In November last year, Gabbard was named the chairperson of the World Hindu Congress (WHC) to be held in Chicago. Organised by the World Hindu Foundation, the first Congress was held in New Delhi in 2014. The second WHC will take place in Illinois in Chicago from 7 to 9 September this year.

Despite being a Democrat, Gabbard is popular among Republicans for her tough stand on Islamic terrorism. In 2017, Republicans had helped her by withdrawing support for their party's candidate Angela Kaaihue. The candidate, in a bigoted attack on Gabbard, Called her a "pathetic Hindu 1,000 gods leader."

Gabbard took the oath of office on a Bhagavad Gita at her swearing-in in January 2013. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, she had gifted him the same copy she had held in her hand when she took oath.

Gabbard is a member of the powerful House Foreign Relations Committee.