Dear Neighbor,

As the year comes to an end, I want to update you on what has been happening in Congress and share what I have been working on over the Fall.

From fire recovery efforts, to holding ICE accountable for Trump’s unjust mass deportations, to addressing the affordability crisis, and so much more, here’s a look at the work I have been doing on behalf of our district:

For eight weeks, House Republicans took a taxpayer-funded vacation instead of addressing the catastrophic health care crisis they created. While Americans suffered and received notices that their health premiums are set to skyrocket, Trump was busy tearing apart the East Wing of the White House and hosting lavish parties at Mar-a-Lago.

Meanwhile, House Democrats were ready to work to address the health care crisis on behalf of our constituents, like so many who I heard from across the San Gabriel Valley. Here are just a few of the stories I heard from constituents on the need to protect affordable health care:

• Young & Healthy Pasadena
  • Young & Healthy Pasadena is a Covered CA Navigator Site. During my visit there I heard how their patients rely on ACA tax credits to afford coverage for themselves & their families, and how their dedicated staff helps people navigate the maze of health coverage options and choose the best plan.

• Herald Christian Health Center 
  • In Rosemead, I met Mr. Lau, a patient advocate who shared how expanded Medicaid coverage helped him detect and treat his lung cancer early — lifesaving care that is now being put at risk by Republicans’ cuts to Medicaid. 
    
    
• Wesley Health Center 
  • In Pasadena, I met Christopher, a patient who required major surgery that he was only able to afford because of Medicaid. 

Throughout the shutdown and in the weeks that have followed, Democrats have stood firm in our commitment to lowering health care costs and extending vital health care tax credits. And just this past week, we made major progress when four House Republicans signed onto a petition to force a vote on our legislation to extend the ACA premium tax credits for three years. Now, Speaker Johnson must bring this bill up for a vote immediately.

If you and/or a loved one is being affected by the health care crisis created and worsened by Republicans, share your story with me.

Click HERE to share your story.

As we continue rebuilding in Altadena and northern Pasadena, I’m encouraged by the steady progress our community is making. It was wonderful to celebrate Mariposa Junction’s reopening and to join Senator Schiff at the Altadena Recovery Hub.

Click here or the photo below to see a video roundup of Mariposa Junction’s grand reopening!

In October I was present when the Woods family broke ground to rebuild their home. The strength and perseverance of these longtime Altadenans remind us why we must keep pushing forward until all of Altadena is rebuilt. 

While we’ve made real progress, recovery is far from complete. I’m fighting to close gaps in relief programs and secure additional federal disaster aid so no survivor is left behind. I also urged the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to adopt all recommended reforms in the after-action review and to explain how evacuation alert failures left West Altadena residents behind, to ensure that such failures can never happen again.

If you need help navigating recovery, please reach out to my office or visit:

As Trump’s assault on our immigrant communities and our civil rights expands with more raids, more people torn from their families, and more tragic deaths, I am continuing to do everything I can to hold ICE accountable. 

The tragic death of Ismael Ayala-Uribe, who was detained at the Adelanto detention center and passed away after his medical concerns were dismissed by medical staff, was not an isolated incident. It reflects the horrific and well-documented pattern of neglect at detention centers. 

That’s why I continue to fight for full transparency and accountability to ensure tragedies like this never happen again. Below are congressional oversight letters that I led to demand answers from the Trump administration:

• Letter to DHS and ICE demanding accountability after Rep. Chu and other Members of Congress were illegally denied entry to conduct oversight at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center. 
  
  
• Letter to DHS and ICE demanding answers and accountability regarding the untimely death of Ismael Ayala-Uribe, who died while in ICE custody after his repeated pleas for medical care were ignored at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center.
  
  
• Letter to DHS and ICE following the deaths of Ismael Ayala-Uribe and Gabriel Garcia-Aviles, who were both held in ICE custody at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, regarding the record-high number of deaths in ICE custody and demanding answers on ICE’s negligence in adhering to basic medical standards. 

Please share my immigration resource page for anyone who might find the information useful:

The creative industries like film and television support our local economy and employ countless neighbors. As founder and Co-Chair of the bipartisan Creative Rights Caucus, I was proud to introduce the bipartisan Creative Relief and Expensing for Artistic Entertainment (CREATE) Act.

The CREATE Act would extend and strengthen Section 181, the only federal tax incentive specifically designed to support films, television, and sound recordings made in the United States. Section 181 allows producers to deduct 100% of production costs in the year they are incurred, helping projects move forward and keeping good-paying creative jobs here at home.

Without action from Congress, Section 181 will expire for productions that begin filming after December 31, 2025 — even as production continues to leave Southern California and other countries offer stronger incentives. In fact, the Greater Los Angeles area saw nearly a 20% decline in film and TV production in 2023.

The CREATE Act would ensure we don’t lose the only federal tool we have to keep these jobs in America. At a time when Trump’s reckless tariff threats are driving uncertainty and pushing business overseas, this bill provides stability for an industry that supports thousands of workers across our district.

Read more HERE.

In October, Department of Defense Secretary Hegseth announced plans to roll back the military’s safeguards against hazing and abuse. I led dozens of my colleagues in a letter demanding he reverse these dangerous policy changes, uphold the Defense Department’s statutory reporting requirements, and strengthen protections for service members.  

Click here or below to learn more:

In November, it was a solemn honor to recognize the military Veterans of the United States Armed Forces. I attended the San Gabriel Veterans Day event to pay tribute to their service and sacrifice. Click HERE or below to view a recap of the ceremony.

As co-chair of the Congressional Planetary Science Caucus, I will continue to fight for full funding for NASA’s programs and missions, and to protect the Jet Propulsion Laboratory right here in our district. That’s why I have led several bipartisan letters to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees urging them to protect current federal funding for space science and exploration and to provide strong funding next year in the final Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) funding bill. 

Learn more HERE. 

Recent bills I have introduced:

• Promoting Effective and Empowering Recovery Services (PEERS) in Medicare Act 
  • This bipartisan bill would require Medicare to cover peer support services provided at federally qualified health centers. A peer support specialist is a person with lived experience who has been trained to support those who struggle with mental health, psychological trauma, or substance use.
• San Gabriel Mountains, Foothills, and Rivers Protection Act
  • This bill would permanently protect more than 35,000 acres of wilderness and 20 miles of rivers in the San Gabriel Mountains. This builds on my work to designate the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument under President Obama and to expand it under President Biden.
    
    
• Reuniting Families Act
  • This bicameral bill would strengthen protections for immigrant families and address long-standing problems in our family immigration system so families can reunite faster and more humanely.
    
    
• Convening Operations Assistance for Childcare Heroes (COACH) Act
  • This bipartisan bill would task the U.S. Small Business Administration with maintaining an updated resource guide on how childcare providers can start and grow their small businesses, giving our nation’s small childcare businesses the tools and support they need to succeed, and help bolster the childcare workforce.
    
    
• John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act 
  • This bill would prohibit discrimination in the child welfare system against individuals and couples on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or marital status, and would better protect LGBTQ+ foster youth by  banning harmful practices like conversion therapy. 
    
    
• Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act 
  • This bipartisan bill would help ensure every K–12 student has access to mental health support at school, closing critical mental health workforce shortages by helping low-income school districts recruit and retain counselors, psychologists, and social workers. 
    
    
• USS Frank E. Evans Act
  • This bipartisan bill would honor the 74 sailors who lost their lives in the fatal accident of the USS Frank E. Evans during the Vietnam War by having their names memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
    
    
• Designating September 22 as National Military & Veterans Suicide Awareness Day
  • This bipartisan resolution would designate September 22 of each year to be National Military and Veterans Suicide Awareness Day.

Thank you for reading,

Rep. Judy Chu

Member of Congress

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