Lateefah Simon

Political positions

Simon has positioned herself within the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, supporting policies modeled on European social democracies.

Economic policy

She has advocated in 2025 for a federal jobs guarantee, a national minimum wage of at least $15 per hour, universal health care, expanded union protections, and strengthened safety-net programs such as Medicaid and food assistance. In 2026, she co-introduced the "Living Wage for All Act'", which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $25 per hour and eliminate sub-minimum wages for tipped workers, younger workers and workers with disabilities.

She has opposed budgetary cuts to education, health care and social services while criticizing defense appropriations, pledging to vote against legislation that funds warfare. She has framed tariff policy as a form of “economic sabotage” that burdens households while failing to address structural inequalities.

In Congress, Simon has been critical of U.S. military intervention and funding of foreign conflicts. She has called for reductions in defense spending and a reorientation of federal resources toward domestic welfare, health care, and education.

Environment

Simon has opposed the proposed coal export terminal in West Oakland, saying the project would harm a community already affected by industrial pollution. In the following month, she joined other members of California's congressional delegation in asking the Government Accountability Office to investigate the administration's use of emergency national-defense powers and federal funds to support the terminal and other commercial coal infrastructure.

Housing and public transportation

In 2026, Simon and Representative Sara Jacobs introduced the "Connecting Communities Through Transit Planning Act". This bill aims to make a federal program permanent and expand support for housing near current and future public transit corridors.

Simon also introduced the "RIDER Safety Act". This legislation would allow federal transit grants to pay for transit-support specialists trained in crisis intervention, de-escalation, and customer assistance.

Foreign policy

Military intervention

Following the June 2025 U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Simon criticized President Donald Trump for ordering military action without congressional authorization. She described the strikes as "lawless, dangerous, and immoral" and argued that unilateral presidential military action endangered American troops and civilians.

Israel–Palestine

Simon has been outspoken in her criticism of Israeli military operations in Gaza and U.S. financial and military support for them. She described Israeli actions against Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid as "devastating, deplorable, and unacceptable," and stated that the United States has been complicit in civilian deaths. She has characterized the situation in Gaza as a humanitarian crisis marked by famine and civilian suffering, urging an end to U.S.-backed violence and restrictions on aid delivery.

LGBTQ rights

Simon is a straight ally to the LGBTQ community, and serves as vice chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus. She has worked with Democratic colleagues to defeat anti-trans legislation. She co-sponsored a resolution for a "Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools Initiative" with representative Mark Takano and senator Brian Schatz. In May 2025, she co-signed a letter urging health and human services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to preserve LGBTQ-specific services for youth calling the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.