California — 50th District

Scott Peters

Supports small business and research funding

Peters emphasizes economic growth through federal research investments, supporting small businesses, and expanding free trade. He argues that congressional partisan games hinder federal budget stability and economic progress.

• Secured federal dollars for San Diego's biomedical research industry
• Promotes small business support and free trade expansion
• Voted Yea on the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (H.R. 3746) to manage the federal debt limit

“From securing federal dollars for San Diego’s biomedical research industry, to promoting small business and free trade, I’ve...”

“America faces challenging new realities in a changing world. The economy is faster, smarter, more competitive and more global. And our federal budget is upside down because our Congressional representatives are more focused on holding onto problems for political gain than solving them.”

Steve Cohen

Fights for affordability and housing expansion

Cohen focuses on making San Diego affordable for working families by expanding the housing supply and curbing corporate price manipulation. He pledges to align federal economic policy with the daily financial pressures faced by local residents.

• Expand housing supply to relieve cost pressures on families
• Crack down on corporate price manipulation
• Focus economic policies on local working families

“Housing costs have pushed working families to the breaking point. Groceries take a bigger bite out of every paycheck. Steve Cohen will fight for real solutions: expanding housing supply, cracking down on corporate price manipulation, and ensuring that economic policy works for the people who actually live here.”

“I've seen housing costs push families out of neighborhoods they grew up in. I've reported on grocery prices eating up paychecks and healthcare premiums that force impossible choices.”

Scott Peters

Supports accessible healthcare and the ACA

Peters advocates for universal access to quality, affordable healthcare using the Affordable Care Act framework. He opposes health industry control over healthcare administration.

• Defend and build upon the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
• Ensure accessible and affordable healthcare for all Americans
• Reduce special-interest industry influence over healthcare decisions

“Healthcare in America needs to be accessible and affordable for everybody. When the Supreme Court affirmed the President's health care insurance reform initiative (the Affordable Care Act) in June 2012, it reminded us that the powerful health services industry does not control the administration of health care.”

“Every American deserves access to quality, affordable health care, and our country should aspire to a system in which...”

Steve Cohen

Supports lower drug costs and protections

Cohen focuses on curbing prescription drug costs, safeguarding coverage for pre-existing conditions, and holding insurance companies accountable. He criticizes high premiums that force patients to delay necessary care.

• Lower out-of-pocket prescription drug costs
• Protect healthcare coverage for pre-existing conditions
• Hold insurance companies accountable for prioritizing profits over patients

“Too many San Diegans skip prescriptions, delay checkups, or avoid the emergency room because they can't afford the bill. Steve Cohen will work to lower prescription drug costs, protect coverage for pre-existing conditions, and hold insurance companies accountable for putting profits over patients.”

Scott Peters

Protects entitlement programs as intergenerational compacts

Peters views Social Security and Medicare as sacred intergenerational contracts earned through hard work. He vows to protect earned retirement and medical benefits from spending cuts.

• Protect Social Security and Medicare from benefit cuts
• Uphold retirement security for seniors who paid into the system

“Social Security and Medicare are compacts between the generations that we must not break. Men and women who have spent a lifetime of hard work, providing for their families and saving for their retirement, deserve the security of knowing their retirement and benefits, which they have worked hard to earn, will be there for them.”

“Social Security and Medicare are contracts between the government and generations of Americans that we must not...”

Steve Cohen

Opposes cuts to Social Security and Medicare

Cohen pledges to protect Social Security and Medicare from federal funding cuts, ensuring seniors can retire comfortably. He highlights the need to keep seniors from having to choose between rent and medicine.

• Defend Social Security and Medicare against benefit cuts
• Ensure seniors do not have to choose between housing and prescription drugs

“San Diego's seniors built this community. They deserve to retire with dignity — not spend their final years choosing between medication and rent. Steve Cohen will defend Social Security and Medicare from cuts and ensure that the generation that invested in San Diego isn't abandoned by Washington.”

Scott Peters

Opposes partisan budget reconciliation bills

Peters criticizes political gridlock around the federal budget while voting against Republican-led fiscal packages. In the 119th Congress, he voted against H.R. 1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) and the FY 2025 budget resolution.

• Voted Nay on H.R. 1 (2025 reconciliation bill)
• Voted Nay on H.Con.Res. 14 (FY 2025 budget resolution)
• Supported bipartisan debt limit legislation under the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023

“And our federal budget is upside down because our Congressional representatives are more focused on holding onto problems for political gain than solving them.”

Steve Cohen

Supports budget transparency and opposing earmarks

Cohen promises to bring investigative scrutiny to federal spending by demanding budget transparency and opposing wasteful earmarks. He pledges to ensure federal tax dollars directly benefit local families.

• Demand transparency in federal government spending
• Oppose wasteful congressional earmarks
• Direct federal tax revenue to San Diego community needs

“Steve Cohen spent his career investigating where the money goes — and who benefits. In Congress, he'll bring that same scrutiny to the federal budget: demanding transparency in government spending, opposing wasteful earmarks, and ensuring your tax dollars reach San Diego families.”

“I've spent fifty years making sure the powerful couldn't hide behind talking points and press releases. I'm not going to Washington to learn their language. I'm going to make them speak ours.”

Scott Peters

Supports clean energy investment and climate action

Peters advocates for a national energy policy focused on combating climate change, investing in renewable technologies like wind and solar, and promoting fuel efficiency. He serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

• Invest in alternative fuels and renewable tech like wind and solar
• Promote fuel efficiency incentives for automakers
• Voted Nay on the Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1 in 118th Congress)

“As a nation, we must work toward a long-term energy policy that: 1) creates new American jobs; 2) emphasizes greater energy independence; 3) invests in the development of alternative fuels; 4) promotes clean energy technology like wind and solar; 5) ensures greater national security; and 6) provides automakers with incentives for producing fuel-efficient vehicles.”

“Our children and grandchildren are counting on us to save the planet from the perils of climate change. Developing...”

Scott Peters

Supports tough and practical immigration policy

Peters advocates for immigration policy that balances border security with practical legal reforms. In the 119th Congress, he supported legislation making driving while impaired grounds for deportation while opposing the Laken Riley Act.

• Voted Yea on H.R. 875 (making driving while impaired grounds for deportation or inadmissibility)
• Voted Nay on S. 5 (Laken Riley Act)
• Promotes tough, fair, and practical border policies

“We need immigration policies that are tough, fair, and practical. We have to be tough on border security to...”

Scott Peters

Supports enhanced VA healthcare and veteran services

Peters champions expanded healthcare access and accountability for San Diego's large veteran community. He backed federal legislation to reform VA access and increase facility choice.

• Supported the Veterans Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act
• Advocates for San Diego's estimated 240,000 veterans

“San Diegans want to see action and they want it now. They are rightly dumbfounded that Congress continues to play partisan games, instead of passing the Senate's comprehensive solution -and beginning to provide some relief for our nation's heroes.”

“Veterans are such a vital part of our community, and San Diego has the largest concentration of veterans in the nation...”

Scott Peters

Supports world-class schools for innovation economy

Peters links public education directly to San Diego's innovation economy, calling for robust school investments to build a high-tech workforce.

• Invest in world-class schools to fuel local research and innovation
• Endorsed by the California Teachers Association

“San Diego’s economy runs on brainpower. Innovation and job creation happen when we have world-class schools and educated...”

Scott Peters

Supports equal protection and civil rights

Peters frames civil and human rights as foundational legal protections. In the 119th Congress, he voted against H.R. 28 regarding athletic participation restrictions.

• Voted Nay on H.R. 28 (Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025)
• Endorsed by Equality California

“Equal protection and freedom for all are matters of basic civil and human rights, and it’s wrong...”

Scott Peters

Opposes proof of citizenship voting requirements

Peters opposes federal voting legislation requiring documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration. He also supported California Proposition 50 regarding congressional redistricting maps.

• Voted Nay on H.R. 22 (SAVE Act) requiring proof of citizenship for federal voter registration
• Endorsed California Proposition 50 (2025 redistricting map amendment)