Today I’m excited to welcome members of the Western Caucus and the House Energy and Commerce Committee to Bakersfield for a field hearing on the importance of rural broadband. I’ll also be taking members of Congress from across the country on a tour of the Valley so they can learn more about energy, agriculture, and other important industries to our community. I recently wrote an op-ed in the Bakersfield Californian about why this visit helps strengthen Kern County industries. You can read the full piece here.

 Make sure to check back next week to get a full recap of our event!

This week, agricultural leaders from across the country came to Washington to showcase their latest technology, equipment, and products at the Celebration of Agriculture on the National Mall. It was great to meet with so many innovators and to see the strength of American agriculture on display in the nation’s capital!

The crisis at our southern border has allowed fentanyl, human traffickers, and cartels to enter our country and overwhelm our local law enforcement who are already stretched thin. The unprecedented flow of drugs and trafficking victims is having serious impacts on communities not just on the border, but the entire country. This week, the House Budget Committee held a hearing with immigration experts on the cost of the border crisis, where I asked about the burden it’s putting on our local law enforcement.  

You can watch my full questioning here.

The Central Valley has one of the highest rates of child asthma in the country. As the Co-Chair of the Congressional Allergy and Asthma Caucus, this is an issue I take incredibly seriously.  I was proud to join healthcare leaders and advocates on World Asthma Day to celebrate the progress that’s been made in the last 25 years to combat this disease. There’s still more work to be done, and I’ll continue to support legislation that expands access to care and increases funding for research.

I had a great time playing in the Congressional Soccer Match this week. This annual event, hosted by the U.S. Soccer Foundation, brings Democrats and Republicans together for an exhibition match to raise money for youth soccer programs across the country. Republicans won 4-3!

Doctor and nursing shortages are a huge issue for many communities across the Central Valley. That’s why I was proud to join the American Medical Association to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Conrad 30 program. Conrad 30 incentivizes international medical graduates who complete their residency in the U.S. to practice in rural and underserved communities. I’m proud to support the Conrad 30 State and Physician Access Act to ensure this critical program lasts another 30 years.  

Each year, members of Congress sponsor the Congressional Art Competition - a great opportunity for students across the country to showcase their artistic skills and abilities. I'm proud to announce that the winner of this year's competition from CA-22 is "Kiddu and Michi" created by Kavanpreet Kaur. Great work Kavanpreet, and congratulations!

Earlier this week, I also sent an email survey asking CA-22 residents to vote for their favorite submission to the 2024 Congressional Art Competition. More than 700 people voted on 28 different pieces of art submitted, and I want to thank all those who participated.

I'm excited to announce that this year's winner of the CA-22 People's Choice Art Competition was "Self Portrait" created by Daniel Schubert. Nice job Daniel, and congratulations!  

Didn't receive an email to vote in the competition? Sign up here to receive regular updates from my office. 

I often hear from people across the Valley about how frustrated they are with the partisanship in Washington. If you spend much time watching cable news or scrolling on social media, I’m sure you feel like our country is the most divided we’ve ever been. But that’s not always the case.  

While we may disagree about many different things, every day in Congress, Republicans and Democrats find ways to work together on critical issues impacting their communities, states, and regions. Below, you can find a list of some of the bills the House passed this week with widespread, bipartisan support:

• H.R. 7525 – Special District Grant Accessibility Act
• S. 870 – Fire Grants and Safety Act of 2023
• S. 2073 – Eliminate Useless Reports Act of 2024
• H.R. 5887 – Government Service Delivery Improvement Act
• H.R. 6972 – Securing the Chain of Command Continuity Act
• H.R. 7219 – Information Quality Assurance Act

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?

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.  

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