Friends,

The right to vote is the most sacred right we have in our Democracy — one that countless individuals from all corners of life have marched, fought, bled, and died for.

Dear Friends,

When the “President” reached out to Texas Republicans, telling them he was “entitled” to 5 more House seats, he thought they would get away with it.  

But then California voters responded by overwhelmingly passing Prop 50.  The victorious YES campaign in Virginia is the latest example of voters reminding politicians that true power belongs to the people.

While our friends in Virginia were knocking on doors, our volunteers in California were on the phones. We made 451,824 calls to Virginia voters and with a margin of victory of 98,092 votes — we can see and feel the power of grassroots mobilization. 

Dear Friends,

We are at this moment of truth. The road to taking back the House goes through Virginia — the place where the American experiment all started with the first House of Burgesses passing the first bill for independence from England. And Virginia is where America will be strengthened when Virginians vote YES by April 21^st —  just like we did in California for Proposition 50. 

Dear Friends

My beloved friend and colleague of over 30 years in the Congress, our American hero John Lewis, wrote in his final letter to us that, “Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part.” We must all accept his challenge and do our part — as we insist on the truth.

The truth is that Donald Trump's instability is clearer and more dangerous than ever.  He impulsively began a war with no plan and no authority — even threatening to eliminate a whole civilization, “never to be brought back again.”  If the Cabinet is not willing to invoke the 25th Amendment and restore sanity, Republicans must reconvene Congress to end this war.

Dear Friends,

Nearing America’s 250^th birthday, it is not a matter for debate that our Founders did not want a king; that was the whole point of the American Revolution and the guiding principle of our Constitution. The separation of powers, including the power of the purse residing in the Congress, was essential to their vision. Sadly, the Republicans in Congress have essentially abolished the institution this term and have folded to the will of the Executive Branch – a betrayal of Article I and an insult to that vision from our Founders and the intelligence of the American people.

Dear Friends,

As we observe No Kings Day, it is increasingly obvious that we are in a fight about whether we will be governed by the whims of a cruel autocrat who wants to control our bodies, our life choices, our voting data and our ability to vote – or if We The People will maintain our ability to live freely in beloved community.

Dear Friends,

Rather than honoring his campaign vow to bring costs down and work on fixing problems here at home, the President began a war of choice with Iran instead that is showing no signs of ending any time soon – and he did this without Congressional approval. After working to abolish the constitutional role of the Congress this past year, Trump’s latest offense is an extreme abuse of power, an act of disrespect and disregard for our military and an egregious waste of taxpayer dollars that should be going toward restoring vital health care for millions of Americans.

Dear Friends,

With Republicans in charge, it’s no wonder we’re facing a crisis at the kitchen table! Gas prices, food prices and health care costs are out of control – and they have done nothing to help and everything to make it worse. At best, the current occupant of the White House and his Republican enablers are simply out of touch with the needs of Americas working families. At worst, they just don’t care about anything but fulfilling their donors’ wish lists which are rooted in cruelty, chaos and corruption. Either way, working families are paying a huge price for the Republicans’ willful ignorance and neglect of the needs and concerns of the American people.

Dear Friends,

This Women’s History Month, we salute women of courage fighting for liberty, justice and equality for all. We know that when women succeed, America succeeds — and we all do better!

Nothing is more wholesome for the political and governmental process than the increased participation and leadership of women. When I came to Congress, there were 23 women out of 435 people in Congress: 11 Republicans and 12 Democrats. We made a decision on the Democratic side that we were going to change that — and we did. Now we have over 95 Democratic women and, of course, we want more.

As we prepare for and work toward winning in November, we must remember the very real threats posed to women by this Administration. The Republicans’ so-called SAVE Act is still being discussed despite being wildly unpopular. It is a poll tax on military families and married women, creating massive roadblocks for U.S. citizens, with documentation requirements designed to make it harder to vote. Donald Trump is trying to "SAVE" his own monstrous self and his Republican House enablers who ripped health care and food from millions to give billionaires massive tax breaks. This Administration and Congressional Republicans are FAILING American families — and they must be stopped!

Dear Friends,

This week, we saw a stark contrast between the real state of the union versus Trump’s State of Delusion — his state of delusion about the economy, health care and everything else, where he repeatedly lied about what we know to be true at America’s kitchen tables. The American people know that we are less safe, everything is more expensive and the policies of this Administration are more focused on dividing us than bringing us together. But we heard a lazy speech full of lies and theatrics, celebrating a government rooted in cruelty and corruption working on behalf of the President’s greed and his billionaire friends. We knew the speech would be full of illusion and delusion; that’s why I ripped up the speech in advance.

Dear Friends in California and Across America,

We know that America’s working families are being harmed by Trump’s unconstitutional tariffs and Stinking, Ugly, Rotten, Lousy Bill that takes away food, jobs and health care to fund bigger tax breaks for billionaires.

Dear Friends, 

We know that when we know our power, focus on what we can control, and keep building toward meaningful change in our society rooted in love, peace, mutual respect, shared prosperity and beloved community — there is nothing we cannot do. 

We saw this on full display during the Super Bowl halftime show — America’s diversity is our strength and as Bad Bunny said, “the only thing more powerful than hate is love.” It is the power of our love for justice and one another that will help us overcome Trump’s intentional stoking of fear and division. We welcome one another as friends rather than see our neighbors as threats and enemies. 

Dear Friends, 

Happy Black History Month!  

During this month of celebration, we honor the rich history, culture and leadership of Black Americans who shape America — insisting on the truth, on joyful resistance and on our nation’s yet-realized promise of liberty and justice for all.  We celebrate with the Congressional Black Caucus, the conscience of the Congress, and honor the leadership, contributions and sacrifices of its current and past Members — whom I am proud to serve with now and over the course of my career in elected office.  

Dear Friends,

In San Francisco, Minneapolis and across our country, Americans are rising up to keep our communities safe from the tragic impact of Trump’s cruelty, corruption and attacks on our constitutional rights. Working together with patriotism and purpose, we are keeping faith with the goodness of the American people, including our immigrant friends, family and neighbors and all who choose decency and beloved community over chaos. Joining together across America, we honor the memories of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, who were murdered in Minnesota and we rise in solidarity with  the men and women of the Minnesota National Guard, local law enforcement and all who are working to preserve community safety and protect one another from brutality and violence. All people of conscience must speak out about these horrific murders that we saw with our very own eyes and the cruelty that we can be sure is also happening behind the scenes. 

Fighting With Nonviolence For A Beloved Community

Dear Friends,

This week has been full of historical remembrances — both good and bad.  

We began this week celebrating the national holiday and commemorating the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his partner in life and in justice Coretta Scott King, and the other national heroes and heroines of the Civil Rights movement. Dr. King and Coretta Scott King stood for peace, justice, jobs, and every good thing in our society. They learned more about nonviolence from the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi on their travels to India and brought this gift home to the United States. The Kings’ lives of service are shining examples of deep, abiding faith and commitment to liberty, justice and beloved community — what our country has always been about and what we continue to fight for.

Dear Friends,

As we head into the national holiday weekend honoring the memory and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, we are also mindful of the enormous sacrifices and contributions of his wife Coretta Scott King, his partner in life and in leadership, and of the entire King family. Their example of tireless commitment to justice for all — including economic justice and health care justice — has never been more important nor more timely than it is right now. As we continue to be guided by his wisdom and unyielding commitment to truth and justice in all of its form, we celebrate Dr. King’s life and legacy and recommit ourselves to becoming living examples of his dream of faith in action and deep love of humanity.

Dear Friends,

What a full week we’ve had.

On Tuesday, we marked the 5th anniversary of the January 6th insurrection — an emotional day for all of us. Five years since the President of the United States incited an insurrection on the Capitol, on the Congress and on the Constitution. And to this day, he is still lying about his sole authority to send in the National Guard and is even trying to rewrite the history that we all witnessed. What happened then was horrible — all because his megalomania would not allow him to face the fact that he lost the 2020 election.

Dearest Friends,

 As we welcome this New Year together, my heart is filled with gratitude for each and every one of you and with confidence that 2026 will be shaped by your kindness, resilience, generosity and hope for a brighter future. More than ever, I am inspired and proud to work alongside you, grounded by our shared belief in our responsibility to ensure that America’s best days are yet to come and our shared values For The People. From my beautiful and wondrous San Francisco to every corner of our beloved  nation, it is the spirit of the American people — workers, families, students, veterans, dreamers and doers — that inspires me most and that truly makes America great.

Dear Friends,

This Christmas, with gratitude and joy, I am inspired by the incredible spirit and determination that you brought to our work together, For The People, in a challenging year of hard-won and historic victories.

Working shoulder to shoulder since last January, our community of compassionate, patriotic storytellers and fighters has shown what is possible when we come together to fight for our values with hope, persistence and a belief in the power of the people. Whether you volunteered your time, supported your neighbors or simply kept faith in our journey to build that more perfect union that all Americans are called upon to create in our Constitution, please know that you have played an invaluable role in preserving our government of, by and For The People and shielding the fragile flame of progress for our country that we love.

Dear Friends,

 The most powerful action we can take when life seems its darkest is to shine our light brighter. The light of love, the light of friends and family, the light of faith in the goodness of others that gives us hope. And without question, times seem very dark and trying right now.

 This week, the Hanukkah holiday began with a tragic anti-Semitic gun massacre in Australia. Only hours later, college students were shot at Brown University. And here in California, my family and countless others are mourning the tragic, violent deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner whose powerful art, compassion and patriotism made us laugh, cry and think.