Mark Takano

We are one step closer to getting the Major Richard Star Act passed. Here's the latest: https://t.co/dflhkFrScS

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representative Mark Takano (CA-39), a senior member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) reintroduced the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act. The bill, first introduced by Rep. Takano in 2021, amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to reduce the standard workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours for nonexempt employees. Covered employees would be eligible to receive overtime compensation for any hours worked beyond 32 hours in a standard workweek. It’s time for labor law to catch up to the modern-day nature of work. Since 1979, American workers’ productivity has risen 93.2% while wages have risen only 33.7%. Though Americans are more productive than ever, their pay remains relatively stagnant and federal labor protections have not seen meaningful change for over 85 years. The Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act ensures that all American workers reap the benefits of their increased productivity by having more of their time back or receiving more time and a half pay. “The 40-hour workweek was established in law nearly 90 years ago,” said Congressman Mark Takano. “Since then, cell phones, the internet, and now AI have increased worker productivity, but the profits have been largely concentrated at the top by billionaires and corporations. Work has fundamentally changed. It’s time that labor standards caught up. I’m proud to continue partnering with Senator Sanders in reintroducing this bill to make sure that the gains from historically high productivity are felt by all American workers.” “At a time when artificial intelligence and robotics will radically transform our economy, it is imperative that the financial gains from this new technology benefit working families, not just a handful of billionaires and corporate CEOs. One important way to do that is through a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay or benefits,” Senator Bernie Sanders said. “A 32-hour workweek is not a radical idea. What’s radical is that, despite an explosion in technology and productivity over the last fifty years, millions of workers are working longer hours for lower wages while nearly $80 trillion in wealth has been redistributed from the bottom 90 percent to the top 1 percent. That has got to change. It’s time to reduce the stress level in our country and allow workers and their families to enjoy a better quality of life. It’s time to pass this bill.” The Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act has been endorsed by: Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), National Employment Law Project (NELP), National Nurses United (NNU), Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Auto Workers (UAW), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and WorkFour. Full text of the bill can be found here. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representative Mark Takano (CA-39) participated in the 63rd anniversary of the March on Washington alongside Minority Leader Representative Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8), Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Representative Yvette Clarke (NY-9), Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Leaders provided remarks at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, then participated in a march to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial led by Reverend Al Sharpton. Below are Rep. Taknao’s remarks as prepared: “We are not here simply to remember history. We are here because the work that began 63 years ago is unfinished. We are here because the battles we thought had been long settled have resurfaced: “Birthright citizenship is under attack. Americans feel the need to carry a passport to prove they belong. Fascists are using their power to intimidate Americans into silence. “These are not echoes of some distant past. They are the reality of this moment. “And this moment is an awakening: norms alone will not protect us. “Every generation must take up the work of renewing and perfecting the idea of America so that America lives up to its promise. There are those who would have us believe America is about blood and soil. Replacing America’s founding principles with a narrow definition of who belongs and who does not. That being an American is about how many generations your family has lived here, where your parents were born, and what you look like. “But that is not the America generations of people have struggled, marched, bled, and died for. “And what is the idea of America? “It is the idea that all of us are created equal. That government derives its power from the people. That every person deserves liberty and justice. And that being an American is not determined by your race, your religion, or where your parents came from, or who you love. “The work of renewing and perfecting the idea of America does not happen on its own. “People had to fight for it. “John Lewis fought for that idea. At 23 years old he stood here in 1963 and demanded that America live up to it promise. Two years later, on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, police beat him for demanding the right to vote. He knew what awaited him on the other side of the bridge. Yet, he crossed it anyway. “Because America was an idea worth fighting for. “Wong Kim Ark fought for that idea. Born in San Francisco to immigrant parents, he challenged the government when it tried to deny him entry into his own country. In 1898, he took his fight to the Supreme Court—and won. If you are born here, you are an American. Period. More than a century later, we are fighting that battle again. “Because America is an idea worth fighting for. “And my own family fought for that idea. During World War II, my great-uncle Monzo served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Fighting and bleeding alongside other segregated units like the Buffalo Soldiers and Tuskegee Airmen. He fought for the United States while my parents and grandparents were among more than 120,000 Japanese Americans incarcerated by their own government. “Think about that contradiction. A country that questioned their loyalty and took away their freedom. And still, Japanese American soldiers fought and died for an America that had not yet lived up to its promise. The motto of the 442nd was simple: Go for Broke. Risk everything. Give everything. And they did. “Today, we are being called to our own “Go for Broke” moment. To fight for the character of our country. We fight for an America where nobody feels that they have to carry a passport to prove they belong. We fight for an America where citizenship cannot be stripped away because of who your parents are. We must fight for an America where the government does not use fear and intimidation to silence its own people. And we must fight for an America where every eligible citizen can vote and have that vote counted. “The people who gathered here 63 years ago understood something we cannot afford to forget: Progress is not permanent. Rights do not protect themselves. Democracy does not defend itself. “Every generation inherits the idea of America—and then must decide whether it is willing to fight for it. “My great-uncle Monzo made his choice. Wong Kim Ark made his choice. John Lewis made his choice. Dr. King made his choice. Now it is our turn! “Because America does not belong to one political party. America does not belong to a bloodline. And it certainly doesn’t belong to one man. “America belongs to all of us. Let’s Go For Broke. Go all in for democracy. Go all in for equality. Go all in for freedom. We cannot turn back. Let’s finish the assignment, make Dr. King’s dream a reality, and fulfill the promise of a better America.” Video of Rep. Takano remarks can be found here. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representative Mark Takano (CA-39) introduced the Health Data Access, Transparency, and Affordability (DATA) Act to demand transparency from service providers, like third party administrators and pharmacy benefit managers, when health plan fiduciaries request information. The Health DATA Act builds upon reforms enacted by Congress as part of the bipartisanNo Surprises Act. Fiduciaries are responsible for overseeing the health care plans that employees rely on. The Health DATA Act amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to close loopholes that allow third parties – like pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) – to hide information from fiduciaries about pricing and overpayment. The bill authorizes the Secretary of Labor to penalize violators $10,000 per day if third parties fail to provide health plan fiduciaries with the information they need to make healthcare more affordable. The bill also ensures that the data shared to plan fiduciaries cannot be used to discriminate against individuals and that data is subject to existing privacy and antidiscrimination laws. “Third parties hold data on individual patients and pricing for drugs and procedures,” said Congressman Mark Takano. “Those who oversee health plans must have access to this data to ensure fair pricing for those receiving employer sponsored healthcare. Without access to this information, employees are vulnerable to being overcharged or price gouged. Gaps in recent legislative efforts have allowed third parties like PBMs to keep this data hidden, leaving fiduciaries with an incomplete picture of how to best serve the over 165 million Americans on employer-sponsored health plans.” Full text of the Health DATA Act can be found here. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representative Mark Takano (CA-39) introduced the Promoting Authenticity with Influencer Disclaimer (PAID) Act. The PAID Act would amend the Federal Election Campaign Act to require any person who is paid by a political committee or candidate to include a disclaimer that they were paid to post content. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has attempted to bring transparency to the creator economy since 2013. Due to the lack of laws surrounding creators coordinating with campaigns, they have been unable to demand disclosures on paid candidate content. The PAID Act will create a clear statutory disclaimer requirement for the FEC to finally enforce. Reporting shows campaigns and PACs paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for influencer originated content in recent years. This type of paid advertising has no guardrails or transparency, and campaigns will continue to double down on this influencer nondisclosure loophole in order to sway elections. “Our social media feeds must be fixed,” said Congressman Takano. “Users deserve to know if a creator has been compensated by a campaign to post for them. Current campaign disclosure laws have not kept up with this new creator economy, and voters deserve to know who is financing their feeds before heading to the polling booths. We cannot allow the candidates who finance the most checks to dominate public discourse and drown out competing voices.” Full text of the PAID Act can be found here. ###

I was in Riverside this weekend, and I wanted to know: Should influencers have to tell you if politicians are paying them? https://t.co/VJCr1SZbMR

This is a welcome blow to Donald Trump's mass deportation machine and a reminder that we are not powerless to stand up to his cruelty. I am grateful to the federal judge for upholding the rule of law and recognizing that the criminal charges against Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia were vindictive and wrong. Kilmar is here in the U.S. legally and I’m heartened for him and his family that he will remain a free man. https://t.co/I6vjbmPVpD

I have long called for ICE’s Adelanto detention facility to be closed because of chronic failures to treat the individuals imprisoned there with basic dignity. During my latest visit to the facility just a few weeks ago, I again heard stories from innocent immigrants who had endured tremendously difficult circumstances. I was particularly concerned by inattentive and even negligent care. There are serious questions about detainees’ access to timely medical care and medical records. This hunger strike is just further proof that ICE cannot provide basic services and needs to close Adelanto. The failures at this facility are part of a broader pattern from ICE and CBP to dehumanize immigrants and terrorize our communities, which is why I am firmly opposed to any new funding until we see real accountability and reforms. https://t.co/pyjqlNVixw

WASHINGTON, DC — In celebration of the life, work, and memory of former Congressman Barney Frank, the first member of Congress to voluntarily come out as gay and co-founder of the Congressional Equality Caucus (CEC), CEC Chair Rep. Mark Takano released the following statement: “I first met the inimitable Barney Frank in the early 80’s when I was a student in Cambridge. I followed his journey for years, including the part he played in moving the bill providing redress to Japanese Americans interned during World War II forward, and watched how his constituents stuck by him after he came out—even at a time when the United States was still deeply homophobic—because they knew he would never stop fighting for them. Barney proved that what mattered most was the work you did for others. I truly believe that we are closer to a more equal world because of Barney Frank,” said Rep. Mark Takano, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus. “Congressman Frank’s legacy touches every part of our fight for LGBTQI+ equality: from his work advocating for HIV & AIDS research to helping pass major pro-equality legislation like the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act and the Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. I was honored that he came to campaign for me during my run for Congress just a few years after he co-founded the Congressional Equality Caucus, which I now have the distinct honor of leading. As we mourn Congressman Frank’s passing, I join my fellow openly-LGBTQI+ Members of Congress in holding his husband James, his family, and his friends in our hearts.” Rep. Barney Frank and the Congressional Equality Caucus In 1987, Rep. Barney Frank became the first Member of Congress to voluntarily come out as gay while actively serving in Congress and, in 2012, he became the first sitting Member to marry someone of the same sex when he married his long-time partner, James Ready. On June 4, 2008, Rep. Frank and then-Rep. Tammy Baldwin—the only two openly-gay Members of Congress—announcedthe formation of the House of Representatives LGBT Equality Caucus, now called the Congressional Equality Caucus (CEC), to “serve as a resource for Members of Congress, their staffs, and the public on LGBT issues.” The Caucus became a central organizing point for Members of Congress working to combat hate crimes, address employment discrimination, and achieve equality for the LGBTQI+ community under the law. Rep. Frank continued to serve as a Co-Chair throughout the remainder of his time in the House of Representatives.

My office is closely monitoring the Bain Fire in Jurupa Valley. Please check this WatchDuty link to see if you and your loved ones are under an evacuation order or should be prepared to leave imminently. Officials have established an evacuation shelter at the La Sierra Senior Center, which is located at 5215 La Sierra Avenue Building A in Riverside. https://t.co/PMWoqoRpYR

The shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego is deeply alarming. No one should ever fear for their safety while attending prayers or studying in elementary school. We must condemn this anti-Islamic violence in the strongest possible terms.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Mark Takano (CA-39), Representative Alma Adams (NC-12) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) reintroduced the Restoring Overtime Pay Act to expand and strengthen overtime protections for workers, legislation that is especially vital as President Donald Trump’s policies drive up costs for everyday Americans. Currently, just eight percent of full-time salaried workers are eligible for overtime pay based on their salaries alone. In 1975, nearly 63 percent of all full-time salaried workers were guaranteed overtime pay. While 60 percent of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck, the Trump Administration is trying to make it more difficult for working families to make ends meet by weakening the protections set by the Biden Administration. In response, this bold, commonsense legislation will help restore fairness to an economy rigged against workers and their families. The Restoring Overtime Pay Act expands and strengthens overtime protections for up to 29.3 million workers by gradually increasing the overtime salary threshold to the 55th percentile of full-time salaried workers nationwide. “Americans are working more for less,” said Rep. Takano. “Expanding the overtime threshold for salaried employees is the best way to ensure that families can survive the cost-of-living crisis caused by Donald Trump. I am proud to introduce this bill to help make sure over 29 million workers get paid fairly.” “For far too long, tens of millions of Americans have been denied overtime pay because of outdated federal law,” said Rep.?Adams. “In my district, thousands of residents are struggling to make ends meet while the Trump administration puts the interests of billionaires above those of ordinary Americans. Working people need overtime pay now more than ever, and I am proud to partner with Congressman Takano and Senator Sanders to introduce the Restoring Overtime Pay Act and ensure workers are paid what they’re owed.” “At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, when over 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, it is beyond unacceptable that President Trump is denying overtime pay to millions of workers who desperately need it to keep up with the outrageously high cost of living,”?said Sen. Sanders.?“We should be making it easier, not harder, for Americans who work more than 40 hours a week to get the time-and-a-half pay that they have earned and deserve. That’s precisely what this bill would do.” Endorsing Orgs:?AFL-CIO; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance-AFL-CIO (APALA); Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); the Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues; Communications Workers of America (CWA); Demos; Equal Rights Advocates; Family Values?@ Work; the Feminist Majority Foundation; International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); National Education Association (NEA); National Employment Law Project (NELP); National Employment Lawyers Association; National Institute for Workers’ Rights; National Partnership for Women & Families; National Women’s Law Center; NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice; North Carolina Justice Center; Oxfam America; Patriotic Millionaires; Public Justice Center; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); UNITE HERE; United Autoworkers (UAW), United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE); United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW); United for Respect; United Steelworkers (USW); Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center; WorkLife Law; Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute. Read the one-pager and section-by-section summary of the Restoring Overtime Pay Act. ###

RIVERSIDE, CA — Today, Congressman Mark Takano (CA-39) announced $6,452,972 in federal funds have been awarded to Western Municipal Water District (Western Water) to support a project addressing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) near March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County. The funding, secured through FY 2022 and FY 2023 appropriations, will be used to rehabilitate aging sewer infrastructure to help prevent PFAS from entering the region’s wastewater system. “I am proud to help bring these funds to the Inland Empire,” said Rep. Takano. “Californians know how precious our water resources are, and I am pleased that these federal dollars will help ensure our water supply remains safe and abundant. I will continue working in a bipartisan manner to ensure our community has the funding needed to complete projects that make a difference. Congratulations to Western Municipal Water District on their successful application and their continued work to safeguard our water resources.” The project will take place near March Air Reserve Base, where Western Water receives wastewater at its Western Water Recycling Facility, which is not designed to treat PFAS. By repairing and sealing sections of aging sewer lines on the base, the project will reduce the amount of PFAS entering the system before it reaches the treatment facility, supporting continued use of recycled water for irrigation, parks, schools, and groundwater recharge. “This is about being proactive and making smart investments where they matter most,” said Craig Miller, General Manager of Western Water. “Our facility isn’t designed to treat PFAS, so the right approach is to stop it from entering the system in the first place. By improving infrastructure near March Air Reserve Base, we’re protecting water quality, supporting recycled water use, and getting more value from the system we already have.” ###

The Supreme Court just raised the bar for challenging discriminatory voting maps so high that, in most cases, it cannot be cleared at all. Republicans are cheering because in practical terms, states can now draw maps that dilute the voting power of Black and Latino communities and face little consequence in court. That is a huge practical change, even when it's cloaked in dense technical language. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore what this Court has spent more than a decade taking apart. Congress needs to pass it—now.

Gas prices keep going up because of Trump's war against Iran. It's just more evidence that this President doesn't care about the crushing weight of his policies on middle-class and working-class Americans. https://t.co/e79GG520iK

The shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was horrifying. I am grateful to the Secret Service and law enforcement officers who responded quickly and am relieved that the President and the other attendees are safe. Political violence is never the answer.

Republicans gave Donald Trump a blank check to continue his war in Iran. When will they have the courage to stand up to this President and get him the help he clearly needs? https://t.co/yhNobi5W9Y

I am heartbroken and horrified by the mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana. I am holding the victims in my thoughts and am grateful to the first responders. https://t.co/IocoSdtA21

WASHINGTON, D.C.?— Today, Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39) pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on if he would insist President Trump undergo an assessment of his mental fitness. Sec. Kennedy’s answer was unambiguous: “Absolutely not.” The exchange came during a Committee on Education & the Workforce hearing where Rep. Takano presented Sec. Kennedy with the President’s own statements over the last few weeks, which included erratic behavior like posting an image of himself as Jesus Christ and using an expletive on Easter Sunday. After Sec. Kennedy refused to commit to a mental fitness assessment of President Trump, Rep. Takano reminded Sec. Kennedy that he had a constitutional obligation to vote to remove the President if he was unable to carry out the duties of the office. Watch the full clip here ###

RFK Jr. refuses to see what the American people see: an increasingly unstable President who has launched us into war. https://t.co/ISiZByZJ1k

The Hungarian people showed up in record numbers and delivered a clear message: pro-democracy forces are alive and well in Hungary. Congratulations to Péter Magyar and his supporters on this historic election.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, Representative Mark Takano (CA-39), Representative Lateefah Simon (CA-12), and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) reintroduced the Day of Silence resolution to bring attention to bullying, harassment, and discrimination LGBTQI+ students face in school. “The classroom should be a space for every student to learn in a safe environment without fear of being singled out for who they are,” said Rep. Mark Takano, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus. “Seeing adults from local school boards to state legislatures, Congress, and even the President targeting students who are simply trying to find their place in the world is one of the worst kinds of bullying. I am proud to reintroduce this resolution as a former public school teacher, as Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, and as someone who wants every LGBTQI+ student to learn and grow safely.” “Every child should feel safe at school,” said Senator Brian Schatz. “As attacks against LGBTQ+ students continue across the country, we need to protect these students and fight back against the discriminatory policies that harm them. Our resolution reaffirms our support for LGBTQ+ students and their right to live freely and openly.” “Every child deserves the chance to safely be their most authentic self at school. Schools should open doors, not close them,” said Vice Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus Lateefah Simon. “As Republicans escalate their dangerous attacks on the LGBTQ+ community at the federal and state level, it is more important than ever that we join together to assure that all students are protected against discrimination and to reaffirm their basic civil rights. Our Day of Silence resolution recognizes the bullying and harassment that LGBTQ+ youth may face and demands equal opportunity and basic civil rights in all public schools. I thank Equality Caucus Chair Takano and Senator Schatz for their partnership to ensure that all school children can fully participate in their education, extracurriculars, and their future.” “Glisten is grateful for the leadership of Congressman Mark Takano and we applaud his introduction of the 2026 Day of Silence resolution,” said Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, CEO, Glisten. “Our latest National School Climate Survey provides evidence of what we know to be true – that LGBTQ+ students are being subject to an ongoing, brutal attack on their very existence. This is particularly felt among transgender and nonbinary young people who are being silenced by having their existence criminalized. We hope this resolution will remind the entire LGBTQ+ student community that there are people in power who care deeply about their wellbeing and who have not given up on them.” Full text of the resolution can be found here. ###

URGENT: a fire is threatening the Gilman Springs area of Moreno Valley. Please follow the guidance of local authorities and check the evacuation map to see if you are impacted: https://t.co/984yihsgA9 Your safety comes first. Please stay alert and be ready to move.

We heard no plan to end this war and no commitment to keep American boots out of Iran.

WASHINGTON, DC — Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Chiles v. Salazar, a case on the constitutionality of Colorado’s ban on licensed mental health professionals engaging in conversion therapy for minors, Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Takano released the following statement: “Young LGBTQI+ people will suffer because of today’s Supreme Court decision. This decision, however, doesn’t change the fact that these practices are still dangerous, disproven, and denounced by every major medical association in the United States,” said Rep. Mark Takano, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus. “Providers who engage in these practices are actively endangering the wellbeing of young LGBTQI+ people and defrauding their families by promising to “fix” something that is simply not broken. Young LGBTQI+ people should not have to be subjected to this kind of cruelty—especially by licensed health care providers. The Congressional Equality Caucus will continue to push federal legislation to address this harmful and fraudulent practice.” BACKGROUND “Conversion therapy” refers to range of discredited practices that have long been known to cause significant and lasting psychological harm to patients by purportedly forcing patients to change their sexual orientation or gender identity.? These practices are often aimed at minors, and evidence shows that LGBTQ+ youth who undergo conversion therapy are more than twice as likely to report having attempted suicide compared to those who did not. All major U.S. medical or mental healthcare associations have condemned conversion therapy, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians. As of 2026, 23 states and D.C. entirely prohibit—and 4 states and Puerto Rico restrict—licensed healthcare providers from subjecting LGBTQI+ minors to conversion therapy. Today’s ruling undermines these important protections for young LGBTQI+ people. In August 2025, CEC Chair Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Vice Chair Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-36), and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) led 187 Members of Congress in an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold Colorado’s conversion therapy ban. Read the Equality Caucus’s press release on the amicus brief here. Read the amicus brief here. ###