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Luz Rivas, CA-29 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: Luz Maria Rivas

Current job title: Congresswoman

Age: 52

Political party affiliation: Democratic

Incumbent: Yes

Other political positions held: California State Assemblymember, 39th district from 2018–2022 and 43rd district from 2022–2024

City where you reside: North Hollywood

Campaign website or social media: luzforcongress.com

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.)

My top three issues are affordability, immigration, and preventing Donald Trump from doing even more harm to America.

First, working families are being forced to pay the price for this administration’s actions for groceries, gas, utilities bills, housing, and healthcare. I have introduced legislation to address affordability, such as the Multigenerational Family Tax Credit Act, which allows families to make necessary safety and accessibility upgrades for aging relatives without worrying about cost. I opposed Trump’s healthcare cuts and tariffs, and I have supported legislation that would protect 31,000 residents with ACA tax credits.

Our immigration system has been broken for decades, but Trump has made the situation worse. His cruel anti-immigrant agenda and attempt to end all immigration have harmed and terrorized our community, especially the ICE raids in the East San Fernando Valley. As a proud daughter of immigrants, I am committed to fighting for a humane immigration system and against the administration’s harmful policies.

Finally, I am committed to serving the people and upholding the Constitution, which is why it is important to challenge and hold Donald Trump accountable. From supporting the release of the Epstein files to joining my colleagues in litigation against his unconstitutional actions to supporting his removal from office – I am determined to use every lever to push back against this overreach and extreme abuse of power.

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.)

I strongly disagree with Donald Trump’s power grab to interfere with free and fair elections by placing barriers between voters and the ballot box, as well as dictating how states conduct their elections. I voted against his anti-democracy bill, which creates barriers that disproportionately block millions of women – including many across the San Fernando Valley – from participating in elections because they may have a different name than the one on their birth certificate.

Additionally, I joined fellow Democratic lawmakers in a field hearing in Los Angeles to hear from experts and defend our democracy and voting systems, including mail-in ballots. Many California voters vote by mail, and it’s important to ensure that every eligible citizen has the ability to vote. I will continue fighting for the people’s right to vote and protect our democracy.

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.)

As a daughter of immigrants raised in the San Fernando Valley, immigration is very close to my heart. This past year, my office has helped many constituents get the assistance they need to renew visas, obtain green cards, or gain U.S. citizenship through our casework.

Currently, the federal government must focus on reining in ICE and fixing our broken immigration system.

More specifically, I have called for the abolishment of ICE, and I proactively conducted oversight visits at ICE detention facilities to see firsthand how this administration is harming people. Unfortunately, conditions were inhumane and shockingly bad. However, I am proud that these oversight visits and advocacy have led to results, such as preventing the deportation of a 4-year-old girl getting the medical treatment she deserves and reuniting a detained 18-year-old high school student with his family.

I introduced legislation to hold ICE accountable, including the INFORM Act, which notifies detainees’ immediate families when they are transferred between detention facilities.

I support a pathway to citizenship for those who have been contributing to our communities and a more humane immigration system. I am a proud original co-sponsor of the H.R. 1589, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2025, aiming to provide a pathway to citizenship for people who play by the rules, including “Dreamers”, those with Temporary Protected Status, and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients. The bill provides permanent legal status and protection from deportation.

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.)

In the first days of being sworn into Congress, the wildfires broke out. I acted immediately and flew straight home to help my constituents who had been affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires to provide resources from FEMA and the Small Business Administration. I spoke directly with officials at FEMA, visited evacuation centers, and fought for the San Fernando Valley to get resources and assistance. Additionally, I called for and was pleased that former President Biden issued and declared a major disaster declaration so that the San Fernando Valley could immediately access the federal resources they needed.

Once Trump took office, additional needed aid was halted. Natural disasters and emergencies should never be used for political purposes and conditions should not be tied to emergency funding. Whether hurricanes in the Gulf Coast, snowstorms in the East and earthquakes and wildfires that affect us in Los Angeles, all Americans deserve the relief and the assistance from their federal government, especially in their hour of need.

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.)

Yes. I support a ban or restrictions on congressional lawmakers and their immediate family members from buying and selling stock. In order to restore trust in the American people, it is important to prevent conflicts of interest and personal profit from public service or insider information based on congressional committee work.

Additionally, I also support a ban to stock trading for the president and vice president. Donald Trump and his family members have personally used the Office of the President to make billions in profits, and that must stop.

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 represent communities like Sun Valley and Pacoima that have carried the environmental burdens of landfills, junkyards and freeways. Our neighborhoods have some of the highest asthma rates in the country due to pollution and carbon emissions. On the first day of the Trump administration, they rolled back countless policies that protect our environment and health. This administration also rolled back the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program which has collected and tracked vital greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases from over 8,000 sites, including landfills, power plants, and oil refineries. This rollback will strip valuable data and science needed to combat climate change, inform families of the environmental threats in their community, and eliminate good-paying jobs. I am proud to have led with 29 of my colleagues in urging the EPA to preserve and strengthen enforcement of laws that protect America’s public health, environment, scientific integrity, and economic growth.

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.)

The Trump administration has placed Americans and our military at risk with his rash decisions in Iran. I oppose any additional dollars for Trump’s war in Iran. The Trump administration has failed to provide any sound reason or justification for starting another costly war that will put our servicemembers in harm’s way, decrease global stability, and cost Americans billions in higher taxes, gas prices, and utility costs. Additionally, it is absolutely wrong that Republicans have continued to cut vital programs and funding for working families to pay for another costly forever war or tax cuts to billionaires.

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

The decision to go to war is, and must always be, a difficult one, especially when we are putting the lives of our military at risk. The circumstances must be clearly explained to the American public and under the Constitution approved by Congress. Donald Trump is conducting an illegal and immoral war.

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.)

Yes, the Constitution is clear. The president cannot enter into a war without approval from Congress. The administration must seek approval because Congress – which represents the people – must debate and approve how such action will affect our safety, security, global standing, and servicemembers.

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.)

This is my freshman term in Congress, and it is clear that Speaker Johnson and House Republicans have largely acted as a rubber stamp for the Trump administration’s policies. They have not fulfilled their obligation of budgetary and oversight power. As a result, Trump and his lapdogs in Congress have harmed the American people by cutting health care, raising the costs of essential goods, and damaging the renewable energy industry that creates millions of jobs and protects our children’s future.

Oversight is a vital function of Congress. However, Republicans (who are in the majority of the House of Representatives) have not fulfilled their duty to protect the American people and prevent Trump from harming working-class families. House Democrats have used the House Oversight Committee and House Judiciary Committee to investigate issues and shine a light on Trump’s abuse of power. For example, the House Democrats successfully subpoenaed former Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the Epstein files. Additionally, the House Natural Resources Committee, of which I am a member, forced a vote to subpoena Donald Trump Jr., who potentially personally benefited from taxpayer funds in a company in which he has a financial stake. If Democrats win control of Congress in the upcoming elections, we will be able to do much more.

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.)

As technology evolves, so does the need for Congress to step up and protect vulnerable populations, especially children. I am deeply concerned about the effects social media may have on young people, such as addictive algorithms and the rise of depression or anxiety. Congress should conduct investigations into the effects and risks of social media and develop solutions to address online safety for children. I also want to hear from the parents in the San Fernando Valley because their concerns on screen time or scrolling would help me develop solutions that would help protect their children.

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.)

As a member of Congress, I have focused on bringing home federal funding for our community. Just last year, I was able to secure nearly $15 million in Community Project Funding. Specifically, I brought $2,000,000 to expand the City of Los Angeles’ CIRCLE program, which uses specialized teams to respond to non-violent, quality of life calls and allows police to focus on violent crime. I have also brought funding to make our streets and infrastructure safer for residents. It is important to invest in community initiatives that allow San Fernando Valley crime rates to decline even further and allow residents to feel at ease with their families and friends in their own neighborhoods.

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.)

No. Voters deserve the right to determine who represents them, and every two years, they can decide whether they are satisfied with the job their representatives are doing. Based on my experience in the California State Legislature, I believe that term limits give more power to unelected lobbyists and special interests who have more knowledge and experience than new legislators. Writing and passing good laws takes knowledge and experience. Let the voters decide.

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

As an electrical engineer, I know how to use a soldering iron for electronics. On my free time, I enjoy making buñuelos and baking with my family.

Orange County Register

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Luz Rivas, CA-29 candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire

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