It was great to welcome members of Congress to Bakersfield for a field hearing with the Energy and Commerce Committee and Congressional Western Caucus. Our hearing focused on rural broadband expansion – a critical issue for communities throughout the Valley. It was great to hear from experts and other members about the ways we can improve broadband access in rural communities.

I also took members on a tour of the district while they were in town, showing them some of the most important industries in the Valley. During the tour, we visited Central Valley food processors and packaging facilities that play a critical role in our nation’s food supply. We also met with the Edison Water Storage District and the Friant Water Authority to learn more about our canals, subsidence issues, and the challenges we face with water delivery. I want to thank everyone who helped make this such a productive trip.

This week was National Police Week! The men and women in law enforcement put everything on the line to protect our families and communities. Being a police officer is one of the toughest jobs anyone can have, and I want to thank all our Central Valley law enforcement for their dedication and commitment to serving the people of California.

Have a question about my work in Congress? Join me next Wednesday, May 22^nd  at 6 pm PT for a Telephone Town Hall! I’ll be taking your questions about the issues of the day, as well as providing an update on the things my team and I are working on in Washington.

Make sure to sign up here to get notified when we go live.

President Biden is conditionally withholding shipments of certain weapons and military equipment to Israel. As Israel fights to protect their country from terrorists and free Israeli and American hostages, the President should be supporting our closest ally in the Middle East – not turning his back. That’s why this week, I voted for the Israel Security Assistance Support Act – a bill that condemns President Biden’s dangerous decision to pause arms shipments to our ally and ensure the President upholds our commitment to deliver the critical assistance Israel needs to defeat Hamas.

Tomorrow is Armed Forces Day! This important day recognizes those who serve our nation across the six branches of the U.S. military. The men and women who make up our armed forces are some of the bravest among us, and I’m incredibly thankful for their commitment to protecting and serving our nation. To all our Central Valley residents serving in our military – thank you for all you do for our country.

While I've been in Washington this week, Team Valadao has been out meeting with leaders across CA-22. Recently, my office attended the grand opening of the Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Service's new Psychiatric Facilities. These state-of-the-art centers will help provide critical mental health services to both adults and youth right here in Bakersfield. 

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 Daniel in Bakersfield. He asks:

“Any updates on H.R. 82? I’m a soon-to-retire teacher.”

Thank you for your question, Daniel. H.R. 82, or the Social Security Fairness Act, is a bill I support and something we need to get done. Those who work in public sector jobs – such as teachers, firefighters, police officers, and more – are often penalized when they retire due to the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) in the tax code. These provisions unfairly reduce Social Security Benefits to anyone who is also receiving other retirement benefits from a state or local government. 

H.R. 82 was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has jurisdiction over the federal tax code. While the Committee has held a field hearing on this issue, they have yet to schedule the bill for a vote before the Committee. Recently, the Republican and Democrat lead sponsors of H.R. 82 sent a letter to Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) and Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) urging them to bring H.R. 82 before the Committee for a legislative markup – a necessary step before a bill makes it to the House Floor for a vote. As a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, I’m also working to get the Caucus to endorse the legislation to make it more likely that we get movement on the bill. We need to ensure public servants like you who have paid into the system receive the full benefits they deserve. 

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.