In the News

Congressman Robert Garcia hosted a press conference Tuesday to condemn President Trump’s “reckless” federal funding freeze imposed through the Office of Management and Budget, which may impact billions of dollars in grant money for programs like school lunch programs, education funding, rental assistance, and housing grants.

He was joined by Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, Executive Director of Long Beach Day Nursery Jennifer Harper, and Director of the Isabel Patterson Child Development Center Alec Colchico. Below are key excerpts from the Congressman’s remarks:

THE BUZZ: BARKING BACK — Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia says Democrats trying to play nice with Elon Musk on his crusade to slash federal government spending are kidding themselves.

With his recent appointment to the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Rep. Robert Garcia of Long Beach said he will “push back” against slowdowns to federal assistance for victims of the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.

Long Beach Rep. Robert Garcia announced Tuesday he will serve on a Congressional oversight subcommittee for the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, which is expected to propose dramatic cuts to the federal government.

The Long Beach representative will join five other Democrats and six Republicans on the subcommittee when the new Congress convenes in January. Picks by House Democrats were finalized Tuesday evening, according to someone familiar with the appointments.

In a call Tuesday night, Garcia said the scope of the subcommittee remains unclear.

Rep. Robert Garcia has been named to the Oversight Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, a new House panel chaired by Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

The subcommittee will work in tandem with President Donald Trump‘s new Department of Government Efficiency, also referred to as DOGE, headed up by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. The goal for both the new committee and department, according to the administration, is to get rid of wasteful spending.

But some Democrats fear the effort will lead to the elimination of critical government services.

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, has achieved a rare feat in today’s polarized political environment, successfully championing two bipartisan bills during a congressional term marked by low productivity.

Last week, President Joe Biden signed the Eliminate Useless Reports Act into law, the second piece of legislation authored by Garcia to be enacted during the 118th Congress. This Congress, often criticized for its inefficiency, has passed fewer than 160 laws over two years.

With his first term coming to a close, Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, announced Thursday the passage of his first two bills, both aimed at making government more efficient.

This includes House Bill 5301, the “Eliminate Useless Reports Act,” which removes the need for federal agencies to file outdated or duplicative reports in their annual budget justifications; and H.B. 5300, the “GAO Inspector General Parity Act,” which strengthens the federal watchdog office by granting it an independent general counsel and allowing it send its budget requests directly to Congress.

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) tells MSNBC’s Katie Phang that Democrats need to combat Republican misinformation amid proposals from Donald Trump and members of his administration that could affect social safety net programs for millions of Americans.