Alex Padilla

Padilla requested the addition of Senator Kim from New Jersey as a cosponsor of S. 391, a bill to clarify the rights of certain persons held or detained at ports of entry or facilities overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Padilla spoke in support of legislation to amend Chapters 83 and 84 of Title 5, United States Code to authorize an increase of the retirement age for members of the Capitol Police, citing staffing shortages and the need for improved recruitment and retention.

Padilla requested that Senator Coons from Delaware be added as a cosponsor of S. 624, a bill to amend title 5, United States Code, to achieve parity between cost-of-living adjustments for Federal Employees Retirement System and Civil Service Retirement System annuities.

Padilla introduced S. 4417, a bill to amend the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act to make technical corrections, incorporate additional trust lands, and expand the water quality fund to address contaminants including PFAS.

Padilla co-sponsored an amendment to Senate Concurrent Resolution 33 relating to developing stronger transparency and accountability for immigration enforcement.

Padilla spoke on the Senate floor opposing an executive order by Donald Trump that would make it harder for Americans to register to vote and exercise voting rights, and stated that American voters would not be silenced by efforts to restrict voting access.

Padilla introduced S.J. Res. 152, a joint resolution to overturn the Department of Labor's rule on Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology, stating that the rule would cut farmworker wages by $5 to $7 an hour and transfer over $2 billion annually from workers to employers.

Padilla introduced S. 4271, a bipartisan bill to amend title 5, United States Code, to provide rest and recuperation leave for Federal wildland firefighters and to extend the waiver of overtime caps for such firefighters permanently.

Padilla reintroduced the bipartisan Save Our Sequoias Act, which would enhance interagency coordination, accelerate forest restoration efforts, codify the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition, and establish a philanthropic fund to improve the health and resiliency of giant sequoias in California.

Padilla reintroduced the bipartisan Save Our Sequoias Act, which would codify the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition, require the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to develop a sequoia restoration strategy, provide support for wildfire resiliency projects, allow federal agencies to partner with states and tribes on restoration efforts, and establish a philanthropic fund through the National Park Foundation.

Padilla introduced S. 4053, a bill to transfer 860 acres of Federal land in Riverside County, California to be held in trust for the Pechanga Band of Indians.

Padilla co-submitted Senate Resolution 628 expressing support for the designation of March 2026 as "Music in Our Schools Month."

Padilla introduced S. 3840, a bill to designate Health Investment Zones for 10 years in areas with significant health disparities to expand healthcare services through tax credits, grants, loan repayment, and Medicare incentives.

Padilla asked unanimous consent that Barbara Monrroy be granted floor privileges for the remainder of the Congress.

Padilla introduced S. 3609, a bipartisan bill to establish a community protection and wildfire resilience grant program to help local communities mitigate wildfire damage and develop Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Plans.

Padilla rose to speak on the fifth anniversary of January 6, describing the Capitol attack as an unprecedented attempt to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power instigated by President Trump, and recounting his role as California Secretary of State during the 2020 election.

Padilla introduced S. 3582, a bill to prohibit the use of Federal funds to compensate individuals prosecuted for their involvement in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, alongside 22 co-sponsors.

Padilla requested unanimous consent to call up S. Res. 574 for passage, a resolution observing the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol and expressing gratitude to Capitol Police and law enforcement who defended the building.

Padilla reintroduced S. 3526, a bill to protect over 900,000 acres of public lands in California and promote restoration on another 871,000 acres.

Padilla introduced S. 3526, a bill to permanently protect over 900,000 acres of public lands and promote restoration on another 871,000 acres throughout California, including designations for wilderness, wild and scenic rivers, and recreation areas.

Padilla introduced S. 3437, a bipartisan bill to establish an Office of Fusion at the Department of Energy to advance fusion energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment.

Padilla introduced S. 3437, the Office of Fusion Act, a bipartisan bill to establish an Office of Fusion at the Department of Energy to advance fusion energy research and development in partnership with the private sector.

Padilla introduced S. 3194, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study assessing the suitability and feasibility of designating certain land in California as the Monterey Bay National Heritage Area.

Padilla introduced S. 2871, a bill to transfer 584 acres of Federal land administered by the Forest Service to the Secretary of the Interior to be held in trust for the Pit River Tribe in California.

Padilla introduced S. 2881, the Ackerson Meadow Land Exchange Act, which would transfer 160 acres of Stanislaus National Forest land to the National Park Service for management as part of Yosemite National Park in exchange for 170 acres of National Park land.

Padilla discussed California State lawmakers' legislation to lower energy costs and stated that renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are cheaper than coal and natural gas, while asserting that the current administration is blocking renewable energy development.

Padilla introduced S. 2796, a bill to provide for a land exchange in San Bernardino County, California, between the Forest Service and the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, transferring 1.475 acres of federal land in exchange for 1,460 acres of tribal fee land.

Padilla introduced S. 2735, a bill to place approximately 80 acres of Bureau of Land Management land and 185 acres of fee land owned by the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians into trust for the Tribe.

Padilla introduced S. 2735, a bill to place approximately 80 acres of Federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and 185 acres of fee land into trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians in California.

Padilla introduced the bipartisan NCUA Central Liquidity Facility Enhancements Act (S. 2545) with Senator Cramer to amend the Federal Credit Union Act and grant the NCUA Board permanent statutory authority to determine capital stock requirements for corporate credit unions seeking membership in the Central Liquidity Facility.

Padilla introduced S. 2545, a bipartisan bill to amend the Federal Credit Union Act to provide permanent statutory authority for the NCUA Board to determine capital stock requirements for corporate credit unions to access the Central Liquidity Facility.

Padilla spoke on the Senate floor regarding the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies and their impact on DACA recipients, stating that the Department of Homeland Security had declared DACA recipients are not automatically protected from deportation and should self-deport.

Padilla introduced S. 2260, the Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act of 2025, which designates the Environmental Protection Agency as the lead agency to coordinate federal, state, tribal, and local agencies to address pollution in the Tijuana River and New River watersheds along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Padilla introduced S. 2261, the Clean Shipping Act of 2025, which would amend the Clean Air Act to establish standards limiting the carbon intensity of fuel used by oceangoing vessels.

Padilla introduced S. 2212, a bill to amend section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to require all immigration enforcement officers to display visible identification during public-facing immigration enforcement actions and to promote transparency and accountability, alongside 14 co-sponsors.

Padilla requested that the names of three senators be added as cosponsors to three bills: Senator Heinrich to S. 133, Senator Gallego to S. 349, Senator Gallego to S. 453, and Senators Schiff and Merkley to S. 624.

Padilla traveled to Los Angeles to meet with General Guillot at the Federal building in West Los Angeles to conduct congressional oversight and obtain answers from the Department of Defense regarding military operations in the city.

Padilla rose to address Los Angeles protests and stated that President Trump federalized the National Guard without the Governor's approval and launched ICE raids throughout the Los Angeles region to manufacture a crisis and distract from his failed agenda.

Padilla co-sponsored S. 1960, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the continued designation of hospitals that met mountainous terrain or secondary roads distance requirement as critical access hospitals, and co-sponsored S. 1965, a bill to eliminate employment-based visa caps for abused, abandoned, and neglected children who are classified as special immigrant juveniles.

Padilla stated his intent to object to the Senate proceeding to four pending EPA nominations on the Executive Calendar and to three additional EPA nominations if added to the calendar, citing the Trump Administration EPA's submission of California waivers to Congress as "rules" under the Congressional Review Act despite the Government Accountability Office's determination they are not.

Padilla spoke on the Senate floor to state that Senate Republicans used the nuclear option for the first time in Senate history to eliminate the filibuster for Congressional Review Act joint resolutions related to California's Clean Air Act authority.

Padilla objected to the Senate proceeding to four pending nominations for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, stating that the EPA's attempt to submit California's Clean Air Act waivers as rules under the Congressional Review Act was improper and would have far-reaching consequences.

Padilla introduced S. 1777, a bill to expand Joshua Tree National Park by 20,000 acres and rename the Cottonwood Visitor Center as the Dianne Feinstein Visitor Center.

Padilla introduced S. 1777, a bill to expand Joshua Tree National Park by 20,000 acres and rename the Cottonwood Visitor Center as the Dianne Feinstein Visitor Center.

Padilla introduced S. 1664, a bipartisan bill requiring the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop policy guidelines for Federal research agencies to address financial instability of graduate and postdoctoral researchers.

Padilla introduced S. 1664, a bipartisan bill requiring the Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop policy guidelines for Federal research agencies to address financial instability of graduate and postdoctoral researchers.

Padilla introduced S. 1413, a bill to authorize additional funding for the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act, and stated that the bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent at the end of 2024 but did not pass the House in time to be signed into law.

Padilla was listed as a co-sponsor of Senate Amendment 1662, which proposed a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to protecting disaster survivors' data privacy in the congressional budget resolution for fiscal year 2025.

Padilla cosponsored S. 1246, a bill to establish the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a cabinet-level independent agency, and S. 1248, a bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a model to improve access to specialty health services for certain Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

Padilla reintroduced S. 1215, a bill to establish the Cesar E. Chavez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park in California and Arizona.

Padilla co-sponsored S. 1202, a bill to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to permit supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits to be used to purchase additional types of food items.

Padilla introduced S. 1142, a bill to adjust the boundaries of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area to include the approximately 896-acre Scarper Ridge property.

Padilla introduced S. 1142, a bill to adjust the boundaries of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area to include the approximately 896-acre Scarper Ridge property currently owned by the Peninsula Open Space Trust.

Padilla co-sponsored S. Res. 132, a resolution designating March 24, 2025, as "National Women of Color in Tech Day," and S. Res. 133, a resolution expressing support for local public K-12 schools and condemning actions that would defund public education or weaken the Department of Education.

Padilla co-sponsored Senate Resolution 132 designating March 24, 2025, as "National Women of Color in Tech Day."

Padilla introduced S. 1042, the Smoke Exposure Research Act of 2025, which would direct the Agricultural Research Service to conduct research on wildfire smoke exposure impacts on wine grapes and provide $32.5 million in funding over multiple years for mitigation and risk management measures.

Padilla introduced S. 984, the Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act, with Senator Tillis, which would amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish an exception to payment limitations for persons or legal entities that derive 75 percent of their adjusted gross income from farming, ranching, or related farming practices.

Padilla introduced S. 984, the Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act, which would amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish an exception to payment limitations for persons or legal entities that derive 75 percent of their income from farming, ranching, or related practices.

Padilla co-sponsored amendment SA 1231 with Welch and six other senators to amend S. 331 by adding provisions regarding access to drug testing technologies for detecting fentanyl and other adulterants.

Padilla co-sponsored Senate Amendment 1231, which proposed to require states to permit access to drug testing technologies that can detect fentanyl, xylazine, and other adulterants in drug samples.

Padilla co-sponsored an amendment submitted by Mr. Welch to S. 331, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with respect to the scheduling of fentanyl-related substances.

Padilla introduced S. 689, the Tule River Tribe Reserved Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025, which would quantify the Tribe's water right at 5,828 acre-feet per year, fund $568 million for a water storage project, codify a 2007 agreement with downstream water users, and transfer approximately 9,000 acres of Federal land from the Sequoia National Monument to the Tribe.

Padilla introduced S. 689, the Tule River Tribe Reserved Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025, which would quantify the Tribe's water right at 5,828 acre-feet per year, fund $568 million for a water storage project, codify a 2007 agreement with downstream water users, and transfer approximately 9,000 acres of Federal land from the Sequoia National Monument to the Tribe.

Padilla co-sponsored Senate Resolution 67, which declares racism a public health crisis.

Padilla requested unanimous consent to change his vote on rollcall vote 26 from nay to aye.

Padilla introduced S. 366, a bill to posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Muhammad Ali in recognition of his contributions to the United States.

Padilla introduced S. 366, a bill to posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Muhammad Ali in recognition of his contributions to the United States.

Padilla co-sponsored S. 326, a bill to amend title 17, United States Code, to provide fair treatment of radio stations and artists for the use of sound recordings.

Padilla introduced S. 322, a bipartisan bill to improve atmospheric river forecasting by requiring the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a new program within the National Weather Service that includes better data acquisition, a quantitative severity scale, and reporting requirements to Congress.

Padilla rose to address the nomination of Governor Kristi Noem to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security and explained his belief that she is unfit for the position based on her demonstrated loyalty to President Trump over the American people.

Padilla co-sponsored Senate Amendment 36, which proposed the American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 to provide conditional permanent resident status for certain long-term residents who entered the United States as children and to adjust status for nationals of countries designated for temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure.

Padilla introduced S. 5625, the Clean Commute for Kids Act of 2024, which amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to reauthorize the Clean School Bus program and authorizes an additional $22 billion for replacing diesel buses with zero-emission fleets.

Padilla introduced S. 5625, the Clean Commute for Kids Act of 2024, which amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to reauthorize the Clean School Bus program and authorizes an additional $22 billion for replacement of diesel buses with zero-emission fleets.

Padilla requested unanimous consent for the Senate to proceed to immediate consideration of S. 4000, a bill to reaffirm the applicability of the Indian Reorganization Act to the Lytton Rancheria of California.

Padilla introduced S. 5532, the Wildfire Intelligence Collaboration and Coordination Act of 2024, which would establish a joint wildfire intelligence center across the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Interior to coordinate wildfire response and management.

Padilla introduced S. 5532, the Wildfire Intelligence Collaboration and Coordination Act of 2024, which would establish a joint wildfire intelligence center in the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Interior to coordinate wildfire response, assessment, modeling, and post-wildfire recovery efforts.

Padilla suggested the absence of a quorum.

Padilla escorted Senator-designate Adam B. Schiff to the desk of the Vice President for the administration of the oath of office.

Padilla introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Wyden and Senator Cassidy called the Protect Innocent Victims Of Taxation After Fire Act, which exempts settlement payments from utility-caused wildfires from taxation for disaster survivors.

Padilla requested unanimous consent to discharge the Committee on Finance from further consideration of S. 712 and proceed to its immediate consideration, asked that the bill be considered read a third time, stated he knew of no further debate on the bill, and requested unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Padilla requested unanimous consent to proceed to immediate consideration of S. 3738, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2024, and later requested unanimous consent to consider and agree to the Stabenow substitute amendment and advance the bill to a third reading.

Padilla requested that Senator Ossoff from Georgia be added as a cosponsor of S. 633, a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Everett Alvarez, Jr.

Padilla introduced S. 5361, the Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act, which would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a new program to improve prediction and forecasting of atmospheric rivers throughout the United States.

Padilla introduced S. 5361, the Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act, which would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a program to improve prediction and forecasting of atmospheric rivers throughout the United States.

Padilla co-sponsored Senate Concurrent Resolution 42 recognizing the significance of equal pay and the disparity in wages paid to Latina women in comparison to white, non-Hispanic men.

Padilla asked for the yeas and nays on the Sfraga nomination.

Padilla joined Mr. Crapo and Mr. Risch in submitting Senate Resolution 844 to recognize and support the goals and ideals of National Forensic Science Week.

Padilla requested that Senator Cornyn from Texas be added as a cosponsor of S. 633, a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Everett Alvarez, Jr.

Padilla introduced S. 5075, the Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act, which designates the Environmental Protection Agency as the lead agency to coordinate federal, state, tribal, and local efforts to reduce pollution and improve water quality in the Tijuana River and New River watersheds along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Padilla co-sponsored S. 4996, a bill to amend Public Law 89-108 to modify the authorization of appropriations for State and Tribal, municipal, rural, and industrial water supplies.