James A. Himes

Wants to address the prosperity gap between wealthy Americans and everyone else.

“The Committee worked to develop solutions to the key economic issue of our time: the yawning prosperity gap between wealthy Americans and everyone else.”⁷

Believes great wealth disparities slow the economy and poison politics.

“Great wealth disparities slow our economy, poison our politics and offend our moral sensibilities.”⁷

Wants to expand access to credit, banking, and housing to keep families and households safe from financial schemes.

“The Financial Services Committee is working hard to implement strong, practical solutions that keep families and households safe from financial schemes, safely expand access to credit, banking, and housing, maintain financial stability and market integrity, and preserve financial technology businesses’ potential to innovate responsibly.”⁸

Supports the Inflation Reduction Act to expand clean energy manufacturing and make energy-efficient technology more accessible.

“The Inflation Reduction Act, pioneering climate change legislation which I voted to pass in 2022, was an important step in that direction. It aimed to lower greenhouse gas emissions, expand clean energy manufacturing in the United States, and make energy-efficient technology more accessible for families and businesses.”⁹

Supports closing tax loopholes and cracking down on fraud and tax evasion.

“In 2022, I was proud to support the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which included important provisions to close tax loopholes, crack down on fraud and tax evasion, and ensure wealthy corporations pay their fair share.”¹⁵

Supports expanding healthcare coverage and decreasing costs through pragmatic, innovative solutions.

“Congress needs to find pragmatic, innovative solutions to expand healthcare coverage and decrease costs.”²¹

Supports measures that expand mandatory paid medical and family leave, decrease prescription drug costs, and cap insulin prices.

“I’ve supported measures that expand mandatory paid medical and family leave, decrease prescription drug costs, cap insulin prices, expand health insurance subsidies, ensure coverage for telehealth services, encourage sensible Medicare and Medicaid reform and protect women’s reproductive freedom.”²¹

Supports expanding eligibility for insurance coverage and funding public health and medical communities.

“Moving forward, I will continue to support measures that expand eligibility for insurance coverage and fund public health and medical communities to ensure robust medical research.”²¹

Supports expanding access to affordable, high-quality maternal health care and addressing inequities.

“I remain committed to expanding access to affordable, high-quality maternal health care and addressing the inequities that put far too many women and babies at risk.”²¹

Supports the Momnibus Act to address maternal mortality and racial disparities in care.

“I have consistently supported the Momnibus Act, a comprehensive package of legislation designed to address the many factors contributing to maternal mortality, maternal health complications, and racial disparities in care across the United States.”²¹

Supports protecting and strengthening mental health programs while investing in a more accessible care system.

“Congress must continue protecting and strengthening mental health programs while investing in a more accessible and responsive care system so every American can receive the support they need.”²¹

Supports community health centers providing affordable primary care to underserved communities.

“I am proud to support these health centers and the critical care they provide, helping ensure that every family, regardless of income or background, can receive affordable health services in their community.”²¹

Wants to reduce reliance on fossil fuels while supporting economic growth and energy independence through investments in energy solutions.

“Addressing climate change means investing in practical, long-term energy solutions that reduce our reliance on fossil fuels while supporting economic growth and energy independence.”⁹

Believes a carbon fee would correct a market failure by shifting the cost of pollution to emitters.

“I believe we should put a price on carbon to boost demand for renewable energy technologies, improve public health, create new jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As it stands, the cost of pollution falls on the public — not on polluters. There aren’t incentives for polluters to change their behavior. A fully-refundable carbon fee would correct this market failure by shifting the cost to emitters.”⁹

Supports transitioning to clean energy due to the consequences of fossil fuel dependence.

“The urgency to transition to clean energy has never been greater.”⁹

Supports expanding the adoption of nature-based shoreline projects.

“Another solution is to expand the adoption of nature-based shoreline projects.”⁹

Supported the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to protect natural resources.

“In 2019, for example, I helped pass the bipartisan John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, a package of over 100 individual public lands, wilderness, water, and natural resources bills.”⁹

Supports the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2025.

“I also supported the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2025, which reauthorizes grant programs to conserve and restore the Sound and other parts of Connecticut’s coast.”⁹

Supports ensuring all children have access to free, high-quality education through public schools.

“Every child in America deserves access to free high-quality education. We must ensure our public schools are robustly funded and work to address educational disparities.”⁴⁴

Supports fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

“For years, I have supported efforts to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and meet the federal government’s commitment to cover 40% of the costs of educating students with disabilities.”⁴⁴

Wants to invest in education systems and provide training and skills for Americans to compete.

“This means expanding training and credentialing pathways and creating lifelong learning opportunities that provide skills for all levels and jobs.”⁴⁴

Supports providing affordable higher education, job training, and upskilling opportunities.

“In order to meet the demands of the 21st-century job market, students need access to affordable higher education, high-quality job training, and upskilling opportunities throughout workers’ careers.”⁴⁴

Believes in engaged, sustained, and competent global leadership to address challenges abroad.

“I am fully committed to our proud tradition of engaged, sustained, and competent global leadership.”⁵⁴

Wants to uphold the rules-based international order.

“The U.S. will always be strongest when we lead with our international partners and uphold the rules-based international order.”⁵⁴

Opposed President Trump’s war in Iran, sponsoring and supporting War Powers Resolutions.

“I have led bipartisan opposition to President Trump’s reckless war in Iran by sponsoring and supporting numerous War Powers Resolutions which would force the withdrawal of all U.S. military personnel from active conflict that has not been Congressionally authorized.”⁵⁴

Believes that affordable, quality housing should be ensured for all Americans.

“As a former employee of an affordable housing non-profit, I believe that we must do all we can to ensure affordable, quality housing for all Americans.”⁸

Wants to incentivize communities to build more housing where it’s needed the most.

“The federal government should use the tools at our disposal to incentivize communities to build more housing where it’s needed the most.”⁸

Introduced legislation to spur housing construction by rewarding supply-constrained communities.

“That’s why I introduced the bipartisan Build Now Act which would spur housing construction by rewarding the most expensive and supply-constrained communities with a boost in federal Community Development Block Grant funding when they build more housing.”⁸

Wants to encourage more types of affordable housing.

“We also need to encourage more types of affordable housing.”⁸

Supports investments in infrastructure to make coastlines more resilient to sea-level rise and extreme weather events.

“We need to invest in our infrastructure and make Connecticut’s vulnerable coastlines more resilient to sea-level rise and extreme weather events.”⁹

Sought to reassert Congress’ authority to declare war, as outlined in the Constitution.

“The Constitution is clear: Congress – not the President – has the sole authority to declare war.”⁵⁴

Wants to preserve the dollar’s role as the global reserve currency of choice.

“Along with many other benefits, the implementation of digital currency by the U.S. government could play a critical role in preserving the dollar’s role as the global reserve currency of choice.”⁸

Supports funding for EPA’s Brownfields Program to safely clean up and redevelop brownfield sites.

“I’ve also supported robust funding for EPA’s Brownfields Program to ensure Connecticut communities can safely clean up and redevelop brownfield sites.”⁹

Supports policies that promote innovation and modernize the defense industrial base.

“I support policies that will promote innovation, modernizing the defense industrial base and strengthening supply chains critical to competing globally.”⁵⁴

Supports funding increases for the Long Island Sound to improve water quality and climate resiliency.

“During my time in Congress, I have worked to secure funding increases for one of our community’s national treasures: the Long Island Sound. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, for example, includes $106 million over a five-year period for the Sound to improve water quality and climate resiliency and restore habitats.”⁹