PÉREZ ROLLS OUT WAVE OF PROGRESSIVE PRIORITIES FOR CONGRESS

LOS ANGELES, CA— Today, former State Assembly Speaker and candidate for the soon-to-be vacated 34th Congressional district seat, John A. Pérez, unveiled a series of progressive policy priorities that he’ll seek to advance in Washington, D.C. in the House of Representatives.

Upon releasing his progressive agenda, former Assembly Speaker Pérez released the following statement: “This special election to fill the soon-to-be vacated 34th Congressional district seat may very well be the first election for federal office since Donald Trump’s inauguration as President of the United States. It’ll also be the first real referendum on his backwards agenda at the ballot box.  “As a result, this is a major opportunity for the people of the 34th district to make their voices heard about the issues and priorities that matter most to them, and it’s a chance for us in the district to make a case for our progressive agenda and the social and economic justice causes that we hold near and dear.

“I’m running for Congress to stand up and fight like hell against any efforts by the Trump Administration to roll back the progress we’ve made under President Obama, and at the same time, to help bring the progressive policies we’ve pursued in California and apply them nationally, from compassionate immigrant rights laws to equal pay for equal work, fierce environmental protection laws and a raise in the minimum wage, as well as equality for all people, and so much more.”

Below is the first list in a series of social and economic justice policy priorities that former Assembly Speaker Pérez’ plans to unveil as he campaigns for Congress:

• Raise the national minimum wage to $15 per hour, just like in California
• Address income inequality by making certain that those at the top income brackets pay their fair share of taxes, like in California
• Safeguard workers’ rights, from the ability to organize in the workplace to collective bargaining and more, like in California
• Pass the federal DREAM Act
• Expand immigrants’ rights by passing comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals
• Continue the fight against climate change by protecting the International Paris Agreement
• Institute a nation-wide ban on fracking
• Toughen national benchmark standards for greenhouse gas emissions to reflect California’s model
• Institute a stringent national cap-and-trade system that puts restrictions on carbon emissions and pollution, while further incentivizing an increase in the production and use of clean energy technologies and industries, like in California
• Repeal Citizens United and change the corrupt campaign finance system that gives corporations and the elites far too much power to influence elections
• Ensure equal pay for all regardless of gender or race, just like California
• Protect and expand women’s rights, including reproductive healthcare decisions, and fighting against any cuts to Planned Parenthood
• Combat discrimination of LGBT individuals in the workplace, housing, among businesses, or elsewhere, like in California
• Institute a national ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, like in California
• Enact laws to ensure universal background checks on weapon purchases, like in California
• Fight any attempts to privatize Medicare and Social Security
• Protect the Affordable Care Act and expand access to healthcare with the goal of achieving full, comprehensive, universal healthcare nationally
• Tackle student loan debt and make college more affordable and accessible for students of all socio-economic backgrounds

Beyond the policies listed above, Speaker Emeritus Pérez plans to roll out more policy positions in the weeks and months ahead.

Today’s announcement follows myriad powerful endorsements Speaker Emeritus Pérez has received since jumping into the race just days ago, including:

• U.S. Senator-elect Kamala Harris
• U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass
• U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu
• U.S. Congresswoman Julia Brownley
• U.S. Congressman Ted Lieu
• U.S. Congressman Jared Huffman
• U.S. Congressman Scott Peters
• U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff
• U.S. Congressman Alan Lowenthal
• U.S. Congressman Mark DeSaulnier
• U.S. Congressman and past California Lt. Governor John Garamendi
• U.S. Congressman Barney Frank (Ret.)
• U.S. Congressman George Miller (Ret.)
• California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom
• California State Controller Betty Yee
• California Board of Equalization Chair Fiona Ma
• California Lt. Governor and State Assembly Speaker Cruz Bustamante (Ret.)
• California State Treasurer and Attorney General Bill Lockyer (Ret.)
• Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (Ret.)
• California Democratic Party First Vice Chair Alex Rooker
• California Democratic Party Chair and State Senator Art Torres (Ret.)
• State Senator Steven Bradford
• State Senator Bob Wieckowski
• State Senator Holly Mitchell
• State Senator Isadore Hall (Ret.)
• State Senator Jerry Hill
• State Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon
• State Assembly Majority Whip Miguel Santiago
• State Assembly Member Phil Ting
• State Assembly Member Rich Gordon
• State Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Kevin Mullin
• State Assembly Member Jose Medina
• State Assembly Member Jim Frazier
• State Assembly Member Todd Gloria
• State Assembly Member Matt Dababneh
• State Assembly Member Ed Chau
• State Assembly Member Mike Gatto (Ret.)
• State Assembly Member Mike Allen (Ret.)
• State Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal (Ret.)
• State Assembly Member Paul Fong (Ret.)
• L.A. City Controller Ron Galperin
• L.A. County Assessor Jeffrey Prang
• Los Angeles City Council Member Bob Blumenfield
• Sacramento Mayor-elect and past Senate President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg
• San Francisco County Supervisor David Campos
• South County Labor Chair Raymond L. Cordova*
• Latino Journal
• Alexandra “Alex” Gallardo Rooker, California Democratic Party First Vice Chair
• Debra Broner, California Democratic Party Region 10 Director
• Miguel Martinez, California Democratic Party Region 14 Director
• Steven K. Alari, Democratic National Committee Member
• Jess Durfee, San Diego County Democratic Party Chair, (Ret.), Democratic National Committee Member
• Mary Ellen Early, Action Democrats of the San Fernando Valley and Democratic National Committee Member
• Alice Germond, Democratic National Committee Member
• Patty Hobbs (Ret.), Democratic National Committee Member
• Aleita Huguenin, Democratic National Committee Member
• Michael Kapp, Democratic National Committee Member
• Bob Mulholland, Democratic National Committee Member
• Melahat Rafiei, Orange County Democratic Party Executive Director (Ret.), Democratic National Committee Member
• Garry S. Shay, Los Angeles County Democratic Party Past Chai and Democratic National Committee Member
• Laurence Zakson, Democratic National Committee Member

Speaker Emeritus Pérez previously represented large swaths of the 34th Congressional district while serving in the State Assembly.

Speaker Emeritus John A. Pérez is a University of California (UC) Regent, where he fights for college affordability and serves as a voice on behalf of students and parents. From 2010-2014, Pérez served as Speaker of the California State Assembly, where he helped pass some of the most influential legislation in our state’s history on nearly every issue. Speaker Emeritus Pérez made history both by being the longest serving Speaker of the Assembly in the era of term limits, and by being the first openly LGBT leader of a State Legislative chamber in California. As a legislative leader, he also spearheaded efforts in 2012 to win an unprecedented super majority in the State Assembly.

While in the State Assembly, Speaker Emeritus Pérez authored legislation that created Covered California, the state’s healthcare exchange stemming from the Affordable Care Act, as well as the Middle Class Scholarship Act, that dramatically reduced public university tuition costs. During the height of the Great Recession, Speaker Emeritus Pérez inherited a $64 billion structural state deficit, and by the end of his tenure as Speaker, California was running a significant surpluses. Prior to his career as an elected official, Speaker Emeritus Pérez worked as a union organizer. He grew up in El Sereno and Highland Park.