WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, issued the following news release: Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) led a letter from more than 50 congressional Democrats calling on the Interior Department to expand federal protections in the Arctic. The Interior Department in July solicited comments on whether further protections should be imposed within a 23-million acre swath of the western Arctic. The Interior Department first began designating so-called  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- Rep. Jim Costa, D-California, issued the following news release: Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was awarded the Honorary Diploma of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, one of the highest distinguished awards by the Ukrainian Parliament. This prestigious accolade recognizes Costa's unwavering support for Ukraine and his commitment to defending democracy. The Honorary Diploma was presented to Congressman Costa during a visit to   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- Rep. Norma J. Torres, D-California, issued the following news release: Today, Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee which oversees all federal funding, announced that the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA), a water supply agency, will receive $87, 973 in grant funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support the transition to ammonia-based controls, which is more cost-effective and efficient in reducing h  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, issued the following news release: House Democrats have adopted an aggressive strategy of linking Project 2025 to House Republicans in the final stretch of this year's campaign, hoping the controversial conservative document will help them flip control of the lower chamber in November's elections. The Democrats are invoking Project 2025 at every turn in leadership press conferences, chamber-floor debates, public committee hearings and p  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- The House Judiciary Committee released the following testimony by Nicole V. Cardinale, a Dulzura, California resident, from a Sept. 6, 2024, hearing entitled "The Biden-Harris Border Crisis: California Perspectives": * * * I, Nicole Cardinale, am 4th generation on our ranch in Dulzura, California. Dulzura is a small rural town on Highway 94, founded in the 1800's. Our road is named after my founding family, Hatfield Road. On Wednesday, August 28, 2024, a group of 20 mi  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- The House Judiciary Committee released the following written testimony by Cory Gautereaux, president and founder of the GOAT Initiative, from a Sept. 6, 2024, hearing entitled "The Biden-Harris Border Crisis: California Perspectives": * * * Chairman Jordan, Ranking Members, and distinguished members of this important Judiciary hearing, thank you for giving this critical issue the attention it deserves. Over the past four years, the situation on the Southwest Border has  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- The House Judiciary Committee released the following testimony by Riverside County District Attorney Michael A. Hestrin from a Sept. 6, 2024, hearing entitled "The Biden-Harris Border Crisis: California Perspectives": * * * Chairman Jordan and Distinguished Committee Members, thank you for coming to San Diego to address the critically important public safety issue of border security. My name is Mike Hestrin, and I am the elected District Attorney of Riverside County, s  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- The House Judiciary Committee released the following testimony by Santee City Mayor John W. Minto from a Sept. 6, 2024, hearing entitled "The Biden-Harris Border Crisis: California Perspectives": * * * Good morning, Chairman and Committee members, The Biden-Harris administration's approach to border security and immigration has significantly and directly impacted California, with San Diego County at the forefront of these challenges. Between September 2023 and May 2024  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- The House Judiciary Committee released the following testimony by Vista City Mayor John Franklin from a Sept. 6, 2024, hearing entitled "The Biden-Harris Border Crisis: California Perspectives": * * * Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of this committee. My name is John Franklin. I'm the Mayor of the City of Vista in San Diego's North County. The President is required by our constitution to "take care that the Laws be faithfully executed" in our land. This is not   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 -- Rep. Ken Calvert, R-California, issued the following news release on Sept. 17, 2024: Today, the House of Representatives passed the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act, H.R. 9468, to ensure veterans benefits remain uninterrupted and hold the Biden Administration accountable for its egregious budgeting errors. Rep. Calvert was an original cosponsor of the legislation. "Today, the House upheld its commitment to our veterans by e  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 -- Rep. David Valadao, R-California, issued the following news release on Sept. 17, 2024: Today, the House passed H.R. 9468, Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act. The bill addresses the $3 billion mandatory shortfall for disability and education benefits the VA expects to face by October. Congressman Valadao joined fellow House Appropriations Committee members in introducing the legislation to ensure veterans benefits remain uninte  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- Rep. David Valadao, R-California, issued the following news release: Today, the House unanimously passed H.R. 7342, the Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act. The bill, introduced by Congressman Valadao earlier this year, aims to make the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) more accessible for disabled veterans by establishing a permanent advisory committee within the VA to allow for direct and regular communication with the Secretary on behalf of disabled vetera  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, issued the following news release: 'Stop CARB Act' Target's California's Ability to Force Other States to Comply with Radical Environmental Policies Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) is an original cosponsor of legislation that would curb California's ability to effectively force Mississippi farmers, industries, and consumers to comply with its radical environmental policies. Hyde-Smith is an original cosponsor of the Stop Califor  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- Rep. Joshua Harder, D-California, issued the following news release: Bill increases funding for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program to surge support to law enforcement agencies From January to June, nearly 7 million fentanyl-laced pills and 3,725 pounds of fentanyl powder were seized(link is external) in California; Overdose deaths involving illicit fentanyl among kids aged 10-19 skyrocketed 182% between 2019 and 2021(link is external) San Joaquin County Sher  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, applauded the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) invitations to seven California groups to apply for a combined $2.04 billion in low-cost, long-term flexible loans for borrowers to maintain, upgrade, and repair non-federal dams. The available funding comes thro  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- Rep. Ami Bera, D-California, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) announced $13,044,668 in grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration to rehabilitate the runway at Sacramento's Mather Airport: "Mather Airport plays a vital role in our region's transportation and economic infrastructure," said Representative Ami Bera. "This funding will help ensure that Mather's 11,300-foot runway can be properly rehabilitated,  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 -- Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Arizona, issued the following news release on Sept. 17, 2024: Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced the Keeping Aid for Municipalities and Localities Accountable Act, or the KAMALA Act. The KAMALA Act will ensure that the federal government is not bankrolling states and localities that provide illegal aliens with housing assistance. Last month, the California legislature passed a bill that would allow illegal aliens to receive up to $150,000  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 -- Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kansas, issued the following news release: As Chair of the U.S. Innovation Tax Team, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) led a delegation with House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-Missouri) and Tax Team Vice Chair Michelle Steel (R-California) to Silicon Valley on Sept. 12 and 13 to meet with U.S. innovators and stakeholders about the upcoming Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expirations. Rep. Estes hosted two roundtables with small San Francisco Bay area sta  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 -- Rep. John Garamendi, D-California, issued the following news release on Sept. 17, 2024: Today, U.S. Representative John Garamendi (D-CA08) reintroduced the "Forest Legacy Management Flexibility Act" (H.R.9602) with Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA02), Ann M. Kuster (D-NH02), Jim Costa (D-CA21), and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR01). "As Deputy Secretary of the Interior to President Clinton, I know that our national conservation goals cannot be achieved through public land ow  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 -- Rep. Mike Garcia, R-California, issued the following news release: Congressman Mike Garcia's Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024 passed the House unanimously, fixing a $2.883 billion budget shortfall at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Without immediate action by September 20, this shortfall would have prevented the VA from processing benefits payments scheduled for October 1st, putting 7 million veterans at ris  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 -- Rep. Darrell E. Issa, R-California, issued the following news release: Foreign officials that violate the First Amendment Rights of Americans will face significantly enhanced measures in new legislation authored by Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), senior member of both the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees, and Congresswoman Maria Salazar (FL-27), Chair of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere. The No Censors on our Shores Act specifies th  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 -- The Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittees on East Asia, The Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy issued the following information for a hearing entitled "Cyberspace Under Threat in the Era of Rising Authoritarianism and Global Competition" at 10 a.m. on Sept. 24, 2024, at 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building: Witnesses 1. Ms. Laura Cunningham, President, Open Technology Fund, Washington, D.C. 2. Mr. David Kaye, Clinical Professor of Law, University of Califor  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: Welch on Senate Floor Last Week: "We can't expect our communities--those who are ravaged by disaster--to fight alone." Welch Joins Senators from Hawai'i, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, California, and Alaska Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and a group of bipartisan Senators in calling on Senate leadership to move quickly to pass additional funding to h  more