Rep. Derek Tran Caught ‘Cashing In’ On A Bill He Voted Against

Rep. Derek Tran (D-CA-45) is taking credit for local Orange County earmarks after voting against the final bill that funded them.

The Los Angeles Times credited Tran for helping secure $2 million for a new Fountain Valley fire station, but Tran voted NAY on the House’s final vote for the FY26 Transportation-HUD appropriations bill, which included that funding.

It’s part of a broader pattern. Tran has taken credit,  including with staged photo-ops and oversized fake checks, for six of the seven other local earmarks included in the same final Transportation-HUD bill he opposed:

• Tran took credit for an $850,000 earmark for public safety infrastructure in La Palma;
• Tran took credit for a $250,000 earmark for the Orange County Housing Finance Trust;
• Tran took credit for $1,000,000 for Westminster Community Service and Senior Center Building Renovations;

Thrilled to bring $1 million back for infrastructure upgrades to the Westminster Community Services and Senior Center. Together, our community is making this center safer and more accessible for all of our neighbors. pic.twitter.com/p7DPFzglHW

— Rep. Derek Tran (@RepDerekTranCA) April 3, 2026

• Tran took credit for a $850,000 earmark for the Buena Park Library District;
• Tran took credit for a $250,000 earmark for Old Town Placentia infrastructure improvement;
• Tran took credit for $500,000 the Orange County Mosquito Vector Control District.

“I’m so proud to secure a $250,000 investment in the infrastructure that Old Town Placentia’s vibrant small business community relies on every day,” said Representative Tran,” his House website reports.

The mosquito funding is especially notable: in May 2026, mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus were reportedly found in Orange County. Tran still voted against the final bill containing the money, then took credit anyway.

While this is a fairly common political practice – members of Congress request “earmarks” for their districts, then highlight the wins locally while many times voting against the omnibus or appropriations bills containing them – Derek Tran has perfected the hypocrisy.

Tran’s PR office frames these as him “delivering,” “securing,” or “fighting for” the funds.

“I’m proud to deliver $850,000 in federal funding to the City of La Palma,” Tran said in a photo with police. “Hard-working families deserve to see their tax dollars reinvested directly into their communities.”

Tran has voted against several appropriations or continuing resolutions, often citing policy objections – lack of ICE, CBP oversight or reforms, energy costs, health care impacts, or partisan riders:

• Voted against aspects of H.R. 7148 (Consolidated Appropriations Act elements, including DHS funding without reforms).
• Opposed Energy & Water appropriations (H.R. 4553) over costs/renewables.

This is the kind of Washington hypocrisy voters hate: vote no, grab the giant check, smile for the cameras, and hope nobody checks the roll call.

“Out of touch Derek Tran is the worst kind of fraud: he votes against Orange County, then shows up with a giant fake check to steal credit for the funding he opposed,” said NRCC Spokesman Christian Martinez. “Tran isn’t delivering for families, first responders, or seniors, he’s delivering staged photo-ops for himself.”

Oh, Rep. Derek Tran is the guy who beat former Rep. Michelle Steel in 2024 by just 653 votes. He trailed by over 11,000 votes on election night before the mail ballots counted over the following two weeks handed him the win.