Press Releases
Torres Stands in Solidarity Against Anti-Asian Violence
POMONA - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) released the following statement today standing in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the Inland Empire and across the country after the horrific shooting this week in Atlanta, which came after a year of increasing violence targeting the AAPI community."I send my deepest sympathies to the victims and families impacted by the horrific shooting in Atlanta," Rep. Norma J. Torres said. "As we mourn the loss of … Continue Reading
March 19, 2021
Torres Announces More Than $450 Million for Inland Empire Schools
POMONA - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today announced that school districts across her Inland Empire Congressional District are cumulatively receiving more than an estimated $451 million as a result of the Congressionally-passed American Rescue Plan. LEA Name Grants to LEAs Chaffey Joint Union High School District $36,216,000 Chino Valley Unified School District $38,556,000 Colton Joint Unified School … Continue Reading
March 18, 2021
Torres, Escobar Pass Bill Safeguarding DREAMers’ Private Information
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Representatives Norma J. Torres (D-CA) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX) celebrated today as their bill, the Protect DREAMers Confidentiality Act, passed out of the House of Representatives as an amendment to the Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6). While President Biden signed an executive order on his first day in office preserving and fortifying the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, previous actions by the Trump Administration to end the program demonstrate … Continue Reading
March 18, 2021
Torres & NASA Connect I.E. Students with Astronauts Live from Space
POMONA, CA - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) today hosted Reach for the Stars, a townhall connecting Inland Empire students with NASA astronauts Victor J. Glover, Jr. (Commander, U.S. Navy) and Dr. Shannon Walker, live from the International Space Station. Classrooms from seven local school districts (Pomona Unified, Ontario-Montclair, Chaffey Joint Union, Claremont Unified, Mountain View Unified, Fontana Unified and Rialto … Continue Reading
March 17, 2021
Torres Passes Legislation Protecting Domestic Violence Victims
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today passed the Supporting Victims of Domestic Violence Act, legislation designed to study and update laws and regulations that can trap victims in an abusive marriage, harming both them and their children. Specifically, the Supporting Victims of Domestic Violence Act: Requires the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether domestic abuse victims are more likely to lose primary custody of their children to an abusive partner or to … Continue Reading
March 10, 2021
Torres Votes to Deliver President Biden’s Rescue Plan to the American People
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today voted in favor of President Biden's American Rescue Plan Act for the second time in as many weeks. Torres and House Democrats first passed the bill on February 27th by a vote of 219 to 212. Since then, the U.S. Senate passed a slightly revised version of the legislation on March 6th. Lawmakers in the House of Representatives voted today on the Senate-passed version, ensuring that both chambers have approved identical legislation, and … Continue Reading
March 03, 2021
Torres Votes to Strengthen Democracy in Face of Unprecedented Voter Suppression
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today voted for the For the People Act (H.R. 1), a legislative package of comprehensive and transformational reforms to protect the right to vote and strengthen our democracy. Among its many provisions, the For the People Act: Expands and safeguards the ability to vote by creating nationwide automatic voter registration, prohibiting voter roll purges, ending partisan gerrymandering, and much more. Addresses the corrosive impact of money … Continue Reading
February 27, 2021
Torres, House Democrats Pass Major COVID Relief Package
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today voted with House Democrats to pass the American Rescue Plan Act, legislation proposed by President Biden to deliver significant COVID relief for struggling Americans.The package, which passed by a vote of 219 to 212 provides a myriad of supports for workers and businesses, as well as overstretched local and state governments. Its provisions include, in part: $1,400 direct impact payments for workers and dependents, bringing the total … Continue Reading
February 18, 2021
Torres Announces $678k Grant to Bolster Commerce in the Inland Empire
ONTARIO, CA - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today announced a $678,000 award in CARES Act Recovery Assistance funding for the Greater Ontario Convention and Visitors Bureau. The federal grant, which is awarded through the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA), will help fund a marketing plan to increase meeting and convention bookings, which are vital to the local economy.Rep. Torres released the following statement:"Commerce in Ontario and across the … Continue Reading
February 11, 2021
Torres Continues Efforts to Address White Supremacy in Law Enforcement with New Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today introduced the White Supremacy in Law Enforcement Information Act. The legislation, which is co-sponsored by 13 lawmakers, builds on Torres' successful efforts last year to raise awareness about, and ultimately pressure the Department of Justice into declassifying, a heavily redacted 2006 intelligence assessment by the Federal Bureau of Investigations entitled White Supremacist Infiltration of Law Enforcement. Specifically, … Continue Reading
January 26, 2021
Torres Retains Seats on Powerful Appropriations, Rules Committees in New Congress
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today announced that she will continue serving on the exclusive House Appropriations Committee, and retain her subcommittee assignments on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD); State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS); and Financial Services and General Government (FSGG). Torres also retains her seat on the influential House Rules Committee, which sets the terms of debate for every critical piece of legislation that Congress … Continue Reading
January 21, 2021
Torres: January 20th Executive Orders Mark a New Day in America
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres today responded to the litany of executive actions taken by President Joseph R. Biden on his first day in office. The combination of executive orders, memoranda, directives, and letters take initial steps to address converging crises impacting the American people. They include, among other items: Executive actions addressing the pandemic, including a "100 Days Masking Challenge," to require masks and physical distancing for all federal buildings, … Continue Reading
January 15, 2021
Torres Introduces Legislation Protecting Vice Presidents for Life
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (D-CA) today announced she will introduce the Protecting Vice Presidents Act, legislation to provide lifetime Secret Service benefits to all former Vice Presidents, their spouses, and their children. The bill comes after audio recordings of the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021 clearly capture rioters chanting: "Hang Mike Pence". In front of the Capitol, rioters ominously erected gallows. Following the attack, Vice … Continue Reading
January 13, 2021
Torres: 2nd Impeachment is an Exceptional Shame that Trump Earned
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today voted to impeach President Donald J. Trump for incitement of insurrection. The bipartisan measure passed the House of the Representatives by a vote of 232 to 197 including 10 Republicans who voted to impeach a president of their own political party. Today's historic vote makes Trump the first president ever to be rebuked by the Congress through impeachment twice. The sole Article of Impeachment follows the deadly attack on the U.S. … Continue Reading
January 12, 2021
Torres Leads 40 Lawmakers in Demanding Answers After National Guard Stonewalled from Capitol
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres today led 40 lawmakers in demanding answers from the Department of Defense (DoD) about its role in preparing for and responding to the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. In a letter to Acting Secretary of Defense, Christopher Miller, the lawmakers outline grave concerns about the Department of Defense's role in preparing for and responding to the riot that overran the Capitol last Wednesday. The lawmakers write in part:"We … Continue Reading
January 07, 2021
Torres Responds to Trump-Incited Assault on Democracy
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today responded to a brazen mob frenzied by the president storming the Capitol complex. The violence led to one casualty, the destruction of revered public property on Capitol grounds, and the debasement of American democracy on the international stage. The day's events were the result of an unconstitutional effort by President Donald Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill to overturn the will of the American people as Congress certified … Continue Reading
January 04, 2021
Torres Delivers for Local Manufacturers in Annual Congressional Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today announced multiple provisions in the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that will help Inland Empire manufacturers streamline supply chains and better collaborate with Manufacturing USA Institutes and Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers. Preventing Supply Chain Disruptions for Small and Medium Manufacturers: Rep. Torres passed a provision requiring the federal government to take first steps towards a … Continue Reading
January 04, 2021
Torres, Haaland Celebrate as Native American Economic Opportunity Bill Becomes Law
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Representatives Norma J. Torres (CA-35) and Deb Haaland (NM-01), Co-Chair of the Native American Caucus, celebrated this week as their bill, the Indian Community Economic Enhancement Act, was signed into law. The new law expands economic opportunities for Native Americans by addressing the lack of access to credit and community development that hampers entrepreneurialism in Native American tribes. Specifically, the legislation: Updates and provides new resources to the … Continue Reading
December 23, 2020
Torres Secures Funding to Address Student Hunger, Homelessness & Basic Needs
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today announced that she secured $5 million to fund a pilot program of her legislation, the BASIC Act, as part of the Omnibus Appropriations package that passed out of Congress last night. Then-Senator and now Vice President-elect Kamala Harris introduced the counterpart of the Basic Assistance for Students in College (BASIC) Act in the U.S. Senate. The legislation is designed to ensure college students - particularly Pell Grant … Continue Reading
December 22, 2020
Torres Shapes Policy Towards Northern Triangle in Omnibus Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, used her seat on the powerful committee to shape U.S. policy toward the Northern Triangle. Torres, who is the only Central American currently serving in the U.S. Congress, included a myriad of provisions in the Omnibus Appropriations package passed out of Congress last night: Anti-Corruption Funding: For the second consecutive year, Rep. Torres sought and secured $45 million for … Continue Reading