ability to track or audit funds sent directly to foreign governments. While acknowledging the need to modernize foreign assistance, the lawmakers warned that shifting to government-to-government assistance requires clear safeguards to protect taxpayer dollars.
“Failure to implement these programs thoughtfully, while ensuring accountability to the taxpayer, jeopardizes American leadership in the global health space, which is second to none. It also encourages nations to seek partnerships with our adversaries, while making America less safe, less strong and less prosperous,” continued the lawmakers.
The lawmakers requested written responses explaining how the Administration will define success and monitor whether the health agreements meet their objectives, who will oversee that work, and what staffing, technical expertise, and funding will support it. They also asked the State Department to identify the systems and safeguards it will use to track and audit spending and explain how it will respond to allegations or evidence of misuse, including whether it will immediately suspend assistance.
To ensure taxpayers can review these commitments, the lawmakers called for all existing and future global health agreements to be made publicly available. They requested a detailed explanation if the State Department cannot release the agreements.
The letter was also signed by Reps. Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Jim Costa (CA-21), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Jared Golden (ME-02), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Bill Keating (MA-09), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Dave Min (CA-47), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Dina Titus (NV-01), James Walkinshaw (VA-11), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25).
The full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Secretary Rubio,
We write to express concerns about transparency and oversight of the Administration’s new bilateral international assistance model, which grants money directly to foreign governments. Following the dissolution of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the transfer of foreign assistance to the U.S. Department of State, the Administration announced roughly $16 billion in bi-lateral assistance programs for 36 countries and launched the America First Global Health Strategy. While we applaud efforts to build up global health mechanisms that fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, Ebola and other infectious diseases, this new model raises significant concerns about the efficient and transparent use of U.S. taxpayer dollars.
Since the bi-lateral international assistance agreements were signed with host countries, only a handful have been made available to the U.S. public for review. Furthermore, many of the foreign governments that have signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the State Department have a history of corruption with respect to foreign assistance.
USAID had several layers of accountability mechanisms built to help monitor funds sent to nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and other implementing partners, including country-based contracting officers, programmatic officials and U.S.-based technical officials, as well as the USAID Office of Inspector General (OIG). Testimony from the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the USAID OIG indicate that there is limited ability to track or audit U.S. taxpayer dollars sent directly to foreign governments. While many development stakeholders agree that a foreign assistance model based primarily on international NGOs needs improvement and modernization, the wholesale adoption of government-to-government assistance without accountability or transparency raises serious questions.
Given that the Administration’s dismantling of USAID was triggered by alleged wasteful spending, we want to ensure this new foreign assistance model is free of waste, fraud and abuse. We therefore request written responses to the following questions:
1) Please detail how the Administration will monitor and evaluate these health agreements to ensure they meet their objectives. How will success be defined?
2) Who will be charged with monitoring and evaluating these bi-lateral assistance agreements? What resources, including staffing, technical capacity, and financial support, are being deployed to support these efforts?
3) How will the State Department respond to allegations or evidence of improper use of U.S. taxpayer dollars used in foreign assistance? Do you plan to immediately cut off all aid if U.S. taxpayer money is not used for its intended purpose? If not, please explain why.
4) Please detail how the Administration plans to track and audit U.S. taxpayer dollars sent to foreign governments to ensure they are used for their purposes of supporting global health programs. What systems, tools, and safeguards are in place to ensure adequate monitoring and evaluation?
5) We request that all previously signed, as well as all future, global health agreements be made publicly available. If you are unable to do so, please provide a detailed explanation of why you can’t make these agreements publicly available for review to U.S. taxpayers.
Failure to implement these programs thoughtfully, while ensuring accountability to the taxpayer, jeopardizes American leadership in the global health space, which is second to none. It also encourages nations to seek partnerships with our adversaries, while making America less safe, less strong and less prosperous.
Thank you for your attention to these questions as we work toward a shared goal of ensuring quality oversight of a critical tool in our national security apparatus.
Sincerely,
###
Issues:
Health
National Security
Rep. Panetta Convenes Local Healthcare Leaders to Address Challenges Ahead of Medicare Open Enrollment
Position: The release advocates for strengthening Medicare physician reimbursement and reducing administrative burdens to address provider shortages, citing the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act and the Patients First Act. It also references the need to update the Medicare Hospice Benefit.
Rep. Panetta convened a roundtable to discuss provider shortages
and service challenges ahead of October 15 Medicare open enrollment.
To watch his remarks, click HERE or on the above photo.
For additional photos, click HERE.
Santa Cruz, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) brought together local physicians, hospital leaders, and community health providers at Santa Cruz Community Health to address seniors’ challenges accessing care ahead of Medicare open enrollment and discuss his bipartisan efforts to ensure they have coverage they can afford and rely on. With Medicare open enrollment set to start October 15, the roundtable and subsequent press availability focused on local provider shortages, rising prescription drug plan premiums, and the need for Medicare payments to keep pace with the cost of providing care.
For many seniors in California’s 19th Congressional District, choosing Medicare coverage does not guarantee they can find a local doctor accepting new patients. Medicare physician reimbursements have failed to keep pace with inflation, making it harder for practices to recruit and retain physicians and continue serving seniors in a region with a high cost of living. These pressures leave beneficiaries facing fewer options and longer waits for the benefits they earned through a lifetime of work.
“As Medicare open enrollment begins October 15, seniors deserve coverage that they paid into and can rely on. Too often in our community, however, having coverage does not mean having access to care,” said Rep. Panetta. “That’s why I helped author, introduce, and am working to pass the bipartisan Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act and the Patients First Act that would strengthen physician payments and reduce administrative burdens, helping keep local doctors in practice so seniors can access the care they earned.”
“I appreciate the opportunity to share ideas with Congressman Panetta for strengthening Medicare to better support patients and providers. The Medicare Hospice Benefit has not been updated since its introduction in 1982, despite significant changes in disease trajectories and treatments. Safety-net providers like Hospice of Santa Cruz County increasingly care for patients with complex needs and short stays, yet the current Medicare reimbursement does not adequately reflect the intensity or cost of providing this care. Without meaningful updates to the benefit, high-quality hospices like ours face growing challenges in sustaining the level of care our patients need and deserve,” said Cathy Conway, CEO, Hospice of Santa Cruz County.
A 2022 California Medical Association survey found that 76% of responding physicians reported that traditional Medicare payments do not cover their costs of providing care, and 87% reported difficulty recruiting and retaining physicians because of low Medicare payment rates and the high costs of operating a practice in California. Additionally, 41% said they planned to close their practices to new Medicare patients.
Rep. Panetta co-leads the bipartisan Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act to index physician payments to inflation and better reflect the cost of delivering care. He also helped introduce the bipartisan Patients First Act to strengthen physician payments, support primary care, and reduce administrative burdens. Together, these proposals would help sustain practices and improve seniors’ access to care.
Rep. Panetta’s bipartisan REAL Health Providers Act, signed into law this year, will require annual updates to Medicare Advantage provider directories beginning in 2028 so seniors have more accurate information when choosing coverage. He previously voted for the Inflation Reduction Act’s cap on annual out-of-pocket Medicare Part D prescription drug costs and its option to spread those expenses across the year.
For additional photos, click HERE.
###
Issues:
Health
Rep. Panetta Stands with Local Community Leaders to Call on the United States Postal Service to Restore Mail Service to Brookdale
Position: Rep. Panetta opposes the U.S. Postal Service's proposed permanent closure of the Brookdale Post Office and calls on USPS to halt the discontinuance study and restore mail service to the community.
To watch his remarks, click HERE.
For additional photos and b-roll, click HERE.
Brookdale, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) brought together local elected leaders and community members at the Brookdale Lodge to voice their unified opposition to the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) proposed permanent closure of the Brookdale Post Office. Rep. Panetta was joined at the press conference by Santa Cruz County Supervisor Monica Martinez, Jason Patel of the Brookdale Lodge, and other concerned Brookdale residents. With more than 30 community members present, the group called on USPS to restore mail service as soon as they can to Brookdale.
After nearly two years of delays, missed deadlines, and inconsistent statements, USPS recently launched a discontinuance feasibility study for the Brookdale Post Office without proposing an alternative location in the community or expanded local service. The proposed closure would leave the people of Brookdale without local postal services in a community that already lacks USPS home delivery.
“For nearly two years, the people of Brookdale have waited in good faith while USPS sat on its hands, missed deadlines, and failed to provide a reliable timeline for restoring service,” said Rep. Panetta. “Now, instead of finding a new location or restoring local service, USPS is studying whether to permanently close the Brookdale Post Office. We are standing shoulder to shoulder to call for USPS to halt the study and restore postal services for the Brookdale community.”
“It is unfair for USPS to further burden Brookdale residents, who have already had to assume additional costs in the aftermath of the CZU Lightning Fire Complex, by asking them to travel out of town to access their mail during work hours. If they won’t reestablish a post office, USPS should offer home delivery in Brookdale, like it does in neighboring towns,” said Santa Cruz County Supervisor Monica Martinez.
“After nearly two years without local postal service, Brookdale residents deserve a solution, not a permanent closure. Brookdale residents don’t get home mail delivery, making the post office their only way to receive their prescriptions, ballots, and bills. Since the fire, they have had to drive to Boulder Creek or Ben Lomond to pick up their mail. I stand with Congressman Panetta and Brookdale residents in calling on USPS to restore postal service in Brookdale,” said Assemblymember Gail Pellerin.
“We, the residents of Brookdale, respectfully request the restoration of a permanent U.S. Post Office in the community of Brookdale, Zip Code 95007,” said Brookdale Resident Sally Lussier.
USPS plays a fundamental role in making sure Americans stay informed and participate in our democracy, receive essential government services, pay their bills, and maintain access to lifesaving medication. However, postal services in Brookdale have been suspended since a fire damaged the community’s post office in December 2024. Since then, Brookdale residents have had to travel to Boulder Creek to receive essential mail and conduct the everyday business of their lives. That burden falls especially hard on seniors, people with disabilities, working families, and residents without reliable transportation.
With USPS closing the study’s comment period on October 11, Rep. Panetta and local leaders urged residents to submit their questionnaires and feedback before the deadline. Rep. Panetta also collected comment cards from Brookdale residents expressing their opposition to the proposed permanent closure, which he will submit directly to USPS this week. Those who could not attend the event in person can complete the form linked here by October 9 to have their concerns submitted by Rep. Panetta’s office.
USPS was invited to attend the event but declined to participate, citing its September 11 virtual meeting on the discontinuance feasibility study.
Rep. Panetta has repeatedly pressed USPS leadership to restore postal services in Brookdale. Last week, Rep. Panetta wrote to Postmaster General David Steiner demanding that USPS immediately halt the discontinuance feasibility study for the Brookdale Post Office, identify a new location in Brookdale, and expand appropriate postal services to serve the community. In a February 2026 letter to the Postmaster General, he called on USPS to repair and reopen the facility with a clear project timeline and provide temporary postal service within the community in the interim. After USPS missed its promised May 1 reopening date, Rep. Panetta sent a May 2026 letter requesting that the USPS Inspector General review the agency’s management, communication, and decision-making, the adequacy of interim services, and the feasibility of restoring service through a temporary or alternative facility.
Rep. Panetta will continue to oppose the USPS proposal to permanently close the Brookdale Post Office and demand a permanent postal facility that serves the Brookdale community.
For additional photos and b-roll, click HERE.
###
Rep. Panetta Calls on USPS to Stop Feasibility Study to Close the Brookdale Post Office
Position: Rep. Panetta calls on the U.S. Postal Service to halt a feasibility study on permanently closing the Brookdale Post Office, identify an alternative location, explore home delivery, and provide interim mail pickup options such as cluster box units.
Santa Cruz, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) called on U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner to immediately halt the discontinuance feasibility study for the Brookdale Post Office, identify an alternative post office location in the community, and expand postal services to ensure that residents have timely and local access to their mail.
Postal services in Brookdale have been suspended since a fire severely damaged the community’s contract post office in December 2024. After residents waited nearly two years for the facility to reopen, with no apparent progress being made on repairs, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) notified the community in September 2026 that it was conducting a feasibility study on permanently closing the location. USPS still has not proposed an alternative location or expanded service within Brookdale.
“Since the Brookdale Post Office burned down, the people of that community have waited for nearly two years in good faith while the USPS sat on its hands saying that they would reopen the facility,” said Rep. Panetta. “Then, out of the blue, the USPS made the haphazard decision to study whether it should shut down the post office without providing any postal service in Brookdale. Such an indiscriminate and arbitrary decision to shut down a local post office, without any plan to open up the existing one or attempt to provide postal services to existing Brookdale customers, is unreasonable, and we expect more out of our Postal Service. That is why I wrote this letter calling on the USPS to stop the study and start figuring out how it can provide postal services to the people of Brookdale.”
Brookdale residents do not receive home mail delivery and have historically relied on post office boxes and retail services at the local facility. Since the fire, residents have been forced to travel to neighboring communities, including Boulder Creek and Ben Lomond, to retrieve their mail and access basic postal services. In the mountain community of Brookdale, that burden is particularly significant for seniors, people with disabilities, working families, and residents without reliable transportation, especially during severe weather and other disruptions in the San Lorenzo Valley.
Rep. Panetta called on Postmaster General Steiner to:
Immediately halt the discontinuance feasibility study on the proposed permanent closing of the Brookdale Post Office;
Investigate potential alternative permanent post office locations in Brookdale;
Explore home delivery service for the residents of Brookdale;
Until home delivery is available, offer cluster box units or another mail pickup solution in Brookdale; and
Schedule a meeting with Rep. Panetta to discuss next steps.
Rep. Panetta has repeatedly pressed USPS leadership to restore postal services in Brookdale. In a February 2026 letter to the Postmaster General, he called on USPS to repair and reopen the facility with a clear project timeline and provide temporary postal service within the community in the interim. After USPS missed its promised May 1 reopening date, Rep. Panetta sent a May 2026 letter requesting that the USPS Inspector General review the agency’s management, communication, and decision-making, the adequacy of interim services, and the feasibility of restoring service through a temporary or alternative facility.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Postmaster General:
I write to request your immediate action to end the discontinuance feasibility study for the Brookdale Post Office, to find a new post office location in Brookdale, California, and to expand appropriate postal services to serve this community. Since their contract post office burned down, my constituents have waited for nearly two years in good faith while the USPS deflected its responsibility to reopen the facility. The decision this month to consider discontinuing postal service in Brookdale, with no alternative services to your existing Brookdale customers, is unreasonable without any effort to find an alternative post office location or any other remedy for postal services and basic operations in the community.
In December 2024, a fire disabled service at the contract post office in Brookdale, a town I represent in California’s 19th District. Brookdale is a rural mountain community, and for nearly two years, residents waited in good faith for the USPS to restore service, traveling to other towns to receive basic postal services. This would be a burden under normal circumstances, and it is particularly challenging when residents face weather events or other impediments in the San Lorenzo Valley. For disabled, elderly, and mobility-impaired constituents, traveling out of their town presents an additional challenge, but Brookdale residents have done so patiently with the expectation that USPS would eventually restore a local post office. However, in September 2026, after years of deflections, the USPS announced a discontinuance feasibility study for the post office and took the extraordinary step of preemptively refusing to expand services in Brookdale or to consider a new post office location in the community.
Brookdale has never had home delivery, despite the fact that neighboring towns enjoy this basic service. Over time, residents have come to rely on boxes and retail services at the local post office. For years, these services were housed in a rented facility. When that facility suffered a catastrophic fire, the USPS spent years assuring residents and my office that they were waiting for the property owner to conduct necessary repairs. This rationale continued even after the property owner missed basic deadlines for the repairs. Instead of considering alternative locations for the post office, or my constituents’ requests for home delivery or cluster box units in Brookdale, the USPS took steps to discontinue service altogether.
Faced with this situation, I ask that you:
Immediately halt the discontinuance feasibility study on the proposed permanent closing for the Brookdale Post Office;
Investigate potential alternative permanent post office locations in Brookdale;
Explore home delivery service for the residents of Brookdale;
Until home delivery is available, offer cluster box units or another mail pickup solution in Brookdale;
Schedule a meeting with me to discuss next steps to ensure my constituents are being served.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. Restoring dependable postal operations is vital for my constituents, and these steps will help ensure the residents of Brookdale can rely on the United States Postal Service for years to come.
Sincerely,
Rep. Panetta, Lawmakers Urge Netanyahu to Contain Settler Violence & Protect Communities in the West Bank
Position: The release urges the Israeli government to contain settler violence in the West Bank, hold perpetrators accountable, complete investigations into deaths of American citizens, and halt further settlement approvals and remove illegal outposts.
Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) joined Reps. Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) and Eugene Vindman (VA-07) in sending a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging his government to take immediate steps to contain settler violence in the West Bank.
“We write with urgent concern regarding the growing outbreak of extremist settler violence in the West Bank, including violence that has killed and threatened American citizens,” wrote the lawmakers. “We do so out of concern for Israel’s long-term security as well as for the safety of Palestinians. Continued settlement expansion and violence in the West Bank will harm that security and the prospects for lasting peace, prosperity, and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
“Amidst this violence, we are especially concerned for the safety of American citizens in the West Bank,” continued the lawmakers. “Nine American citizens have been killed in the West Bank since January 2022. To date, no one has been held accountable for any of these nine deaths. Many of us have heard directly from constituents, including American citizens who have themselves been threatened or harassed by settlers without cause.”
“Restoring the rule of law in the West Bank serves the security of Israelis and Palestinians alike,” concluded the lawmakers. “The safety of our constituents matters to us as the safety of your citizens matters to you. We also hope to see conditions improve so that Israelis and Palestinians may one day live alongside one another without fear of terrorism or lawless violence.”
In the letter, the lawmakers requested that the Israeli government take the following actions to uphold the rule of law and end the violence in the West Bank:
Instruct the Israel Police and the Israel Defense Forces to defend Palestinian communities in the West Bank when they come under attack, and to apply that standard consistently, whoever the attackers are.
Establish a transparent and credible mechanism to investigate and prosecute violence against Palestinians, including Palestinian Americans, and complete the pending investigations into the deaths of the nine American citizens killed in the West Bank since January 2022.
Halt further settlement approvals and continue to take steps to remove illegal outposts in the West Bank.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu:
We write with urgent concern regarding the growing outbreak of extremist settler violence in the West Bank, including violence that has killed and threatened American citizens. As members of the U.S. House of Representatives, we have been paying close attention to the security situation in the region, and write to urge you to take steps to contain West Bank violence and hold perpetrators accountable. We do so out of concern for Israel’s long-term security as well as for the safety of Palestinians. Continued settlement expansion and violence in the West Bank will harm that security and the prospects for lasting peace, prosperity, and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Since the beginning of your government in 2022, settler violence in the West Bank has grown at a rapid pace. The number of attacks by Israeli settlers, including those against Palestinians and Israeli security forces, rose 27% in 2025, according to data recorded by the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet security agency. On top of this significant increase, serious incidents of settler violence rose 63% during the first half of 2026, as compared to the same period in 2025. According to the United Nations, 1,122 Palestinians, including both combatants and civilians, were killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem between October 7, 2023 and July 24, 2026, the vast majority of them by Israeli forces. That is roughly the same number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank during the preceding eighteen years, from 2005 through 2022. Since the beginning of 2023, 67 Israelis have been killed by Palestinians in the West Bank. Since January of 2023, settler violence has displaced 107 communities in the West Bank, affecting approximately 6,000 Palestinians.
Israeli settler attacks have made daily life unsafe for Palestinians across large parts of the West Bank. Palestinian schools have been destroyed, Palestinian farmers have described being beaten and driven from land that Israeli settlers are trying to seize, and many Palestinian families have had their movements restricted or fences built around their homes by settlers. Since the beginning of 2026, the United Nations has documented more than 1,380 settler-related incidents across over 250 Palestinian communities, an average of about 6.6 per day.
Amidst this violence, we are especially concerned for the safety of American citizens in the West Bank. On August 29, 2026, masked Israeli settlers attacked an NBC News team and the Palestinian woman they were interviewing in the village of Jalud. Three crew members and the woman were beaten with sticks and struck with rocks, and an NBC correspondent was treated at a clinic. Nine American citizens have been killed in the West Bank since January 2022. To date, no one has been held accountable for any of these nine deaths. Many of us have heard directly from constituents, including American citizens who have themselves been threatened or harassed by settlers without cause.
This lack of accountability has come alongside continued settlement expansion. In March 2026, your government approved approximately 50 million shekels for illegal outposts, funding that has been used for all-terrain vehicles, night-vision goggles, and drones. Israeli soldiers have reportedly stood by during settler attacks without intervening, and in some cases are reported to have taken part in them. Accountability remains rare. According to the Israeli organization Yesh Din, 93.6% of all investigation files they monitor concerning ideologically motivated offenses committed by Israelis against Palestinians in the West Bank (“settler violence”) opened by the Israel Police since 2005 ended without an indictment.
As you know, the 20-point peace plan, which your government agreed to, includes language stating that “While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform programme is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.” Continued violence against Palestinians in the West Bank undermines a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, makes it far more difficult to reform the Palestinian Authority, and undermines the integrity and efficacy of the 20-point peace plan as a whole.
Condemnation of the attacks in the villages of Qusra and Jalud is an important first step, but it must be matched by action, and the description of those responsible as a “handful of rioters” is difficult to square with the pattern that Israel’s own former security leadership has documented. We welcome news of your order that some settler outposts in the West Bank be dismantled, and ask that your government carry out these orders quickly and commit to dismantling all illegal outposts and settlements. In June 2026, more than 200 prominent Israelis wrote to your government urging action to address violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. The signatories included two former prime ministers, more than three dozen retired generals, and the former heads of Israel’s foreign and domestic intelligence services. We urge you to listen to their and our concerns and to take action to end West Bank violence. Failure to do so risks further destabilization and violence in the West Bank, wider instability in the Middle East, and harm to the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Accordingly, we respectfully request that your government take the following steps:
1. Instruct the Israeli Police and the Israel Defense Forces to defend Palestinian communities in the West Bank when they come under attack, and to apply that standard consistently whoever the attackers are.
2. Establish a transparent and credible mechanism to investigate and prosecute violence against Palestinians, including Palestinian Americans, and complete the pending investigations into the deaths of the nine American citizens killed in the West Bank since January 2022.
3. Halt further settlement approvals and continue to take steps to remove illegal outposts in the West Bank.
Restoring the rule of law in the West Bank serves the security of Israelis and Palestinians alike. The safety of our constituents matters to us as the safety of your citizens matters to you. We ask that your government ensure that Americans living in or visiting the Israeli-controlled areas of the West Bank receive the security and the protection of property to which they are entitled. We also hope to see conditions improve so that Israelis and Palestinians may one day live alongside one another without fear of terrorism or lawless violence.
Sincerely,
###
Rep. Panetta and Bipartisan Group of Members Urge the Administration to Lead on AI Safety and Security
Position: The release urges the Trump Administration to lead international efforts on AI safety and security standards, including U.S.-China coordination on safety testing, incident reporting, and consequences for AI-enabled cyber activity against U.S. critical infrastructure.
Washington, D.C. – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and members of the bipartisan Congressional Working Group on Artificial Intelligence and Evolving Technologies wrote a letter to President Donald Trump urging the Administration to lead international efforts to establish clear standards for the safe and secure development of advanced artificial intelligence (AI). The letter to President Trump comes as he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
As the United States works to maintain its global leadership in AI, the Working Group called for stronger U.S.-China coordination on AI safety, including testing and incident reporting, and clear consequences for AI-enabled cyber activity targeting American critical infrastructure. The lawmakers emphasized that America can protect its national security, strengthen its technological leadership, and set the rules of the road for emerging technology at the same time.
“The United States leads the world in AI, and we intend to keep it that way. But if we do not lead in setting global standards for advanced AI development, our adversaries will,” wrote the lawmakers. “In contemplation of your September 24th meeting with President Xi Jinping, we respectfully request that you prioritize a coordinated international effort on AI safety and security, beginning with China.”
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Mr. President,
The bipartisan Problem Solver’s Congressional AI and Evolving Technologies Working Group recognizes the rapid advance of frontier AI and the need for American leadership in setting the international rules to govern it. Leading American AI developers have consistently warned that the most capable models are developing capabilities that carry serious national security risks. These include enabling sophisticated cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, lowering the barriers to developing biological and chemical weapons, and increasing the risk of miscalculation in a military crisis
The United States leads the world in AI, and we intend to keep it that way. But if we do not lead in setting global standards for advanced AI development, our adversaries will.
In contemplation of your September 24th meeting with President Xi Jinping, we respectfully request that you prioritize a coordinated international effort on AI safety and security, beginning with China. Specifically, we ask that the meeting advance the following objectives:
1. Endorse and elevate the U.S.-China AI dialogue your Administration proposed this week, securing President Xi’s personal commitment to it at the leader level.
2. Press President Xi to commit to coordinating on AI safety principles, including safety testing and incident reporting measures built on American standards.
3. Make clear that AI-enabled cyber activity against American critical infrastructure is unacceptable.
The United States and China have taken a first step together before: at last year's APEC summit in Lima, both nations affirmed that decisions on the use of nuclear weapons must remain under human control. The United States wrote the rules of the road for nuclear safety and civil aviation without sacrificing our strength at home. We must do the same for AI.
We look forward to working together in a bipartisan fashion on this critical national security issue.
Sincerely,
###
Rep. Panetta Leads Letter Opposing Administration’s Move to End Funding for Drug Test Strips
Position: Rep. Panetta and colleagues oppose the Trump Administration's decision to end federal funding for drug test strips, arguing that test strips are evidence-based public health tools that prevent overdose deaths and that eliminating this funding would force community programs to scale back or shut down, particularly harming rural and underserved areas.
Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) authored and led a letter to the Trump Administration strongly opposing its recent decision by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to end funding for illicit drug test strips. In his letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Rep. Panetta and his colleagues emphasized that test strips are bipartisan, science-based tools that are critical to avoiding preventable deaths amid the rise of synthetic opioids and emerging adulterants like xylazine.
Rep. Panetta and his colleagues highlighted that Congress, on a bipartisan basis, has repeatedly authorized and funded test strips, including through last year’s reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act. They also underscored that unilaterally limiting funding for drug test strips goes against Congress’s consensus and puts Americans across the country at risk from growing drug threats such as xylazine.
“Communities across the country, including those we represent, are facing an increasingly volatile and dangerous drug supply,” wrote Rep. Panetta and his colleagues. “Fentanyl remains the leading cause of overdose deaths nationwide, and the rise of xylazine and medetomidine-adulterated fentanyl has further complicated both overdose response and treatment. Test strips for fentanyl, xylazine, and other substances are proven, cost-effective public health tools to detect lethal adulterants, reduce the risk of fatality from illicit drug use.”
“Eliminating federal support for these test strips would have immediate and damaging consequences. State, tribal, and local health agencies rely heavily on SAMHSA funding to distribute these supplies through trusted community partners, first responders, and public health departments,” continued the lawmakers. “Removing this support would force many programs to scale back or shut down, increasing the likelihood of fatal overdoses—particularly in the rural and underserved communities that already experience treatment gaps.”
The letter is co-signed by Representatives Judy Chu (CA-28), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Dave Min (CA-47), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Lori Trahan (MA-03), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
Rep. Panetta is the lead author and sponsor of the bicameral, bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. This bill would stem the flow of xylazine while protecting the drug’s legal use by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Secretary Kennedy:
We write to express our strong opposition to the recent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) policy ending funding for illicit drug test strips. At a time when synthetic opioids and emerging adulterants such as xylazine continue to drive unprecedented preventable deaths, the federal government must reinforce, not retreat from, bipartisan, evidence-based tools that save lives.
Communities across the country, including those we represent, are facing an increasingly volatile and dangerous drug supply. Fentanyl remains the leading cause of overdose deaths nationwide, and the rise of xylazine and medetomidine-adulterated fentanyl has further complicated both overdose response and treatment. Test strips for fentanyl, xylazine, and other substances are proven, cost-effective public health tools to detect lethal adulterants, reduce the risk of fatality from illicit drug use. While they may not prevent addiction, test strips can lessen its toll and give drug users the chance to survive and recover.
Eliminating federal support for these test strips would have immediate and damaging consequences. State, tribal, and local health agencies rely heavily on SAMHSA funding to distribute these supplies through trusted community partners, first responders, and public health departments. Removing this support would force many programs to scale back or shut down, increasing the likelihood of fatal overdoses—particularly in the rural and underserved communities that already experience treatment gaps.
Congress has consistently funded test strips in a bipartisan manner, most recently mandating them last year in the bipartisan SUPPORT Act reauthorization, and has worked productively with Democratic and Republican administrations to address the threat of emerging drug threats such as xylazine. Last year, the Trump Administration called on Congress to pass popular legislation to limit the spread of illicit xylazine, and explicitly endorsed test strips. Limiting these funds, especially through a unilateral mandate, undermines this bipartisan consensus and will be felt in Democrat- and Republican-represented congressional districts across the country.
We respectfully request that HHS reverse any directive restricting funding for fentanyl or xylazine test strips and promptly clarify to grantees that these supplies remain eligible for federal support. Moving forward, we urge the administration to consult with Congress on this shared priority. Thank you for your continued partnership in the bipartisan fight against the overdose epidemic.
###
Issues:
Health
Rep. Panetta, Democratic Veterans, Colleagues Introduce No Funds for Iran War Act
Position: The release expresses opposition to ongoing military action against Iran without congressional authorization. The representatives argue that the conflict lacks proper congressional approval, has cost billions in taxpayer funds and American lives, and should be halted unless Congress votes to authorize it through an AUMF or declaration of war.
Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) joined the Ranking Members of the House Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence Committees, and other Democratic veteran colleagues, including Representative Pat Ryan (NY-18), to introduce a bill to prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars for military action against Iran.
The introduction comes after nine weeks of hostilities conducted without Congressional approval, costing at least $25 billion and causing the deaths of 13 U.S. servicemembers. The President’s war of choice has inflicted pain on working-class families, including through the rising costs of gas.
The No Funds for Iran War Act would prohibit the use of additional taxpayer funds for military action against Iran in the absence of an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) or official declaration of war from Congress.
“This Administration’s war of choice in Iran cost American lives and billions of American dollars, and continues to raise costs for working families all across America,” said Rep. Panetta. “Without a coherent strategy, the consent of Congress, or the consensus of the American people, the conflict needs to be contained by Congress before it grows into a broader, prolonged war. This legislation would help by prohibiting the use of additional taxpayer funds for the war barring congressional approval, and allow Congress to take back its constitutional authority to protect our service members and lower costs for all Americans.”
“The American people have been clear from the beginning: they want lower costs and no more forever wars. The Trump administration has spent nine weeks conducting an illegal war in Iran that has done the exact opposite – and every American is paying the price,” said Rep. Ryan. “Their recklessness has killed 13 brave servicemembers, wounded hundreds more, cost at least $25 billion in taxpayer money, and sent gas prices skyrocketing here at home. Since Day 1, there has been no strategy or endgame. Not a single dollar more on this ill-conceived war.”
“Trump’s war of choice has achieved none of the administration’s stated objectives and has surpassed the president’s initial stated timeline of the conflict, which was supposed to last only a few weeks. Now that the president is moving the goal posts and twisting the 60-day requirements of the War Powers Act, Congress must take action. It is time for it to exercise its constitutional power of the purse,” said Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee.
“Trump’s Iran war was never authorized by Congress, and no funds appropriated by Congress should be spent on this illegal conflict,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “The American people don’t want this administration spending billions of taxpayer dollars on a new forever war in the Middle East that is already driving up the costs of everything from gas to groceries. I thank Rep. Ryan for his leadership introducing this bill.”
“Donald Trump believes he can continue to wage an unconstitutional war at the expense of American taxpayers, but at the end of the day Congress still holds the purse strings and will be the final authority on our long-term military action overseas,” said Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04), Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. “I know that my Republican colleagues are hearing, as I am, from their constituents who are seeing their gas and grocery prices rise by the week, and I hope that they will join us in limiting this illegal spending, restoring Congress’ constitutional authority to declare war and refocusing on delivering lower prices for the American people.”
In addition to Rep. Panetta, the legislation is cosponsored by Reps. Smith, Meeks, and Himes and Rep. Panetta’s fellow Democratic veteran Representatives Ted Lieu (CA-36), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Jason Crow (CO-06), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Derek Tran (CA-45), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Herb Conaway (NJ-03), Mike Thompson (CA-04), and Bobby Scott (VA-03).
###
Issues:
National Security
Source: GDELT 2.0 GKG, filtered to a curated list of national outlets. Inclusion is not endorsement; opinion pieces and reported news are mixed.
Recent stock activity
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No disclosed trades on record.
Source: open-data mirrors of the Senate eFD and House Clerk financial-disclosure systems. Disclosure within 30 days of trade is required by law (45 for spouse/dependent trades).
Top PAC donors · 2026 cycle
Political action committees that gave the most to this rep's principal campaign committee this cycle. PAC giving is direct organizational support — industry, ideological, or leadership.
1.WINE AND SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF AMERICA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEBusiness2 contributionsTrade association PAC for wine and spirits wholesalers — backs candidates and policies supporting alcohol distribution, retail licensing, and industry regulatory interests.AI$10,000
2.NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYER ORGANIZATIONS PAC (NAPEO PAC)2 contributions$10,000
3.KPMG PARTNERS/PRINCIPALS AND EMPLOYEES PACFinance2 contributionsPAC of KPMG, a multinational professional-services and accounting firm. Backs candidates supporting business-friendly tax policy, regulatory efficiency, and professional-services industry interests.AI$10,000
4.METLIFE INC. EMPLOYEES' POLITICAL PARTICIPATION FUND A2 contributions$10,000
5.AUTOMOTIVE FREE INTERNATIONAL TRADE PACTransport2 contributionsAutomotive-industry PAC — supports candidates and policies favoring free-trade agreements and reduced tariffs on vehicle imports and parts.AI$10,000
6.ASSOCIATION OF KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN FRANCHISEES INC PAC2 contributions$10,000
7.AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATIONLabor2 contributionsTrade-union PAC for teachers — backs candidates supporting public education funding, collective bargaining rights, and worker protections.AI$10,000
8.NATIONAL CATTLEMEN'S BEEF ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NCBA-PAC)Agriculture2 contributionsAgribusiness PAC representing U.S. cattle ranchers and beef producers — backs policies supporting livestock production, trade, and agricultural infrastructure.AI$10,000
9.BURNS AND MCDONNELL INC. PAC2 contributions$10,000
10.AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEAgriculture2 contributionsAgricultural processing PAC for American Crystal Sugar — backs candidates supporting farm subsidies, sugar price supports, and agricultural trade policies.AI$10,000
Source: OpenFEC (api.open.fec.gov) Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “committee.” Aggregated by contributing committee. Self-transfers from joint-fundraising / victory committees are excluded.
Top individual contributors · 2026 cycle
Itemized individual contributions over $200 to this rep's campaign committee, aggregated by donor employer. PAC giving is shown above; this section is people, not organizations.
1.HEALTHEQUITY$14,200
2.ARNOLD VENTURES$14,000
3.ANDREESSEN HOROWITZ$14,000
4.NFP$10,750
5.APOLLO$10,500
6.BLOOM ENERGY$10,500
7.APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT$10,000
8.BLACKSTONE INC.$7,500
9.MINILEC SERVICE$7,000
10.KALSHI$7,000
Source: OpenFEC Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “individual,” aggregated by the donor's self-reported employer. This is a geographic / industry correlation, not a corporate endorsement.