On Monday I hosted a roundtable discussion on healthcare alongside Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health, and Rep. Vince Fong (CA-20). From workforce shortages to telehealth to Valley Fever, we face unique obstacles here in the Central Valley that impact the health and well-being of our residents. This event brought together healthcare professionals in the community to address some of the most pressing issues that affect access to healthcare in the Central Valley. I’ll continue working alongside local partners to ensure families have access to reliable, affordable healthcare options.

The Jamison Children’s Center is a 24-hour emergency shelter for abused and exploited children in Kern County who have been taken into protective custody. They provide essential services to youth from all backgrounds in our community. This week I met with Lito Morillo, director of Kern County Department of Human Services and his dedicated team to learn more about the important work being done at their facility.

This week I stopped by the MLK Community Center in Bakersfield to meet with Gerald Gridiron, COO of Gridstone Inc, and his staff. Gridstone is a local non-profit which provides advanced STEM learning programs for at-risk students as well as food distribution for low-income families. We had a great meeting where we discussed ways my office can assist them with their important work.

I recently joined the Central Valley Sikh community to celebrate the 555^th birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion. I’m honored to be a voice for the Central Valley’s vibrant Sikh community in Congress. As co-chair of the American Congressional Sikh Caucus, I recently introduced a resolution which recognizes the 1984 Sikh genocide. You can read more about my resolution 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 Roger. He asks:

"We have 8% inflation but only a 2.5% social security increase this year. This “increase” appears to be 5.5% reduction. Why is government raiding the social security trust fund to benefit others?"

Thanks for your question, Roger. Inflation has been a huge challenge for everyone throughout the country. Whether it's buying groceries, filling up your gas tank or paying rent, prices having been crushing Central Valley families. Those living on fixed-incomes, particularly seniors relying on Social Security, have felt the impacts the hardest. The recent cost of living adjustment is simply not enough to keep up with the sky-high inflation we are facing.

I share your frustrations on this issue. Unfortunately, the policies coming out the Biden Administration and Sacramento don’t make it any easier for folks living on a fixed budget. Reckless government spending has driven prices up, while adding trillions of dollars to an already unsustainable national debt. As your voice in Washington, I’m committed to pursuing polices that rein in excessive government spending and help bring relief for Central Valley families.

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.