Just last year, after three years of exceptional drought, our state was hit with enough water to supply farms, communities, and homes for years to come. Sadly, due to mismanagement by bureaucrats in Sacramento, the opportunity to store as much of that water as possible was wasted. While this water helped with groundwater recharge, millions of gallons of this critical resource were flushed back into the ocean. With another round of atmospheric rivers set to hit California soon, I went to the House floor this week to stress the importance of expanding our water storage infrastructure and improving our federal disaster relief programs.

You can watch my full speech here or below.

So many people throughout the Central Valley are struggling with the rising cost of living. This week, I was proud to vote for H.R. 7024, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act. This commonsense, bipartisan legislation will strengthen American manufacturing, reduce burdens on our small businesses, and put more money back in the pockets of Central Valley families. This bill will help our communities by extending the low-income housing tax credit and adjusting the child tax credit for inflation.

You can read more about this important bill for the Valley here.

Our question this week comes from Billy in Bakersfield. He asks: 

"Why do public sector employees take such a hit on social security if we have a public pension we worked for, in addition to private sector employment?"

Thanks for your question, Billy. This is a frustration I often hear from constituents who have worked as teachers, firefighters, or in other public sector jobs in the Valley. Currently, provisions such as the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) reduce Social Security benefits to anyone who is also receiving other retirement benefits from a State or local government - such as a pension. Americans pay into Social Security, and I believe those who have paid into the system deserve to receive the benefits they were promised. 

That's why I am a co-sponsor of H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023. This commonsense, bipartisan legislation would eliminate both of these provisions and remove the Social Security penalties for those who have earned a pension through public sector employment. 

Since its implementation in 1935, Social Security has played a crucial role in protecting the most vulnerable in our country and, as a result, has become indispensable to the American way of life. Strengthening Social Security for current recipients and those nearing retirement is one of my top priorities in Congress because I know how vital this program is to the health, well-being, and financial security of senior citizens in California's 22nd Congressional District. I'll continue working with my colleagues to ensure all those who pay into Social Security receive their benefits. 

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.

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