Lateefah Simon

Our tax dollars should not be going towards projects that do not abide by our basic civil rights.

The Trump administration does not have West Oakland’s best interests at heart. I am committed [to] using every tool in our toolbox to stop this coal terminal and fighting on behalf of our residents.

Every child deserves the chance to safely be their most authentic self at school.

Federal transit programs form the backbone of communities of all sizes, connecting people to jobs, education, and opportunity.

Dr. Clarence Jones, the speechwriter for Dr. Martin Luther King, told me a story that, during the civil rights protests in the mid-1960s, hundreds of Black, White, and Jewish young people sat at lunch counters throughout the South…

This bill directly targets faith institutions and nonprofit organizations that step in every single day to support families navigating a deeply unequal justice system across the country. A wide network of faith leaders every Sunday pass a…

I rise today to honor a son of Oakland, California, my constituent, Ryan Coogler, whose film ``Sinners'' has earned 16 Academy Award nominations, the most of any film in Oscar history. Ryan Coogler was born in Oakland, California, raised…

Mr. Speaker, this bill doesn't secure elections. It shrinks the electorate. I find it so interesting that in real time we are having this conversation. When we talk about Black voters, we are going to talk about Black voters. This bill was…

I am extremely proud to lead the Main Street Parity Act with Chair Williams. As members of the Small Business Committee, one of the most bipartisan committees in the 119th Congress, we hear the same messages repeated every single day…

Mr. Speaker, America, this country, has long promised that every child has a right to learn. That promise exists because parents, not just this Chamber, parents, refused to give up on their children's future. Mr. Speaker, one of those…

When families can’t afford to stay in their communities, when veterans sleep on our streets, when working people are one rent increase away from losing everything, that is a failure of policy and political will.

I rise today to speak about betrayal. Nearly 14,000 veterans who served this Nation will sleep unsheltered tonight, not in beds. They will sleep on concrete, in cars, and under bridges. There are 37 million American children who depend on…

I would like to remind us what this Nation used to do to its children. Before 1975, this country locked up 200,000 disabled children in institutions. We shut the schoolhouse door on children who were deaf, blind, or different in any way…

I rise today to honor Coach John Beam and to give condolences to the Beam family. Beam left an imprint on Oakland, California, that will never fade. For more than 40 years he built champions at Frick, at Skyline, and at Laney College…

H.R. 672 would require the United States Postal Service to designate unique ZIP Codes for a number of communities across the country. This bill aims to address certain issues related to economic development and public safety regulations…

I rise today in defense of every child in this Nation who deserves to enter into a classroom and be treated with dignity, care, and respect. In writing these remarks, I thought of my kindergarten teacher, Ms. Jasko at Claire Lilienthal…

as Black Music Month comes to a close, I rise in the House today for 1 minute to honor my dear friend, D'Wayne Wiggans. D'Wayne Wiggans passed away on March 7, 2025, and my community of Oakland, California, and the world continues to…

As the Representative of California's 12th Congressional District, representing the East Bay, I rise today in opposition to H. Res. 516. This resolution is a partisan, disproportionate response to the ICE protest in Los Angeles…

It is without apology that when you write legislation that cuts into the flesh of the working poor, you cannot call it policy. When you cut into the flesh of working-class Americans, you don't call it policy. You call it what it is…

I rise today to oppose the administration's cuts to critical gun violence prevention programs, and I rise today in deep solidarity with the innovators of CeaseFire, violence interrupters, and community organizations around this country…

As the first congenitally blind person to serve in the United States Congress, I am honored to rise today in support of this bipartisan bill with Representative Stauber, the ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act. The disability…

I rise today to address the House to highlight my support of Head Start. I most recently visited an organization in my district called the Unity Council that serves families, parents, seniors, and children, providing them with affordable…

I stand with Congressman Green. I stand with every American who refuses to let this country slide into a system that values profit over people.

This is our country. This is our fight. And we will not back down.