We need to ensure veterans have timely access to the benefits they’ve earned. This week I spoke at the Veterans’ Affairs Committee in support of the Modernizing All Veterans and Survivor Claims Processing Act, a bill I introduced to ensure the VA can serve our veterans more timely and efficiently. I will always advocate on behalf of our veterans who have sacrificed so much for our nation.

You can watch my full speech here or below.

This week was a busy one for the House Appropriations Committee. We marked up several spending bills, and have now passed all 12 through committee, and four off the House Floor. These important bills provide funding for the government for the 2025 fiscal year. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I’m committed to funding the government responsibly and on time.

This week Wendy and Cris from Tulare visited Washington, D.C. My team gave them a tour of the Capitol and I was able to stop by and say hello. If you’re planning a trip to Washington, be sure to reach out to my office so we can help secure tour tickets. Fill out the request form here. 

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!

Our question this week comes from Ginger in Bakersfield. She asks:

"Is there a way to help the homeless in California?"

Thanks for your question, Ginger. Unfortunately, the homelessness situation has become increasingly serious in California. Homelessness doesn’t affect just the big cities in the state – it’s having an impact right in our own backyard in rural communities throughout the Central Valley. I’m committed to finding solutions that reduce the number of people living on the streets.

I’m a co-sponsor of the Safe Parking Act, which would make federal funding available to local Safe Parking Programs, which provide homeless individuals living in their vehicles with a safe place to park their cars overnight and offer resources to assist with the transition to more stable housing. I was also able to secure $9 million in federal funding for a new homeless shelter campus in Bakersfield earlier this year through Community Project Funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations bill. While there’s no single solution to this complex issue, I'll continue working with our cities and local organizations to find ways to get folks off the streets and into more stable housing. 

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

Send your first name, town, and question to AskDavid@mail.house.gov and I might answer yours right here in one of my weekly newsletters. Make sure to subscribe to my weekly email updates to see if your question was answered!

If you want to share your opinion with me on issues of importance, you can always contact me on my website.

Did you know you can now sign up for texts from my office to stay up to date on my work in Washington D.C.? To sign up to receive updates from me directly to your phone, just text VALADAO to (559) 387-4346 and you will be automatically subscribed. You can also sign up for text alerts using this form here.  

I'll be using this newsletter as a way to keep you updated on my work in Congress. Make sure to sign up for regular updates and follow my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with my work.