Press Releases
Congresswoman Torres Demands Immediate Release of Jose Oleaz, A Pomona Father Detained by ICE
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35) is demanding the immediate release of Jose Oleaz, a Pomona resident and father to his 13-year-old nephew, after ICE detained him during a raid this week, leaving a child who has already suffered devastating loss without the father who has been raising him. Jose Oleaz has lived in the United States for more than 20 years, works steadily, and poses no threat to public safety. Yet ICE detained him anyway, despite knowing he is the … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
New Dems Host Stakeholder Roundtable on Affordable Housing Solutions
Washington, D.C. — This week, New Dem Members hosted a roundtable with housing policy experts and industry representatives for a robust conversation about what Congress can do to help build more homes and address the national housing affordability crisis. New Dems hosted the roundtable with Housing, Infrastructure, & Transportation Working Group Chair Norma Torres (CA-35), Vice Chair for Outreach Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Housing Task Force Chair Emilia Sykes (OH-13), and were joined by a … Continue Reading
January 14, 2026
Rep. Norma Torres Offers Amendment to Close Stock Trading Loophole for Members of Congress
Washington, D.C. - Today, during the committee markup in the Committee on House Administration, Congresswoman Norma Torres offered an amendment to strengthen the Stop Insider Trading Act by eliminating a major loophole that still allows Members of Congress to maintain a financial stake in the stock market and use insider information for personal profit. The amendment would strike language that permits Members to keep stocks they own upon entering Congress and reinvest dividends from those … Continue Reading
January 12, 2026
Members of Congress Return to Court After Trump-Vance Administration Denies Access to Conduct Oversight of Immigration Detention Facilities
Washington, D.C. — Twelve Members of Congress have returned to federal court after the Trump-Vance administration secretly re-imposed a policy that blocks unannounced congressional oversight of federal immigration detention facilities. The Members filed a motion urgently asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to order the administration to explain how this new policy is not a violation of federal law guaranteeing Members of Congress the ability to conduct oversight of ICE … Continue Reading
January 12, 2026
Congresswoman Torres Announces 2025 CA-35 Congressional App Challenge Winners
Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres, announced the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for California’s 35th District, siblings Alexander and Melissa Lee of Pomona. The annual competition, hosted by the U.S. House of Representatives, encourages middle and high school students to pursue careers in STEM. The siblings won for their app, Internet of Things Chair, inspired by their volunteer work at a surgery center. The app uses Wi-Fi-enabled technology to automate … Continue Reading
January 09, 2026
Congresswoman Torres Secures $10.7 Million in Community Projects for the Inland Empire in FY26 Appropriations Package
Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres, a member of the House Appropriations Committee that oversees federal spending, announced she successfully secured $10,722,000 for eight critical public safety, water infrastructure, and flood control projects across the Inland Empire as part of the fiscal year 2026 appropriations process. These Community Project Funding requests (CPFs) were included in H.R. 6938, the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and … Continue Reading
January 07, 2026
Congresswoman Torres Statement on DOT’s Unlawful Freeze of $160 Million in Transportation Funding for California
Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35), who sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees Department of Transportation funding, criticized Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy’s announcement that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will unlawfully withhold approximately $160 million in federal taxpayer dollars from the State of California. “The Trump Administration’s decision to suspend $160 million in highway and surface transportation … Continue Reading
January 06, 2026
On Fifth Anniversary of January 6 Insurrection, Rep. Norma Torres Introduces Legislation to Defend Democracy, Ensure Accountability, and Preserve the Truth
Washington, D.C. —Today, on the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021 insurrection in the U.S. Capitol, Congresswoman Norma Torres announced a package of three bills to confront the ongoing threat posed by political violence, prevent history from being erased, and strengthen accountability for those who sought to overturn the results of a free and fair election. “Five years ago, I was inside the House Gallery as a violent mob stormed the Capitol, chanting threats, and attempting to stop … Continue Reading
December 17, 2025
Court Rules Trump-Vance Administration Cannot Block Members of Congress From Conducting Oversight at Federal Immigration Detention Facilities
Washington, D.C. — Just now, a federal court temporarily stopped the Trump-Vance administration’s policy blocking Members of Congress from unannounced oversight visits to federal immigration detention facilities today. The decision restores Congress’s ability to conduct real-time oversight of how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detain individuals — including U.S. citizens — and spend billions in taxpayer dollars, while the case … Continue Reading
December 10, 2025
Representatives Torres and Rutherford Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Blue Envelope Programs Nationwide
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) and Congressman John Rutherford (FL-05) introduced the Supporting Blue Envelope Programs Act, bipartisan legislation to provide federal funding to support, expand, and create Blue Envelope Programs across the country. Blue Envelope programs help improve communications and interactions between law enforcement and public safety personnel and individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities … Continue Reading
December 05, 2025
Torres, Sykes Lead 52 New Dems in Letter Calling on Trump Administration to Address Housing Affordability Crisis
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35), Chair of the New Democrat Coalition Housing, Infrastructure, & Transportation Working Group, and Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Chair of the Housing Task Force, led 52 New Dems in a letter to President Trump urging the Administration to take immediate steps to help make housing more affordable and accessible for more Americans. In the letter, the New Dems lay out eight commonsense and immediate steps the Administration … Continue Reading
December 04, 2025
Reps. Torres, LaMalfa & Sens. Heinrich, Crapo reintroduce the Bipartisan, Bicameral Native American Seeds Act
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representatives Norma J. Torres (CA-35) and Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), along with Senators Martin Heinrich (NM) and Mike Crapo (ID), reintroduced the Native American Seeds Act of 2025, bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would assist Tribal governments working to protect seeds that are culturally significant to their communities. “Traditional seeds hold centuries of knowledge, culture, and resilience,” said Congresswoman Torres. “This bill recognizes the … Continue Reading
November 29, 2025
Congresswoman Norma Torres Sends Letter to President Trump: Hernández Must Not Be Pardoned
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres sent a letter to President Trump urging him not to pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, a convicted drug trafficker sentenced to 45 years in U.S. prison for crimes that devastated communities in Honduras, the United States, and beyond. “Juan Orlando Hernández ran a violent, cartel-backed empire that trafficked hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States, stole taxpayer dollars, and terrorized communities across … Continue Reading
November 21, 2025
Torres Joins DeLauro and Clyburn in Sending a Letter to HUD Secretary to Prevent 170,000 People from Losing Homes in Dead of Winter
WASHINGTON - Today, Congresswoman Norma torres joined House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Ranking Member James Clyburn in sending a letter to Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner, requesting the Department work with Congress to prevent 170,000 people from losing their homes in the dead of winter. On top of the more than 770,000 people … Continue Reading
November 21, 2025
Congresswoman Torres Condemns Trump Administration for Slashing Funding for Addressing Student Hunger, Homelessness & Basic Needs
Washington D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres, a member of the House Appropriations Committee that oversees government funding, condemned the Trump Administration’s decision to cruelly eliminate the FY25 Basic Needs Grants, a program she secured funding for to help students afford food, housing, transportation, and other essentials needed to stay in school. “Cutting Basic Needs Grants is a direct hit to students who are already stretched to the breaking point,” said Congresswoman … Continue Reading
November 20, 2025
Subcommittee on Modernization and Innovation Requests Funding for FlagTrack 2.0 Program
WASHINGTON D.C - Today, Ranking Member Norma Torres (CA-35) and Subcommittee on Modernization and Innovation Chairwoman Stephanie Bice (OK-05) announced a new modernization project the Subcommittee has recommended for Modernization Initiatives Account (MIA) funding. The Subcommittee has requested MIA funding to support the development and implementation of FlagTrack 2.0, enhancing the portal that streamlines the process of ordering and tracking flags for constituents. The system connects all … Continue Reading
November 20, 2025
Congresswoman Torres Denounces Trump’s Call for violence Against Democrats “hang them”
Washington D.C. - Congresswoman Norma Torres issued the following statement after President Trump called for Democratic lawmakers to be arrested, tried for “sedition,” and subjected to penalties “punishable by death”: “The President of the United States is calling for Members of Congress to be executed. Those are words no President should ever speak and they represent a direct threat to our democracy. It is disgusting and unacceptable. “This is about more than a social media post. This is a … Continue Reading
November 20, 2025
Congresswoman Torres Introduces Repairing Social Security After Trump and DOGE Act
Washington D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres announced the introduction of the Repairing Social Security After Trump and DOGE Act, a new bill to restore benefits and justice for Americans who were robbed of their Social Security by the Trump Administration’s chaos and cruelty. “Social Security is a promise we make to every worker that after a lifetime of hard work, you can retire with dignity,” said Congresswoman Torres. “But President Trump and his so-called Department of Government … Continue Reading
November 06, 2025
Congresswoman Torres Statement on Nancy Pelosi’s Announcement of Retirement
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Norma Torres released the following statement after Nancy Pelosi announced she will not seek reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives: “Nancy Pelosi’s leadership transformed the course of our nation’s history. As the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House, she broke barriers, advanced progress, and proved that principled, courageous leadership can move mountains. “For nearly four decades, Speaker Pelosi has been a steadfast voice for working … Continue Reading
November 05, 2025
Congresswoman Norma Torres Demands Accountability After ICE Shoots U.S. Citizen in Ontario
Ontario, CA — Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35) sent a letter to Acting Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel demanding full transparency and accountability following reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shot U.S. citizen Carlos Jimenez on October 30, 2025, in Ontario. Jimenez, a local food bank worker and father of three, was reportedly shot from behind while … Continue Reading