Several of my meetings this week were with students, from middle school all the way through college (pictured above: City College, High Tech High Media Arts, Francis Parker School, High Tech High International, and EF International Language Center). Part of my mission as an elected official is to uplift young people's voices and encourage them to get involved in our shared fight for progress. I answered their questions about my background, how Congress works (or doesn't work, sometimes), and how they can be leaders in their community. 

I also met with the Director of Strategic Communications for AFGE TSA Local 1260 and discussed how the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown is hurting TSA employees. Nyrine shared that TSA staff feel unappreciated. Many have still not received back pay from the 43-day shutdown last year, and as of today, they have missed another paycheck. They’re now forced to choose between paying rent or credit card bills, whether to stay home because they can't afford childcare and risk disciplinary action for calling out of work, and other impossible decisions. 

This chaos hurts tens of thousands of families and creates the chaos of long lines and flight delays for air travelers that will only get worse the longer this goes on.  

I introduced legislation that would allow the DHS Secretary to use unused funding from the “Big Beautiful Bill” to keep TSA and other law-abiding components of DHS staffed and paid during the shutdown while Congress negotiates much-needed reforms to ICE and CBP. ICE is already way overfunded. We need to fundamentally change the way they’re operating before we re-open DHS. But federal employees and travelers shouldn’t pay the price for Congress’ inability to come together and work out a deal on DHS funding. 

Every day, the war in Iran is getting worse for the region and for the U.S. The Trump Administration carried out a deadly attack that struck an elementary school in Iran, likely because of outdated information, killing hundreds and mostly children. Iran’s new supreme leader is just as bloodthirsty and anti-American as his father was. Americans are paying 20 percent more for gas as the Strait of Hormuz continues to be restricted. The Trump Administration’s contradictory claims and lack of a clear strategy or endgame have left the U.S. vulnerable to retaliation.  

All this while alienating and bullying our international allies with reckless, illegal tariffs and ridiculous past proposals to acquire Canada or Greenland. And breaking our promises to our Afghan partners from the last conflict in the Middle East. That makes the U.S. weaker and less safe as the President embarks on this ill-defined, unwise, and unauthorized war. 

Congress must exercise our oversight authority to reign in President Trump’s war in Iran. When the House and Senate are both in session next week, President Trump must present a responsible strategy and clear endgame for this war. The majority of Americans do not support military action against Iran and do not want us to become entangled in another endless war. They want affordable groceries, lower electric bills, accessible healthcare, and safe communities. President and Trump and Congressional Republicans must put the needs of the American people first.  

• This report from the Cato Institute showed that immigrants, both documented and undocumented, contribute significantly more in taxes than they receive in public benefits and actually reduce budget deficits.