Gregory Meeks: Legislative Record

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform (2010)

Meeks served as a conferee on the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the landmark financial regulation law enacted in response to the 2008 financial crisis. He co-authored several provisions that remain in the statute, including the requirement that the Federal Reserve conduct periodic stress tests on financial institutions, the creation of the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion at each of the federal financial regulatory agencies, and the mandate that publicly traded companies relying on natural resources report their due diligence efforts to eliminate the use of conflict minerals ².

During the conference committee negotiations, Meeks worked to prevent language on credit card interchange fees from producing unintended consequences that would disproportionately affect low-income consumers .

Flood Insurance Reform (2014)

Meeks worked across party lines with fellow New York Representative Michael Grimm, a Republican, and other members to pass legislation amending federal flood insurance programs. The bill aimed to prevent large premium increases for homeowners in flood-prone areas, a critical issue for residents in his district who were affected by Superstorm Sandy .

Export-Import Bank Reauthorization

Meeks led efforts to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank, the federal agency that supports U.S. exports through financing and loan guarantees. The reauthorization was viewed as an important measure for sustaining American jobs and international competitiveness ⁴.

Corporate Diversity Legislation

Meeks introduced legislation requiring government contractors and publicly traded companies to submit data on the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of their corporate boards and executive staffs. A version of this corporate diversity bill passed Congress with bipartisan support ⁵.

119th Congress (2025-2026) Sponsored Legislation

In the current Congress, Meeks has introduced several significant bills as Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee:

The Ukraine Support Act (H.R. 2913) is the centerpiece of his 119th Congress legislative agenda. Introduced on April 15, 2025, the bill would authorize $8 billion in direct loans to Ukraine, impose mandatory escalating sanctions on Russian financial institutions and energy companies, levy a 500 percent tariff on Russian imports, and establish a Ukraine reconstruction fund. Meeks led a bipartisan discharge petition that gathered all 218 signatures needed to force a floor vote, which was secured in May 2026 ⁶.

The BIS Licensing Efficiency Act of 2026 (H.R. 8289), introduced on April 15, 2026, aims to streamline the Bureau of Industry and Security's export licensing process. It was ordered to be reported by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on a 44-0 bipartisan vote on April 22, 2026 ⁸.

The End Russian Oil Windfalls Act (H.R. 8222), introduced on April 9, 2026, targets Russian energy revenues as part of the broader legislative effort to impose costs on Russia for its war in Ukraine ⁸.

The Habitable Housing Conversion Pilot Program Act of 2026 (H.R. 8854), introduced on May 15, 2026, was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services ⁸.

Meeks also co-authored the Peace Through Strength Against Russia Act of 2025 alongside Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a bipartisan sanctions bill designed to impose economic penalties on Russia with clear conditions for termination only upon a peace agreement accepted by Ukraine .

House Foreign Affairs Committee

Meeks chaired the House Foreign Affairs Committee during the 117th Congress (2021-2023), becoming the first African American member of Congress to hold that position ². During his chairmanship, he oversaw extensive oversight hearings on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling multiple administration officials to testify and issuing a Democratic memorandum countering Republican conclusions about the withdrawal .

He has continued to shape committee business as Ranking Member, participating in markup sessions, introducing privileged resolutions on tariff policy, and leading the Democratic response on issues ranging from Ukraine to Taiwan to Iran ¹².

House Financial Services Committee

As a senior member of the Financial Services Committee, Meeks previously chaired the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions and the Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade ². In the 119th Congress, he secured unanimous passage of the bipartisan Clarity for Compensation Act alongside Republican Representative Zach Nunn during a committee markup ¹³.

Voting Record

Meeks voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100 percent of the time during the 117th Congress, according to an analysis by FiveThirtyEight . His lifetime missed-vote rate of 7.3 percent (1,309 of 17,831 roll call votes missed through June 2026) is significantly higher than the median of 2.1 percent among currently serving representatives, according to GovTrack ¹.

Caucus Memberships

Meeks co-chairs or holds leadership positions in numerous caucuses, including the New Democrat Coalition Trade Task Force, the European Union Caucus, the Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases Caucus, the Global Investment in America Caucus, the Congressional Services Caucus, and country caucuses for Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Kazakhstan, and Peru ⁵. He is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and participates in the Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans .