By: Dr. Avi Verma

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) has released a series of high-profile actions
spanning national security, labor rights, veterans’ health care, trade policy, civil rights, and
human rights, underscoring a broad legislative and oversight agenda during a pivotal period for U.S. domestic and foreign policy.

Bipartisan push to deter CCP aggression toward Taiwan

As Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, Krishnamoorthi joined Chairman John Moolenaar in releasing “Ten More for Taiwan,” a bipartisan report outlining urgent steps to strengthen deterrence against Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aggression toward Taiwan.

The report builds on the Committee’s earlier Ten for Taiwan framework and calls for a whole-of- government approach—combining defense readiness, economic integration, political clarity, and alliance coordination—to prevent conflict in the Taiwan Strait. Recommendations include accelerating security assistance, expanding defense industrial cooperation, deepening U.S.–Taiwan trade and technology ties, strengthening allied military integration along the First Island Chain, and imposing costs on Beijing for its “no-limits” partnership with Russia.

“Taiwan is not—and will not be—a bargaining chip with the Chinese Communist Party,”
Krishnamoorthi said, emphasizing that effective deterrence requires clear political messaging, economic resilience, and a firm commitment to democratic values. Chairman Moolenaar warned that Beijing’s timeline makes near-term action urgent, citing the need to build deterrence before it is too late.

Demanding accountability for alleged intimidation of striking workers

Krishnamoorthi also pressed DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Labor Secretary Lori M.
Chavez-DeRemer for answers regarding federal law enforcement conduct toward striking
workers in Chicago. Citing video footage that appears to show intimidation of workers engaged in lawful strike activity, the Congressman warned that any use—or perceived use—of immigration enforcement during labor disputes undermines constitutional and federal labor protections.

He called for a prompt review by the Department of Labor, coordination with the National Labor Relations Board where appropriate, and a clear accounting of whether any coordination occurred between employers and immigration authorities.

Alarm over proposed VA health care staffing cuts

Raising concerns for veterans nationwide—particularly in Illinois—Krishnamoorthi sent a letter to VA Secretary Douglas A. Collins regarding reports that the Department of Veterans Affairs plans to eliminate up to 35,000 health care positions across the Veterans Health Administration.
He warned that cutting even vacant positions could worsen wait times, disrupt continuity of care, and strain facilities already facing staffing challenges, including Chicago-area VA centers. “The fact that a position is vacant does not mean it is unnecessary,” he wrote, urging the VA to prioritize veterans’ health, safety, and dignity as eligibility expands under the PACT Act.

Resolution to end Trump-era tariffs on India

Alongside Representatives Deborah Ross (D-NC) and Marc Veasey (D-TX), Krishnamoorthi
introduced a resolution to terminate President Donald Trump’s national emergency used to impose tariffs of up to 50 percent on Indian imports. The lawmakers argue the tariffs disrupted supply chains, raised consumer costs, and weakened a critical U.S.–India partnership. Ending the tariffs, Krishnamoorthi said, would help restore congressional authority over trade and allow the two democracies to advance shared economic and security interests.
Condemning hate and defending human rights In Illinois, Krishnamoorthi condemned antisemitic, anti-Indian, and racist graffiti discovered at NYU’s Bern Dibner Library, calling the incident “deeply disturbing” and urging unity against all forms of bigotry.

Internationally, he pressed DHS to grant asylum to Guan Heng, a Chinese whistleblower who documented CCP detention camps targeting Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Warning that deportation could amount to complicity in human rights abuses, Krishnamoorthi urged immediate release and asylum relief, along with transparency on how many China-related human rights cases are currently detained or deported.

Responding to immigration raids and global antisemitism

Krishnamoorthi also criticized renewed deployments of masked federal agents conducting
surprise immigration raids in Chicago-area neighborhoods during the holidays, calling the tactics fear-driven rather than safety-oriented.
Separately, he condemned a deadly antisemitic terrorist attack at a Hanukkah celebration inSydney, Australia, expressing solidarity with Jewish communities worldwide and denouncing the global rise in antisemitic violence.