Growing up in what now is California’s Fifteenth Congressional District taught Eric Swalwell a lot about hard work, strong principles, and planning for a brighter future.
The oldest of four boys and son to Eric Sr., a retired police officer, and Vicky, who works as an administrative assistant, Swalwell was raised and attended public schools in the East Bay. A Division I soccer scholarship was his ticket to becoming the first person in his family to go to college. During college, he worked as an unpaid intern in the office of his representative, Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher, and so was on Capitol Hill on September 11, 2001. This inspired his first legislative achievement: using his Student Government Association position to create a public-private college scholarship program for students who lost parents in the attacks.
The biggest challenges facing our country deserve innovative solutions, and I believe that we need to empower our scientists and engineers to find them.
I also am proud to support the two national laboratories in our district, Lawrence Livermore and Sandia, in my work in Congress as they are on the forefront of many technological breakthroughs that will power the future.
What I am Doing for You
I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 849, the Scientific Integrity Act, a bipartisan bill that sets clear, enforceable standards for federal agencies and federally-funded research to keep public science independent from political or special interest meddling. The bill provides much-needed protections for our federal scientists, helps restore public trust, and better enables us to address and solve the many pressing challenges our communities face from pandemics to climate change.
I'm a cosponsor of H.R. 869, the Research Investment to Spark the Economy Act (RISE Act) of 2021, which would provide $25 billion in emergency relief to U.S. researchers at independent research institutions, public laboratories and universities throughout the country may continue their important, federally-funded projects through the pandemic.
In previous Congresses:
I introduced H.R. 2687, the Securing Energy Critical Elements and American Jobs Act, to promote collaboration and research in the fields of energy critical elements and to ensure a reliable supply of rare earth elements. These elements are critical for numerous advanced technologies from hybrid vehicles and solar panels to military electronics. (I introduced this as H.R. 1022 in the 113th Congress.)
I helped lead 24 House members in urging strong funding for the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Inertial Confinement Fusion and High Yield Campaign, a program that maintains our national security and keeps America moving toward a new energy future.
I cosponsored H.R. 565, the Stepping Up to STEM Education Act, which would establish an office of STEM Education at Department of Education, create state STEM networks, and create an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Education (ARPA-ED). (I cosponsored this as H.R. 1089 in the 113th Congress.)
Rep. Swalwell tours the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Lab, May 2015.
I cosponsored and voted for H.R. 4438, the American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2014. This bipartisan bill would modernize and make permanent the research and development tax credit.
I sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget supporting funding for the Department of Energy’s Science Laboratory Infrastructure Account and, in particular, the planned construction of Lawrence Berkley National Lab’s new bioscience facility in Richmond, California.
I sent multiple letters to the House Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee in support of robust funding for the Department of Energy Office of Science.