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Pete Aguilar

Peter Rey Aguilar (/ˈæɡjəˌlɑːr/; born June 19, 1979) is an American politician who has been chair of the House Democratic Caucus since 2023. He has been the U.S. representative for California's 33rd congressional district (renumbered from the 31st after the 2020 redistricting cycle) since 2015. He served as mayor of Redlands, California, from 2010 to 2014, and as the president of the Inland Empire Division of the League of California Cities.[1][2][3] Aguilar served on the Redlands City Council from 2006 until his election to Congress.[4][5]

Pete Aguilar
Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
LeaderHakeem Jeffries
Preceded byHakeem Jeffries
Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
In office
January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023
LeaderNancy Pelosi
Preceded byKatherine Clark
Succeeded byTed Lieu
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Preceded byGary Miller
Constituency31st district (2015–2023)
33rd district (2023–present)
Mayor of Redlands
In office
December 7, 2010 – December 2, 2014
Preceded byPat Gilbreath
Succeeded byPaul Foster
Personal details
Born
Peter Rey Aguilar

(1979-06-19) June 19, 1979 (age 44)
Fontana, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseAlisha Aguilar
Children2
EducationUniversity of Redlands (BS)
WebsiteHouse website

Aguilar chairs the House Democratic Caucus and is the highest-ranking Latino in Congress.[6]

Early life and education

Aguilar was born in Fontana, California, and grew up in a working-class family in San Bernardino, California.[7] He is of Mexican descent.[8] He graduated from the University of Redlands, where he studied government and business administration.[9]

Career

Aguilar began his career in public service in 2001 when then-California Governor Gray Davis appointed him Deputy Director of the Inland Empire Regional Office of the governor, eventually becoming the Interim Director. In 2006, Aguilar became the youngest member of the Redlands City Council in the city's history when five council members, Democrat and Republican, picked him out of 11 candidates to fill an open seat. He was elected a year later. His fellow council members appointed him mayor in 2010 and again in 2012.[10][11] As mayor, Aguilar was regarded for his professionalism, leadership during difficult financial times, balancing the city budget while building financial reserves, road improvements, government transparency, and fair treatment of municipal employees.[4][12] Aguilar served as mayor and councilman until December 2014.[13]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

California's 31st congressional district became more favorable to the Democratic Party as a result of redistricting following the 2010 Census.[14] The Cook Partisan Voting Index rates the district D+5. In January 2012, Aguilar announced he would run for the seat held by incumbent Republican Gary Miller.[15] Although the top Democratic vote-getter, with 22.6% of the vote, he finished behind Miller and Robert Dutton, the California State Senate Republican Leader. Because of California's open primary, both Republicans advanced to the November general election.[16] In March 2013, Aguilar announced he would run again.[17] In the June 2014 primary, he finished second, qualifying for the November general election,[18] where he defeated Republican Paul Chabot with 51.4% of the vote.[19] Aguilar defeated Chabot again in the 2016 election with 56.1% of the vote.[20]

In the 2018 primary, Aguilar faced Kaiser Ahmed[21] and Sean Flynn, a Republican economist and aikido artist.[22] Aguilar received 45.96% of the vote to Flynn's 45.45% and Ahmed's 8.59%.[23] In the general election, Aguilar won 58.7% of the vote to Flynn's 41.3%.[24]

Aguilar won his 2020 election cycle with 61% of the vote, defeating Republic Agnes Gibboney. Aguilar was elected Vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus.[25]

Redistricting from the 2020 US Census, placed Aguilar in the new 33rd CA house district. He defeated Republican John Mark Porter and won re-eletion during the 2022 election cycle. He was also elected as House Democratic Caucus Chairman, becoming the highest ranking latino-American in congress, in congressional history.[26]

Legislation

 
California's 31st congressional district, which Aguilar represented from 2015 through 2022 before redistricting

Aguilar's time in Congress has focused on immigration, job creation, trade practices, gun control, national security, LGBT issues, veteran affairs, drug prevention, student loan debt, and environmental protection. Aguilar has supported legislation to attract individuals in the cybersecurity field to join the military;[27] prevent discrimination against LGBT people by government contractors;[28] provide funding for homeless veterans;[29] and provide funding for research into opioid addiction.[30] He has introduced the Grace Period Alleviation (GPA) Act, which would give college graduates an optional grace period before beginning to repay certain types of loans.[31] With Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representative Paul Cook, Aguilar introduced legislation to protect the habitat along the Santa Ana River.[32] He has vowed to fight the repeal of the Affordable Care Act[33] and to protect women's reproductive rights.[34] In addition, he has worked closely with law enforcement and local, state and federal officials and agencies to help communities recover costs incurred from the emergency response to the 2015 San Bernardino attack,[35] which took place in Aguilar's district,[36] and helped secure additional funding for survivors of the attack.[37]

Immigration

During the Obama Administration, Aguilar supported expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program for undocumented children and creating the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program.[38] He introduced the Academic Success Centers and Education Networks for Dreamers (ASCEND) Act, which would establish grants for college and university programs and services to benefit undocumented students.[39] Aguilar voted in favor of legislation that would effectively halt the resettlement of refugees from Syria and Iraq to the U.S., citing national security concerns,[40] but subsequently criticized President Donald J. Trump's Executive Order as "xenophobic" and said it sent a message of "hate and bigotry to the rest of the world."[41] Aguilar criticized Trump and his staff for citing the 2015 San Bernardino attack in defending the executive order.[42] In 2018, with Representative Will Hurd, Aguilar authored legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for DACA recipients and address border protection concerns.[43]

Job creation

Aguilar released a job-creation initiative for his district that includes cutting taxes on small businesses, investing in infrastructure, expanding job-training programs, expanding Pell Grants, increasing the minimum wage, and equal pay for women.[44] He has introduced a number of bills focusing on small businesses, including legislation to provide tax credits to small businesses for on-the-job training expenses,[45] tax credits for small business for full-time newly hired employees,[46] legislation to make it easier for small businesses to repay loans,[47] and legislation making it easier for small businesses to advertise job openings.[48] Aguilar annually hosts a jobs fair that connects job-seekers with employers in his district.[49] In April 2017, he started a quarterly "Job For a Day" tour where he works throughout the Inland Empire doing jobs such as train conducting for Metrolink, sorting Goodwill donations, and bagging groceries at local markets.[50][51][52] The tour's goal is to interact with community members directly and learn about local businesses' daily operations.

In 2017, Aguilar introduced a bill that would provide active-duty service members and reservists access to training for commercial drivers’ licenses granted by the FAST Act.[53] He authored the Active Duty Voluntary Acquisition of Necessary Credentials for Employment (ADVANCE) Act[54] and the OPPORTUNITY (Offering Promising Persons Occupations Relevant To Upholding National Interests For Years) Act, both of which Trump signed into law in 2018. The latter bill connects students of color with the Department of Defense Cyber Scholarship program.[55]

Trade policy

Aguilar introduced the Displaced Jobs Relief Act, which increases authorization of funds for the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms program (TAA-F) to help businesses that have been negatively affected by trade. He has urged the United States International Trade Commission to find that imported steel subsidized by Korea, Mexico and Turkey creates unfair competition and hurts steel manufacturers in his district.[56]

Gun control

Aguilar has advocated for reforms to curb gun violence[57][58] by closing loopholes that terrorists have used to obtain guns[59] and banning assault weapons.[60] After the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, Aguilar participated in the 2016 United States House of Representatives sit-in to show support for gun control legislation.[61]

Investigation into the January 6 attack on the Capitol

At the start of the 117th Congress, Aguilar was in the House Well, at the US Capitol building during the January 6 United States Capitol attack. On July 1, 2021, Speaker Pelosi appointed eight House members, including Aguilar, to the U.S. House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. After the announcement, Aguilar said of the committee and its investigation: "We owe them—and we owe the American people—a fair, thorough and evidence-based investigation into what happened that day so that we can ensure it never happens again."[62]

On June 16, 2022, Aguilar and John Wood, an investigative counsel for the Select Committee, led the committee's third televised hearing, focusing on Trump's efforts to pressuring Mike Pence into decertifying the 2020 presidential election. The witnesses were Greg Jacob, Pence's counsel, who told Pence he did not have the authority to decertify the election results, and J. Michael Luttig, a retired conservative judge on the United States Court Of Appeals For The Fourth Circuit, who called Donald Trump and his allies and supporters "a clear and present danger to American democracy."[63]

Committee assignments

For the 118th Congress:[64]

Caucus memberships

Aguilar announced his candidacy for vice chair of the Democratic Caucus in September 2018, but lost to Katherine Clark by a vote of 144–90.[70] By a vote of 148–82, he defeated Robin Kelly for the no. 6 spot in the House Democratic Caucus.[71] The position became vacant after Clark decided to run for Assistant Speaker in the House Democratic Caucus. Aguilar then became vice chair in the 117th Congress and voted in as Chair in the 118th Congress.

Campaign finance

Aguilar's top contributors throughout his career have been JStreet PAC, League of Conservation Voters, Credit Union National Association, Matich Corporation, and New World Medical. Since 2011, he has not contributed personally to his own campaign, and relies mostly on individual contributions from community members. He has obtained nearly $5.3 million in contributions from individuals (63.86% of total donations). Top donations are generally from Democrats, but also include lawyers and law firms, Leadership PACs, and labor unions. His total career campaign donations are $8.2 million.[72]

Political positions

 
Aguilar and President Joe Biden

Abortion

Aguilar opposed the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it a "devastating decision".[73]

Big Tech

In 2022, Aguilar was one of 16 Democrats to vote against the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022, an antitrust package that would crack down on corporations' anti-competitive behavior.[74][75]

Electoral history

20222020201820162014

2022

California's 33rd congressional district election, 2022[76][77]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Pete Aguilar (incumbent) 41,046 59.8
Republican John Mark Porter 12,096 17.6
Republican Rex Gutierrez 10,587 15.4
Republican Ernest Richter 4,878 7.1
Total votes 68,607 100.0
General election
Democratic Pete Aguilar (incumbent) 76,588 57.7
Republican John Mark Porter 56,119 42.3
Total votes 132,707 100.0
Democratic hold

2020

California's 31st congressional district election, 2020[78][79]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Pete Aguilar (incumbent) 81,994 62.1
Republican Agnes Gibboney 49,889 37.8
No party preference Eugene Weems (write-in) 51 0.0
Total votes 131,934 100.0
General election
Democratic Pete Aguilar (incumbent) 175,315 61.3
Republican Agnes Gibboney 110,735 38.7
Total votes 286,050 100.0
Democratic hold

2018

California's 31st congressional district election, 2018[80][81]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Pete Aguilar (incumbent) 41,337 45.9
Republican Sean Flynn 40,622 45.1
Democratic Kaisar Ahmed 8,108 9.0
Total votes 90,067 100.0
General election
Democratic Pete Aguilar (incumbent) 110,143 58.7
Republican Sean Flynn 77,352 41.3
Total votes 187,495 100.0
Democratic hold

2016

California's 31st congressional district election, 2016[82][83]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Pete Aguilar (incumbent) 48,518 43.1
Republican Paul Chabot 25,534 22.7
Republican Joe Baca 14,020 12.4
Democratic Kaisar Ahmed 12,418 11.0
Republican Sean Flynn 12,130 10.8
Total votes 112,620 100.0
General election
Democratic Pete Aguilar (incumbent) 121,070 56.1
Republican Paul Chabot 94,866 43.9
Total votes 215,936 100.0
Democratic hold

2014

California's 31st congressional district election, 2014[84][85]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Paul Chabot 14,163 26.6
Democratic Pete Aguilar 9,242 17.4
Republican Lesli Gooch 9,033 17.0
Democratic Eloise Reyes 8,461 15.9
Democratic Joe Baca 5,954 11.2
Democratic Danny Tillman 4,659 8.7
Republican Ryan Downing 1,737 3.3
Total votes 53,249 100.0
General election
Democratic Pete Aguilar 51,622 51.7
Republican Paul Chabot 48,162 48.3
Total votes 99,784 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

Personal life

Aguilar has lived in Redlands, California, since 1997. He and his wife, Alisha, have two sons.[86]

See also

References

  1. ^ Unknown. "About the Inland Empire Division of the League of California Cities". League of California Cities. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  2. ^ Glenn, Stacia (April 19, 2006). "Council Selects Aguilar". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  3. ^ Santschi, Darrell R. (November 3, 2010). "Mayors Defeated in Colton and Redlands". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Pete Aguilar resigns from Redlands City Council". December 8, 2014.
  5. ^ Emerson, Sandra (January 21, 2015). "Redlands City Council Selects John James to Fill Vacancy".
  6. ^ "Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-San Bernardino, elected to leadership role in Congress". San Bernardino Sun. November 20, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  7. ^ "About Pete – Pete Aguilar for U.S. Congress". www.peteaguilar.com. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  8. ^ "Young Latino Mayor Pete Aguilar Could Turn a Red House Seat Blue". NBC News. August 19, 2014. Like so many other Latinos with deep roots in the U.S., he's fuzzy on the family history, which he is still digging out. He knows the family went from Mexico to Kingman, California, through the railroad industry.
  9. ^ . City of Redlands. Archived from the original on May 5, 2012. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  10. ^ Gamboa, Suzanne (August 19, 2014). "Young Latino Mayor Pete Aguilar Could Turn a Red House Seat Blue". NBC News.
  11. ^ Sears, Jan. "Redlands: Council elects new mayor". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  12. ^ Tenorino, Gina (April 2, 2013). "Redlands Mayor Aguilar Announces Second Congressional Run".
  13. ^ Emerson, Sandra (December 8, 2014). "Pete Aguilar resigns from Redlands City Council".
  14. ^ "California's 31st Congressional District elections, 2012 – Ballotpedia". Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  15. ^ Goad, Ben. "Elections: Redlands mayor announces congressional bid". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  16. ^ Nathan L. Gonzales (March 18, 2013). "On the Trail: After 2012 disappointment, Aguilar readies re-run". NBCLatino.com. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  17. ^ Cappis, Greg (April 1, 2013). . The Redlands Daily Facts. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  18. ^ Hagen, Ryan (June 5, 2014). "Democrat Pete Aguilar advances to general election in 31st Congressional District". The Redlands Daily Facts. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014.
  19. ^ "California Election Results 2014: House Map by District, Live Midterm Voting Updates". POLITICO. December 23, 2014.
  20. ^ "Live updates after the 2016 election: Protests, concessions and rebounding stocks". November 10, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2017 – via LA Times.
  21. ^ "Kaisar Ahmed For Congress".
  22. ^ "About Sean".
  23. ^ "U.S. Congressional Races: June 2018 California Primary Election Results". KCRA. June 6, 2018.
  24. ^ "Election 2020 :: California Secretary of State". www.sos.ca.gov.
  25. ^ "How the mayor of a small Inland Empire town became one of Congress' most powerful Democrats". April 23, 2023.
  26. ^ "Rep. Pete Aguilar, former Redlands mayor, becomes No. 3 Democrat in House leadership". November 30, 2022.
  27. ^ "Aguilar Passes Critical Cybersecurity Amendment through House of Representatives". Highland Community News.
  28. ^ "Aguilar Passes National Security Amendments through House of Representatives". Highland Community News.
  29. ^ "Aguilar Announced Federal Funds to Combat Veteran Homelessness in San Bernardino County – California RealEstateRama". June 14, 2016.
  30. ^ "Aguilar Supports Bipartisan Measures to Combat Opioid Epidemic". Highland Community News.
  31. ^ "Rep. Pete Aguilar introduces bill to make student loans easier to repay". Los Angeles Daily News. July 7, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  32. ^ "Feinstein Introduces Bill to Protect Habitat Along Santa Ana River". Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  33. ^ "Aguilar Joins Congressional Hispanic Caucus to Warn House Republicans of Consequences of Repealing the Affordable Care Act". Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  34. ^ "Aguilar Pledges to Remain Fierce Advocate for Women's Reproductive Rights". January 23, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  35. ^ "Aguilar Reflects on San Bernardino Community Six Months After Terrorist Attack". Highland Community News.
  36. ^ Wire, Sarah. "A shooting back home: Congress reacts to another tragedy".
  37. ^ "$4 million in funding announced for San Bernardino terror attack survivors, family of victims". December 23, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  38. ^ Aguilar, Pete. "Immigration policy, rhetoric need improvement".
  39. ^ "What would 31st Congressional District candidates Aguilar, Chabot do about immigration?". October 23, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  40. ^ Times, Los Angeles (November 20, 2015). "Inside the Syrian refugee vote: California representatives explain what shaped their votes". Los Angeles Times.
  41. ^ "Aguilar Condemns Trump's Unconstitutional Actions". Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  42. ^ "Essential Politics: State Senate committee moves to assist immigrants, what California's members of Congress are saying about Trump's executive order". February 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017 – via LA Times.
  43. ^ Molina, Alejandra (January 11, 2018). "Uncertainty over DACA program? Rep. Pete Aguilar says he has bipartisan solution". The San Bernardino Sun. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  44. ^ "Aguilar Highlights Job-Creating Initiatives One Year After Jobs Plan". Highland Community News.
  45. ^ "On-the-Job Training Tax Credit Act of 2015 (2015 – H.R. 2431)". GovTrack.us. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  46. ^ "Small Business Jobs Act of 2015 (2015 – H.R. 3198)". GovTrack.us. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  47. ^ "Small Business Lending Assistance Act of 2016 (2016 – H.R. 5029)". GovTrack.us. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  48. ^ "JOBS Act (2016 – H.R. 5508)". GovTrack.us. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  49. ^ "Inland Empire Jobs Fair will be held Friday, July 22". July 18, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  50. ^ "Rep. Aguilar rides the rails on latest "Job for a Day" tour stop". Congressman Pete Aguilar. October 24, 2018.
  51. ^ McIntyre, Doug (June 2, 2017). "Next stop on Aguilar's 'Job For A Day' tour at Goodwill store in Rancho Cucamonga". SB Sun.
  52. ^ "Rep. Pete Aguilar bags groceries for a day as part of Inland Empire tour". Congressman Pete Aguilar. July 7, 2017.
  53. ^ "Aguilar Bill to Connect Active-Duty Service Members and Reservists with Inland Empire Jobs Moves Forward". Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  54. ^ "Aguilar's ADVANCE Act signed into law". Highland Community News. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  55. ^ "Aguilar's Bill to Expand Access to DoD Cyber Scholarship Program Signed into Law". Congressman Pete Aguilar. August 15, 2018.
  56. ^ "Aguilar Testifies Before U.S. Trade Commission In Support of Rancho Cucamonga Manufacturer Impacted By Unfair Trade Practices". Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  57. ^ "Aguilar Calls for Commonsense Reforms to Curb Gun Violence" – via www.youtube.com.
  58. ^ Wire, Sarah. "California Democrats push Congress, again, for gun control votes".
  59. ^ Horseman, Jeff. "Pete Aguilar joins call for closing 'terrorist loophole'".
  60. ^ "In Case You Missed It: Reducing gun violence is not a partisan issue". February 23, 2016.
  61. ^ "CONGRESS: Social media 'huge' for sit-in, Aguilar says – Press Enterprise". June 23, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  62. ^ "Aguilar Statement on Appointment to Serve on Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol – Pete Aguilar".
  63. ^ "Trump a 'clear and present danger to US democracy', conservative judge warns". TheGuardian.com. June 16, 2022.
  64. ^ "Pete Aguilar". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  65. ^ "Committees and Caucuses". December 13, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  66. ^ "Aguilar Named Assistant Whip of House Democratic Caucus". January 4, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  67. ^ . New Democrat Coalition. Archived from the original on February 8, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  68. ^ "Members". Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  69. ^ "90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members". Citizen´s Climate Lobby. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  70. ^ March, Mary Tyler (November 28, 2018). "Clark wins spot as Dem Caucus vice chair". TheHill.
  71. ^ "California Rep. Pete Aguilar wins vice chair position in House Democratic leadership". www.msn.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  72. ^ "Rep. Pete Aguilar – California District 31". OpenSecrets.org.
  73. ^ Aguilar, Pete (June 23, 2022). "Make no mistake, right-wing Republicans are going to use today's devastating decision to implement a nationwide abortion ban and even go after access to birth-control in many places. We cannot let that happen". Twitter. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  74. ^ "House passes antitrust bill that hikes M&A fees as larger efforts targeting tech have stalled". CNBC. September 29, 2022.
  75. ^ "H.R. 3843: Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022 – House Vote #460 – Sep 29, 2022".
  76. ^ "United States Representative" (PDF). elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  77. ^ "November 8, 2022, General Election United States Representative" (PDF). elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  78. ^ "United States Representative" (PDF). elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  79. ^ "November 3, 2020, General Election United States Representative" (PDF). elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  80. ^ "United States Representative 1st Congressional District" (PDF). elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  81. ^ "United States Representative 1st Congressional District" (PDF). elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  82. ^ "United States Representative 1st Congressional District" (PDF). elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  83. ^ "United States Representative 1st Congressional District" (PDF). elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  84. ^ "United States Representative 1st Congressional District" (PDF). elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  85. ^ "United States Representative 1st Congressional District" (PDF). elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  86. ^ . Archived from the original on December 17, 2022.

External links

  • Congressman Peter Aguilar official U.S. House website
  • Pete Aguilar for Congress campaign website
  • Appearances on C-SPAN
  • Pete Aguilar at Curlie
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 31st congressional district

2015–2023
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 33rd congressional district

2023–present
Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
2021–2023
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
2023–present
Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
159th
Succeeded by

pete, aguilar, peter, aguilar, ɑːr, born, june, 1979, american, politician, been, chair, house, democratic, caucus, since, 2023, been, representative, california, 33rd, congressional, district, renumbered, from, 31st, after, 2020, redistricting, cycle, since, . Peter Rey Aguilar ˈ ae ɡ j e ˌ l ɑːr born June 19 1979 is an American politician who has been chair of the House Democratic Caucus since 2023 He has been the U S representative for California s 33rd congressional district renumbered from the 31st after the 2020 redistricting cycle since 2015 He served as mayor of Redlands California from 2010 to 2014 and as the president of the Inland Empire Division of the League of California Cities 1 2 3 Aguilar served on the Redlands City Council from 2006 until his election to Congress 4 5 Pete AguilarChair of the House Democratic CaucusIncumbentAssumed office January 3 2023LeaderHakeem JeffriesPreceded byHakeem JeffriesVice Chair of the House Democratic CaucusIn office January 3 2021 January 3 2023LeaderNancy PelosiPreceded byKatherine ClarkSucceeded byTed LieuMember of the U S House of Representatives from CaliforniaIncumbentAssumed office January 3 2015Preceded byGary MillerConstituency31st district 2015 2023 33rd district 2023 present Mayor of RedlandsIn office December 7 2010 December 2 2014Preceded byPat GilbreathSucceeded byPaul FosterPersonal detailsBornPeter Rey Aguilar 1979 06 19 June 19 1979 age 44 Fontana California U S Political partyDemocraticSpouseAlisha AguilarChildren2EducationUniversity of Redlands BS WebsiteHouse websitePete Aguilar s voice source source Pete Aguilar explains how the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 will benefit his districtRecorded March 9 2021Aguilar chairs the House Democratic Caucus and is the highest ranking Latino in Congress 6 Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 U S House of Representatives 3 1 Elections 3 2 Legislation 3 3 Investigation into the January 6 attack on the Capitol 3 4 Committee assignments 3 5 Caucus memberships 3 6 Campaign finance 4 Political positions 4 1 Abortion 4 2 Big Tech 5 Electoral history 5 1 2022 5 2 2020 5 3 2018 5 4 2016 5 5 2014 6 Personal life 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksEarly life and education EditAguilar was born in Fontana California and grew up in a working class family in San Bernardino California 7 He is of Mexican descent 8 He graduated from the University of Redlands where he studied government and business administration 9 Career EditAguilar began his career in public service in 2001 when then California Governor Gray Davis appointed him Deputy Director of the Inland Empire Regional Office of the governor eventually becoming the Interim Director In 2006 Aguilar became the youngest member of the Redlands City Council in the city s history when five council members Democrat and Republican picked him out of 11 candidates to fill an open seat He was elected a year later His fellow council members appointed him mayor in 2010 and again in 2012 10 11 As mayor Aguilar was regarded for his professionalism leadership during difficult financial times balancing the city budget while building financial reserves road improvements government transparency and fair treatment of municipal employees 4 12 Aguilar served as mayor and councilman until December 2014 13 U S House of Representatives EditElections Edit California s 31st congressional district became more favorable to the Democratic Party as a result of redistricting following the 2010 Census 14 The Cook Partisan Voting Index rates the district D 5 In January 2012 Aguilar announced he would run for the seat held by incumbent Republican Gary Miller 15 Although the top Democratic vote getter with 22 6 of the vote he finished behind Miller and Robert Dutton the California State Senate Republican Leader Because of California s open primary both Republicans advanced to the November general election 16 In March 2013 Aguilar announced he would run again 17 In the June 2014 primary he finished second qualifying for the November general election 18 where he defeated Republican Paul Chabot with 51 4 of the vote 19 Aguilar defeated Chabot again in the 2016 election with 56 1 of the vote 20 In the 2018 primary Aguilar faced Kaiser Ahmed 21 and Sean Flynn a Republican economist and aikido artist 22 Aguilar received 45 96 of the vote to Flynn s 45 45 and Ahmed s 8 59 23 In the general election Aguilar won 58 7 of the vote to Flynn s 41 3 24 Aguilar won his 2020 election cycle with 61 of the vote defeating Republic Agnes Gibboney Aguilar was elected Vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus 25 Redistricting from the 2020 US Census placed Aguilar in the new 33rd CA house district He defeated Republican John Mark Porter and won re eletion during the 2022 election cycle He was also elected as House Democratic Caucus Chairman becoming the highest ranking latino American in congress in congressional history 26 Legislation Edit California s 31st congressional district which Aguilar represented from 2015 through 2022 before redistrictingAguilar s time in Congress has focused on immigration job creation trade practices gun control national security LGBT issues veteran affairs drug prevention student loan debt and environmental protection Aguilar has supported legislation to attract individuals in the cybersecurity field to join the military 27 prevent discrimination against LGBT people by government contractors 28 provide funding for homeless veterans 29 and provide funding for research into opioid addiction 30 He has introduced the Grace Period Alleviation GPA Act which would give college graduates an optional grace period before beginning to repay certain types of loans 31 With Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representative Paul Cook Aguilar introduced legislation to protect the habitat along the Santa Ana River 32 He has vowed to fight the repeal of the Affordable Care Act 33 and to protect women s reproductive rights 34 In addition he has worked closely with law enforcement and local state and federal officials and agencies to help communities recover costs incurred from the emergency response to the 2015 San Bernardino attack 35 which took place in Aguilar s district 36 and helped secure additional funding for survivors of the attack 37 ImmigrationDuring the Obama Administration Aguilar supported expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals DACA program for undocumented children and creating the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents DAPA program 38 He introduced the Academic Success Centers and Education Networks for Dreamers ASCEND Act which would establish grants for college and university programs and services to benefit undocumented students 39 Aguilar voted in favor of legislation that would effectively halt the resettlement of refugees from Syria and Iraq to the U S citing national security concerns 40 but subsequently criticized President Donald J Trump s Executive Order as xenophobic and said it sent a message of hate and bigotry to the rest of the world 41 Aguilar criticized Trump and his staff for citing the 2015 San Bernardino attack in defending the executive order 42 In 2018 with Representative Will Hurd Aguilar authored legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for DACA recipients and address border protection concerns 43 Job creationAguilar released a job creation initiative for his district that includes cutting taxes on small businesses investing in infrastructure expanding job training programs expanding Pell Grants increasing the minimum wage and equal pay for women 44 He has introduced a number of bills focusing on small businesses including legislation to provide tax credits to small businesses for on the job training expenses 45 tax credits for small business for full time newly hired employees 46 legislation to make it easier for small businesses to repay loans 47 and legislation making it easier for small businesses to advertise job openings 48 Aguilar annually hosts a jobs fair that connects job seekers with employers in his district 49 In April 2017 he started a quarterly Job For a Day tour where he works throughout the Inland Empire doing jobs such as train conducting for Metrolink sorting Goodwill donations and bagging groceries at local markets 50 51 52 The tour s goal is to interact with community members directly and learn about local businesses daily operations In 2017 Aguilar introduced a bill that would provide active duty service members and reservists access to training for commercial drivers licenses granted by the FAST Act 53 He authored the Active Duty Voluntary Acquisition of Necessary Credentials for Employment ADVANCE Act 54 and the OPPORTUNITY Offering Promising Persons Occupations Relevant To Upholding National Interests For Years Act both of which Trump signed into law in 2018 The latter bill connects students of color with the Department of Defense Cyber Scholarship program 55 Trade policyAguilar introduced the Displaced Jobs Relief Act which increases authorization of funds for the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms program TAA F to help businesses that have been negatively affected by trade He has urged the United States International Trade Commission to find that imported steel subsidized by Korea Mexico and Turkey creates unfair competition and hurts steel manufacturers in his district 56 Gun controlAguilar has advocated for reforms to curb gun violence 57 58 by closing loopholes that terrorists have used to obtain guns 59 and banning assault weapons 60 After the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting Aguilar participated in the 2016 United States House of Representatives sit in to show support for gun control legislation 61 Investigation into the January 6 attack on the Capitol Edit At the start of the 117th Congress Aguilar was in the House Well at the US Capitol building during the January 6 United States Capitol attack On July 1 2021 Speaker Pelosi appointed eight House members including Aguilar to the U S House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol After the announcement Aguilar said of the committee and its investigation We owe them and we owe the American people a fair thorough and evidence based investigation into what happened that day so that we can ensure it never happens again 62 On June 16 2022 Aguilar and John Wood an investigative counsel for the Select Committee led the committee s third televised hearing focusing on Trump s efforts to pressuring Mike Pence into decertifying the 2020 presidential election The witnesses were Greg Jacob Pence s counsel who told Pence he did not have the authority to decertify the election results and J Michael Luttig a retired conservative judge on the United States Court Of Appeals For The Fourth Circuit who called Donald Trump and his allies and supporters a clear and present danger to American democracy 63 Committee assignments Edit For the 118th Congress 64 Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Subcommittee on Transportation Housing and Urban Development and Related AgenciesCaucus memberships Edit Chair House Democratic Caucus Congressional Hispanic Caucus Pro Choice Caucus Congressional LGBTQ Equality Caucus Latino Jewish Caucus Diabetes Caucus Work for Warriors Caucus Joint Strike Fighter Caucus Veterans Jobs Caucus Former Mayors Caucus Wine Caucus Native American Caucus Steel Caucus Hunger Caucus 65 66 New Democrat Coalition 67 Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus 68 Climate Solutions Caucus 69 Aguilar announced his candidacy for vice chair of the Democratic Caucus in September 2018 but lost to Katherine Clark by a vote of 144 90 70 By a vote of 148 82 he defeated Robin Kelly for the no 6 spot in the House Democratic Caucus 71 The position became vacant after Clark decided to run for Assistant Speaker in the House Democratic Caucus Aguilar then became vice chair in the 117th Congress and voted in as Chair in the 118th Congress Campaign finance Edit Aguilar s top contributors throughout his career have been JStreet PAC League of Conservation Voters Credit Union National Association Matich Corporation and New World Medical Since 2011 he has not contributed personally to his own campaign and relies mostly on individual contributions from community members He has obtained nearly 5 3 million in contributions from individuals 63 86 of total donations Top donations are generally from Democrats but also include lawyers and law firms Leadership PACs and labor unions His total career campaign donations are 8 2 million 72 Political positions Edit Aguilar and President Joe BidenAbortion Edit Aguilar opposed the overturning of Roe v Wade calling it a devastating decision 73 Big Tech Edit In 2022 Aguilar was one of 16 Democrats to vote against the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022 an antitrust package that would crack down on corporations anti competitive behavior 74 75 Electoral history Edit2022 2020 2018 2016 2014 2022 Edit California s 33rd congressional district election 2022 76 77 Primary electionParty Candidate Votes Democratic Pete Aguilar incumbent 41 046 59 8Republican John Mark Porter 12 096 17 6Republican Rex Gutierrez 10 587 15 4Republican Ernest Richter 4 878 7 1Total votes 68 607 100 0General electionDemocratic Pete Aguilar incumbent 76 588 57 7Republican John Mark Porter 56 119 42 3Total votes 132 707 100 0Democratic hold2020 Edit California s 31st congressional district election 2020 78 79 Primary electionParty Candidate Votes Democratic Pete Aguilar incumbent 81 994 62 1Republican Agnes Gibboney 49 889 37 8No party preference Eugene Weems write in 51 0 0Total votes 131 934 100 0General electionDemocratic Pete Aguilar incumbent 175 315 61 3Republican Agnes Gibboney 110 735 38 7Total votes 286 050 100 0Democratic hold2018 Edit California s 31st congressional district election 2018 80 81 Primary electionParty Candidate Votes Democratic Pete Aguilar incumbent 41 337 45 9Republican Sean Flynn 40 622 45 1Democratic Kaisar Ahmed 8 108 9 0Total votes 90 067 100 0General electionDemocratic Pete Aguilar incumbent 110 143 58 7Republican Sean Flynn 77 352 41 3Total votes 187 495 100 0Democratic hold2016 Edit California s 31st congressional district election 2016 82 83 Primary electionParty Candidate Votes Democratic Pete Aguilar incumbent 48 518 43 1Republican Paul Chabot 25 534 22 7Republican Joe Baca 14 020 12 4Democratic Kaisar Ahmed 12 418 11 0Republican Sean Flynn 12 130 10 8Total votes 112 620 100 0General electionDemocratic Pete Aguilar incumbent 121 070 56 1Republican Paul Chabot 94 866 43 9Total votes 215 936 100 0Democratic hold2014 Edit California s 31st congressional district election 2014 84 85 Primary electionParty Candidate Votes Republican Paul Chabot 14 163 26 6Democratic Pete Aguilar 9 242 17 4Republican Lesli Gooch 9 033 17 0Democratic Eloise Reyes 8 461 15 9Democratic Joe Baca 5 954 11 2Democratic Danny Tillman 4 659 8 7Republican Ryan Downing 1 737 3 3Total votes 53 249 100 0General electionDemocratic Pete Aguilar 51 622 51 7Republican Paul Chabot 48 162 48 3Total votes 99 784 100 0Democratic gain from RepublicanPersonal life EditAguilar has lived in Redlands California since 1997 He and his wife Alisha have two sons 86 See also EditList of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States CongressReferences Edit Unknown About the Inland Empire Division of the League of California Cities League of California Cities Retrieved May 8 2012 Glenn Stacia April 19 2006 Council Selects Aguilar Redlands Daily Facts Retrieved June 22 2013 Santschi Darrell R November 3 2010 Mayors Defeated in Colton and Redlands The Press Enterprise Retrieved June 22 2013 a b Pete Aguilar resigns from Redlands City Council December 8 2014 Emerson Sandra January 21 2015 Redlands City Council Selects John James to Fill Vacancy Rep Pete Aguilar D San Bernardino elected to leadership role in Congress San Bernardino Sun November 20 2020 Retrieved July 19 2021 About Pete Pete Aguilar for U S Congress www peteaguilar com Retrieved June 21 2017 Young Latino Mayor Pete Aguilar Could Turn a Red House Seat Blue NBC News August 19 2014 Like so many other Latinos with deep roots in the U S he s fuzzy on the family history which he is still digging out He knows the family went from Mexico to Kingman California through the railroad industry City Elected Officials Information Page City of Redlands Archived from the original on May 5 2012 Retrieved May 8 2012 Gamboa Suzanne August 19 2014 Young Latino Mayor Pete Aguilar Could Turn a Red House Seat Blue NBC News Sears Jan Redlands Council elects new mayor The Press Enterprise Retrieved May 8 2012 Tenorino Gina April 2 2013 Redlands Mayor Aguilar Announces Second Congressional Run Emerson Sandra December 8 2014 Pete Aguilar resigns from Redlands City Council California s 31st Congressional District elections 2012 Ballotpedia Retrieved June 21 2017 Goad Ben Elections Redlands mayor announces congressional bid The Press Enterprise Retrieved May 8 2012 Nathan L Gonzales March 18 2013 On the Trail After 2012 disappointment Aguilar readies re run NBCLatino com Retrieved June 6 2014 Cappis Greg April 1 2013 Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar announces another bid for Congress The Redlands Daily Facts Archived from the original on April 11 2013 Retrieved April 4 2013 Hagen Ryan June 5 2014 Democrat Pete Aguilar advances to general election in 31st Congressional District The Redlands Daily Facts Archived from the original on June 6 2014 California Election Results 2014 House Map by District Live Midterm Voting Updates POLITICO December 23 2014 Live updates after the 2016 election Protests concessions and rebounding stocks November 10 2016 Retrieved June 21 2017 via LA Times Kaisar Ahmed For Congress About Sean U S Congressional Races June 2018 California Primary Election Results KCRA June 6 2018 Election 2020 California Secretary of State www sos ca gov How the mayor of a small Inland Empire town became one of Congress most powerful Democrats April 23 2023 Rep Pete Aguilar former Redlands mayor becomes No 3 Democrat in House leadership November 30 2022 Aguilar Passes Critical Cybersecurity Amendment through House of Representatives Highland Community News Aguilar Passes National Security Amendments through House of Representatives Highland Community News Aguilar Announced Federal Funds to Combat Veteran Homelessness in San Bernardino County California RealEstateRama June 14 2016 Aguilar Supports Bipartisan Measures to Combat Opioid Epidemic Highland Community News Rep Pete Aguilar introduces bill to make student loans easier to repay Los Angeles Daily News July 7 2016 Retrieved June 21 2017 Feinstein Introduces Bill to Protect Habitat Along Santa Ana River Retrieved June 21 2017 Aguilar Joins Congressional Hispanic Caucus to Warn House Republicans of Consequences of Repealing the Affordable Care Act Retrieved June 21 2017 Aguilar Pledges to Remain Fierce Advocate for Women s Reproductive Rights January 23 2017 Retrieved June 21 2017 Aguilar Reflects on San Bernardino Community Six Months After Terrorist Attack Highland Community News Wire Sarah A shooting back home Congress reacts to another tragedy 4 million in funding announced for San Bernardino terror attack survivors family of victims December 23 2016 Retrieved June 21 2017 Aguilar Pete Immigration policy rhetoric need improvement What would 31st Congressional District candidates Aguilar Chabot do about immigration October 23 2016 Retrieved June 21 2017 Times Los Angeles November 20 2015 Inside the Syrian refugee vote California representatives explain what shaped their votes Los Angeles Times Aguilar Condemns Trump s Unconstitutional Actions Retrieved June 21 2017 Essential Politics State Senate committee moves to assist immigrants what California s members of Congress are saying about Trump s executive order February 2017 Retrieved June 21 2017 via LA Times Molina Alejandra January 11 2018 Uncertainty over DACA program Rep Pete Aguilar says he has bipartisan solution The San Bernardino Sun Retrieved January 13 2018 Aguilar Highlights Job Creating Initiatives One Year After Jobs Plan Highland Community News On the Job Training Tax Credit Act of 2015 2015 H R 2431 GovTrack us Retrieved June 21 2017 Small Business Jobs Act of 2015 2015 H R 3198 GovTrack us Retrieved June 21 2017 Small Business Lending Assistance Act of 2016 2016 H R 5029 GovTrack us Retrieved June 21 2017 JOBS Act 2016 H R 5508 GovTrack us Retrieved June 21 2017 Inland Empire Jobs Fair will be held Friday July 22 July 18 2016 Retrieved June 21 2017 Rep Aguilar rides the rails on latest Job for a Day tour stop Congressman Pete Aguilar October 24 2018 McIntyre Doug June 2 2017 Next stop on Aguilar s Job For A Day tour at Goodwill store in Rancho Cucamonga SB Sun Rep Pete Aguilar bags groceries for a day as part of Inland Empire tour Congressman Pete Aguilar July 7 2017 Aguilar Bill to Connect Active Duty Service Members and Reservists with Inland Empire Jobs Moves Forward Retrieved June 21 2017 Aguilar s ADVANCE Act signed into law Highland Community News Retrieved January 13 2018 Aguilar s Bill to Expand Access to DoD Cyber Scholarship Program Signed into Law Congressman Pete Aguilar August 15 2018 Aguilar Testifies Before U S Trade Commission In Support of Rancho Cucamonga Manufacturer Impacted By Unfair Trade Practices Retrieved June 21 2017 Aguilar Calls for Commonsense Reforms to Curb Gun Violence via www youtube com Wire Sarah California Democrats push Congress again for gun control votes Horseman Jeff Pete Aguilar joins call for closing terrorist loophole In Case You Missed It Reducing gun violence is not a partisan issue February 23 2016 CONGRESS Social media huge for sit in Aguilar says Press Enterprise June 23 2016 Retrieved June 21 2017 Aguilar Statement on Appointment to Serve on Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol Pete Aguilar Trump a clear and present danger to US democracy conservative judge warns TheGuardian com June 16 2022 Pete Aguilar Clerk of the United States House of Representatives Retrieved April 30 2023 Committees and Caucuses December 13 2012 Retrieved June 21 2017 Aguilar Named Assistant Whip of House Democratic Caucus January 4 2017 Retrieved June 21 2017 Members New Democrat Coalition Archived from the original on February 8 2018 Retrieved February 5 2018 Members Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Retrieved May 17 2018 90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members Citizen s Climate Lobby Retrieved October 20 2018 March Mary Tyler November 28 2018 Clark wins spot as Dem Caucus vice chair TheHill California Rep Pete Aguilar wins vice chair position in House Democratic leadership www msn com Retrieved July 19 2021 Rep Pete Aguilar California District 31 OpenSecrets org Aguilar Pete June 23 2022 Make no mistake right wing Republicans are going to use today s devastating decision to implement a nationwide abortion ban and even go after access to birth control in many places We cannot let that happen Twitter Retrieved June 28 2022 House passes antitrust bill that hikes M amp A fees as larger efforts targeting tech have stalled CNBC September 29 2022 H R 3843 Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022 House Vote 460 Sep 29 2022 United States Representative PDF elections cdn sos ca gov Retrieved May 15 2023 November 8 2022 General Election United States Representative PDF elections cdn sos ca gov Retrieved May 15 2023 United States Representative PDF elections cdn sos ca gov Retrieved July 15 2022 November 3 2020 General Election United States Representative PDF elections cdn sos ca gov Retrieved July 15 2022 United States Representative 1st Congressional District PDF elections cdn sos ca gov Retrieved July 15 2022 United States Representative 1st Congressional District PDF elections cdn sos ca gov Retrieved July 15 2022 United States Representative 1st Congressional District PDF elections cdn sos ca gov Retrieved July 15 2022 United States Representative 1st Congressional District PDF elections cdn sos ca gov Retrieved July 15 2022 United States Representative 1st Congressional District PDF elections cdn sos ca gov Retrieved July 15 2022 United States Representative 1st Congressional District PDF elections cdn sos ca gov Retrieved July 15 2022 About Pete Aguilar Archived from the original on December 17 2022 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pete Aguilar Congressman Peter Aguilar official U S House website Pete Aguilar for Congress campaign website Appearances on C SPAN Pete Aguilar at CurlieBiography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Financial information federal office at the Federal Election Commission Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress Profile at Vote SmartU S House of RepresentativesPreceded byGary Miller Member of the U S House of Representativesfrom California s 31st congressional district2015 2023 Succeeded byGrace NapolitanoPreceded byTed Lieu Member of the U S House of Representativesfrom California s 33rd congressional district2023 present IncumbentParty political officesPreceded byKatherine Clark Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus2021 2023 Succeeded byTed LieuPreceded byHakeem Jeffries Chair of the House Democratic Caucus2023 present IncumbentU S order of precedence ceremonial Preceded byEd Case United States representatives by seniority159th Succeeded byRick W Allen Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pete Aguilar amp oldid 1162329254, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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