Former Congress Member Katie Porter Shares Insights at Solomon Center Event

This semester, while Katie Porter teaches the course “Legislation” as a professor at U.C. Irvine Law School, she offers her students a unique perspective on the subject matter: her recent experience as a U.S. Representative. In January 2025, Porter resumed teaching law after six years in Congress, during which she drafted bills, served on congressional committees, and advocated for consumer protection, affordable health care, and equity in organ transplantation.

On Feb. 6, the Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy hosted Porter for a conversation on health care, consumer advocacy, and working families. The standing-room only event was moderated by Abbe R. Gluck ’00, Alfred M. Rankin Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Solomon Center. 

Porter began the discussion by noting that she drew on her experience as a law professor during her time in Congress. 

“One of the things that Congress is short on — across ideological lines — is ideas,” she said. 

As a law professor whose work is to develop ideas, Porter explained that she found it helpful to use this skill while serving as a U.S. representative.

The idea she is most proud of is making Covid-19 testing free to all Americans — an idea she was able to translate, during a congressional hearing, into a commitment from then-CDC Director that the U.S. government would provide Covid-19 tests at no cost. Porter believes that this initiative has saved lives.

According to Porter, although health is fundamental to our society and economy, Congress is not doing enough to improve people’s health. If the goal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was to increase insurance coverage, Porter said, then the ACA was a great success. But Porter said she has always believed that the ACA’s goal is to improve individuals’ health — and on this point the ACA has yet to live to its promise, she added. 

During her time in Congress, Porter has become famous for using a whiteboard during Congressional hearings. Porter shared that the idea behind using the whiteboard came from the question: Who is the audience of Congressional hearings? The answer, according to Porter, is not only the people who attend such hearings, but the American people more generally. 

“Americans saw me trying to hold powerful people into account,” she explained, adding that such attempts promote our democracy.

One of Porter’s concerns now is the diminishing role of expertise in the work of the federal government. It will be hard to restore the idea of expertise and bring back experts to work for the federal government, she said, given that the federal government has already had competition from the private sector and state governments in recruiting and retaining experts. At the same time, Porter noted, we should not let go of the idea that the government should be efficient. 

The talk concluded with a Q&A audience session, including questions about the growing role of private equity in health care. 

The event was co-sponsored by the Yale Health Law and Policy Society.