Representative David Valadao

Dear [firstname],

Read below for an update on my work in the Central Valley on behalf of CA-22.

Make sure to sign up for my newsletter to receive regular updates on what's happening in D.C. and the Central Valley.

Bringing Taxpayer Dollars Back to the Central Valley

I came to Washington to deliver results for the Central Valley. This week, I was proud to secure over $55 million in this year’s government funding bills for community improvement projects across the 22^nd district. These projects will help to improve our local water storage capacity, fix roads and other infrastructure, and increase public safety. Click here for an interactive map showing how your taxpayer dollars are coming back to our community.

Rep. Valadao announces $55 million in community project funding for CA-22

Community Project Funding requests bring certain projects, which are already eligible, to the front of the line for the competitive process of receiving federal grant funding. If members of Congress don’t submit these requests in our annual appropriations bills, the money is still appropriated, but it’s bureaucrats in DC making decisions on which projects across the United States receive funding. I look forward to seeing the positive impacts these projects will have on the Central Valley.

You can find a full list of the projects I was able to secure funding for below or by clicking here:

$6 million for the city of Delano’s Well 42 Project to create a new city well and treatment plant to provide clean and contaminant free water to residents.
$6 million for McFarland to repave new roads and maintain several roads that are unsafe for vehicles and pedestrians.
$3.5 million for Porterville to build a new regional access road.
$4 million for the International Agri-Center Way Extension Project in Tulare to increase safety and reduce congestion in the area.
$3.9 million for Tulare County’s Ave 56 Farm to Market Road Project to resurface 7.2 miles of roadway.
$9 million for the construction of a new homeless shelter campus in Bakersfield.
$2 million for a new Kings County Community Service Center that will house a food bank, emergency shelter, housing navigation center, and centralized kitchen.
$7.3 million for the East Lacy Corridor Improvement Project in Hanford to resurface and restripe roads to increase safety.
$5 million to reconstruct the infrastructure of MLK Jr. Blvd in Bakersfield to increase accessibility and economic development of the area.
$1.6 million for Bakersfield to construct an integrated Portable Fueling Container for the fueling of hydrogen fuel cell buses and electric vehicles.
$230,200 to provide much-needed upgrades to the Shafter Senior Center.
$1 million for the Seaborn Reservoir Project to provide new surface water supply storage and flood mitigation for the greater Tulare area.
$1.75 million for the city of Lindsay to replace an old main pipeline to improve water quality.
$3.25 million for the Arvin-Edison groundwater recharge project to reduce landowner’s groundwater pumping and provide in-lieu groundwater recharge.
$622,000 to provide critical 911 dispatch equipment for the Wasco Police Department Dispatch Center to increase public safety for Wasco citizens.

Did You Watch the SOTU?

This week, President Biden came to the U.S. Capitol to deliver his annual State of the Union address. While the President touched on several important issues, I was disappointed by the partisan rhetoric we heard from the podium. Many of us in Congress are willing to work with President Biden to solve the issues facing the American people. Unfortunately, the President is more focused on his political agenda than real solutions.

Did you watch the State of the Union this week? Let me know below:

Did you watch President Biden's State of the Union Address?

Yes

No

None of the Above

Supporting Central Valley Farmers

and Rural Communities

Our farming communities have faced enormous challenges over the past few years – from rising input costs to natural disasters. That’s why I was proud to vote in support of the Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration appropriations bill. This legislation will reduce wasteful spending, strengthen our food supply, and support rural communities.

Read my latest op-ed about why this year's Agriculture appropriations bill is a win for the Central Valley.

Save the Date: Service Academy Night

One of my highest honors as a member of Congress is nominating Central Valley students to attend a United States Service Academy. I’m excited to announce that my office will be hosting a Service Academy Night on April 3, 2024 at Hanford West High School.

This informational event will help students learn about attending U.S. service academies and applying for a congressional nomination. Students will also be able to meet with representatives from the Naval Academy, West Point, Air Force Academy, Merchant Marine Academy, Coast Guard Academy, and other local ROTC programs.

To RSVP for Service Academy Night, click here. For more information, you can visit valadao.house.gov or call (559) 460-6070.

Service Academy Information Night - April 3rd, 2024

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!

Ask David

Our question this week comes from Chuck in Delano. He asked:

"What is the status of the Affordable Connectivity Program? This program is really important to me because I'm on a fixed income, please don't let the funding run out!"

Thank you for your question, Chuck. I've had thousands of constituents contact my office about the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) over the last few months, so I know just how important it is for many people in our community. The ACP has helped more than 20 million American families - mostly in rural areas - connect to high-speed, reliable internet. But funding for ACP is set to run out in April of this year.

I support the Affordable Connectivity Program, and am working toward a solution to improve this program and keep it viable for those who need it most.

Throughout my time in Congress, I have always supported the expansion of rural broadband to communities like those in the Central Valley. As we all become more and more reliant on the internet in our daily lives, we cannot let rural areas fall behind. I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure Valley residents have access to reliable, affordable broadband.

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

Rep. Valadao Introduces Crop Reporting Act

Congressman Valadao Secures $55 Million for Central Valley Projects

Congressman Valadao, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, secured several wins in the annual spending package, including $55 million in direct funding for community improvement projects.