Representative David Valadao

Dear [firstname],

Read below for an update on my work in Washington on behalf of CA-22.

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Celebrating National FFA Week

This week was National FFA Week, and I want to recognize the young leaders who are shaping the future of California agriculture. California is one of the largest suppliers of food and agriculture products in the world, and without the hard work of FFA students we would not have a strong agricultural future. To honor this incredible organization, I co-sponsored a resolution to designate February 15-22, 2025 as National FFA Week. FFA provides students with the skills, knowledge, and leadership opportunities it takes to keep the industry strong, and I'm proud to support our next generation of producers.

Fighting for Central Valley Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) claims process is full of bureaucratic red tape, making it difficult for veterans and their families to access the benefits they've earned. VA forms can often be hard to understand, and if they are incorrectly filled out it can result in delays in processing claims, receiving decisions, or even denials. Our veterans deserve better, which is why I co-sponsored the Simplifying Forms for Veterans Claims Act. This bill would require the VA to contract with a nonpartisan research group to provide recommendations to ensure their forms are easier to understand going forward. We owe a debt of gratitude to those who have fought to preserve our freedoms, and this legislation is a great step towards ensuring our veterans receive the resources they were promised.

Simplifying Forms for Veterans Claims Act

Discussing Healthcare with Kern Medical

Last week, I met with Kern Medical CEO, Scott Thygerson. In our meeting we discussed the importance of Medicaid funding for the hospital as well as the critical services they provide to our communities. I believe high-quality, affordable healthcare should be available to every American regardless of income level, and I remain committed to ensuring Central Valley families have access to reliable and cost-effective healthcare options they can count on.

Team Valadao in the Valley

This week, Team Valadao was out in California's 22nd Congressional District connecting with our community. On Tuesday, my staff attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Viva La Pizzeria, hosted by the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. On Thursday, they participated in the Bakersfield Downtown Business Association's State of Downtown breakfast before heading to Tulare to attend Neo-Life's ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Casework Corner

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!

Ask David

Our question this week comes from Bruce in Kingsburg. He asked:

"What are you doing to protect California from wildfires?"

Thank you for your question, Bruce. In 2023 alone, over one million acres burned across California. While fires are unfortunately inevitable, decades of forest mismanagement have directly contributed to their severity. While there needs to be serious conversations at the state level about the management of California's natural resources, I've been working with my colleagues in Congress to take action at the federal level.

Just last month, the House of Representatives passed the Fix Our Forests Act, which I co-sponsored. This bill is a comprehensive, bipartisan effort which helps restore our forest health, increases resiliency to wildfires, and protects our communities by increasing the pace and scale of forest restoration projects. Over 117 million acres of our nation's forests are dangerously overgrown and fire-prone, and the Fix Our Forests Act will help address the root causes by providing federal agencies with the tools necessary to help states practice proactive forest management and mitigate risk.

While this won't solve the wildfire crisis entirely, it's a great step towards increasing our resiliency, and I'm hopeful the Senate will consider it soon.

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.

Stay Connected with Text Alerts!

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.

In the News

Proposed legislation to boost federal funding for local water recharge projects

Legislation introduced to the House by Congressman Jim Costa and co-sponsored by Congressman David Valadao aims to secure more federal funding for vital groundwater recharge projects.