Meng, Grace

Grace Meng is a Democratic representative from New York's 6th Congressional District in Queens, serving her seventh term in Congress since 2013. As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, she leads the Democratic opposition on a panel that determines federal funding for the Department of Commerce, Justice Department, NASA, the National Science Foundation, and programs advancing civil rights, trade, and technology. This role gives her significant influence over which federal agencies and initiatives receive resources and how taxpayer dollars are allocated. Meng brings substantial expertise to this position as a lawyer who previously worked in the public interest sector and served in the New York State Assembly from 2009 to 2012. She is New York's senior member of the full House Appropriations Committee and also serves on the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee. As Ranking Member, Meng has actively participated in subcommittee hearings and markups, advocating for investments in public safety, education, and scientific research while opposing funding cuts she views as harmful to vulnerable communities and American competitiveness. She is the first Asian American elected to Congress from New York and has passed numerous pieces of bipartisan legislation into law, including the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. Beyond her committee work, Meng chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and serves as co-chair of the House Bipartisan Taskforce for Combatting Antisemitism, reflecting her commitment to civil rights and community advocacy.