Frederica Wilson

Wilson's voting attendance record represents a documented and consistent pattern of elevated absences across her entire 16-year congressional career. ProPublica's congressional tracking data showed a 5.9% missed vote rate during the 113th Congress (2013-2015) — nearly triple the Florida delegation average at the time. This pattern continued across the 116th, 117th, and 118th Congresses, with GovTrack's career data confirming 842 total missed votes out of 9,008 roll calls from 2011 through early 2026 — a 9.3% career absence rate compared to the 2.1% median among current representatives, the highest missed vote rate in Florida's entire congressional delegation. The 119th Congress marked a dramatic escalation. Wilson has been absent for all House votes since after April 17, 2026, missing over 40 consecutive votes in under a month — including major votes like extending FISA surveillance authorities. Between April 20 and May 20, 2026, Wilson missed 57 of 57 roll call votes — a 100% absence rate. She last voted on May 21, 2026. Her office cited left eye surgery as the reason. During her absence, Wilson's social media team reused photographs of her from an October 2025 event, creating the impression she was still actively meeting constituents — an incident flagged publicly by Capitol Hill correspondent Jamie Dupree. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries confirmed the medical procedure and expected her return. On May 29, 2026 — the same day this entry was last updated — Wilson officially announced her retirement, with retirement rumors having circulated after she missed dozens of votes in recent months. The voting attendance panel on her CivicLedger profile showing 77% attendance reflects 119th Congress data prior to the extended April-May 2026 absence period — her actual final attendance rate will be lower once the full 119th Congress record is tabulated.

Wilson introduced H.R. 6213 — the No Cost for COVID-19 Testing Act — on March 11, 2020, to eliminate cost-sharing barriers for COVID-19 testing across all health insurance plans including individual, group, ERISA, and grandfathered plans. The bill would have created a uniform federally required standard requiring all commercial payers to cover the full cost of testing without patient cost-sharing — including copays, coinsurance, and deductibles. While H.R. 6213 did not advance as standalone legislation, its core provisions were incorporated into the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which passed the House and was signed into law in March 2020 — codifying the promise that insurers cover COVID-19 testing at no cost to patients and filling potential gaps in coverage for people in self-insured plans. The law represented the first federally mandated free testing requirement during the pandemic. Wilson's specific bill language became federal law through the larger package — a documented legislative outcome that fulfills the substantive policy commitment she championed.

On April 14, 2014, Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls from their dormitory in Chibok, Nigeria. Wilson — a former school principal — immediately launched what became a 12-year documented congressional campaign for their return. She introduced H.Res. 573, a bipartisan resolution condemning the abduction, which passed unanimously through the House Foreign Affairs Committee before passing the full House. She introduced a second resolution and authored legislation directing a regional strategy to defeat Boko Haram and provide humanitarian assistance to victims. She participated in two fact-finding missions to Nigeria, meeting victims and their families firsthand. She created "Wear Something Red Wednesdays" — a weekly congressional dress code she strictly enforced to maintain media attention — and launched a daily international Twitter campaign using #BringBackOurGirls. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi publicly commended Wilson's persistent determination, stating: "You are the one who has brought us together over and over again. On a regular and almost daily basis, the girls are remembered in the Congress of the United States under the leadership of a very special person, Frederica Wilson — a persistent, impatient, dissatisfied, relentless advocate for their release." Wilson also successfully helped relocate several escaped Chibok girls to the United States to continue their educations. At the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 47th Annual Legislative Conference, Wilson reaffirmed: "We will fight until every single girl is released." Of the original 276 abducted, 57 escaped in the immediate aftermath and negotiations led to the release of 106 more. As of May 29, 2026 — the day Wilson announced her retirement — 113 girls remain missing. Her 12-year advocacy is among the most sustained human rights campaigns ever conducted from a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The promise to not rest until the girls are home remains unfulfilled through no failure of effort on her part — blocked by the complexity of international terrorism, Nigerian government limitations, and Boko Haram's continued resistance to negotiations.

Wilson has maintained a consistent decade-long legislative record on voting rights. She cosponsored H.R. 1 — the For the People Act — when it passed the House in 2021 with provisions expanding voting access and reducing barriers. She introduced the Vote from Home America Act (H.R.7118) to send absentee ballots to every registered voter. She cosponsored the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025, which amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to provide greater oversight for jurisdictions with histories of voting rights violations. On April 1, 2026, she condemned President Trump's executive order restricting mail-in voting, calling it "a blatant attack on the right to vote and a dangerous abuse of power." She boycotted the 2026 State of the Union address citing concerns the administration does not represent all communities. As a minority member, none of her voting rights legislation has passed the Republican-controlled House, warranting Block status rather than Partial.

Wilson was elected Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment in January 2025 — the senior Democrat overseeing federal water and environmental policy, with jurisdiction over the Clean Water Act, Army Corps of Engineers, EPA, Superfund, and water infrastructure. She co-sponsored H.Res. 950 commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, and introduced the Water Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2025 (H.R. 5868) and the Tribal Water Infrastructure Grants Expansion Act (H.R. 5869). In November 2025, she issued a joint statement with House Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Rick Larsen opposing the Trump administration's proposed rulemaking to weaken Clean Water Act protections. When the "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention center was constructed inside the Florida Everglades in violation of environmental law, Wilson publicly opposed it — calling it "cruel, careless, and destructive from the start." On August 21, 2025, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued a preliminary injunction ordering the facility to shut down within 60 days, upholding the environmental challenge Wilson had championed.

Wilson secured $850,000 in FY2024 Congressional Appropriations for the Carrie Meek Aviation Workforce Innovation Center at Miami-Opa-locka Executive Airport — a state-of-the-art upskilling facility serving residents of Opa-Locka, Liberty City, Miami Gardens, and Hialeah who are low-income or experiencing unemployment or underemployment. The center is developed in collaboration with Experience Aviation, led by renowned pilot Barrington Irving, whose technical training school prepares students for careers in aviation and STEM-related fields. The facility includes labs for sheet metal, 3D printing, CNC machining, advanced manufacturing, electrical systems, precision measuring, green technologies, composite materials, and other technical skills — directly connecting North Dade residents to the surging economic development corridor near Miami-Opa-Locka Executive Airport. Wilson also voted to pass H.R. 7309, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022, which invested in national workforce development programs to help fill job openings in District 24 with qualified workers. She previously chaired and served as Ranking Member of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee, leading hearings on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. In March 2026, she introduced the Transit Workforce Center Act (H.R. 8068) directing the Secretary of Transportation to establish a national transit workforce development center. Wilson also introduced the American Teacher Act to set a $60,000 minimum teacher salary — connecting workforce development to the education pipeline that feeds it.

The Glorieta Gardens Apartments in Opa-Locka — a federally funded HUD complex — became one of the most documented housing accountability cases in South Florida history, with Wilson at the center of the fight. The Miami Times first reported the story in September 2023, documenting mold, sewage backup, rat and snake infestations, and raw sewage overflowing children's play areas at the complex. Wilson organized a media tour of the property on January 8, 2024, bringing HUD Regional Administrator Jennifer Riley Collins and other elected officials to personally inspect the condemned units firsthand. After witnessing the conditions Wilson said: "I've traveled the world, I have been to Soweto South Africa, the Philippines, where the poorest of the poorest live and you can enter their homes without passing out." During the inspection Wilson directly challenged landlords: "People are defecating in garbage bags, tying it up and putting in the garbage" — and challenged others to spend one night in Glorieta Gardens. HUD Regional Administrator Collins vowed to take action, stating: "HUD is committed to ensuring that tenants live in safe spaces that are up to industry standards." Miami-Dade County subsequently filed a lawsuit against Glorieta Partners, Kenneth Weiss, and three other companies managing the property after they failed to address sanitation issues discovered during inspections. HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge issued a public statement on the conditions, confirming federal accountability pressure had been applied. One building was condemned, with residents relocated to hotels and extended-stay facilities while repairs were mandated. Wilson also co-introduced the FEMA Caseworker Accountability Act to address broader federal housing accountability gaps. Her consistent use of her seat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to push for housing accountability throughout her tenure demonstrates this promise extended well beyond a single intervention.

As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee serving FL-24 since 2011, Wilson secured some of the largest federal infrastructure investments in South Florida history. In October 2024, the Federal Transit Administration — alongside Wilson — announced $389,474,434 in federal funding advancing the Miami-Dade County Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project into the Engineering phase of the Capital Investment Grants program. The total project is valued at $927.3 million, with the FTA providing $389.4 million, Miami-Dade County contributing $337.9 million, and the State of Florida committing $200 million. The Northeast Corridor runs directly through Wilson's district — connecting Little Haiti, North Miami, and Aventura — and represents the first segment of the 85-mile Coastal Link corridor that will ultimately connect Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Wilson had previously requested $454 million from the federal government for this project — demonstrating years of sustained advocacy before the funding was secured. In July 2024, Wilson secured $100,547,040 to replace 11 of the Venetian Causeway Bridges — funding awarded by the Federal Highway Administration after her relentless advocacy to improve and replace these aging bridges, which she noted required updates to meet modern design and safety standards and were critical evacuation routes during natural disasters. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava credited Wilson directly: "We are extremely grateful to Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and our Congressional Delegation for making it happen. This project is crucial to improve mobility to and from the beach on a vital roadway for residents who live and work there and for millions of tourists who visit our County." Wilson was also one of five original cosponsors of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — the legislative vehicle that funded both the Venetian Causeway replacement and the Northeast Corridor advancement. Additional investments secured during her tenure include $60 million for the Overtown Revitalization and $850,000 for the Carrie Meek Aviation Workforce Innovation Center. In March 2026 she introduced the Transit Workforce Center Act (H.R. 8068) to establish a national transit workforce development center — connecting infrastructure investment to workforce pipeline development. Across her 16-year tenure, Wilson's district received over $3.1 billion in grants, contracts, and other federal assistance.

Wilson has maintained a consistent and documented legislative record defending Medicaid and ACA coverage throughout her congressional tenure — and her final term proved to be her most consequential fight. She co-sponsored the Medicare for All bill, consistently opposed Republican efforts to cut Medicaid, and voted against every Republican attempt to repeal or weaken the Affordable Care Act across multiple Congresses. When the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1) came to the House floor on May 22, 2025, Wilson voted NO — one of 214 House members opposing the bill, which passed 215-214 on a razor-thin margin. The law, signed by President Trump on July 4, 2025, imposed Medicaid work reporting requirements, allowed the ACA's enhanced premium tax credits to expire at the end of 2025, and halted reforms protecting low-income Medicare enrollees from high health care costs. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected the bill's health provisions would increase the number of uninsured Americans by 10 million by 2034 — with an additional 4.2 million losing coverage due to the expiration of ACA enhanced premium tax credits. Wilson publicly called the law the "Big Ugly Law" and wrote a Miami Herald op-ed detailing its specific impact on Miami-Dade — home to over 1 million ACA enrollees — documenting that Medicaid cuts would take effect in 2027, enhanced premium tax credits would expire, and 253,000 Floridians would lose SNAP benefits. She hosted a tele-town hall drawing over 60,000 listeners on the bill's impacts across FL-24. She also hosted a policy briefing on Florida's property insurance crisis in June 2025, connecting the healthcare and housing cost crises facing her constituents. Despite her documented opposition and sustained constituent advocacy, the bill passed and was signed into law — blocked by the Republican House majority on a one-vote margin. Wilson did everything a minority member could do. The promise to protect Medicaid and ACA coverage was blocked by the narrowest possible margin in the Republican-controlled House.

Wilson introduced H.R. 1636 — the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act — in the spring of 2019, building on similar legislation she and Senator Marco Rubio had championed together in the Florida state legislature. The bill attracted nearly 200 bipartisan cosponsors before passing the House overwhelmingly on July 27, 2020, and the Senate unanimously on June 25, 2020. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on August 14, 2020 — making it, as Wilson described it, "the most important piece of civil rights legislation that Congress has passed since the Voting Rights Act" and "the first bill passed in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd." The law established a permanent, 19-member bipartisan commission within the United States Commission on Civil Rights, with members including congressional lawmakers, executive branch appointees, issue experts, activists, and other stakeholders charged with examining social disparities affecting Black men and boys in America and issuing policy recommendations to Congress, the White House, and federal agencies. Wilson was named Chair of the Commission and has actively led it throughout her tenure. At the Commission's first meeting in November 2021, Wilson announced plans to conduct visits to federal prisons to visit inmates on death row and to partner with the NFL to address policing of Black youth. The Commission has since expanded its scope significantly — in May 2024 Wilson hosted a briefing titled "Mayday: Suicide and the Mental Health of Black Men and Boys" during Mental Health Awareness Month, and in July 2024 she and Reverend Al Sharpton hosted a field hearing in Harlem at the National Action Network on suicide and mental health of Black men and boys with top mental health leaders, celebrities, and other members of Congress. Ahead of Father's Day 2024, Wilson led a series of initiatives to dispel the myth of the absent Black father — uplifting Black fathers through the Commission platform. Wilson also founded and co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, which crafts legislation to implement the Commission's policy recommendations. Wilson cited her 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project — founded in 1993 — as the direct inspiration for the Commission, connecting three decades of local mentorship work to a permanent federal accountability structure.

Securing federal investment for FL-24 was the defining operational commitment of Wilson's 16-year congressional career — and the documented record is extraordinary. During her tenure, FL-24 received over $3.1 billion in grants, contracts, and other federal assistance — a figure independently cited across multiple official sources. Wilson was a founding member of the Florida Ports Caucus, a bipartisan coalition she created to pass the Water Resources Reform and Development Act — stalled for 12 years before passing in 2014. As a result, her district was awarded billions in capital funding for major projects including the PortMiami Tunnel, which created thousands of jobs. Specific documented investments across her tenure include: a $1 million Department of Justice grant in 2014 to combat crime in Miami-Dade's highest crime area — the Northside District; $35 million in FY2023 community project funding including $4 million each to Miami Parks and Recreation, Boys & Girls Club of Miami-Dade, and the Thelma Gibson Health Initiative, plus $3.4 million for remediation of the 127th Street Canal in Opa-Locka; $16,005,279 in FY2024 community project funding covering 15 projects including $4.1 million for the West Coconut Grove Multipurpose Community Center and $1.05 million for youth centers; $389.4 million for the Miami-Dade Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project; $100.5 million to replace 11 Venetian Causeway Bridges; $850,000 for the Carrie Meek Aviation Workforce Innovation Center; $60 million for Overtown Revitalization; $3 million for Washington Park in North Miami Beach; $750,000 for drainage improvement to mitigate flooding; and $500,000 for the "I Am Me" Arts-Based Youth Mental Health Initiative at the Adrienne Arsht Center. In November 2024, Wilson also announced that Florida would receive $1,164,947,415 from the Biden-Harris administration to expand high-speed internet access through the BEAD program — funding secured under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of which Wilson was one of five original cosponsors. Across 16 years Wilson delivered documented federal investment in virtually every sector of FL-24 — transportation, housing, education, health care, public safety, parks, emergency preparedness, and broadband — fulfilling her core promise to fight for every federal dollar the district deserves.

In March 1993, while serving on the Miami-Dade County School Board, Wilson founded the 500 African American Male Role Models of Excellence after noticing a pattern of young minority boys being incarcerated, entering the drug trade, or dropping out of school. Not willing to allow society and poverty to destroy the lives of these children, she challenged the men of Miami-Dade County to intervene in the lives of at-risk youth. The program grew from 500 to 5,000 role models and now serves over 100 schools in Miami-Dade County from elementary through high school with more than 30 program components teaching young men healthy living, responsibility, and respect. An independent evaluation by QQ Research Consultants found that 96% of students were promoted to the next grade level or graduated, and 95% decreased or maintained their number of suspensions. Thousands of program participants have gone on to earn college degrees and become productive members of society as doctors, lawyers, educators, entrepreneurs, and elected officials. Thirty years after its founding, the 5000 Role Models family counts mayors, professional athletes, and entrepreneurs within its ranks. When President Obama launched the My Brother's Keeper Initiative in 2014, he specifically highlighted Wilson and the 5000 Role Models as a national model — Wilson was named a founding member of the My Brother's Keeper Alliance Advisory Board. The program has since expanded beyond Florida into Louisiana, Alabama, California, and Duval County, Florida. In 2025, Wilson secured $5.25 million in federal funding — $4 million for Miami-Dade County Public Schools and $1.25 million for Broward County Public Schools — supporting 257 high-need schools serving more than 170,000 students. State Senator Shevrin Jones, who announced his candidacy for Wilson's congressional seat on May 29, 2026, credited her directly — saying he first got to know her as his principal at Skyway Elementary and as part of the first Role Models program. On her retirement day, colleagues noted that her work with the organization "will continue long after any elected office or title."