Rep. Robert Garcia, an Avid Comic Book Lover, Launches Bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus at Comic-Con

The Congressional Popular Arts Caucus is the first of its kind dedicated to championing and honoring the role of arts in American culture

Democratic Congressman and longtime comic book lover Robert Garcia used Comic-Con — the annual comic book convention and multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego — to launch a bipartisan arts caucus over the weekend.

On Sunday, Rep. Garcia hosted a panel at the convention to serve as a debut for the bipartisan Congressional Popular Arts Caucus, the first-ever caucus dedicated to championing and honoring the role of popular arts in American culture.

The launch event featured a conversation between Garcia and Megan Halsband of the Library of Congress comics collection, writer and creator Josh Trujillo, and Jeff Trexler of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Related: Rep.-Elect Robert Garcia Will Be Sworn In with Vintage Superman Comic, U.S. Citizenship Certificate

“I’m an immigrant, and I learned to read and write in English by reading comics, so to grow up with comics being such a foundational part of my life and to be able to bring them to the national stage is not only an honor but something I’m really excited about sharing with folks across the country," Garcia said in a statement sent to PEOPLE.

"At Comic-Con, I was able to chat with people from all walks of life who share my love for the popular arts as a whole," he added. "From young children to their grandparents, there are countless Americans’ whose lives have been changed by the impact that the popular arts have had on our society, and I’m excited to bring the issues that surround the popular arts to the table in Congress."

Garcia said that the caucus will focus on everything from "conversations about piracy to AI," adding, "we need to be discussing what we can do at the federal level to champion the rights of creators and workers who are the backbone of this multi-billion-dollar American industry.”

Prior to the launch, on Friday, Garcia joined a picket line in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA members on strike, telling Politico's California Playbook, "I stand 100% with those who are striking" and “I would never and will never cross a picket line.”

Related: Robert Garcia, Congress' First Gay Immigrant, Is Becoming the Queer Role Model He Never Had (Exclusive)

Garcia made headlines when he took his oath of office alongside a first-edition Superman comic, courtesy of the Library of Congress.

While he swore the oath on the U.S. Constitution, as is customary, he also had three items beneath the document that were near and dear to his heart: a photo of his parents who he lost to COVID-19, his citizenship certificate, and the original Superman comic.

Speaking to PEOPLE ahead of his swearing-in, Garcia said the comics played an integral role in his young life. "I came to America at the age of 5 as a Spanish-speaker," the lawmaker told PEOPLE. "As a kid, I would pick up comics at old thrift shops and pharmacies and that's how I learned to read and write in English."

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