Grace Meng

Grace Meng is a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York's 6th Congressional District in Queens since 2013. Born on October 1, 1975, in Queens, she attended Stuyvesant High School and earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan before receiving a Juris Doctor from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University. Prior to her career in public office, Meng worked as a public interest lawyer and in private practice. She served in the New York State Assembly from 2009 to 2012, following in the footsteps of her father, Jimmy Meng, who was the first Asian American elected to that body. Meng was first elected to Congress in 2012, making history as the first Asian American to represent New York in the House. She is a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, where she serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. Throughout her tenure, she has held various leadership roles, including serving as a Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee and as the Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Her legislative achievements include the passage of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act in 2021, which addressed the surge in anti-Asian hate crimes. She has also focused on issues such as consumer product safety, internet access for students, and menstrual equity through the 'Menstrual Equity for All Act.' Her work often centers on protecting vulnerable populations, supporting small businesses, and improving infrastructure within her diverse district.

Grace Meng advocates for the protection and expansion of the Affordable Care Act, viewing affordable healthcare as a fundamental right. She has championed the Inflation Reduction Act to lower prescription drug costs and has consistently fought against cuts to Medicaid. On economic issues, Meng supports raising the federal minimum wage, strengthening workers' rights, and providing resources for small businesses. She has emphasized the importance of union jobs in the clean energy sector and federal investment in infrastructure. Regarding immigration, she supports comprehensive reform that includes a pathway to citizenship, eliminating family-visa backlogs, and protecting DACA recipients. While she does not support abolishing ICE, she advocates for increased accountability and transparency within the agency. Her environmental platform includes support for clean energy initiatives and addressing climate change through frameworks like the Green New Deal. In foreign policy, she is a strong supporter of the U.S.-Israel relationship and works on global health and human rights issues, particularly concerning water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in healthcare facilities worldwide. She also supports common-sense gun safety measures, including universal background checks.