WELCOMING THE HONORABLE AISHA WAHAB TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

On 2026-09-02, Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18) delivered a floor speech titled "WELCOMING THE HONORABLE AISHA WAHAB TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES" in the House.

WELCOMING THE HONORABLE AISHA WAHAB TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 139 (Wednesday, September 2, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 139 (Wednesday, September 2, 2026)] [House] [Page H5440] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] WELCOMING THE HONORABLE AISHA WAHAB TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Ms. LOFGREN: Mr. Speaker, we welcome a new Member of the California congressional delegation to our ranks. Born in New York City to Afghan refugees and raised in Fremont, California, Dr. Wahab earned her doctorate of social work from the University of Southern California. She was elected to the Hayward City Council in 2018 and to the California State Senate in 2022, where she served as assistant majority leader. As someone who experienced foster care herself, Dr. Wahab has made protecting vulnerable people a central focus of her public service. Today, she makes history as the first Afghan American elected to Congress. As chair of the Democratic congressional delegation from California, I am proud to welcome her to the largest delegation in Congress. We look forward to working together on behalf of Californians and the most vulnerable among us. I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Wahab), the newest member of the California delegation. Ms. WAHAB. Mr. Speaker, I begin by thanking the people of one of the most diverse districts in America, my home, California's 14th Congressional District. In the gallery today are people from across our district, representing different walks of life, from educational backgrounds, economic circumstances, and immigration stories. Yet, every single one of them is an American, and every one of them believes in the American Dream, a dream rooted in a simple promise, that we are all created equal and that, no matter where we begin, each of us deserves an opportunity for a better life. Today, Americans are tired, tired of Democrats and Republicans fighting with one another, tired of the division that this Capitol sometimes represents. Republicans and Democrats alike are struggling to afford housing, utilities, groceries, education, healthcare, and the basic necessities of life. That struggle belongs to all Americans. For generations, the American Dream has made this country a beacon to the world because of one powerful promise: Your past does not determine your future. Today, I stand here as a reminder of that promise. I walked into Congress carrying the beating heart of a former foster care kid, the daughter of Afghan refugees who came here searching for a better life, the daughter of a murdered father from a family shattered by loss, a child born in New York City and raised in the bay area, a woman whose family was devastated by the Great Recession. I am grateful for all of those experiences however heavy they may be, not because they were easy but because they taught me what it means to fight for justice for all. I am a proud American. I often say Uncle Sam raised me. Because of that, I have always seen the people of this Nation as family, regardless of background: the people too proud to ask for help, the people who wake every morning and work hard, who struggle in silence, who hold on to hope that tomorrow can be better than today. I have seen some of the darkest corners of our society, but I have also seen its greatest light. I have met many Americans: refugees, immigrants, foster children, people with disabilities, families relying on food assistance, seniors stretching every dollar, and people who have trusted me with their deepest fears and hardest setbacks. They believe dignity belongs to everyone, regardless of faith, gender, education, income, background, or circumstance. That is the belief of the American Dream that still burns today so brightly. Millions of Americans are weary of the fighting, the rising bills, and being told to fear their neighbors while they struggle to make ends meet. They are tired of being overlooked by those in power, by the wealthy and those who have forgotten what it means to struggle. Americans deserve better. They deserve justice, dignity, and a quality of life worthy of the promise this country has made to them. They deserve to be able to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Their children deserve an excellent education and the brightest possible future. A person who is sick should receive excellent care without fearing financial ruin, and those in their golden years or those who have simply fallen on hard times should know their country has their back. That must be our purpose here: the people. As a policymaker, my goal is simple: to work with each and every one of you to deliver for the American people, regardless of party. These are our people. If we choose common purpose over division and people over politics, we can make the promise of America real again, because the American Dream does not belong to Republicans or Democrats. It belongs to every American who believes tomorrow can be better. I believe in that dream. I believe in this country. As patriots of this beautiful Nation, we have a duty to fight for one another, to see one another as fellow Americans, and to deliver on the promise to the people. I stand with you in this fight for the people of the greatest Nation. God bless the United States of America. ____________________