Below is a list of bills I have introduced, letters I have led, awards I have received, and funding I have championed for the people of California’s 44th District in the 117th Congress. Click on each tab to learn more.
Bills │ Letters │ Awards | Community Project Funding
Bills in the 117th Congress
H.R. 189: John Lewis National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Endowment Revitalization Act of 2021
The bill, now law, will increase investments into schools conducting critical minority health and health disparities research and diversity in the scientific workforce. In April 2021, the Congresswoman’s bill passed the House of Representatives on voice vote. Prior to that, in March 2021, the Senate version of her bill, led by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), passed by unanimous consent.
More Information │ Bill Text │ Cosponsors
H.R. 4217: TRIUMPH for New Moms Act of 2021
This bill would create a national strategy to address maternal mental health and substance use disorders impacting new mothers, and integrate maternal mental health into existing maternal, infant, and mental health activities on the federal level. This legislation, introduced by Barragán in June 2021, advanced out of the Energy and Commerce Committee and to the House Floor for consideration and was passed as part of the larger H.R. 7666 Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act mental health package.
More Information │ Bill Text │ Cosponsors
H.R. 2122: Battleship Iowa National Museum of the Surface Navy Act of 2021
This bill designated the U.S.S. Iowa Museum as the National Museum of the Surface Navy, the first and only museum in the nation dedicated solely to the men and women who have served in the surface forces of the U.S. Navy. This legislation, introduced by Barragán in March 2021, became law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022.
More Information │ Bill Text │ Cosponsors
H.R. 6662: EVs for All Act
In February of 2022, Rep. Barragán introduced the innovative EVs for All Act to establish an innovative grant program at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support electric vehicle car sharing for public housing residents. The program would help public housing authorities and local governments invest in electric vehicles (EV), EV charging stations, community education and outreach, and other services and incentives to provide access to EVs for public housing residents.
More Information │ Bill Text │ Cosponsors
H.R. 9124: The Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act of 2022
In September of 2022, Rep. Barragán and Senator Padilla introduced the Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act of 022 to establish an Office of Environmental Justice and an Environmental Justice Section at the Department of Justice. The legislation will strengthen efforts at the Department to hold polluters in environmental justice communities accountable and support state and local environmental enforcement capacity.
More Information | Bill Text | Cosponsors
H. Res. 1235: Expressing Support for Designating the 3rd Week of July as Latino Conservation Week
In July of 2022, Rep. Barragán introduced a resolution recognizing the importance of engagement with the Latino community to get into the outdoors and participate in activities to protect the United States natural resources, and express support for the designation of the third week of July as “Latino Conservation Week.”
More Information | Bill Text | Cosponsors
H.R. 2382: Veteran’s Pathway to Citizenship Act
A piece of this bill became law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, creating a program informing non-citizen military service members of options to become naturalized citizens. At both the time of enlistment and the time of separation from the military, non-citizens will be informed of existing programs or services that may aid in their naturalization process.
H.R. 1870: Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act
This legislation will improve information sharing by putting more federal intelligence analysts and resources near high-risk surface transportation assets, including public transportation rail and bus systems. The bill would also provide new terrorism-focused training, and improve cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement partners. The bill passed the House in July 2021, and became law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022.
More Information │ Bill Text │ Cosponsors
H.R. 4512: Outdoors for All Act
The bill establishes the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership into law, which supports funding for urban parks in underserved communities. This bill passed the House in February 2021 as part of the larger Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act (H.R. 803), and was included in the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee’s America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2022, which passed the committee in May.
More Information │ Bill Text │ Cosponsors
H.R. 7776: The Water Resources Development Act of 2022
Representative Barragán led several requests for the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022, which passed the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on May 18, 2022 and is expected to pass the House in early June.
WRDA 2022 included Barragán’s requests for increased authorized funding for the Los Angeles County’s Army Corps projects by $100 million, and added the Dominguez Channel as an eligible area for a project.
Residents in Carson suffered in the fall of 2021 from noxious odors from the Channel, caused by industrial pollution. Barragán’s office worked with Los Angeles County and the City of Carson to submit a proposed Army Corps study and project to improve the water quality of Dominguez Channel, which resulted in the increased LA County funding authorization.
Rep. Barragán also co-led a letter with Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-09) asking that WRDA 2022 include several policy changes to advance environmental justice. WRDA 2022 makes the environmental justice pilot program Rep. Barragán secured in WRDA 2020 permanent by authorizing 10 annual flood and storm damage reduction feasibility studies for underserved communities, fully paid for using federal funds.
H.R. 5376: Inflation Reduction Act
In August of 2022, the House passed the Inflation Reduction Act, a historic climate change and healthcare bill that will reduce pollution, lower costs for Medicare recipients, and ensure the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes — all while fighting inflation and reducing the deficit.
The legislation included unprecedented investments secured by Rep. Barragán to reduce emissions from ports and support climate justice grants for disadvantaged communities.
- Climate Smart Ports: Barragán led the fight for healthy ports through her Climate Smart Ports Act, given the importance of the Port of Los Angeles in her district. The Inflation Reduction Act includes a $3 billion investment to reduce air pollution at ports with zero-emissions equipment and technology.
- Climate Justice Grants: Barragán prioritized increasing investments that directly support environmental justice communities fighting the climate crisis through her Climate Justice Grants Act. The Inflation Reduction Act includes an unprecedented $3 billion investment in Climate and Environmental Justice Grants for community driven projects.
Barragán Priorities Included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget
Representative Barragán had several requests to increase funding for public health programs and environmental justice including in the federal budget appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022:
- An increase in $3 million for the Targeted Airshed Grant Program, from $59 million to $62 million. The Targeted Airshed Grant Program provides funding for communities with the highest levels of air pollution, including LA, to adopt zero and low-emission technologies for trucks, locomotives, school buses, garden and lawn equipment, and more.
- The creation of the Energy Future Grants Program, funded at $20 million. Rep. Barragán led a request for the creation of a program based off her Energy Resilient Communities Act, which invests in clean energy microgrids for environmental justice communities. The FY 22 budget created the Energy Future Grants Program to support local clean energy projects in underserved communities, and included Barragán’s report language that the program prioritize clean energy microgrids in underserved communities.
- $8 million in funding for the Social Determinants of Health Program, based off Rep. Barragán’s Social Determinants of Health Act to examine the social, economic, and environmental factors that drive public health inequities, and fund programs that address it.
- $110 million for the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program to invest in urban parks for underserved communities. Barragán is the bill sponsor of the Outdoors for All Act to make the ORLP program permanent.
- Increased funding for Breast and Cervical Cancer Research by $30 million to $227 million. Rep. Barragán led a letter requesting increased funding for this research program.
- Included language in the budget to direct the Centers for Disease Control to increase outreach and education of multiple myeloma among high-risk individuals, including communities of color.
- Led a letter to support funding for the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) to provide funding to protect port infrastructure from terrorism and improve overall port security. The budget included $100 million for the PSGP.