The District

Ro speaking on stage at an outdoor event

Born and raised in an immigrant family in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Ro saw how economic opportunity and security can change lives.

With the support of strong public schools and a tight-knit community, he was raised to believe that anything was possible in America.

Driven by that belief, he moved to Silicon Valley with no money and ran for Congress twice as an outsider before winning on his third try.

Today, Ro represents California’s 17th Congressional District — known around the world as Silicon Valley, the heart of American innovation in the digital age. His district includes parts of Santa Clara and Alameda Counties and the cities of Fremont, Newark, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, San Jose, and Milpitas. The 50-mile radius around Ro’s district is home to companies that make up one-third of the S&P 500 and over $18 trillion in market capitalization. His district has 5 companies – Google, Apple, NVIDIA, Tesla, and Broadcom – with over $1 trillion in market cap each.

With 25 million new tech jobs projected by 2030, Ro is fighting to ensure these jobs aren’t just for coders and software engineers, but also for workers in manufacturing, healthcare, retail, education, and services. His goal is to use Silicon Valley’s wealth and technology to help re-industrialize America and create prosperity in places like his hometown. He is fighting to make sure that the AI revolution is pro-worker and pro-citizen.

Serving the Community

Town Halls

Ro has held a monthly town hall in the district once a month every month, as promised, to update constituents on his work, answer questions, and gather feedback on how well he is representing constituents.

Democracy Awards

Ro won the 2019 Democracy Awards for best constituent services and the 2023 Democracy Award for best workplace environment out of all 435 members in Congress.

$4.8 million for the first African American Cultural Center

Ro secured millions to build an African American cultural center after over 30 years of work to make the center a reality. It is the largest amount of funding the project has ever received and will be a hub for the surrounding community.

$13.5 million for 13 community projects

Ro is proud to have secured over 13 million in funding in the Appropriations Fiscal Year 2026 bill. These funds will support housing, strengthen our water supply, enhance public safety, and address many other critical needs across California’s 17th Congressional District.

$3.2 million for veterans housing

This funding will support the renovation and repair of a facility that provides emergency shelter and essential support services to homeless and unstably housed veterans.

$1 billion in American Rescue Plan funds

Ro helped secure over $1 billion in federal funds to Fremont, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Sunnyvale, Alviso, Cupertino, Newark and San Jose, as well as Santa Clara and Alameda Counties. Everyone making under $150,000 dollars received a $1,400 check, it expanded the Child Tax Credit, boosted unemployment benefits, prevented layoffs and kept essential services running. It also invested in safely reopening schools, one of Ro’s top priorities during the pandemic.

Billions in Inflation Reduction Act funds

Ro worked with the White House and California Delegation to secure billions in Inflation Reduction Act funds for climate protection and lower drug prices. The funds help Californians afford energy-efficient appliances, invest $20 billion in clean energy, reduce air pollution, and allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug costs.

$84 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds

With the California Delegation, Ro secured $84 million in funding to improve public transportation options in the state, repair bridges and highways, and expand broadband access.

$11.9 million in FY 2022 for community project funding

Ro delivered $11.9 million dollars in funding to strengthen mental health programs in high schools, improve culturally competent medical care, build bike lanes, expand library access and more.

$11 million to support community-wide efforts to end homelessness

By working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Ro provided Santa Clara County with $11 million for local resources and care to homeless individuals and families.

$10.8 million for the San Jose International Airport

Thanks to Ro’s work, $10.8 million was provided to the Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) to improve a taxiway at the airport from the Federal Aviation Administration. The money was used to safely grow the airport’s capacity and created new jobs for local workers building the taxiway.

Protected Bay Area nonprofits and startups

After Silicon Valley Bank collapsed, Ro worked with the White House and Treasury to protect Bay Area nonprofits and startups. He also held a roundtable with impacted organizations, including Sunnyvale Community Services, to push for measures that protect banks and depositors in the future.

Gun violence forum

Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr joined Ro in hosting a major student reform on gun violence forum following the mass school shooting in Parkland Florida. Ro used the momentum surrounding the event to call for the passage of serious gun legislation in Congress – pushing for a vote on background checks, on banning high capacity magazines, and on banning AR-15's.

First African-American Jobs fair

Ro partnered with San Jose State University and a dozen Silicon Valley tech companies to host the first African-American Jobs fair for SJSU students to connect with employers. This was part of Ro’s national jobs creation program that has resulted in thousands of good jobs for young people at leading companies like Google, Microsoft and Zoom and aims to help close the racial wealth gap.

Leadership on baby formula shortage

During the national baby formula shortage, Ro called on President Biden to buy baby formula from Europe for the U.S. market and increase production. He also hosted a roundtable conversation with Santa Clara County parents and caregivers searching for out-of-stock baby formula.

Addressed violence and discrimination against the AAPI community

As the representative of the only Asian American majority district in the U.S., Ro worked to combat AAPI hate and violence. After the shootings in Half Moon Bay and Monterey Park, he emphasized the need for open conversations on addressing violence and providing mental health support.

Fought inflation in the Bay Area

Inflation hit the Bay Area hard and Ro assembled government leaders, store owners and community members to discuss inflation and outline policy solutions. We need an all-out mobilization that includes capping oil company profits and having the government buy food and sell it at lower prices directly to Americans.

Preserved California mobile home parks

Ro introduced a housing tenant bill of rights to protect mobile park residents in Sunnyvale from greedy owners and keep communities affordable. The rent increases tenants were being slapped with were outrageous and predatory.

Held a hearing on preventing California wildfires

As chair of the House Oversight Subcommittee on the Environment, Ro brought in experts to address California’s wildfires. He highlighted how the U.S. Forest Service’s clear-cutting policy is worsening fires, costing lives due to outdated policies.

Called for a ban on leaded aviation fuel

Ro fought to ban leaded aviation fuel for public health, and succeeded. As of last August, planes using leaded fuel can no longer refuel at Reid-Hillview Airport, protecting kids from lead poisoning.

National Science Foundation Roundtable

As the co-author of the CHIPS and Science Act, Ro worked with the director of the U.S. National Science Foundation to act on our generational opportunity to invest in American manufacturing, research, and development.

Led the California delegation at the Democratic National Convention

As chair of the party’s largest state delegation, Ro advocated for single-payer national healthcare. He accepted the position while co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign to make sure progressive policies were heard and taken seriously.

New Semiconductor R&D Center in Sunnyvale

Ro co-authored the CHIPS and Science Act, which is funding a new research and development center in Sunnyvale, CA. This center will create over 200 jobs and help secure the United States' leadership in advanced semiconductor technology.