Grace Meng: Policy Positions
Grace Meng has positioned herself as a mainstream Democrat throughout her congressional tenure, with signature focus areas in anti-hate legislation, menstrual equity, AAPI representation, religious freedom, immigration, and women's and children's issues.
Anti-Asian Hate and Hate Crimes
Meng has made combating anti-Asian hate a defining priority. She authored the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, signed into law in May 2021, which created a Department of Justice position to expedite review of pandemic-related hate crimes, encouraged multilingual reporting of incidents, and directed federal agencies to work with community organizations on awareness . She also led efforts to oppose the reinstatement of the Trump-era China Initiative, arguing that the program effectively profiled Chinese Americans despite its stated counter-espionage purpose . In 2026, she introduced the Community-Based Approaches to Prevent and Address Hate Crimes Act, authorizing DOJ grant funding for community organizations working to prevent and respond to hate crimes .
Menstrual Equity
Meng has been Congress's leading voice on menstrual equity. She introduced the Menstrual Equity for All Act, a comprehensive initiative seeking to expand access to menstrual products in schools, shelters, federal buildings, and for incarcerated individuals while also proposing to eliminate sales tax on period products . She successfully included a provision in the 2020 CARES Act allowing menstrual products to be purchased with health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts . She has repeatedly introduced resolutions recognizing Menstrual Hygiene Day and National Menstrual Health Awareness Month .
Israel and Foreign Policy
Meng is a prominent supporter of Israel within the Democratic caucus. She co-chairs the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism and has led bipartisan letters urging the administration to nominate a Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism . She has supported Nonprofit Security Grant Program funding for houses of worship and has voted for resolutions condemning antisemitism on university campuses . During the 2026 primary, her challenger criticized her for receiving more than $200,000 from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee; Meng acknowledged that many constituents in her district, which has one of the highest Jewish populations in the country, have family in Israel .
Immigration
Meng has taken strong stances against aggressive immigration enforcement. As CAPAC chair, she led letters demanding answers about ICE's treatment of lawful permanent residents and immigrants of Asian descent . She visited the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn in 2026 to meet with detainees held by ICE, including a New York City Council employee . She introduced the Divided Families Reunification Act, a bipartisan bill seeking to help Korean American families reunite with relatives in North Korea, which passed the House in 2021 . She has also championed provisions to roll over unused immigration visas lost due to COVID-19 processing delays . She has advocated for birthright citizenship, leading 216 House and Senate Democrats in filing an amicus brief in Trump v. Barbara in 2026 .
Women's and Children's Issues
Meng has consistently championed legislation affecting women and children, including the Autism Family Caregivers Act, which would provide caregiver skills training for families of children with developmental disabilities . She secured broadband and internet access improvements for students to help close the homework gap . She introduced legislation requiring airports to provide lactation rooms for traveling mothers .
Economy and Small Business
Meng has focused on directing federal resources to Queens small businesses and has used her Appropriations Committee seat to secure community project funding. She secured nearly $18 million for 15 projects throughout Queens in the 2026 fiscal year appropriations . She has navigated Republican scrutiny of diversity-related initiatives on the committee by reframing project descriptions to avoid politically charged terminology .
Health Care
Meng has supported the expansion of telemedicine, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated its utility for remote patient access . She has advocated for protecting Social Security and Medicare and has opposed efforts to close Social Security offices in her district . She joined House Democrats in opposing Republican health care cuts in the 2025 reconciliation process .
Public Safety
Meng has supported federal funding for law enforcement training and community policing programs through her Appropriations subcommittee role. She introduced legislation addressing the use of deadly force by federal law enforcement . She has also pushed for accountability measures for ICE agents, including requirements for body cameras and visible identification .