Sydney Kamlager-Dove

Sydney Kamlager-Dove is a Democratic politician representing California's 37th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. First elected in November 2022 to succeed Karen Bass, she assumed office on January 3, 2023. Kamlager-Dove holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Southern California and a Master of Arts in arts management from Carnegie Mellon University. Her early career involved working with nonprofit organizations such as Rebuild LA and the Social and Public Art Resource Center, as well as serving as a district director for Holly Mitchell in the California State Legislature. Before entering Congress, Kamlager-Dove held several elected positions in California, including serving on the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees, the California State Assembly (2018–2021), and the California State Senate (2021–2022). During her time in the state legislature, she authored significant legislation such as the CRISES Act, which promotes non-police responses to emergencies, and co-authored the CROWN Act, which prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and protective hairstyles. In the U.S. House, she serves on the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees, where she has been involved in advocating for the release of wrongfully detained citizens and passing the GRATEFUL Act to support local U.S. embassy staff abroad.

Representative Kamlager-Dove's policy positions reflect a focus on social justice, economic equity, and humanitarian foreign policy. In healthcare, she has publicly supported Medicare for All and advocated for lowering costs while increasing access for underserved communities. On immigration, as a Co-Chair of the Global Migration Caucus, she supports a comprehensive roadmap to citizenship and has criticized restrictive executive orders, arguing that immigration is a driver of economic growth and that policy should address the root causes of forced migration, such as climate change and political violence. Her economic platform emphasizes job creation in the creative and technology sectors, advocating for 'economic inclusion' so that historically marginalized communities benefit from advancements in AI and reindustrialization. Regarding the environment, she views the climate crisis as a global security issue that displaces populations and requires urgent federal action. In foreign policy, she focuses on the African diaspora, international human rights, and the intersection of trade and national security, particularly regarding export controls and technology partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region.