1. Speaking out Immediately with Local Leaders
In response to President Trump's attempt to freeze federal funding, I hosted a press conference with Attorney General Jeff Jackson and leaders of organizations in our community to highlight the disastrous effect it would have across our state. I remain steadfast in my commitment to protect vital programs and funding, from Medicaid and Social Security to investments in science, research, health, and more.
The President does not have the right to take away funding for programs he doesn’t like on a whim. These investments were approved by Congress and are not optional—they are the law.
2. Demanding Answers about DOGE
As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, I am closely monitoring ongoing litigation to combat President Trump’s unlawful executive actions.
That’s why I led a letter with House Judiciary Ranking Member Jamie Raskin strongly urging the Department of Justice and the Office of Government Ethics to uphold federal ethics laws relevant to Elon Musk’s role as a Special Government Employee. Even the richest man in the world must be held accountable if he breaks the law.
3. Fighting to Keep North Carolina's Classrooms Strong
Education is one of the most important investments we can make in the future of our community and our country. While President Trump and Elon Musk try to eliminate the Department of Education and its funding for special education programs, free and reduced lunches, and support for low-income students, I'll continue fighting to protect our local schools. I spoke on the House Floor in strong opposition to any attempt to cut the Department of Education.
I also visited Hodge Road Magnet Elementary School to highlight how critical Department of Education funding is for Wake County public schools. We must make sure schools remain safe, supportive environments where every child can learn and thrive.
4. Calling for Protections for NOAA and the Environment
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, we saw how critical the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is for accurate weather forecasting, hurricane monitoring, and more. I joined Congressman Eric Sorensen in demanding answers about reports that Elon Musk and his staff entered NOAA headquarters and gained access to sensitive information.
I also sent a letter with my colleagues urging EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to maintain staffing and resources at the Office of Research and Development (ORD), the arm of the EPA that supports the agency’s entire mission to protect human health and the environment. This effort includes the 2,000 EPA staffers who work in Research Triangle Park, the largest EPA facility in the country. As the administration moves ahead with their plans to eliminate ORD, I’ve continued to call attention to their disastrous plan and educate Administrator Zeldin on the effects it would have on communities and ecosystems across the nation.
5. Pushing for Accountability and Responsibility for Taxpayers
While the Trump administration continues to push for harmful cuts to essential services, I am fighting to protect our taxpayer dollars from unlawful interference. That's why I cosponsored the Taxpayer Data Protection Act, a critical piece of legislation that will safeguard our nation's payment systems and ensure that only trusted individuals have access to sensitive financial information. It also establishes criminal penalties for anyone who accesses the system with a personal financial conflict, including Elon Musk and the members of his team.
I also joined over 130 Democratic House Members in urging the IRS not to go through with mass layoffs that would hamper tax season preparations and hurt working Americans.
6. Speaking Directly with You
7. Opposing the Dangerous NIH Research Funding Freeze
The Trump administration's attempt to freeze funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is disgraceful. His plan wouldn’t just hurt our universities and our local economy—the ultimate victims of President Trump’s cuts would be patients and their families. These reckless cuts would jeopardize groundbreaking advancements in cancer treatment, Alzheimer's research, and critical disease prevention efforts.
I joined a letter with more than 150 House Democrats to the Acting Director of the NIH that expresses deep concerns with the illegal decision by President Trump to reduce the reimbursement rate for indirect research costs to 15% across the board.
8. Fighting for Women and Access to Health Care
As Policy Co-Chair for the Democratic Women's Caucus, I am working to block extreme attempts to roll back women's rights and ensure women have the resources they need to thrive. I will not stop fighting to protect reproductive freedom, access to healthcare, and economic security for women and girls in North Carolina.
I hosted my second annual State of Women in Wake County event, where I convened a panel of local leaders to answer questions and discuss how we can work together to empower more women in our community to thrive. I also led a letter with Reps. Kamlager-Dove and Leger Fernandez calling on the administration to reverse its cuts on women’s health research and recommit to women’s health research funding at the NIH.
9. Standing up for Free Speech and Calling Out Reckless Federal Employee Firings
Federal employees are exemplars of selflessness and public service. Politically motivated firings undermine our democracy and silence those who uphold the law. I led over 130 colleagues in demanding answers after Trump fired 7,000 IRS staff, risking tax return delays for millions of Americans. I also pressed the FBI and DOJ on partisan firings of law enforcement. Federal workers have always had our backs. Now we need to have theirs.
In addition, I joined my colleagues on the House Committee on Education and Workforce in calling on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to reverse its plan to unilaterally terminate leases at eight field offices, including in Raleigh and Greensboro. Terminating the leases of EEOC field offices across the country is a direct violation of EEOC policies and procedures and will hurt workers’ ability to seek the EEOC’s help in resolving discrimination issues at their workplaces.
10. Fighting for Disaster Relief for Western North Carolina
FEMA plays a critical role in disaster response and recovery, particularly in North Carolina, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Cutting 84% of HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) staff is a betrayal to Western North Carolina's resilience. While FEMA handles immediate disaster recovery, CPD handles long-term recovery efforts for Americans affected by natural disasters. I led my colleagues in sending a letter to President Trump demanding this reckless plan does not happen.
I also led my North Carolina Democratic colleagues to send a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem calling out a reckless proposal to dismantle FEMA, warning that such a move would undermine ongoing reconstruction efforts in Western North Carolina jut six months after Hurricane Helene.
11. Pushing to Protect Consumers from Fraud
In February, Trump began the Project 2025 plan to gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency that protects consumers from unfair financial practices and has already returned over $21 billion to consumers since it was created after the Great Recession.
I'll always stand by North Carolinians, and that includes fighting to put money back in your pockets and prevent large banks from predatory practices. I joined more than 200 House Democrats to defend American consumers in court.
12. Fighting for Medicaid and Health Care
13. Defending democracy and supporting Ukraine
I firmly believe that America must continue standing with Ukraine in its brave fight for freedom. Russia's illegal invasion threatens not only Ukraine, but also the security of our European allies and the future of democracy around the world. I took to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to slam the Trump administration’s abandonment of Ukraine and called on Congressional Republicans to stand with Ukraine against Russian aggression.
14. Opposing cuts to Child Care
15. Hosting In-person Town Halls Across Wake County
16. Honoring Staff Sgt. Millie Dunn Veasey
Last Congress, I was proud to lead legislation to rename a Raleigh post office in honor of Staff Sergeant Millie Dunn Veasey, a Raleigh native who served our country during WWII. As part of the 6888th Postal Battalion, Ms. Dunn Veasey ensured soldiers on the front lines received letters from loved ones at home. After her service, she moved back to North Carolina and was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement.
I sent a letter to Secretary Hegseth, demanding that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) immediately restore removed web pages honoring America’s military heroes, including the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. I will not stop fighting to ensure North Carolinians have the resources and protections they deserve.
17. Fighting the SAVE Act
I voted against the Republicans’ harmful SAVE Act, legislation that would create new barriers to voter registration and disproportionately impact women who have legally changed their names. This bill would disenfranchise more than two million women in North Carolina and nearly 69 million women across the country.
Not only did I vote against the SAVE Act, I spoke on the House Floor about the damage this bill would cause, I discussed how damaging it would be at my annual State of Women in Wake County event, and I hosted a roundtable with leaders in Wake County about ways we can combat this horrible legislation.
18. Trump’s Tariffs
Trump implemented the largest tax hike on working Americans in history, and single-handedly imploded trillions of dollars in savings for Americans across the country before abruptly pausing his tariffs. That’s why I joined legislation to stop the President from imposing import tariffs under the guise of a national emergency without Congressional approval. As a member of House Democrats’ Litigation Taskforce, I have also joined an amicus brief to support challenges to Trump’s chaotic tariffs in court.
Prices are still too high, and Trump’s tariffs will only make things worse. I hosted a roundtable with Wake County business owners to discuss how tariffs are impacting their businesses.
19. Ensuring Access to Social Security
Social Security is a vital program that Americans pay for and buy into. More than 105,000 people in North Carolina’s Second District rely on Social Security, and hundreds of thousands of others will in the future. We need to make sure that people can collect their earnings for generations to come.
I spoke with Social Security advocates about the future of the program and how to improve services amid attacks from Trump and House Republicans.
20. Defending Due Process and International Students
We’re witnessing unprecedented and continued attacks against international students and everyone’s right to due process. In North Carolina, international students have been subjected to Trump’s cruel attempts to terminate their visas and deport them.
During a recent House Judiciary Committee markup of Republicans’ disastrous budget package, I offered an amendment to ensure that ICE cannot use any funds in the bill to terminate the legal status of student visa holders without providing adequate due process.
21. Combatting Republicans’ Attempts to Weaken the Judiciary
Congressional Republicans are attempting to dismantle appropriate checks and balances so they can enact President Trump’s extreme, harmful agenda on the American people. Recently, House Republicans passed a bill to prevent district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions, an important tool to protect the American people. I voted against their bill, and instead offered my own legislation as an alternative. My Fair Courts Act proposes a practical reform that would requires a panel of judges to preside over cases that seek nationwide relief.
Donald Trump’s unlawful and reckless actions continue to be blocked in court because they are unconstitutional or illegal – plain and simple. Just because he is president does not mean that Trump is immune from legitimate oversight, especially if his actions and policies are unlawful or unconstitutional.
22. Protecting Legal Immigrants from Unjust Deportation
Since taking office, Trump and his administration have exercised a rarely used power to deport visa-holders and legal permanent residents who are exercising their constitutionally protected right to free speech. Before this administration, that power was used only 15 times in 35 years.
I joined Rep. Becca Balint to introduce the Land of the Free Act, which would repeal the provision that Trump and his administration keep using to deport individuals who they disagree with. We cannot let this corrupt administration go unchecked and undeterred by violating protected free speech rights.
23. Fighting for Funding for Wake County Schools
Children are our future, and their education is of vital importance to parents, educators, and our entire community. When Trump and Dept. of Education Secretary Linda McMahon wrongfully withheld $8.1 million from Wake County schools, I took action.
I called on them to release these funds, which support core programs that help schools hire and retain teachers, assist students learning English, and provide mental health support and school safety. Shortly after I called them out, they released the funds. I’ll always stand up to bullies harming our students.
24. Defending Cheap, Clean Energy for North Carolinians
Solar energy has been a boon for North Carolina, lowering energy prices and creating new jobs. As Trump and his administration continue their war against affordable clean energy, I’m committed to fighting to protect your jobs and your wallets.
When Trump announced his plan to gut funding for the Solar for All program, which was created to expand access to solar energy in low-income communities, I led every other NC Democratic lawmaker in condemning this decision and urging the EPA to overturn it.
25. Funding the Poe Hall Toxic Exposure Investigation
Last year, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) launched an investigation after high levels of PCBs were detected at NC State’s Poe Hall. This May, Trump and HHS Secretary RFK Jr. terminated 85% of the personnel at NIOSH, effectively ending the study.
I took action and immediately called on the Trump admin to ensure the investigation would continue so that people affected by the toxic exposure can access justice. They backed down, and the investigation will continue.