Every December, we are flooded with year-in-review lists. This is ours…
Rep. Jimmy Panetta is often praised as “bipartisan.” In normal times, that might be a virtue. These are not normal times. With democracy, civil liberties, and fundamental human rights under sustained attack, “crossing the aisle” can also mean legitimizing a party that is actively undermining them.
In November 2024, Panetta voted YES with the GOP on H.R. 9495, the so-called “nonprofit killer” bill. Civil liberties advocates and local Democrats sounded the alarm. That vote prompted many of us to watch his 2025 record much more closely.
Panetta represents a solidly blue district. We believe that comes with a responsibility to lead the fight for democracy and justice, not to drift toward Republican positions on issues like D.C. home rule, civil rights, and international accountability. At the same time, we want to give credit when he backs climate action, consumer protections, and immigrant rights.
This is PG Progressives’ 2025 Panetta Wrap-Up, a look at the best and worst votes he took this year, plus one glaring issue where we are still waiting for leadership.
How We Chose These Votes
This Wrap-Up looks at 2025 votes where Panetta’s position reveals something meaningful about his priorities and values. We focused on:
Votes where he sided with Republicans against core progressive principles
Votes where he stood with Democrats to defend climate, workers, and civil and immigrant rights
Moments where he didn’t take a clear public step, when silence or a lack of follow-through can be as revealing as any vote
This isn’t a full scorecard. Think of it as a highlight reel and, in a few cases, a lowlight reel.
Top 5 “Best” Votes: When Panetta Did the Right Thing
1. Seal of Approval
H.J.Res. 35 – Disapproving the EPA methane “waste emissions charge” rule
Date: February 26, 2025
Vote: NO (with Democrats)
Republicans tried to overturn a key EPA methane fee on oil and gas polluters using the Congressional Review Act. Panetta voted NO and joined Democrats in defending this climate protection instead of siding with a fossil fuel rollback.
From a climate and public-health perspective, this was a necessary baseline vote, and we are glad he got it right.
2. Green Thumbs-Up
H.R. 776 – Nutria Eradication and Control Reauthorization Act of 2025
Date: February 5, 2025
Vote: YES (bipartisan)
Nutria are invasive rodents that destroy marshes and wetlands. This bill supported removing nutria and restoring fragile ecosystems that protect coasts and wildlife.
It is not a transformative vote, but it is a solid environmental “yes” that helps protect local ecosystems and climate resilience.
3. Sea Star Shout-Out
H.R. 1402 – TICKET Act (Transparency in ticket pricing)
Date: April 29, 2025
Vote: YES (bipartisan)
The TICKET Act requires up-front pricing and restricts deceptive junk fees in event ticket sales. Panetta voted YES, joining a bipartisan majority on the side of regular people instead of corporate fine print.
Consumer protection should not be controversial, and this is the kind of straightforward, pro-consumer vote we expect and appreciate.
4. Seashell of Solidarity
H.R. 2056 – District of Columbia Federal Immigration Compliance Act
Date: June 12, 2025
Vote: NO (with Democrats)
This bill pushed D.C. toward greater cooperation with immigration enforcement and pressured the city to align more closely with ICE. It undercut local control over how communities handle immigration.
Panetta voted NO, aligning with immigrant-rights advocates and defenders of D.C. home rule. In a year when he repeatedly undercut D.C.’s autonomy in other contexts, this stands out as one of the few clear “good” votes on that front.
5. Just Coasting (But OK)
Motion to table H.Res. 713 – Censure of Rep. Ilhan Omar
Date: September 17, 2025
Vote: YES on motion to table (with Democrats)
Republicans brought forward another bad-faith censure of Rep. Ilhan Omar. Democrats moved to table (kill) the resolution. Panetta voted YES to table it.
This was the correct vote, and frankly, the bare minimum we expect from a safe blue Democrat. It does not make him a champion, but it keeps him off the wrong side of a weaponized culture-war stunt.
Top 5 “Worst” Votes: Riptides and Rogue Waves
1. Fry-Jacked – D.C. Home Rule and Criminalization Cluster
Five votes overriding D.C. law
Dates: June 10 – November 19, 2025
Votes: YES on all five bills (with the GOP)
Throughout 2025, Panetta voted YES on five separate GOP bills that interfered with D.C.’s local democracy and deepened carceral policy:
H.R. 884 – Noncitizen Voting Ban in D.C. (June 10)
H.R. 2096 – “Protecting Our Nation’s Capital” police rollback (June 10)
H.R. 4922 – DC CRIMES Act of 2025 (September 16)
H.R. 5107 – CLEAN DC Act of 2025 (November 19)
H.R. 5214 – D.C. Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025 (November 19)
Each bill overrode laws passed by D.C. residents and their elected council. Taken together, they clamp down on voting rights, increase criminalization, and make it harder for Black and Brown residents to escape a harsher policing and bail system.
For a Democrat in a solidly blue district to repeatedly join Republicans in undermining self-governance and expanding the carceral state is, in our view, one of Panetta’s most disturbing patterns of 2025.
2. Red Tide – Cold War Messaging on “Socialism”
H.Con.Res. 58 – Denouncing the horrors of socialism
Date: November 21, 2025
Vote: YES (with GOP)
This resolution is a symbolic message that denounces the “horrors of socialism.” Panetta voted YES with Republicans.
Resolutions like this are used to stigmatize not only authoritarian regimes but also mainstream left economic ideas, including policies such as Medicare for All, public housing, and stronger social safety nets that many voters in this district support.
In a year of rising inequality and entrenched corporate power, signing onto Republican Cold War rhetoric sends precisely the wrong signal.
3. Lost at Sea – Sanctioning the International Criminal Court
H.R. 23 – Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act
Date: January 9, 2025
Vote: YES (with GOP)
This bill targets the International Criminal Court (ICC) by sanctioning ICC officials who investigate U.S. or allied personnel for alleged war crimes.
Panetta’s YES vote aligns him with those who want to shield powerful governments from accountability. For a district that cares about human rights and international law, this is a serious misstep and places him on the wrong side of global justice.
4. Stinky Sardine – Doubling Down on Great-Power Bloc Politics
H.R. 1263 – Strengthening the Quad Act
Date: May 19, 2025
Vote: YES (bipartisan)
The Quad (United States, Japan, India, Australia) is a strategic alliance increasingly framed as a counterweight to China. This bill strengthens that framework and further embeds great-power competition.
Panetta’s YES vote here is not as egregious as his D.C. or ICC votes. However, it still reinforces a militarized, bloc-based approach to foreign policy instead of emphasizing de-escalation, diplomacy, and a more just global order. In a world already strained by militarism and nationalism, this is, at best, a “meh” from a progressive perspective.
5. Clammed Up – Palestinian Protection Gap
Track: Missing action on Palestine
Here, the problem is not one terrible vote. It is the absence of a strong stance in defense of Palestinian rights in 2025.
There was no standout 2025 vote from Panetta for a ceasefire, conditioning U.S. aid, or meaningful Palestinian protection.
He is not a cosponsor of H.R. 3565 (Block the Bombs Act), which would limit certain arms transfers to Israel.
He signed a letter criticizing other countries for recognizing a Palestinian state, pushing back against recent international recognition efforts.
Taken together, this shows a member who is willing to sanction the ICC and resist recognition of a Palestinian state, but not willing to lead on ceasefire or human-rights protections.
In a year when people around the world have demanded justice and an end to mass civilian suffering, this silence and these positions speak loudly.
Bonus: Barnacle of Bigotry – Honoring Charlie Kirk
While it did not make the main Top 5 worst list, one more vote deserves mention.
H.Res. 719 – Honoring Charlie Kirk
Date: September 19, 2025
Vote: YES (with GOP)
Charlie Kirk is a far-right agitator whose rhetoric targets LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, and communities of color. By voting to honor him, Panetta helped normalize and legitimize someone whose politics are fundamentally at odds with the safety and dignity of many of his own constituents.
It is an unnecessary and disappointing vote that clings like a barnacle to his 2025 record.
So… What Now?
This Wrap-Up is not about scoring internet points. It is about accountability.
When Panetta votes to defend climate rules, protect consumers, and stand with immigrant communities, we want him, and everyone else, to know we noticed. When he sides with Republicans to undermine D.C. democracy, weaken international accountability, or avoid meaningful action on Palestinian rights, we want him to know we noticed that too.
Voters in a safe blue district deserve a representative who leads on democracy, justice, and human rights, not one who drifts with the GOP on some of the most fundamental questions of our time.
Your Turn
Do you agree with this list?
What do you think were Jimmy Panetta’s best votes in 2025?
Which votes troubled you the most?
What do you want to see from him in 2026?
Let him know, too. You can contact Jimmy Panetta through his official House page:
panetta.house.gov/contact
