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Hill Policy
CA · DISTRICT 16

Sam T. Liccardo

DemocratCaliforniaCurrently serving

Sworn in for the 119th Congress on Source ↗

What they said 43

Their stated policy positions and commitments, with quotes and links to the original sources.

Campaign position · Original date not established

Allow provisional voucher approval while inspections are delayed

AI-assisted summary

Liccardo supports requiring provisional approval for a housing unit when a federal inspection is still pending and delays exceed a couple of weeks. He says this could encourage landlords to accept housing vouchers by preventing units from sitting vacant while they wait for inspection or approval.

Context: The proposal addresses delays exceeding a couple of weeks; the source does not specify how provisional approval would work or what conditions it would require.

Campaign position · Original date not established

Fund a teacher tax credit by reducing the estate-tax exemption

AI-assisted summary

Liccardo proposes rolling back the large estate-tax exemption created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to help pay for a federal teacher tax credit. He argues that the exemption benefits a very small share of the wealthiest taxpayers and suggests returning it to pre-2017 levels. He presents this as one possible way to fund the credit without increasing the overall tax burden on U.S. taxpayers.

Context: The estate-tax rollback is offered as one funding option; the passage does not establish that it would be enacted or dedicate its revenue through a specific bill.

Sources & original wording
By rolling that exemption back to pre-2017 levels
Original date
Original statement date has not been established. The capture date is not the statement date.
Collected
11/12/2026
Campaign position · Original date not established

Create a tax credit for employers that partner with community colleges

AI-assisted summary

Liccardo proposes a tax credit for employers that work with community colleges to identify the skills and curriculum needed for a career path and invest in training resources such as staff, laboratories, or facilities. Employers could qualify for the credit by hiring graduates of the program; Congress could also require a minimum employer investment. The proposal aims to align training with employers’ needs while helping community colleges prepare more students for those jobs.

Context: The passage leaves open whether the credit would depend on hiring students, a minimum investment, or both.

Sources & original wording
I would propose a program that incentivizes employers
Original date
Original statement date has not been established. The capture date is not the statement date.
Collected
11/12/2026
Campaign position · Original date not established

Tie federal higher-education funding to cost and access reforms

AI-assisted summary

Liccardo proposes using conditions on federal postsecondary funding to encourage colleges and universities to reduce costs and broaden access, without federal control over their teaching or governance. Possible reforms include using free, high-quality textbooks and three-year degree programs. He also suggests that AI-enabled learning software could help students progress at an individualized pace, as a supplement to classroom instruction.

Context: The listed reforms are examples of changes Congress could incentivize through federal grants, not requirements he describes as already enacted.

Sources & original wording
Conditions on federal grants can spur these innovations and others
Original date
Original statement date has not been established. The capture date is not the statement date.
Collected
11/12/2026
Campaign position · Original date not established

Use federal education funding to support tutoring for high-need students

AI-assisted summary

Liccardo proposes using existing federal programs to help schools continue tutoring for students who need academic support, especially children from low-income families. Congress could condition Hawkins Fund grants on using college students trained at historically Black colleges and other diverse universities as tutors, and could encourage teacher apprenticeships to include small-group tutoring instead of static observation. He also suggests allowing more federal work-study students to tutor nearby high-need children.

Context: The passage offers options for redirecting or conditioning existing funding; it does not specify a new funding amount or require districts to adopt them.

Sources & original wording
Congress could, for example, include conditions that would incentivize districts
Original date
Original statement date has not been established. The capture date is not the statement date.
Collected
11/12/2026
Campaign position · Original date not established

Restore federal special-education funding to the promised 40% share

AI-assisted summary

Liccardo supports increasing federal funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act toward the 40% share of special-education costs Congress originally authorized. He cites the IDEA Full Funding Act of 2023 as a bipartisan proposal that would raise funding to that level over 10 years. He also proposes revising the funding formula to address disparities that leave students in higher-poverty, higher-need states with less federal support.

Context: The 10-year funding ramp is part of the named bill; the passage also describes changing the formula as a separate possible action.

Sources & original wording
One bipartisan (but admittedly overwhelmingly Democratic) proposal, the IDEA Full Funding Act of 2023
Original date
Original statement date has not been established. The capture date is not the statement date.
Collected
11/12/2026
Campaign position · Original date not established

Create a refundable federal tax credit for teachers in high-need schools

AI-assisted summary

Liccardo proposes a federal refundable tax credit to attract and retain teachers in schools serving high-poverty communities, especially where high living costs make it difficult to recruit staff. His example would provide a $12,000 credit at schools where at least 75% of students receive free or reduced-price lunch, then reduce the credit by $500 for each percentage point below that threshold. He suggests requiring school districts to prevent the credit from being used to cut teachers’ wages.

Context: The $12,000 amount, eligibility threshold, phaseout, and wage-protection rule are presented as possible design features, not final terms.

Sources & original wording
A $12,000 tax credit could meaningfully attract and retain teachers
Original date
Original statement date has not been established. The capture date is not the statement date.
Collected
11/12/2026
Campaign position · Original date not established

Improve government processes to speed decisions

AI-assisted summary

Liccardo supports promoting innovation within government to disrupt bureaucratic processes and expedite decision-making. The agenda presents faster, less sclerotic government processes as part of supporting innovation.

Context: Original statement date not established. Source collected on November 12, 2026.

Campaign position · Original date not established

Increase openness to ideas, people, and markets

AI-assisted summary

Liccardo calls for a renewed federal focus on openness to ideas, people, and markets, contrasting it with the Trump administration’s approach. He connects this openness to U.S. innovation and global competitiveness.

Context: Original statement date not established. Source collected on November 12, 2026.

Campaign position · Original date not established

Create predictable and uniform regulation

AI-assisted summary

Liccardo supports a regulatory environment that gives businesses greater predictability and uniformity. He presents this as part of an approach to strengthen innovation and U.S. competitiveness.

Context: Original statement date not established. Source collected on November 12, 2026.