In the News
The writers are Democratic members of the House of Representatives from Georgia, Hawaii, California, Texas, Maine, New Jersey and Oregon.
Time kills deals. This is an old business saying and the essence of why we are pushing to get the bipartisan infrastructure billthrough Congress and immediately to President Biden's desk — as the president himself requested the day after it passed the Senate.
Challenging your own political party is not easy. I know because I've done it and I've paid the price. I've been removed from multiple committee assignments and had my legislation sidelined as retaliation by Democratic leadership for my unapologetic defense of Valley water and criticism of the State Water Resources Control Board.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited California this week, meeting with growers, industry groups, and state officials to learn about the challenges facing agriculture. During his stop at Terranova Ranch in Fresno County, Secretary Vilsack heard from local producers about the impacts of drought. Secretary Vilsack noted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) may need to rethink assistance programs to better address the unique situation in California.
Following the Senate Ag Committee hearing on anti-competitive practices, transparency, and other issues in the beef cattle market last month, the House Ag Committee's subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture held its own hearing to discuss shocks to the supply chain and how to support livestock producers on July 28, titled "
"We have got to be able to have the Secretary of Agriculture to have some funds available there," Scott said, noting WHIP-Plus is still paying for disasters going back to 2019. "Our appropriations process sometimes takes two years. Many of our farmers haven't gotten the aid yet."
U.S. Rep. Jim Costa is working to secure nearly $15 million for central San Joaquin Valley projects, with almost $7 million potentially going to Merced County.
Congressman Jim Costa's (D–Fresno) push to have a public medical school open in the Central Valley picked up momentum Monday with a key endorsement.
Costa announced that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus fully endorsed his bill, the Expanding Medical Education Act, which would provide $1 billion for medical school construction, expansion and training in underserved communities.
"Access to quality healthcare for underserved communities where there is an acute shortage of doctors needs immediate attention," Costa said in a statement.
For the first time in more than a decade, Merced College will have a new building.
Construction of the new 29,000-square-foot Raj Kahlon Agriculture and Industrial Technology Complex kicked off Wednesday morning with a formal groundbreaking ceremony.
The complex will serve as the main building for agricultural-related instruction at the college.
There are a number of factors to consider when declaring a state of emergency. After a dry water year, little to zero water allocations, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack declaring drought conditions in counties up and down the state and even the entire republican delegation sending letters Governor Gavin Newsom, Congressman Jim Costa said declaring drought can be tricky.
"Certainly the governor has the ability to declare a drought status but its tricky to understand the state and federal water projects, how they operate." Costa said.
Federal relief of $100 million is coming to Fresno, Madera and Merced health facilities to expand COVID-19 vaccinations and treatment, Rep. Jim Costa said on Friday.
The Fresno-area Democrat said health centers can use the funding to expand COVID-19 vaccinations, testing and treatment for vulnerable populations, as well as deliver preventive and primary health care services to people at higher risk for COVID-19.
Nearly every member of the House Democratic Caucus signed onto a letter demanding an independent investigation into two fatal shootings carried out in the span of a week by officers at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“We are calling for immediate independent investigations into both of these deaths, without interference,” the lawmakers wrote, referring to the killings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston and Joan Guerrero in Maine.