{ "name": "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez", "party": "Democratic", "role": "U.S. Representative", "state": "New York", "district": "14", "bio": "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was born on October 13, 1989, in the Bronx, New York, and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, becoming the youngest woman ever elected to Congress at age 29. She defeated incumbent Democratic primary incumbent Joe Crowley in a major political upset, running on a democratic socialist platform. A member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Squad, she is known for championing Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, and free public college tuition. She has served since January 2019 and represents New York's 14th Congressional District, which covers parts of the Bronx and Queens.", "promises": [ { "type": "promise", "text": "Championed and co-introduced the Green New Deal resolution calling for a transition to 100% renewable energy and addressing economic inequality", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "AOC introduced House Resolution 109 (Green New Deal) in February 2019 alongside Senator Ed Markey. The resolution did not advance to a floor vote under Republican control and stalled under Democratic Senate leadership, but it has influenced subsequent climate legislation including the Inflation Reduction Act. The core resolution remains unpasssed as comprehensive standalone legislation.", "category": "Environment", "year": 2019 }, { "type": "promise", "text": "Pledged to support Medicare for All, a single-payer universal healthcare system replacing private insurance", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "AOC has consistently co-sponsored Medicare for All legislation each Congress and publicly advocated for it. However, the legislation has not advanced to a House floor vote given opposition within the Democratic caucus and no Republican support. She has kept her advocacy commitment but the policy goal remains unrealized.", "category": "Healthcare", "year": 2019 }, { "type": "promise", "text": "Committed to abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a campaign promise", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "AOC has repeatedly called for abolishing ICE or fundamentally restructuring immigration enforcement and has co-sponsored legislation to that effect. No such legislation has passed Congress, and the agency remains in operation. She has kept her advocacy stance consistent with her campaign position.", "category": "Immigration", "year": 2019 }, { "type": "promise", "text": "Pledged to support tuition-free public college and cancellation of student debt", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "AOC has co-sponsored College for All Act and supported various student debt cancellation proposals. The Biden administration executed partial loan cancellation through executive action, which was partially struck down by the Supreme Court in 2023. Comprehensive free college legislation has not passed Congress.", "category": "Education", "year": 2019 }, { "type": "promise", "text": "Promised to refuse corporate PAC money during her campaigns", "status": "kept", "analysis": "AOC has consistently declined corporate PAC contributions throughout her congressional campaigns in 2018, 2020, and 2022, a verifiable distinction tracked by OpenSecrets. She relies heavily on small-dollar individual donors, which aligns with her pledge. This has been a consistent and documented aspect of her fundraising.", "category": "Government Reform", "year": 2018 }, { "type": "promise", "text": "Committed to a federal jobs guarantee as part of her economic platform", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "AOC has publicly and legislatively supported a federal job guarantee program as part of the Green New Deal framework and standalone proposals. No federal jobs guarantee legislation has passed Congress. Her advocacy has been consistent with her campaign platform.", "category": "Economy", "year": 2019 }, { "type": "promise", "text": "Pledged to support a $15 federal minimum wage increase", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "AOC has voted for and co-sponsored the Raise the Wage Act, which passed the House in 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan process but was stripped from the Senate bill after the Senate parliamentarian ruled it violated budget reconciliation rules. The federal minimum wage remains at $7.25 per hour as of 2024.", "category": "Economy", "year": 2021 }, { "type": "promise", "text": "Pledged to oppose cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid", "status": "kept", "analysis": "AOC has voted consistently against legislation that would reduce Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits and has publicly opposed efforts to cut these programs during deficit negotiations. Her voting record is consistent with this commitment across multiple Congresses.", "category": "Healthcare", "year": 2019 }, { "type": "promise", "text": "Committed to supporting criminal justice reform including ending mass incarceration and police accountability measures", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "AOC has co-sponsored the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and multiple criminal justice reform bills. The George Floyd Act passed the House in 2021 but failed in the Senate due to bipartisan negotiation breakdown. She has consistently advocated for reducing incarceration rates and reforming policing, consistent with her platform.", "category": "Criminal Justice", "year": 2020 }, { "type": "vote", "text": "Voted YES on the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ($1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package)", "status": "kept", "analysis": "The American Rescue Plan included direct payments, enhanced unemployment benefits, child tax credit expansion, and funding for vaccines and schools. AOC's vote aligned with her stated support for robust economic relief for working-class Americans during the pandemic. The bill passed and was signed into law by President Biden in March 2021.", "category": "Economy", "year": 2021 }, { "type": "vote", "text": "Voted YES on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, including its climate and healthcare provisions", "status": "kept", "analysis": "The Inflation Reduction Act included approximately $369 billion in climate-related spending and allowed Medicare to negotiate drug prices. While AOC and progressives criticized the bill for falling short of the Green New Deal's ambitions, she voted for it as meaningful climate progress. Her vote aligned with her commitment to climate action and healthcare affordability.", "category": "Environment", "year": 2022 }, { "type": "vote", "text": "Voted YES on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law)", "status": "kept", "analysis": "AOC voted for the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill after it was linked in the legislative process to the larger Build Back Better reconciliation package. Despite earlier threats to vote against it if the larger social spending bill was not passed simultaneously, she ultimately supported it. Her vote aligned with her advocacy for public transit, broadband, and clean energy infrastructure.", "category": "Infrastructure", "year": 2021 }, { "type": "vote", "text": "Voted NO on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023", "status": "kept", "analysis": "AOC has consistently voted against or raised objections to NDAA bills due to the overall size of the military budget and provisions she views as infringing civil liberties. Her vote against the FY2023 NDAA is consistent with her platform calling for redirecting military spending toward domestic priorities.", "category": "Defense", "year": 2022 }, { "type": "vote", "text": "Voted YES on the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (omnibus spending bill)", "status": "kept", "analysis": "AOC voted for the year-end omnibus spending package that included increased domestic discretionary spending and Ukraine aid. Her vote was broadly consistent with her support for social spending, though progressives had mixed views on the overall package. The bill passed and was signed into law in December 2022.", "category": "Economy", "year": 2022 }, { "type": "vote", "text": "Voted NO on the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (debt ceiling deal with spending caps)", "status": "kept", "analysis": "AOC voted against the bipartisan debt ceiling agreement negotiated between President Biden and House Speaker McCarthy, which imposed discretionary spending caps and clawed back unspent COVID funds. Her opposition was consistent with her position against cuts to domestic programs and her broader critique of austerity measures. The bill passed with bipartisan support despite her opposition.", "category": "Economy", "year": 2023 }, { "type": "vote", "text": "Voted YES on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021", "status": "kept", "analysis": "AOC voted for the House-passed police reform bill that would ban chokeholds, limit qualified immunity for officers, and create a national registry of police misconduct. The bill passed the House in 2021 but failed to advance in the Senate, stalling in bipartisan negotiations. Her vote was consistent with her campaign commitments on police accountability.", "category": "Criminal Justice", "year": 2021 }, { "type": "vote", "text": "Voted YES on the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (domestic semiconductor manufacturing)", "status": "kept", "analysis": "AOC voted for the bipartisan CHIPS Act, which provided $52 billion in subsidies for domestic semiconductor manufacturing and $200 billion for scientific research. Her support aligned with her advocacy for industrial policy and domestic job creation. The law was signed by President Biden in August 2022.", "category": "Economy", "year": 2022 }, { "type": "vote", "text": "Voted NO on additional military aid packages to Israel following October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks", "status": "kept", "analysis": "AOC voted against several emergency military aid packages to Israel, including the $14.5 billion Israel Security Assistance Support Act in November 2023 and subsequent aid bills. Her votes were consistent with her long-standing criticism of U.S. unconditional military support to Israel and her calls for a ceasefire. These votes were among the most high-profile foreign policy positions of her congressional tenure.", "category": "Foreign Policy", "year": 2023 }, { "type": "vote", "text": "Voted YES on the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act of 2021", "status": "kept", "analysis": "AOC voted for the PRO Act, which would significantly strengthen workers' rights to organize and collectively bargain. The legislation passed the House but failed to advance in the Senate due to the 60-vote threshold and Republican opposition. Her vote aligned with her strong pro-labor platform.", "category": "Economy", "year": 2021 }, { "type": "action", "text": "Co-introduced House Resolution 109, the Green New Deal, with Senator Ed Markey in February 2019", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "The Green New Deal resolution outlined a comprehensive framework for transitioning to renewable energy while addressing economic inequality. While it did not pass Congress, it significantly shaped the national climate policy debate and influenced subsequent legislation including the Inflation Reduction Act. The resolution has been reintroduced in subsequent Congresses.", "category": "Environment", "year": 2019 }, { "type": "action", "text": "Introduced the COVID-19 Racial and Economic Justice Act to address disproportionate pandemic impacts on communities of color", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "AOC introduced this legislation to direct federal resources toward communities of color disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, including housing, healthcare, and economic relief provisions. The bill did not advance through committee but contributed to broader discussions on health equity in pandemic response legislation.", "category": "Civil Rights", "year": 2020 }, { "type": "action", "text": "Served on the House Financial Services Committee and introduced legislation targeting predatory lending and housing affordability", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "As a member of the Financial Services Committee, AOC used her platform to advocate against predatory financial practices and introduced housing-related legislation. She co-sponsored the Homes for All Act and has questioned Federal Reserve and banking officials in high-profile hearings. Most standalone housing legislation she supported has not been enacted.", "category": "Economy", "year": 2019 }, { "type": "action", "text": "Introduced the Abortion is Healthcare Everywhere Act in 2022 to prohibit restrictions on abortions in federally funded facilities", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "Following the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision in 2022, AOC introduced legislation to ensure abortion access in federally funded hospitals and medical facilities. The bill did not advance in the Republican-controlled House after 2022. Her legislative action was consistent with her platform on reproductive rights.", "category": "Civil Rights", "year": 2022 }, { "type": "action", "text": "Filed articles of impeachment against Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito in 2024 citing ethical misconduct", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "In July 2024, AOC introduced articles of impeachment against Justices Thomas and Alito, citing undisclosed gifts and ethics violations documented in investigative reporting. The articles were referred to the House Judiciary Committee but were not advanced by the Republican-led committee. The action drew significant public attention to Supreme Court ethics issues.", "category": "Government Reform", "year": 2024 }, { "type": "action", "text": "Co-sponsored and actively advocated for the Breathe Act, a comprehensive police reform and public safety reinvestment proposal", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "AOC endorsed and amplified the Breathe Act, introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, which called for divesting from policing and prisons and reinvesting in community health and safety. The bill did not advance to a committee vote but was a significant marker of progressive criminal justice policy proposals in the 117th Congress.", "category": "Criminal Justice", "year": 2020 }, { "type": "action", "text": "Introduced the student loan debt cancellation legislation and publicly pressured the Biden administration to use executive authority to cancel student debt", "status": "in_progress", "analysis": "AOC co-sponsored legislation calling for $50,000 in student debt cancellation per borrower and publicly pressured President Biden to act via executive order. The Biden administration ultimately canceled loans for specific groups and attempted a broader cancellation that was struck down by the Supreme Court in Biden v. Nebraska (2023). The full legislative goal has not been achieved.", "category": "Education", "year": 2021 } ], "score": 100, "scoreBreakdown": { "kept": 12, "broken": 0, "inProgress": 14 }, "birthDate": "1989-10-13", "startDate": "2019-01-03" }