Chrissy Houlahan — Democrat Candidate for U.S. House in Pennsylvania, 2026

Representative Chrissy Houlahan voted against the Laken Riley Act (H.R. 29) and H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023, stating such legislation was not about true immigration reform and undermined American values or humanitarian protections. She supports comprehensive immigration reform, advocating for increased work visas and pathways to citizenship for international students who are educated in the U.S. She also voiced criticism regarding increased immigration enforcement actions and stated that ICE is overfunded.

“"This bill is not about immigration reform, and that’s why I voted NO today. We need immigration reform legislation, which I have supported time and again with my votes and my voice. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to craft, support and pass legitimate immigration reform that will make meaningful and lawful change — in keeping with our American values and without undermining our Constitutional protections," said Chrissy Houlahan, Statement on H.R. 29: Laken Riley Act, January 7, 2026.”

Chrissy Houlahan supports making healthcare affordable and accessible, asserting it is a fundamental human right best achieved through a participatory insurance system. She advocates for strengthening the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid. Her proposals include a public health insurance option, lowering prescription drug costs, and expanding mental health services.

“Ensuring Quality, Affordable Healthcare for all Pennsylvanians Access to healthcare is a fundamental human right, not something reserved for the wealthy or for those who don’t need it. Such access can only come from an insurance system in which we all participate, sharing coverage, risks, and costs. As COO of And1 Basketball, I ensured our employees had great healthcare benefits. We paid more than 80% of all healthcare costs for all our staff. Rather than responsibly repairing the Affordable Care Act’s deficiencies, the Republicans in the House of Representatives have assaulted the Act itself, throwing an estimated 24 million people off their insurance, making deep cuts to Medicaid, and allowing states to encourage insurers to deny people with pre-existing conditions.”

Chrissy Houlahan identifies climate change as a grave threat requiring decisive action. She advocates for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 through deploying existing technologies, developing new solutions like improved battery storage and safer nuclear energy, and investing in carbon-reducing biofuels. She voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which directs investments in clean energy and climate infrastructure. Houlahan also supported the Great American Outdoors Act and strengthened the Climate Action Now Act to encourage global cooperation.

““I’ve learned during my time in Congress that very little here is easy and passing this legislation was no different,” said Houlahan. “I was proud to vote for what will be both the largest deficit reduction measure in over a decade and an historic investment in our fight to mitigate climate change and the rise of extreme weather events.” — Chrissy Houlahan, August 15, 2022”

Representative Chrissy Houlahan identifies as firmly pro-choice and has stated she will vote to protect a woman's right to control her reproductive freedom. She voted in favor of the Women’s Health Protection Act and the Right to Contraception Act, which protect access to abortion and contraception. She also reintroduced the Support UNFPA Funding Act to authorize funding for global sexual and reproductive health programs.

““I am firmly pro-choice,” Chrissy Houlahan said to applause, as reported by houlahan.house.gov. “I recognize that’s not all of us in our community and I respect that. But I will vote to protect a woman’s right to control her own reproductive freedom.””

Chrissy Houlahan championed 40 priorities in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included a 3.8 percent pay increase for servicemembers and codified Women’s Initiative Teams. She stated her commitment to strengthening military readiness, protecting servicemembers, and safeguarding America’s competitive edge. She also supported nuclear arms control efforts and opposed legislation boosting fossil energy or enabling immediate security assistance to Israel without accounting for existing laws.

““This year’s NDAA, which includes a 3.8 percent pay increase for all servicemembers, strengthens military readiness and reaffirms our commitment to the people who serve,” said Houlahan. (houlahan.house.gov, December 10, 2025)”

Chrissy Houlahan advocates for strengthening schools and expanding learning access. She supports federal funding for universal Pre-K and STEM education, increased mental health resources for students and teachers, and initiatives to address teacher shortages. She also works to make college affordable by expanding Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Pell Grants, and supports apprenticeship opportunities. Her actions align with her belief that education is key to opportunity.

“Education is the key to opportunity. I am championing efforts to strengthen our schools, support our educators, and expand access to learning. Until the House is ready to act decisively, I am keeping students and families front and center. Below are the pillars of my education policy, guiding my work every day for the people in PA-06, - Chrissy Houlahan, from her official website, Issues: Education page, as of January 12, 2026.”

Chrissy Houlahan supports gun violence prevention and responsible gun ownership, advocating for data-informed policy decisions by allowing CDC research on gun violence. She voted for the Bipartisan Background Checks Act (H.R. 8), the Enhanced Background Checks Act (H.R. 1446), and the Assault Weapons Ban (H.R. 1808). She also supported the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which enhanced background checks and closed the "boyfriend loophole."

“I support the Second Amendment and responsible gun ownership, but I also believe we must take commonsense steps to reduce gun violence. Enough is enough. We must act. First, we need to allow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to research these issues so that we can use data to inform our decisions. I cannot understand how the gun lobby has persuaded Congress to ban the CDC from pursuing this basic research. We also need to pursue some commonsense safety measures — measures that the majority of Pennsylvania families support. These steps include closing the gun show loophole, renewing the Federal Assault Weapons Ban and restrictions on high-capacity firearm magazines, and universal criminal background checks to keep guns out of the hands of felons and domestic abusers. (Chrissy Houlahan, Ballotpedia)”