Newsroom
September 09, 2026
New Dem Members hosted a roundtable with housing policy experts and industry representatives to solicit ideas on what Congress’s next steps should be to address the affordable housing crisis. New Dem Housing, Infrastructure, & Transportation Working Group Chair Norma Torres (CA-35), New Dem Vice Chair for Outreach Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Housing Task Force Chair Emilia Sykes (OH-13) hosted the roundtable. They were joined by 14 additional New Dem Members and eight stakeholders for the dis… Continue Reading
September 07, 2026Today, on Labor Day, Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35) introduced the Better Pay for American Workers Act, legislation to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $20 per hour by 2029 and ensure wages keep pace with the broader economy. The federal minimum wage has remained at just $7.25 per hour since 2009, even as families face rising costs for housing, groceries, health care, utilities, and other necessities. Since 2009, grocery costs have skyrocketed by 60% and rent has more t… Continue Reading
August 31, 2026Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35) joined Congressman Adam Gray (CA-13), California Democratic Congressional Delegation Chair Zoe Lofgren (CA-18),and the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, along with Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz urging the agencies to work with California to reso… Continue Reading