Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley issued the following statement in response to House passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley held a press conference to announce the introduction of a resolution designating the second Tuesday in September, September 9, 2025, as National Firearm Suicide Prevention Day. This day will raise awareness about the growing firearm suicide crisis and underscore the lifesaving importance of safe firearm storage. It will also serve as an opportunity to mobilize and hear from health professionals, researchers, survivors, veterans, and mental health experts about the evidence-based role of safe storage in preventing firearm suicide.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley and fellow Democratic colleagues have urged the Trump administration to rescind its proposed rule to reinstate a near-total ban on abortion care and abortion counseling at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As a longtime champion for women veterans’ healthcare, Brownley participated in multiple efforts to underscore the dangers of the rule.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley applauded committee passage of the bipartisan Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025 (H.R. 4669), the most robust reform of federal disaster assistance programs in decades, which included provisions from Brownley’s FEMA Temporary Housing Assistance Improvement Act (H.R. 2535) and Disaster Displacement Assistance Improvement Act (H.R. 1593).

In the wake of the deadly school shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Congresswoman Julia Brownley joined Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chairman Mike Thompson and 129 Democrats in a letter calling on Speaker Johnson to listen to the prayers of millions of Americans and take action to end gun violence.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley joined her Democratic Women’s Caucus colleagues in a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) expressing deep concerns over ICE impersonators harassing and assaulting women. The members called for ICE to require agents to wear visible, clear identification during enforcement activities and to ensure impersonators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, Congressman Mark Takano, Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and fellow committee members Chris Pappas, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Morgan McGarvey, Delia Ramirez, Nikki Budzinski, Tim Kennedy, Maxine Dexter, Herb Conaway, Jr., and Kelly Morrison issued the following statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it would terminate collective bargaining agreements for most VA bargaining-unit employees.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley, a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, joined Congressman Jared Huffman, the Committee’s Ranking Member, and 11 Democratic colleagues in a letter demanding answers from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum over the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to rewrite American history by scrubbing national parks of accurate, inclusive, and science-based content. 

Congresswoman Julia Brownley and Congresswoman Judy Chu led 30 of their Democratic colleagues in demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about the treatment of individuals with disabilities in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. The lawmakers raised alarm over troubling reports of systemic neglect, inadequate accommodations, and apparent violations of federal disability rights laws that call into question DHS’s compliance with its legal obligations and the adequacy of oversight within ICE facilities.

In direct response to the Trump administration’s proposed rule to roll back abortion access for veterans, Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced the introduction of the Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Act, which would guarantee that veterans and eligible dependents have the right to receive abortion care, medication, and counseling through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), without interference from political appointees or partisan agendas and protected by law.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Congressman Dusty Johnson, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Congressman John Moolenaar announced the reintroduction of the Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act, bipartisan legislation that would prohibit the U.S. Department of Transportation from using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology produced by foreign adversaries.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced the introduction of the Veterans’ Surviving Spouse Equity Act, legislation to ensure surviving spouses of veterans are not unfairly denied benefits due to outdated marriage laws.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley joined Congressman Adriano Espaillat and Congressman Salud Carbajal in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons expressing serious concern about large scale immigration raids conducted across multiple counties in California during the week of July 8-12.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley joined Congresswoman Norma Torres, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, Congressmen Derek Tran, Senator Alex Padilla, Senator Adam Schiff, and the entire California Democratic Congressional Delegation in demanding the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) immediately release nearly $7 billion in Congressionally-appropriated funding for K-12 schools and adult education — including $928 million owed to California.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley joined her Democratic Women’s Caucus colleagues Congresswoman Nanette Barragán, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Congresswoman Deborah Ross, and Congresswoman Norma Torres in sending a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, the Government Accountability Office, and the Warden of Richwood Correctional Center calling for an immediate investigation into the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP)’s mistreatment of women in their custody.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced the introduction of the Protecting Federal Employee Rights to Personnel Files Act of 2025, legislation that would prevent the Trump administration from withholding personnel files containing critical documents from current, separated, and retired federal employees. The bill would require federal agencies to provide these records within seven days of the employee’s date of separation. 

Congresswoman Julia Brownley joined Congressman Dan Goldman and Congressman Adriano Espaillat in announcing the introduction of the No Secret Police Act, legislation that would prohibit law enforcement officers and agents of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from concealing their identities during immigration enforcement operations.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons demanding answers about recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations conducted in Ventura County, California. These operations, which took place at a farm in Camarillo, have sparked widespread fear and raised serious concerns about the agency’s tactics, transparency, and adherence to due process.