Congresswoman Katie Porter represents the 45th Congressional District in Orange County, California.
In Washington, Congresswoman Porter has remained committed to putting Orange County families first. As a member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee and Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, she’s asked tough questions of bank CEOs and administration officials to hold them accountable to the American people. She’s also a proud member of the House Natural Resources Committee, where she works tirelessly to protect our beaches and public lands, elevate science-based solutions to the climate crisis, and keep Orange County families safe from wildfires. She chairs the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, where she leads efforts to hold polluters accountable.
Congresswoman Porter believes that every American should have the freedom to control their own body—which is necessary for economic security. Reproductive health care decisions are personal and should be made by patients, in consultation with their doctors, loved ones, and faith leaders, and without interference from politicians. Congresswoman Porter is working to protect and expand access to reproductive health care. This year, she helped introduce the Access to Birth Control Act to protect patients seeking birth control at the pharmacy. She was proud to help pass the Women's Health Protection Act in the House, which would codify Roe v. Wade and protect Americans who decide to seek abortions. Congresswoman Porter joined her colleagues to urge the Biden Administration to reverse the Trump Administration's harmful changes to the Title X family planning program. These rules withheld federal resources from health care clinics providing abortion referrals and services, and they were reversed by the Biden Administration following Congresswoman Porter’s advocacy. Congresswoman Porter is also a proud cosponsor of multiple bills that would promote reproductive health care, including:
Congresswoman Porter has consistently stood up for survivors of domestic violence. She has been a leading voice advocating for the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and was proud to vote for its passage. Her proposal to recognize economic abuse as a form of domestic violence in VAWA received bipartisan support. Congresswoman Porter fought for an amendment to gun violence prevention legislation that would require a report on the effect of firearm possession in domestic violence incidents. She also secured bipartisan support for a program to assist victims of domestic violence to safely shelter their pets when they leave their abusers. Additionally, Congresswoman Porter held a roundtable to hear from advocates, law enforcement officials, and health care providers in Orange County about the resources, opportunities, and challenges facing those caring for survivors of domestic violence. Understanding the devastation that domestic violence can have on children, Congresswoman Porter also supported additional resources for Court Appointed Special Advocates. This important program recruits and trains volunteers to advocate on behalf of child survivors of abuse, neglect, and abandonment in courtrooms and other settings. At the start of President Biden’s term, Congresswoman Porter joined a letter urging him to create a position of Special Advisor on Sexual Violence to strengthen the federal government’s response to sexual violence and reaffirm support for survivors.
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