Progress
For The Fifth

Substantial Progress for the Fifth

Green New Deal

Ilhan was a leading progressive voice fighting for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the largest climate investment in world history. The $370 billion package will electrify transportation, reduce air pollution, empower Environmental Justice communities, reduce energy costs, expand renewable electricity, and more. Experts estimate the IRA will reduce climate pollution by up to 43% by 2030. Millions of dollars are already advancing this work around Minnesota, and billions more are on the way. She has led efforts to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies, honor treaties with Tribal nations around pipeline projects and mines, advance Environmental Justice projects along the Mississippi River, expand the use of electric school buses, and create an international Loss and Damage Fund to compensate developing countries for the irreversible impacts of the climate crisis.

Ilhan introduced a key part of the Green New Deal, the Zero Waste Act, which aims to end the use of toxic landfills and creates a federal fund that localities can tap into in order to invest in zero waste initiatives and recycling infrastructure. Part of this bill was included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and funding is already making its way to the Fifth District. 

Student Debt

Ilhan has been a fierce advocate for student loan cancellation, which culminated in President Biden’s actions to reduce or eliminate student debt for thousands of borrowers. Ilhan introduced the Student Debt Cancellation Act in order to break down the barriers that hold millions of Americans back from economic security and lift the limitations that prevent everyone from accessing higher education in this country. She also spearheaded an amendment that creates the first ever federal commission to study the impact of student loan debt on borrowers and our economy. The commission is charged with making recommendations on how the federal government could move forward to cancel student loan debt.

Reform Policing Nationwide

After George Floyd’s murder, Ilhan Omar and House Democrats moved swiftly to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in order to establish new standards of policing, ban the use of chokeholds, stop no-knock warrants, prohibit racial profiling and end qualified immunity for police, among many other reforms. She worked with the family of Amir Locke to introduce the Amir Locke End Deadly No-Knock Warrants Act, a bill to strictly limit the use of no-knock warrants, quick-knock warrants, flash-bang grenades, and other military-grade weapons. 

Ilhan also introduced four new bills to reform law enforcement at the federal level. First, the Protect our Protesters Act, would criminalize police violence against demonstrators exercising their constitutional rights. Second, the National Police Misuse of Force Investigation Board Act which would establish a federal agency responsible for investigating all nationwide deaths occurring in police custody, officer-involved shootings and uses of force that result in severe bodily injury. Third, the Amending the Insurrection Act, would amend the Insurrection Act, curtailing President Trump’s ability to deploy the military domestically without Congressional consent. And fourth, a bill to create a federal relief fund, specifically for communities trying to rebuild after social and civil rights crises, which would help cities and businesses get back on their feet. Abandoning those who have faced financial consequences only sets the stage for future conflict.

Achieving Housing for All

Congresswoman Omar introduced the Homes for All Act, groundbreaking legislation which will fulfill the promise of a homes guarantee by investing $1 trillion in the construction of 12 million new public housing and private, permanently affordable rental units. Her bill would vastly expand the available affordable housing stock, drive down costs throughout the market, and create a new vision of what public housing looks like in the United States of America. That vision includes building to the highest possible environmental standards, strengthening anti-discrimination protections so that no one can be turned away, and making public housing mandatory spending like it is for other essential programs like Social Security and Medicare.

While advancing legislation, Ilhan secured millions for local housing projects – a sprinkler system for Minneapolis Public Housing following a devastating fire, housing for people with disabilities in Golden Valley and St. Anthony, youth housing at Avenues for Youth, a project led by the Multifamily Land Trust for Affordable Housing, veteran housing at the Snelling Motel, an emergency shelter and supportive housing expansion at Simpson Community Shelter and Apartments, and separate family housing at Simpson.

Making Healthcare Affordable

In her fight to ensure universal healthcare coverage, Ilhan Omar serves as Vice-Chair of the Congressional Medicare for All Caucus and joined as an original cosponsor of the Medicare for All Act. She was a key voice in support of the Inflation Reduction Act, which included a provision allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices – reducing what seniors and the federal government pay to massive pharmaceutical companies.

While working on policy, Ilhan also secured funding to expand healthcare access locally. She brought home millions of dollars for Roots Birth Center in North Minneapolis, SEWA Asian Indian Family Wellness in Brooklyn Center, the Native American Community Clinic, the People’s Center, and the Hennepin Healthcare East Lake Clinic.

Increasing Access to Child Nutrition

Ilhan introduced the Universal School Meals Act to provide free breakfast, lunch, and dinner to every student in America—without demanding they prove they are poor enough to deserve help. Her work on the federal level was echoed by a new state law which provides free meals to students across Minnesota. She introduced the No Shame at School Act to prohibit schools from taking any action that stigmatizes students who cannot pay their meal fees. And Ilhan’s MEALS Act, a bill aimed at protecting students’ access to school meal benefits during school closures, was passed into law as part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Ilhan also got funding for local food access programs at Southern Anoka Community Assistance, the Northside Economic Opportunity Network, the Northside Youth Greenhouse, and the Northside Food Access and Distribution Project.

Creating a Just Immigration System

Rep. Omar helped craft and served as an original cosponsor of the NO BAN Act, a bill to repeal the discriminatory Muslim Ban, and she took part in the historical joint hearing held by the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary Committees on this important legislation. She also co-sponsored and voted for the American Dream and Promise Act, a bill that offers a pathway to citizenship for these and other similarly situated immigrants who have spent much of their lives in the United States. Ilhan authored the Neighbors Not Enemies Act which would fully repeal the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 – a law that allows the U.S. president to apprehend, detain or remove foreign nationals from a specific nation deemed a threat. This is the same law that was employed during World War II to detain and subsequently deport German, Japanese, and Italian immigrants and was used as a justification for the Muslim Ban.

Ilhan and her team provide immigration support to thousands of Fifth District constituents, helping with hundreds of work permits, family reunification cases, refugee cases, and international crises. This constituent casework was recently highlighted and recognized as exemplary in the Huffington Post.

Protecting Workers

As a member of the Education and Labor Committee, Rep. Omar has taken decisive action to uphold the rights of workers and minimize the influence of powerful corporations. Ilhan co-sponsored and voted in favor of the Raise the Wage Act, a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025, and the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill to close the gender wage gap. Ilhan also cosponsored and voted for the PRO Act, a bill aimed at holding employers accountable for violating workers’ rights, ending the use of forced arbitration, and strengthening the sacred right to join in union. Ilhan has also stood in solidarity with nurses and teachers when they hit the picket lines and went on strike for fair pay and safe staffing.

Promoting a Peaceful Foreign Policy Agenda

Ilhan has established herself as a foreign policy leader in Congress. She introduced the Pathway to PEACE (Progressive, Equitable, and Constructive Engagement) platform, a package of seven bills aimed at reorienting U.S. foreign policy. The package outlines a bold progressive vision to rethink the country’s approach to foreign policy by centering human rights, justice and peace as the pillars of America’s engagement in the world, and making military action a last resort. The plan takes into account the experiences of people directly affected by conflict and the long-term consequences of U.S. militarism, acknowledges the damage done when we fail to live up to international human rights standards, and is sincere about our values regardless of short-term political convenience.

Ilhan also founded the U.S. Africa Policy Working Group, a coalition of dozens of Members of Congress working with academics and diplomats to advance thoughtful and productive engagement across the African continent.

Ilhan is a cosponsor of the Ceasefire Now Resolution in Congress which calls for an end to the violence in Israel and Palestine. She has condemned Hamas for the atrocities they committed on October 7th. She also condemns the atrocities that the Israeli government is committing against Palestinians in Gaza. Over 25,000 people, two thirds of which are women and children, have been killed in Gaza since October 7th. Ilhan will continue to advocate for the end to the violence and diplomacy toward a durable and lasting peace.

Preventing Gun Violence

In 2022, Ilhan voted in favor of the largest bipartisan gun safety package in decades, which will help youth in crisis, improve mental health resources in schools, protect victims of domestic violence, and prevent suicides.

In her first weeks in Congress in 2019, Ilhan cosponsored and voted in favor of two important bills focused on preventing gun violence in America, and she will continue to support all efforts to curb the horrors of gun violence.