ALEX PADILLA IS THE PROUD SON OF IMMIGRANTS.
Alex is the first Latino to represent California in the United States Senate. He’s fighting to protect working families, increase access to health care, help small businesses stay alive, and keep our economy afloat. Alex knows that as long as the filibuster remains in place, Republicans will continue to impede progress on important issues like immigration reform, women’s healthcare, voting rights, and climate action.
In just a year in the Senate, Alex Padilla has fought to improve Californians’ lives and enact meaningful change in our communities. Here are some highlights from the past year:
POWER On Act: Will invest $5 billion over five years to help prevent blackouts, shutoffs, and utility-caused wildfires by funding projects that enhance the physical resilience of the electric grid in response to extreme weather events and natural disasters.
Urban Indian Health bill: A commonsense, technical fix that would allow Urban Indian Organizations to use the Indian Health Service funds they already receive for infrastructure and facilities improvements. It will have a critical impact on California, which has one of the largest populations of American Indians in the United States.
Electric school buses: The bipartisan law will deliver thousands of new electric school buses nationwide, helping school districts buy clean, American-made, zero-emission buses. Padilla previously introduced the Clean Commute for Kids Act, which would invest $25 billion to replace existing diesel buses with electric buses.
Replacing Lead pipes: This bipartisan package includes $15 billion to replace lead pipes and service lines across the country. Earlier this year, Senators Padilla and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) introduced the Lead-Free Drinking Water for All Act, an ambitious effort to replace every lead service line and pipe in America over the next ten years.
Environmental justice and combating climate change: Senator Padilla led a letter to President Biden successfully calling on the administration to restore California’s authority to set clean car standards. Senator Padilla also participated in the reintroduction of the Green New Deal.
Helped select and recommend nominees: Lucy Koh for 9th circuit, four district court nominees to fill California vacancies and helped rebuild the federal bench to better reflect the America it serves.
Helped CA small businesses save over $12M through our constituent services in his first year.
Established as a leading voice for eliminating the filibuster: Senator Padilla was one of the first Senators to start the loud chorus of calls for eliminating the filibuster. Since then, others have followed. Senator Padilla has also participated in the filibuster reform conversations and negotiations with Senator Manchin.
Leader in voting rights: Senator Padilla was tapped to author the Freedom to Vote Act when the For the People Act failed.
Established as a leader fighting for immigration reform and go-to Senator for immigration advocates: He is the first Latino Senator to chair the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety. Senator Padilla’s first bill he introduced, Citizenship for Essential Workers Act, would have created a pathway to citizenship for undocumented essential workers.
Established himself as a leader improving equity: Senator Padilla launched the first-ever HSI caucus and frequently advocated for diverse voices, such as HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra and several other nominees. Successfully advocated for California’s FEMA mass vaccination sites to remain operational.