This week I led the entire California Republican Delegation in a letter to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to express our concerns over their draft Environmental Impact Statement for the long-term operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. The draft plans inappropriately prioritize environmental goals at the expense of agricultural and municipal needs in our community. There must be a more balanced approach between environmental concerns and all other essential water uses. To read the full letter, click here.

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Attention Bay-Delta-Office

801 I Street, Suite 140, Sacramento, CA 95814. 

 Last week the California Department of Food and Agriculture confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was found at three dairy farms in the Central Valley. While this news is concerning for those in the dairy industry, I want to reassure everyone that dairy and meat products remain safe for consumers. I’ll continue monitoring the situation closely, working alongside both federal and state officials to advance Avian Flu research and to ensure affected dairies are equipped with the resources needed to deal with the outbreak. If you’re a dairy producer in the Central Valley, there are resources available to protect your heard and your workers. Visit USDA’s APHIS site to learn more.

This week I joined several of my colleagues to introduce the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Appropriations Act. Unfortunately, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) failed to properly budget its annual funding and now faces a $3 billion shortfall for fiscal year 2024.  This important piece of legislation addresses this shortfall and ensures that mandatory funding for disability and education benefits for our veterans does not run out.  It also holds the VA accountable to ensure veterans aren’t paying the price for VA’s budget mismanagement. I’ll continue working to ensure Central Valley veterans have access to the benefits and services they’ve earned. To read more about this legislation, click here.

This week I had the pleasure of attending the Porterville Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. It was great to connect with small business owners and community leaders. I shared updates on my legislative work and discussed some of the issues impacting our district.  I’m proud to support the dedication and hard work of our small business owners who contribute so much to our community.

I recently visited the Sierra View Hospital in Porterville, which serves over 115,000 individuals in the community each year. While there I toured the facility and had a productive meeting with CEO Donna Hefner and her team. They shared some of the ongoing challenges the healthcare industry has faced since the pandemic and opportunities to expand care. Thank you to Sierra View Hospital and all healthcare professionals working to keep our community healthy!

Trying to get an answer from a federal agency can often be a time-consuming and frustrating process. If you ever need help navigating a federal agency, you can visit my website here or call my Hanford office at (559) 460-6070. My team is ready to assist you!

Tratar de obtener una respuesta de una agencia federal a menudo puede ser un proceso frustrante y que requiere mucho tiempo. Si alguna vez necesita ayuda con una agencia federal, puede visitar mi sitio de web aquí o llamar a mi oficina de Hanford al (559) 460-6070. ¡Mi equipo está listo para ayudarte!

Do you have a question about my position on an issue? How the Congress operates? My thoughts on the news of the day?

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