On Wednesday, Congressman Mike Johnson (R-LA) received unanimous support from the House Republican Conference and was elected the 56^th Speaker of the House of Representatives. Like many of you, I’ve been very frustrated by the ongoing Speaker elections during the last few weeks. But now that we have a Speaker, the House can finally get back to work.

We have a crisis at our southern border, one of our closest allies in the Middle East is at war, and the deadline to fund the government is less than a month away. We also must pass critical legislation like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization, the National Defense Authorization Act, and the Farm Bill. Congress has a lot to do before the end of the year and it’s past time to get back to work for the American people. As your voice in Washington, I’ll continue fighting for the Central Valley - regardless of who holds the Speaker’s gavel.

This week, I was proud to vote for a House resolution that reaffirms our unwavering support for Israel and condemns the horrific acts of Hamas terrorists. I was proud to be a cosponsor of this bipartisan resolution. During this challenging time for the Israeli people, it’s important for them to know that the United States stands by them and affirms their right to exist and defend themselves.

This week, the House passed the Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. My bill, the WATER for California Act, was included as part of the final package and has now been sent to the Senate. Ensuring communities throughout the Central Valley have access to a clean, reliable water supply has always been my top priority in Washington. This bill will help alleviate many of our long-standing water challenges by providing eligibility for funding for the Shasta project, codifying the 2019 Biological Opinions, and bringing much-needed accountability to the way water is managed. I look forward to working with my colleagues to continue advancing this critical legislation for the Central Valley.

You can read more here.

This week, I had a great meeting with the President and CEO of Self-Help Enterprises, Tom Collishaw. During our meeting, we discussed critical issues like the importance of funding USDA programs that help increase the supply of affordable housing in rural communities - like many of those in the Central Valley. I'll keep working to support their efforts to make housing more affordable and accessible in our communities. 

Each year, I'm honored to nominate students living in California’s 22nd Congressional District to attend a United States service academy, where they receive a full-ride scholarship, room and board, stipend, and commission as a military officer upon graduation. My office is still accepting applications from students interested in attending one of our great military academies. Students interested in attending West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, or the Merchant Marine Academy must earn a nomination from a Member of Congress or another official nominating source. 

To download an application, visit my website here. For questions about nominations, please call our Hanford office at 559-460-6070.

California has been ground zero for misguided mandates that penalize traditional energy sources – driving up costs for working families and further stressing our state’s already unreliable power grid. Governor Newsom has banned the sale of combustion-engine vehicles in the state after 2035 – putting the interests of extreme environmentalists over hardworking Californians. That's why I'm proud to be a co-sponsor of the Energy Choice Act which will put an end to these misguided energy policies and ensure an all-of-the-above approach to energy production and use. 

Thank you to all of you who joined our Seniors Medicare Open-Enrollment Telephone Townhall. During the call, we discussed important topics relating to seniors and their healthcare. I also want to thank our representatives from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for helping to answer your questions.

If you are a senior and need assistance with Medicare, you can call CMS at 1-800-633-4227 or contact my office at (559) 460-6070.

While I’ve been in Washington, members of my team have been out across the 22^nd District meeting with stakeholders and leaders in our Valley community. Recently, Team Valadao attended the grand opening of the new Kern County Family Justice Center in Bakersfield. Their new location will allow them to continue doing vital work to support our vulnerable residents with resources like counseling, legal assistance, and child support services.

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.