Today, I was proud to join a bipartisan group of my colleagues to introduce the Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act. This bill would fund upgrades to drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure to make them more resilient against threats. In the Central Valley, clean and reliable water is critical to our farms, families, and small businesses, but aging infrastructure, extreme weather, and ever cyber threats puts our water systems at risk. This legislation reauthorizes programs that help ensure our utilities have the necessary resources to continue operations, and I'm proud to join my colleagues in support.

This week, I had the chance to sit down with Blake Zante, Executive Director of the Maddy Institute, for a great conversation about the policies shaping the Central Valley. Talks like these highlight what the Maddy Institute is all about: fostering bipartisan dialogue and encouraging civic engagement. Keep an eye out for my interview which goes live on their YouTube channel October 5th!

This week, I joined Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) and the Nisei Farmers League to host a bipartisan immigration roundtable at the Fresno Farm Bureau. The conversation brought together farmers, advocates, and local business owners to discuss the urgent need for comprehensive immigration reform. Unfortunately, decades of inaction have left us with an immigration system that fails to meet today’s challenges. This creates uncertainty for our farmers and the many undocumented immigrants who have lived and worked peacefully in the Central Valley for years. Bipartisan immigration reform remains one of my top priorities, and hearing directly from those impacted helps me fight for policies that bring fairness and stability to the community.

I really enjoyed my visit to Harding Elementary School in Bakersfield. While there, I got to meet with staff and answer questions from members of their student council. It’s always great to engage with the next generation of leaders and discuss the importance of civic participation. Thanks for having me!

I had a great time at this week’s Central Valley Business Federation roundtable in Bakersfield! I heard from Central Valley business leaders and discussed federal policies that promote economic growth and workforce development in our communities. I look forward to our continued collaboration.

I enjoyed my tour of Bakersfield Recovery Services this week. During my visit, I spoke with staff about the different programs they offer and the important service they provide to people struggling with substance abuse disorders in our community. Thanks for showing me around!

I had a productive meeting with the new Hanford Interim City Manager, Chris Tavarez, and Deputy City Manager, Jason Waters. We discussed several ongoing community projects and I spoke about potential opportunities for federal collaboration. I look forward to continuing these conversations and addressing local priorities together.

I had a great meeting on Wednesday with Reef Unified School District’s Superintendent, Juan Ruiz. He shared updates on the district’s current initiatives, and I had the opportunity to discuss how my office can provide support. Thank you, Juan, for all your hard work supporting our students!

This week, I toured Bakersfield Pregnancy Center’s new Southwest facility. During my tour, members of their staff spoke about the resources and services they provide to help people make informed decisions about their pregnancy. The center does a great job of empowering people to make healthy, life-affirming choices, and I appreciated meeting the dedicated people that serve our community’s women.

This week, I met with the Lindsay Chamber of Commerce and a group of small business owners to discuss their most pressing issues. Our conversation mainly focused on legislation that impacts the Valley and ways to grow Lindsay’s small business community. I really appreciated their perspectives and look forward to continuing our conversations.

I had a great meeting with representatives from Lindsay Unified School District yesterday. Staff gave me a tour of the Washington Community School, and we discussed the importance of the Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) program grant. The FSCS program helps schools with less resources provide comprehensive academic, social, and health services for students, and it was great to hear more about its effectiveness directly from the people it supports.

Yesterday, I met with representatives from the Lindsay Ampact Development Center to talk about their Reading and Math Corps programs. Reading Corps and Math Corps help schools offer expanded tutoring options for students needing extra support, contributing to improved literacy and math scores. These programs are critical to helping CA-22 students thrive, and it was great to see them in action!

Yesterday, I met with Lindsay’s Mayor, Misty Villareal, and Interim City Manager, Kuyler Crocker. During our meeting, they spoke about ongoing city projects and the importance of improved water infrastructure for the region. Fixing California’s water issues is one of my top priorities, and I look forward to our continued partnership.

On Monday, Team Valadao visited TopFlight MSP to learn more about their cutting-edge cybersecurity services and share a legislative update.

On Tuesday, my staff celebrated the ribbon-cutting of Silhouette Boutique with the Kern Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and recognized the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation’s partnership with Spectrum Community Center Assist, which is expanding job training opportunities in underserved communities. That same day, they presented a certificate at the Socktober clothing drive hosted by the Greater Bakersfield Chamber, attended the Kings County Board of Supervisors meeting, and joined the Corcoran Police Department for Captain Alvaro “Danny” Santos’ swearing-in ceremony.

On Wednesday, my team toured UCP+ Hanford to learn about their Parent and Me Program and Special Needs Project, joined students at Richland Junior High for their Global Day of Student Prayer, and recognized the Maddy Institute’s 25th anniversary. They also had the honor of presenting a certificate to Eileen Binger, a WWII Veteran celebrating her 102nd birthday.

On Thursday, Team Valadao attended the ribbon-cutting for Solace Home Health and Hospice Care’s new location in Bakersfield. Later, they presented a certificate at NextGen Fiber’s ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate bringing a new fiber optic network to Wasco.

Earlier today, my staff joined community leaders and local elected officials at the Kern Community Foundation for the City Hall Apprenticeship Program’s closing ceremony, which celebrates young adults gaining valuable public service experience. Finally, Team Valadao attended the United Way Annual Recognition Breakfast where local community members and organizations are recognized for their service to Tulare County.

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!

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