Rep. Maxine Waters statement on the overturning of Roe vs Wade

Rep. Maxine Waters released the following statement on the Supreme Court overturning Roe vs Wade:

Today, I stand in solidarity with the 36 MILLION women being stripped of their right to decide what is best for themselves. We WILL keep fighting!

This is only the beginning of an extreme Republican agenda to take away our personal freedoms, from abortion to contraception, to marriage equality to personal safety.

As a Member of Congress, I'm proud to have voted to protect abortion access. Today's SCOTUS decision makes it even more clear: we need federal protections for reproductive health. I am committed to continuing this FIGHT: in Congress, in the streets, and at the Ballot Box!

Maxine Waters Says Marjorie Taylor Greene Should Not Be In Congress

During an interview with Rev. Al Sharpton on his Politics Nation show, Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) branded Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) an "Extremist Radical" who has "no business" in the House after the congresswoman was permanently banned from Twitter. Watch that portion of the interview below:

Rep. Maxine Waters statement on treatment of Haitians at the Texas border

Rep. Maxine Waters released the following statement on the cruel treatment of Haitian refugess at the Texas border:

Haitians fleeing violence & the lack of a credible government in Haiti are being treated like animals. U.S. government cowboys on horses used whips on Haitians as they sought refuge. Why are we following the Trump policies? This horrendous treatment of Haitians must STOP NOW.

Rep. Maxine Waters vows to fight for renters & landlords after eviction moratorium lapses

In a CNN interview Rep Maxine Waters vowed to fight to extend the eviction moratorium and to help renters and small landlords. Watch her interview below.

Let’s go!! @RepMaxineWaters https://t.co/z2rsQSKg3x

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 1, 2021

Maxine Waters: Trump campaign should be investigated for role in Jan. 6 insurrection

Maxine Waters took to Twitter to ask that the Trump campaign be investigated for a possible role in the January 6 insurection:

We need to investigate who funded the January 6 rally, who helped pay to bus people into Washington, D.C., the role of shell companies, and so much more.

If Republicans have nothing to hide, then let’s investigate and follow the money through a January 6 Commission now!

Take a look at all of the people listed on the National Park Service permit for the January 6 rally that led to the attack on the Capitol. It should be concerning that FEC reports show the Trump Campaign, at some point, paid over $2.7 MILLION to people who helped organize Jan. 6!

Rep. Maxine Waters Considering Lawsuit Against Fox News for Publishing Unsubstantiated Claims

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, issued a statement slamming Fox News for its willingness to report absolute lies and falsehoods. Rep. Waters also announced she is considering a lawsuit.

“Fox News is an organization that charades as a news outlet while manufacturing lies, claiming them as truths, and using their platform that reaches millions of Americans as a vessel to spread misinformation. It is no surprise that the targets of Fox’s misinformation campaigns include women of color like me, other people of color, and anyone who dares to speak the truth.

“In a recent article by Fox News, reporters William La Jeunesse and Lee Ross cited sources that falsely claimed I was accompanied by two armed Capitol Police and two U.S. Secret Service agents on an April 17 flight, that I requested a total of four U.S. Air Marshals, and used government resources for my travels. Variations of this article and false claim were then published by the New York Post and the Daily Mail.

“Each and every one of these claims is an absolute lie. Let it be made clear that I have never requested or utilized any Capitol Police, Secret Service, or U.S. Air Marshal presence on that flight or any of my flights.

“The United States Capitol Police quickly refuted and debunked the claims reported by Fox News in a statement that read as follows: ‘The USCP did not have any officers or agents on the plane with Rep. Waters.’

“Following my trip to Minnesota, I became aware that documents outlining a security threat assessment that included my flight number and other travel information was leaked to TownHall, a right-wing media outlet. It was then subsequently shared by Fox News, the New York Post, the Post Millennial, and other outlets where it was falsely claimed that the document indicated I had requested police protection during my trip. Again, this is an absolute lie.

“The United States Capitol Police has informed my staff that they are continuing to investigate the source of the leak. This leak of my travel information and operational and threat assessment information is deeply disturbing and puts my life at risk.

“Because of the way that right wing media outlets have rushed to spread lies about me, it should be no surprise that as an outspoken Black woman with an important role in Congress as Chair of the House Committee on Financial Services, death threats against me have continued.

“A recent death threat that was left on a voicemail message to my office shows the direct link between Fox’s lies and the threats to my life. These are the disturbing words that the caller used:

‘You stupid fucking nigger. How much more do you want to tear this country apart with your racist bullshit?... Your ass is on the fucking line. You may not know it, you may think your security detail is good enough to keep you safe, but I’m calling you from Louisiana and I know you are not safe and your life is on the line bitch. I don’t care if the Secret Service shows up at my door – you deserve to be hung by a rope for treason… And I swear to god, bitch, if I have to come to California to eliminate your fucking ass…And I swear to god, I pray for your death every day just like you prayed for the fucking conviction of an officer who is not guilty. So, go fuck yourself and go shove your face into some dough, in the kitchen, and make some gorilla cookies, bitch… Fuck you Maxine Waters…’

“This is yet another clear example of just how dangerous lies and distortions can be.

“Once again, this is a made-up story by Fox News, which is not only irresponsible, but now openly creating danger for me. My office is now getting even more calls from haters who are threatening my life due to this type of reporting. As a result of Fox’s willingness to lie and deceive its audience, I am now considering a lawsuit against Fox News and demand an immediate retraction of the article.

“Lastly, I am Maxine Waters and my life is constantly threatened by racists, haters, and ill-informed people under the influence of the likes of Fox News. If in fact I lose my life because of these scurrilous attacks in the fight against injustice and racism, my life will not have been lost in vain.”

Maxine Waters statement on replacing Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

After the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announcing that hewould make a move soon to bring a Trump nominee to the floor, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA 43rd District) released the following statement reminding us all of Ginsburg's dying wishes:

Justice Ginsburg’s dying wish was that her seat would not be filled until a new president is installed! Senate Democrats, do not back down. You have a tough fight ahead but our future is on the line! No SCOTUS appointment before the election!!!

Rep. Maxine Waters On Joe Biden: 'He Can't Go Home Without A Black Woman VP'

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) gave her thoughts about Joe Biden’s potential vice president pick on Friday during an ESSENCE Live townhall, saying she strongly believes Biden is going to pick a Black woman as his running mate.

“Let me guarantee you this, based on everything that I know and understand, and the help that [Biden] has already gotten from the Black community…he can’t go home without a Black woman being VP,” Waters said confidently. “We’re going to have a Black woman VP.”

Of course, Biden has yet to confirm his choice even as the Democratic National Convention draws closer, and more and more Americans continue to watch with a close eye as he is the presumptive nominee.

Names floated around as a potential pick include Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), as well as several accomplished Black women like former national security advisor Susan Rice, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.)

Read the entire interview here: Rep. Maxine Waters On Joe Biden: 'He Can't Go Home Without A Black Woman VP'

Maxine Waters call’s President Trump a vicious dog

Rep. Maxine Waters took to Twitter to respond as only she can to Trump’s racist threat to release vicious dogs on protesters at the White House.

Rep. Waters tweeted:

Trump threatened protestors in front of WH that he would call out vicious dogs & ominous weapons. Trump’s the most VICIOUS DOG we know & we’re not afraid of him! He’s dog whistling to white supremacists that he’ll save them from black people. We all need to be saved from Trump!

Rep. Maxine Waters Discusses Her Sister Who Died Of COVID-19

In a recent interview Rep. Maxine Waters told MSNBC's Chris Hayes about her older sister, who passed away due to coronavirus. Watch that video below:

Rep. Maxine Waters slams Pres. Trump on handling of Covid-19 outbreak

Rep. Maxine Waters (California 43rd District) took to Twitter to slam President Trump for his handling of the Covid-19 outbreak, especially for the lack of PPE (personal protective equipment) for healthcare professionals.

Rep. Maxine Waters:

Trump, you incompetent idiot! You sent 18 tons of PPE to China early but ignored warnings & called COVID19 concerns a hoax. You've endangered doctors, nurses, aids, orderlies, & janitors - all risking their lives to save ours. Pray 4 forgiveness for the harm that you're causing!

Rep. Maxine Waters: LA gangs have 'more integrity' than Donald Trump

During an appearance on a Showtime's Desus & Mero, Rep. Maxine Waters (CA 43rd District) compared President Donald Trump to Los Angeles gang members, saying the Crips and Bloods have "more integrity" than he does.

Watch the interview below:

Kamala Harris, Maxine Waters Introduce Bill to Address the Affordable Housing Crisis

Amid shortage of affordable housing options, Sen. Harris and Rep. Waters’ legislation proposes over $100 billion investment in affordable housing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) and U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, on Thursday introduced the Housing is Infrastructure Act, comprehensive legislation to confront the nation’s affordable housing crisis, including public housing and low- and mixed-income housing through infrastructure investments.

“Too many Americans are fighting tooth and nail to keep a roof over their heads as our nation continues to face a housing affordability and homelessness crisis,” said Senator Harris. “It will take a comprehensive and serious investment to confront this issue head on, and the Housing is Infrastructure Act is our best chance to get it done. I am proud to work with Chairwoman Waters on this bill, which would empower our local communities to make affordable housing available for all. Housing is a human right, and we must act now to tackle the affordable housing crisis and ensure everyone has a safe and accessible home.”

“We are in the midst of a housing affordability crisis across the country, caused in part by the lack of affordable and available rental units, rising rents, gentrification, and dilapidated public housing,” said Chairwoman Waters. “For example, 10,000 units of public housing are lost each year as a result of disinvestment, and it would take $70 billion to address the capital needs. I convened a House Financial Services Committee hearing in April to assess the infrastructure needs of America’s housing stock, and today, I have introduced the Housing is Infrastructure Act of 2019. Studies have shown that neglecting our housing infrastructure will only hurt our economy, so I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to make the necessary investments in rural, suburban and urban housing markets, and ensure all future conversations around infrastructure investments include affordable housing.”

For the last generation, while most Americans have not seen their real earnings rise significantly, the cost of living has continued to rise. Housing costs in particular have strained the budgets of working families, depriving them of the security and dignity that comes with stable living conditions. Housing is a human right—yet affordable housing remains out of reach for too many.The housing shortage is a primary driver of the affordable housing crisis. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, there is a housing shortage of 7.2 million rental housing units affordable to low-income families. Additionally, America’s public housing system, which houses 2.6 million Americans, is also in need of investment to repair essentials like roofs and elevators. The public housing capital fund has a need of $70 billion to rehabilitate these homes. As a result of this disinvestment, there are around 10,000 units lost each year.

The Housing is Infrastructure Act will tackle America’s affordable housing crisis head on by investing over $100 billion in the construction of new affordable housing units, maintenance of existing subsidized housing, and support for rural housing through infrastructure investments.

Specifically, the bill makes the following investments to construct new affordable housing:

$70 billion to the Public Housing Capital Fund, which will aid in building, modernizing, and rehabilitating public housing;

$6 billion dedicated to building housing for elderly households, persons with disabilities, and Native Americans living on tribal lands;

$5 billion to the National Housing Trust Fund for the construction of hundreds of thousands of new rental units that would be affordable for the lowest income households;

$1 billion to the Rural Multi-Family Preservation and Revitalization Demonstration program of the Rural Housing Service, which is estimated to fully address the backlog of capital needs for the Section 515 and 514 rural housing stock;

$10 billion to expand Community Development Block Grant funding set-aside to incentivize states and cities to eliminate impact fees and responsibly streamline the process for development of new affordable housing;

$2.5 billion for the Capital Magnet Fund, which will help fund hundreds of thousands of affordable housing solutions for low-income families; and $5 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership Program, which will help build and rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or homeownership for low-income families.

The bill also sets procurement and hiring goals for women- and minority-owned businesses, including developers and construction owners. Additionally, the bill prioritizes water and energy efficiency projects and other strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from public housing infrastructure.

The Housing is Infrastructure Act follows the Ending Homelessness Act, legislation introduced by Harris and Waters earlier this year to invest over $13 billion in mandatory emergency relief funding to critical federal housing programs, including construction of new affordable housing units, to address the shortage of affordable housing and combat homelessness. Harris also introduced the Rent Relief Act to create a new, refundable tax credit for renters paying more than 30 percent of their income in rent and utilities. The Housing is Infrastructure Act addresses another aspect of the housing and homelessness crisis – the lack of housing infrastructure.

The Housing is Infrastructure Act is supported by the Capital Magnet Fund Coalition, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, Council of State Community Development Agencies, Enterprise Community Partners, LeadingAge, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, National Apartment Association, National Association of Counties, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, National Community Development Association, National Housing Conference, National Housing Trust, National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Multifamily Housing Council, Public Housing Authorities Directors Association, and Up for Growth Action.

“On behalf of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, I applaud Senator Harris and Chairwoman Waters for introducing legislation to make robust infrastructure investments in affordable housing solutions, including the National Housing Trust Fund and resources to repair our nation’s public housing stock,” stated Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “The connection between affordable homes and infrastructure is clear: like roads and bridges, affordable homes are a long-term asset that helps communities and the lowest-income families thrive. It is critical that any infrastructure package includes significant resources to build and preserve homes affordable to our nation’s poorest seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, and other individuals.”

For full bill text, click https://www.harris.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Housing%20is%20Infrastructure%20Act.pdf.

Rep. Maxine Waters Statement on the Death of Rep. Elijah Cummings

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following statement on the death of Congressman Elijah Cummings (MD-7), Chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee:

“There are no words that are sufficient in describing the immense sorrow I feel following the passing of my dear colleague and friend, Chairman Elijah Cummings.

“I have known Chairman Cummings for more than two decades. He considered me a mentor since his time as a freshman member, and I considered him a brother and cherished friend. While there are so many fond memories that I have of Chairman Cummings, what I loved and admired most about him was his dignified and courageous leadership, and his fierce and unflinching advocacy for justice, civil rights, and equality. He loved his family, his community, and this nation deeply, and fought with ‘every breath in his body’ to protect them — no matter the cost.

“Chairman Cummings was the son of sharecroppers, and rose from humble beginnings to unprecedented heights in his 68 years of life. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Howard University, and earned a juris doctor degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. He was the first African American to serve as the Speaker Pro Tem of the Maryland House of Delegates, where he served for 14 years. In the U.S. Congress, he has provided strong leadership of the Oversight and Reform Committee, and has absolutely sacrificed in order to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

“Elijah Cummings fought the good fight, and his legacy represents an unwavering love for his community and a tireless commitment to public service. He was and always will be remembered as a beacon of truth and light in the face of unprecedented lies and corruption.

“There is perhaps no other Member of Congress who is so respected, admired, and loved by his colleagues on both sides of the aisle as the one and only Elijah Cummings. He was a true patriot and a giant among men. His absence leaves a gaping hole in our hearts and the halls of Congress. I love him, I will miss him, and my deepest condolences and prayers are with his loving wife, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, his family, his beloved hometown of Baltimore, and all those who loved him.”

Rep. Maxine Waters Statement on the Formal Impeachment Inquiry of Donald J. Trump

WASHINGTON – Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43) issued the following statement on the formal impeachment inquiry of Donald J. Trump:

“I am supportive of the leadership of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who has united the Democratic Caucus and has formalized an impeachment inquiry of the current President of the United States. Donald Trump has admitted to abusing the power of the presidency by asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to launch an investigation into his political opponent in order to get dirt that the Trump campaign could exploit in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. This action within itself -- where the president is seeking the cooperation and assistance of a foreign government in uncovering dirt on his opponent -- is unlawful, unconstitutional, and unpatriotic. I am elated that the Congress of the United States will move forward in an expedited manner to investigate and impeach this president.

“When you couple this latest action with all that we know about the president, his history, and the way in which he has conducted himself while in office, there is more than enough evidence for the Congress of the United States to launch an impeachment inquiry into this president. Despite the fact that U.S. intelligence community unequivocally concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, this president has shown a brazen support and deference for Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin and has continued to undermine and outright deny the validity of the U.S. intelligence community’s findings. Special Counsel Robert Mueller identified at least 10 instances of obstruction of justice by the president of the United States during the 2016 presidential campaign and through the course of the Russia investigation, and he furthered the scope of what we know about collusion and coordination between the Trump campaign, Trump’s allies, and the Kremlin in their efforts to undermine our election systems on Trump’s behalf. This president orchestrated hush money payments in order to silence his mistresses with the aid of his personal attorney, Michael Cohen, who pled guilty and is serving jail time for these acts, which are potential felony violations of campaign finance laws. He and his children have sought out opportunities to enrich themselves during his tenure as president. He is under investigation for accepting payments from foreign governments and officials that have stayed at his hotels and golf properties in violation of the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which prohibits elected officials from personally profiting from payments from foreign governments and officials that have stayed at his hotels and golf properties. This president has been documented by the Washington Post for having lied more than 12,000 times since taking office. Unlike any other president in modern history, Trump has refused to release his tax returns to the American people. These, and a host of other actions, are further evidence of his disgraceful and contemptible actions as the president of the United States.

“I’m beyond pleased that a strong majority of my Democratic colleagues have joined us in the effort to hold accountable and impeach the most unlawful and unpatriotic man to ever occupy the White House. As I have stated time and time again, Donald Trump is a dangerous and dishonorable man. He has no respect for our democracy, our Constitution, or the rule of law. It is past time that Congress fulfills its Constitutional duty to impeach him. I am elated that it appears that day is upon us.”

Maxine Waters Statement on HUD’s Move to Weaken Protections Against Housing Discrimination

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following statement condemning the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) proposal to weaken a key aspect of the Fair Housing Act, the disparate impact standard, under which defendants can be held liable for policies or practices that have a discriminatory impact without proof of malicious intent.

“For too long, the federal government played a heavy hand in the institutionalization of overt racism and systemic inequality in our housing market through redlining practices, residential segregation, and lax industry regulation. While great strides have been made since the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968, housing discrimination continues to exist, and we must remain diligent in the face of artificial intelligence, algorithms, and other innovations in our housing market that can perpetuate discriminatory outcomes.

“Since January 2019, the Committee on Financial Services has held a variety of hearings that have demonstrated that housing discrimination remains persistent and threatens our economic prosperity as a country.

“Rather than taking these fair housing concerns seriously, Secretary Carson has proposed a rule that represents yet another egregious step by this Administration toward the dismantling of key civil rights protections in America. The proposed rule would make it substantially more difficult for victims of housing discrimination, including persons with disabilities, families with children, and racial minorities, to prove their case in a court of law and thereby hold bad actors accountable for their actions.”

Chairwoman Maxine Waters Statement on the Release of the Mueller Report

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, issued the following statement on Attorney General William Barr’s release of a heavily redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report and statements made by Barr during a press conference prior to the release of the redacted report to Congress:

“I am utterly disgusted, but not surprised, by William Barr’s shameful performance this morning. He was clearly acting for an audience of one: his puppet master, Donald Trump. It should shock no one that Barr would use his office to hold a public relations event to further obscure the facts of Mueller’s report before the public and Congress had the opportunity to review it. Between his initial spin last month and today’s press conference, Barr has proven himself to be a very capable liar and fraud. Michael Cohen used to be known as Donald Trump’s fixer, but now it’s Bill Barr. Barr today again misrepresented Mueller’s findings and manufactured conclusions that were not reflected in the full report. I never had any confidence in Barr, but two things are clear after his press conference: Mueller must testify before Congress and Barr must be cast out of government along with this President and his accomplices.

“The fix was in when Barr was confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate. Do not forget, Barr has a history of acting as a political figure, more so than an impartial law enforcement official, such as when he advised President George H.W. Bush to issue six pardons just weeks before the end of his presidency, which effectively killed the Iran Contra investigations. Barr’s press conference was not a factual account about the essential questions that were raised by this investigation. This was a spin job by an Attorney General acting as a sycophant to the President rather than carrying out his duties as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer.

“Barr even echoed Trump’s constant refrain of ‘no collusion,’ and spoke sympathetically of the President’s frustration and anger about the investigation as if he is the President’s own attorney. This is despite the fact that, from the outset of the report, Special Counsel Mueller stated that he evaluated the President’s behavior ‘not under the rubric of collusion, but through the lens of conspiracy law.’ Simply put, Barr appears eager to excuse this President of his deeds regardless of what the facts may be. Barr is shielding him from transparency, insulating him from accountability, and protecting him from the consequences of his conduct. The report reveals that Barr has distorted the facts and lied for the President, which makes him complicit.

“I am very troubled by what has already been revealed by the report. Despite Trump and Barr’s spin, here is what we know: Mueller achieved 34 indictments of individuals, three indictments of companies, and seven convictions. The indictments include the President’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos, and trusted confidant Roger Stone. The U.S. intelligence community confirmed Russians interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump win. Vladimir Putin himself confirmed Trump was his candidate of choice during his comments alongside Trump in Helsinki. Trump himself told NBC’s Lester Holt he fired the FBI Director because of the Russia investigation. According to Mueller’s report, when Trump learned about the appointment of the Special Counsel he said, ‘Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I’m f-----.’ Further, according to initial accounts, the Mueller report outlines ten instances during which Trump may have obstructed justice but left it to Congress to follow up on those investigations and legal conclusions. The Special Counsel’s report describes Trump’s repeated efforts to fire Mueller, remove former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and even tamper with witnesses by dangling pardons. At this point, Congress’ failure to impeach is complacency in the face of the erosion of our democracy and constitutional norms. Congress’ failure to impeach would set a dangerous precedent and imperil the nation as it would vest too much power in the Executive Branch and embolden future officeholders to further debase the U.S. presidency, if that’s even possible.”

Rep. Maxine Waters: Mueller report is not the end

If the Robert Mueller report is not released in full to the public it should be subpoenaed Rep. Maxine Waters tells Joy Reid on AM JOY, adding, ‘those of us who chair these committees have the responsibility to continue with our oversight.’ Watch the full interview below:

Maxine Waters speech at Wall Street Project Economic Summit

Rep. Maxine Waters save a speech at the 22nd Annual Wall Street Project Economic Summit, organized by Rev. Jesse Jackson. In that speech Congresswoman Waters shared that African Americans face challenges to close the wealth gap and America have a problem providing opportunities for people of color; but she called to action to improve diversity on boards and C-Suite level and in asset management; implement a Rooney Rule to hire and engage diverse asset management firms and retire the term "emerging." "This is a new day; a black woman has the gavel. People all over the world will hear it and I intend to use it," stated Congresswoman Waters. Watch her entire speech below:

Maxine Waters Chosen by House Democrats to Chair Financial Services Committee

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) released the following statement after being approved by the Democratic Caucus to serve as the first woman and the first African American Chair of the House Financial Services Committee:

“I am honored to have been selected by my colleagues to be the first Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee in the 116th Congress. Since 1995, I have served as Ranking Member or Chairwoman of every Subcommittee under the Committee’s jurisdiction, taking on important issues on behalf of consumers, investors, and vulnerable populations. As Chairwoman, I will continue to prioritize protecting consumers and investors from abusive financial practices, making sure there are strong safeguards in place to prevent another financial crisis, expanding and supporting affordable housing opportunities, tackling the homelessness crisis, encouraging responsible innovation in financial technology, promoting diversity and inclusion in the financial services sector, conducting appropriate oversight and ensuring that hardworking Americans and small businesses have fair access to the financial system and opportunities to thrive. I consider it a privilege to hold the Chairwoman’s gavel and look forward to working with my fellow Democrats, Ranking Member McHenry and my colleagues across the aisle on commonsense solutions that benefit hardworking Americans and strengthen our economy.” 

Congresswoman Maxine Waters has served as a Member of Congress and the Financial Services Committee since 1991. Throughout her decades of public service, Ranking Member Waters has gained a reputation as a fearless and outspoken advocate for women, children, people of color and the poor. In her various leadership roles on the House Financial Services Committee, she has fought for the protection of consumers, investors, small businesses and vulnerable populations.

Preventing Another Financial Crisis
In 2010, Ranking Member Waters and her Democratic colleagues worked tirelessly to pass the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, landmark legislation to prevent another financial crisis, which created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency dedicated to protecting America’s consumers from financial abuses. Ranking Member Waters was one of 10 Committee Members to be selected to serve as a conferee on the Dodd-Frank Act.

A central driver of the crisis was predatory mortgage lending, which intentionally targeted minority communities with toxic products and resulted in devastating foreclosures across the country and an immense loss of generational wealth. Democrats specifically designed Dodd-Frank and the Consumer Bureau to prevent the harmful practices that caused the financial crisis.

The Consumer Bureau protects consumers from predatory and abusive financial practices in areas such as mortgage loans, private education loans, and payday loans.

Despite Republican efforts to destroy the Consumer Bureau, Ranking Member Waters has fought to make sure it is not impeded from its important work cracking down on industries that have a history of harming consumers, including debt collectors, payday lenders and consumer reporting agencies.

Auntie Maxine
This Congress, Ranking Member Waters’ activities as the senior Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee have generated unprecedented public attention as she has consistently and vocally pushed back against a harmful Republican agenda.

While she has always been outspoken in her efforts to protect hardworking Americans and ensure fairness in this country, the era of social media has allowed for her longstanding efforts to be shared with millennials who have dubbed the Ranking Member as “Auntie Maxine.”

During a June 2017 exchange at a hearing with Trump Administration Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Ranking Member Waters repeatedly 'reclaimed her time’ after the Secretary failed to answer questions regarding her request for information about President Trump’s shady financial dealings and pressed him for answers. During another notable exchange, Ranking Member Waters yielded ‘not one second’ to a Republican Congressman during a May 2018 House floor debate on a harmful Congressional Review Act resolution to repeal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau guidance on indirect auto lending intended to combat discriminatory practices.

Historic Committee Chairwoman
As Chairwoman or Ranking Member of every Subcommittee under the Committee’s jurisdiction since 1995, Ranking Member Waters has always worked to create opportunities, ensure fairness, and protect the economic wellbeing of all Americans.

She has spearheaded efforts on important issues such as housing in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 financial crisis, the subprime mortgage meltdown, public housing reinvestment, and affordable flood insurance.

Some of her most notable work includes her efforts to mitigate foreclosures to keep American families in their homes during the housing and economic crisis and the creation of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, which provides grants to states, local governments and nonprofits to fight foreclosures, home abandonment and blight and to restore neighborhoods. Through two infusions of funds, the Congresswoman was able to secure $6 billion for the program.

With a Republican Majority in Congress, she has also used creative methods in Committee to push a Democratic message. This Congress, she has twice utilized a rarely used parliamentary maneuver to force historic Democratic hearings on Chairman Jeb Hensarling's harmful Financial Choice Act, which she called the Wrong Choice Act, and the Equifax data breach.

Ranking Member Waters has long advocated for consumers, investors, small businesses and vulnerable populations as illustrated by her extensive legislative history.

This Congress, she has so far introduced the following financial services bills to improve our financial system and the state of hosing in this country.. 

1. H.R. 3937, the Megabank Accountability and Consequences Act, which would require regulators to fully exercise their authorities and shut down megabanks that repeatedly harm consumers;
2. H.R. 2076, the Ending Homelessness Act, which would help to ensure that every American has a safe, decent, and affordable place to call home;
3. H.R. 3160, the Public Housing Tenant Protection and Reinvestment Act, which would ensure safe, decent, and affordable housing for the 1.1 million families who rely on public housing;
4. H.R. 3755, the Comprehensive Credit Reporting Reform Act, which would overhaul our broken system of credit reporting and hold the credit reporting bureaus accountable;
5. H.R. 3936, the National Flood Insurance Program Debt Forgiveness Act, which would forgive the debt of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP);
6. H.R. 3519, the Bad Actor Disqualification Act, which would protect investors by preventing the SEC from automatically waiving disqualification for bad actors;
7. H.R. 3357, the Military Consumer Protection Act, which enhances protections for military servicemembers from abusive Wall Street practices by giving the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau authority to enforce the Servicemember Civil Relief Act (SCRA);
8. H.R. 6220, the Restoring Fair Housing Protections Eliminated by HUD Act of 2018, which restores several fair housing protections that HUD Secretary Ben Carson has eliminated;
9. H.R. 5555, The FHA Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2018, which would enhance oversight of and compliance with FHA’s loss mitigation requirements in order to help borrowers avoid foreclosures;
10. H.R. 4160, Preventing Foreclosures on Seniors Act of 2017, which would make reforms to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgages for Seniors (HECM) program to help seniors remain in their homes;
11. H.R. 4159, Making FHA More Affordable Act of 2018, which would repeal the requirement that the FHA charge insurance premiums for the life of the loan, and reinstate the FHA’s previous policy of terminating premiums when the outstanding principal balance reaches 78 percent of the original home value;
12. H.R. 6102, the Homeowner Mortgage Servicing Fairness Act of 2018, which would protect homeowners against foreclosure and increase the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) oversight of mortgage servicers that conduct business with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac;
13. H.R. 5833: Expanding Housing Opportunities for Foster Youth Act of 2018, which would permanently authorize $200 million annually in appropriations for family unification program (FUP) vouchers, which is estimated to provide a FUP voucher for every foster youth in need of one;
14. H.R. 6972, the Consumers First Act, a bill to block the Trump Administration’s anti-consumer agenda and reverse efforts, led by Mick Mulvaney to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
15. H.R. 6320, Promoting Transparent Standards for Corporate Insiders Act, which requires the SEC to consider certain types of amendments to Rule 10b5-1 to ensure that corporate insiders are not able to indirectly engage in illegal insider trading through changes to their trading plans;
16. H.Res.895, Recognizing the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and the contributions of Lawrence Parks and Timothy Simons;
17. H.Res.886, a resolution that affirms the Brooke Rule, which ensures that families receiving federal housing assistance do not pay more than 30 percent of their adjusted income on rent, and remains a widely recognized standard for affordability of rental housing; and
18. H.Res.442, Of inquiry directing the Secretary of the Treasury to provide certain documents in the Secretary's possession to the House of Representatives relating to President Trump's financial connections to Russia, certain illegal financial schemes, and related information.

She has also co-led several bipartisan measures this Congress, including H.R. 6139, a bill to require the Securities and Exchange Commission to carry out a study to evaluate the issues affecting the provision of and reliance upon investment research into small issuers; S. 488, the JOBS and Investor Confidence Act of 2018 (JOBS Act 3.0), a package of strong capital-formation legislation to help America’s small businesses and entrepreneurs and to protect investors; and H.R. 3110, the Financial Stability Oversight Council Insurance Member Continuity Act, a bill to extend the term of the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) independent member with insurance expertise, which became law.

Additionally, in previous Congresses, the Congresswoman has played a key role in major bipartisan legislation that eventually became law, including the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act, the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, the Community Lender Regulatory Relief Act and the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act.