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Judy Chu, CA-28 candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire

May 5, 2026

Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.

Name: Judy Chu

Current job title: Member of Congress, 28th District

Age: 72

Political party affiliation: Democratic

Incumbent: Yes

Other political positions held: California Assembly member; Monterey Park City Councilmember and Mayor; Garvey School Board Member; Member of the California State Board of Equalization

City where you reside: Monterey Park

Campaign website or social media: judychu.org

From voter ID to war powers and from immigration to tariffs, Congress has tackled many issues over the past year. What do you, though, see as the top three issues impacting Californians, and what specifically could you do as a lawmaker to address these issues? (Please answer in 250 words or less, and keep your response to future proposals.)

1. For my district, the top issue is helping people recover from the wildfire. I am working on numerous bills and measures, such as my bill to ensure that any settlements for the wildfire are free from tax payments; my bill to provide temporary stop-payments on mortgages for federally declared disasters; and for a supplemental disaster aid package that will give our residents and communities the financial help they need to rebuild their homes.

2. Make everyday costs affordable. Too many Californians cannot afford basic necessities such as groceries, healthcare, childcare and gas. I will immediately vote to reverse the tariffs that are causing grocery and everyday essential prices to rise, ensure that childcare costs are no more than 7% of income, and stop the war in Iran that is causing these gas prices to rise.

3. Make healthcare affordable. I will vote to restore the tax subsidies for the healthcare premiums under the Affordable Care Act and stop the cuts in Medicaid. I will also reduce the costs of prescription drugs by having Medicare bargain with the drug companies on these prices, and increase the number of drugs in this program.

Speaking of voter ID, the president has implored Congress to approve legislation that would require people to show proof of citizenship in order to vote. What role do you believe the federal government plays in telling states how to conduct their own elections, as dictated by the U.S. Constitution? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

Trump’s proposal to require every American to prove they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote would deprive many U.S. citizens of the ability to vote. About 9% of Americans do not have access to a hard copy of their birth certificate. About half of Americans do not have a passport. In addition, 70 million women have names that do not match their birth certificates. Obtaining or replacing documents takes time and costs money. For example, while a passport would allow residents to vote, it costs $165 to obtain one. This amounts to a poll tax on Americans, just for exercising their constitutional right to vote. Instead, states need to continue to have jurisdiction over their own elections.

What, in your opinion, should the federal government focus on when it comes to immigration policy? For example, do you place a priority on border security, visas for high-skilled workers, refuge for asylum seekers, etc., and why? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

First, I believe that ICE cannot continue to exist as it is. They are out of control and are terrorizing our communities. They cannot continue to invade our neighborhoods with masks, no identifying info on them, and no judicial warrants, arresting whomever they like, including U.S. citizens, while violating civil rights. We must also close down detention facilities like Adelanto that continue to deprive people of their human rights.

We are in this situation because our immigration system is broken. This is why I have been at the forefront of efforts for comprehensive immigration reform that would provide a pathway to citizenship for people like our Dreamers. I also believe that families should not be separated for decades due to visa backlogs, and this is why I introduced the Reuniting Families Act to reduce those backlogs and fix the visa system.

It’s been over a year since Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the federal government for supplemental disaster aid to help Southern California communities rebuild after the devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires, but neither President Donald Trump nor Congress has acted. What would you do to push for the funding, besides writing letters to the Trump administration or the leaders of Congress? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

I have held press conferences, introduced bills, organized meetings, invited members of Congress from both political parties to witness the damage, testified at hearings, and led letters signed by the California congressional delegation pushing for the supplemental disaster aid. I fought for the EPA to do soil testing of homes in Altadena, and despite initial resistance, they finally agreed to do it. I will continue to push for this supplemental disaster aid by working across the aisle with members of Congress whose districts have also been impacted by natural disasters, and I believe that it can be done.

For context, it took Congress 1.5 years for disaster aid to come to Hawaii after the Maui fire. But I will not relent in fighting for this aid because we need it. In fact, it is so critical to get funds in the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery account, because of the 6,000 homes that burned in the Eaton fire, 3,500 homeowners have yet to start the permit process. This is likely because many of them still need financial assistance to be able to rebuild, and they need their government to provide a helping hand. I will continue to highlight these facts and share these stories so that all my congressional colleagues understand that wildfires have no political affiliation and that it is our collective duty to help when disaster strikes.

Do you support a ban or restriction on congressional lawmakers and their families from buying or selling individual stocks? Why or why not? And what would you propose to ensure lawmakers aren’t using their positions to engage in insider trading? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

I support the ban on congressional lawmakers and their families from buying or selling individual stocks. In fact, I am a cosponsor of the bill that does just this. I also believe that the same restriction should be applied to executive branch officials like the president and vice president, because no elected official should enrich themselves on the backs of the people they represent.

Do you support stronger regulations on pollution and carbon emissions? If so, how would you ensure those regulations aren’t overly burdensome on small businesses or lower-income families? And if not, how do you propose lawmakers protect the environment and curtail the impacts of climate change? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

Yes, I support federal regulations to protect public health and safety, including from greenhouse gases. Federal regulations of pollutants have added years to Americans’ lives and prevented countless premature deaths. The positive result is that in Southern California, we have 60% less smog today than in the 1970s, even though our population has grown dramatically.

The Trump administration has been rolling back these protections by letting coal power plants emit more toxic chemicals into our water, and even directing the EPA to stop considering lives that would be saved when setting rules for these protections.

But I support these lifesaving regulations, and I also support strong federal financial incentives that will help families and small businesses to lower their costs when investing in clean energy and energy efficiency. That is exactly what we accomplished in the Inflation Reduction Act, which I helped pass into law, and which I strongly support restoring.

President Donald Trump has significantly increased spending for the U.S. Department of Defense. Would you, as a member of Congress, approve additional dollars for the military if the president were to ask for more funding? How would you ensure that any military spending does not end up putting the American people or national security in harm’s way? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

As of this writing, the president is reportedly preparing to request as much as $200 billion in supplemental funding from Congress for his war in Iran. I would not vote to support funding for a needless war that Congress has not authorized and the American people oppose.

I have long pushed for less spending on the military and more federal investments in domestic programs like health care and education.

Under what specific circumstances do you believe the U.S. should engage in a war? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

The United States should engage in war only as a last resort when the American people face a grave threat. Our service members’ lives should never be put in jeopardy in the pursuit of unnecessary foreign wars. As of this writing, 13 American servicemembers have lost their lives since Trump launched his unlawful war of choice with Iran. This is unacceptable, and my thoughts are with their families.

Do you believe a president should seek congressional approval before engaging in military action overseas? Why, or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

I strongly believe the president must seek congressional approval before engaging in military action overseas. First of all, it is clearly stated in the U.S. Constitution. Secondly, there are major consequences to these actions. It is a decision that involves the deployment of our troops overseas and puts our U.S. soldiers’ lives at risk. It involves billions of taxpayer dollars. It puts our relations with our allies at risk. It could invoke retaliatory actions that would hurt American citizens.

Congress, in theory, is supposed to serve as a check on the president through budgetary, legislative and oversight powers. Do you believe Congress has fulfilled that obligation during the past two administrations, with one being a Democrat and the other a Republican? Why or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

For decades now, Congress has been allowing presidents of both parties to accumulate more and more power, which is a threat to our constitutional order. But this has become more severe than ever under the Republican-led Congress during this Trump administration. Republicans in Congress have voted to hand over our constitutional power to impose tariffs. They’ve refused to even take a vote on authorizing the war in Iran. And, they’ve done nothing to stop President Trump as he tears down the White House to build a ballroom, add his name to public institutions, and uses the office to enrich himself and his family.

We must stop this, and this is why I have taken many actions to check the president’s power, including voting for the War Powers Resolution.

Governments around the world are increasingly considering an age ban or other restrictions on social media use among young people, citing mental health and other concerns. Should Congress adopt such restrictions? If so, what specific restrictions do you propose? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

Today, almost half of U.S. teens have been bullied or harassed online. Congress needs to look very closely at how to protect young people on the internet. Social media platforms use complex algorithms that use kids’ data to steer them toward spending more and more time on the internet. I am looking into proposals to limit the use of these algorithms and addictive features on minors, to give parents more tools to protect their children online, and require social media platforms to address risks to children. We should also study the evidence on age restrictions for social media in countries like Australia as we consider our policy options.

Statistically, violent crime rates in California are on the decline, yet residents still don’t feel safe or at ease in their communities. How do you see your role in Congress in addressing the underlying issues that make Californians feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

Public safety is one of my top priorities, and in Congress, I work hard to provide local law enforcement with more resources to keep our communities safe. This fiscal year, I was proud to have secured more than $5 million in federal funds for police and sheriff’s departments across my district to modernize radio and dispatch systems and procure new equipment, including emergency response vehicles. These are the means by which our police and sheriffs can respond to crimes and emergencies more quickly and efficiently.

There are term limits to serve in the California Legislature, but none to serve in Congress. Would you advocate for term limits for House members? Why or why not? If you support term limits, how many years maximum should a House member be allowed to serve? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

Term limits would only work if this were applied to every single member of Congress from every state. If there were only term limits in California, then California would be greatly disadvantaged. This is because the power on the committees in Congress relies on seniority. If there were term limits only in California, Californians would always be the most junior and most powerless in Congress.

What’s a hidden talent you have? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

I have vast knowledge of great places to eat in Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley!

Orange County Register

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Judy Chu, CA-28 candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire

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