WASHINGTON, May 1 -- Rep. David Valadao, R-California, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) took to the House Floor to urge the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to significantly increase water allocations for South-of-Delta contractors. Congressman Valadao emphasized the critical role California agriculture plays in the nation's food supply and the importance of meaningful water allocations from Reclamation: "California grows a quarter of our nati  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Rep. Norma J. Torres, D-California, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) introduced today two bills that would improve legal protections for survivors of sexual violence. The two bills seek to expand legal protections for victims of nonconsensual condom removal, commonly known as "stealthing." The legislation is introduced at the conclusion of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The first bill, the "Consent is Key Act" would encourage st  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-California, issued the following news release on May 1, 2024: U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), U.S. Representative Donald Beyer (D-VA-8), Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, and Connecticut's U.S. Senator Christopher Murphy today led their colleagues in introducing the Choose Medicare Act. This legislation opens up Medicare to all Americans with a new 'Part E' and builds on the system we have today. By allowing Medicare to compete with private   more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, issued the following news release: Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) and U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Peter Welch (D-VT) released the following joint statement today after the conclusion of the fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) in Ottawa, Canada: "The global plastic pollution crisis demands bold, urgent action. Plastic waste is polluting our ecosystems--from lands to oceans to   more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, issued the following news release: Today, Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08), founding members of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, introduced a resolution to establish May 4th as a "National Day of Reason" in the United States to emphasize science, common sense and logic as central to American constitutional democracy and essential preconditions for progress in our government and society at large. "Designa  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Lawmakers from Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, California, Arizona, Nevada, & Montana Urge USDA to "Bring All Resources to Bear" to Address Long-Term Drought Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Yadira Caraveo (D-Colo.) and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) alongside 26 Senate and House colleagues representing Western states - including U.S. Senat  more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- Rep. Ted Lieu, D-California, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement in regards to recent violent incidents on college campuses. "Freedom of speech is a foundational right in the United States, and enabling free expression remains the hallmark of a strong democratic society. I believe in this principle firmly, even when I disagree with the contents of the speech in question. What we cannot acc  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Nanette Barragan, D-California, issued the following statement on May 1, 2024: * * * Today, Congresswoman Nanette Barragan (CA-44) released the following statement to recognize Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. "Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month is a chance to celebrate the immense contributions and rich histories of the AANHPI communities across the United States," said Rep. Barragan. "I  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-California, issued the following news release: Ranking Member Anna G. Eshoo (CA-16) made the following opening statement at the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing on increasing Medicaid access to care: "Good morning colleagues. Today, on the last day of Care Workers Recognition Month, we'll discuss 19 proposals to improve Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) and ensure funding for Medicaid is well-spent.  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-California, issued the following news release: Representative Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) sent a follow-up letter to Dr. Tomas J. Aragon, Director of the California Department of Public Health, regarding her grave concerns about the decision to close the Seton Coastside facility earlier this month. Rep. Eshoo also requested additional details regarding the decision to close the facility that the Department has yet to provide. Rep. Eshoo wrote, "In my lett  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-California, issued the following news release on May 1, 2024: Today, U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren announced that the New Ballet School Downtown San Jose, Inc. will receive $10,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support a dance education program for elementary school students who currently have limited access to arts education. "Engaging in the arts can open doors to new and exciting opportunities for students. This federal investmen  more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- Rep. Mike Levin, D-California, issued the following news release: Deysi Merino-Gonzalez Vista, CA - Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) announced Deysi Merino-Gonzalez as his April 2024 Constituent of the Month. Ms. Merino-Gonzalez was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, and immigrated to the U.S. almost 20 years ago. She joined the Vista Community Clinic as a community health specialist in 2020 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, she played a critical role in bringing v  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Scott Peters, D-California, issued the following statement on May 1, 2024: * * * Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) released the following statement after voting in favor of the Antisemitism Awareness Act: "The recent rise in antisemitism on college campuses and our country is abhorrent and the worst I have seen in my lifetime. This bill clearly defines antisemitism as, 'a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.' No one shoul  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Linda T. Sanchez, D-California, issued the following news release on May 1, 2024: On Friday, Congresswoman Linda T. Sanchez (D-CA) delivered $850,000 million in federal funding she secured for the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which was signed by President Biden in March. The funding will be used to upgrade Glen A. Wilson High School's Media Center with new flooring, lighting, fixtures, equipment and California  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Linda T. Sanchez, D-California, issued the following news release: On Thursday, Congresswoman Linda T. Sanchez (D-CA) delivered $1.66 million in federal funding she secured for the YMCA of Greater Whittier through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which was signed by President Biden in March. The funding will be used to make modifications to the Uptown Whittier Family YMCA Center to improve accessibility, safety and equity at the 40-year-old building. "The YMCA of  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-California, issued the following news release: Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51) spoke on the House Floor, urging 184 House Republicans to remove their cosponsorship of legislation that pushes the "fetal personhood" ideology, which threatens access to IVF, abortion, and contraception. Rep. Sara Jacobs said: "Three years ago, during my first year in Congress, I froze my eggs - which means I went through the first initial stages of IVF except that after egg retr  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-California, issued the following statement on May 1, 2024: * * * Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51), the youngest Jewish Member of Congress, released the following statement after voting against legislation that would stifle and restrict free speech in an effort to combat the rise of antisemitism: "As a Jewish woman, I've experienced antisemitism all my life. I've been called a kike while I was waiting for a drink at a bar when I was at college. I've heard too   more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Adam B. Schiff, D-California, issued the following news release on May 1, 2024: Today, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) met with California State Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire and a delegation of other State Senators, including Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez, Senator Aisha Wahab, and Senator Monique Limon. Schiff and the Senators discussed issues of pressing importance to California, including efforts to achieve net zero carbon pollution by 2045 and le  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Adam B. Schiff, D-California, issued the following news release on May 1, 2024: Today, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) voted for the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act, which strengthens the administration's ability to combat antisemitism on college campuses. Read Schiff's full statement below: "Free speech and passionate disagreement are fundamental to our democracy, and college campuses must be places where those values are both taught and exemplified. But  more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- Rep. Mark Takano, D-California, issued the following news release: Congressman Mark Takano (CA-39), Second Vice-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus released the following statement celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage month: "Today, we celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. "AANHPI peoples are not a monolith. We come from diverse and culturally rich backgrounds, b  more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-California, issued the following news release on April 30, 2024: Today, U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will distribute $1,000,000 to the California Department of Transportation to expand and improve railway service through San Jose, along the Central Coast, and between  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-California, issued the following news release: In honor of Second Chances Month, U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) introduced the Next Step Home Act, a crucial piece of legislation aimed at restoring voting rights for individuals with felony convictions who have been released under the First Step Act and successfully reentered society. "The Next Step Home Act will complete the process of returning home by restoring the right most fundamental t  more

WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California, issued the following statement on May 1, 2024: * * * Today, Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-14) released the following statement: "The Sikh community in the United States is being targeted for who they are and for what they believe in, said Congressman Eric Swalwell. "Credible evidence has shown the Indian government launched a campaign of transnational repression against the Sikh community in the United States and Canada. The campaign included a  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Rep. Mike Thompson, D-California, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-04), Mike Kelly (PA-16), and Adrian Smith (NE-03), members of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health, introduced H.R. 8151, bipartisan legislation that would permanently expand the list of practitioners eligible who provide telehealth services to include qualified physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, and audiologists. Currently  more