Dear [firstname]

The ongoing government shutdown is now the longest in history with vital services continuing to face interruptions. My office remains open and committed to keeping you informed, and I want to use this newsletter as an opportunity to answer some questions my office has received.

Please do not hesitate to contact my Washington D.C. office at (202) 225-4695, or my Hanford District Office at (559) 460-6070 if you have any questions.

For the full list of FAQs, please visit my website.

We have a growing healthcare affordability crisis in this country, and it’s been one of my top priorities in Congress to find solutions that ensure Americans of every income level have access to high-quality, affordable care. Health insurance premiums have been on the rise for years, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress introduced the enhanced ACA premium tax credit as a temporary measure to help lessen the burden on families, seniors, and small business owners who purchased their insurance from the ACA Marketplace. While it wasn’t a perfect solution, it was a step in the right direction.

With the enhanced credit set to expire at the end of 2025, there’s been a lot of debate over whether it should be extended. While Republicans didn’t create this problem, we now have the opportunity to address it in a responsible way. However, the government funding debate is not the time or place to solve healthcare issues. Because this is a larger conversation that will take time to resolve, I helped introduce the bipartisan Premium Tax Credit Extension Act to extend the credit for one year while Congress works toward a more permanent solution.

While I support extending the enhanced credit, I also believe we need to make commonsense policy reforms to ensure these benefits go to the Americans who need them most. Congress needs to come together to solve this problem, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle once the government reopens.

As the government shutdown continues, people across the country are starting to feel the effects. Unfortunately, air travel has been significantly impacted because of Air Traffic Control staffing shortages. Because of this, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is forcing flight reductions, contributing to flight delays and cancellations. The cuts currently impact 40 airports, and further reductions are expected if the shutdown continues. As the holidays get closer, these delays could get even worse, which is why it’s important for Congressional Democrats to stop using American families as leverage and vote to reopen the government.

This week, I had the privilege of welcoming the Lemoore Future Farmers of America to the U.S. Capitol. During our time together, the students asked some great questions and learned more about our nation’s history and this historic building. It was great spending time with these bright young leaders and hearing about their passion for agriculture and the community. Welcoming visitors from the Central Valley is one of my favorite parts of my job, and I’m happy I was able to give them a tour—even amid the ongoing government shutdown!

This week, Team Valadao met with Hanford City Councilmember Nancy Howze and attended the Kings County Board of Supervisors meeting to discuss local priorities. They also toured the Central Valley United Cerebral Palsy Hanford branch to learn more about the services they provide and explore ways our office can assist them in the future. Later, my staff joined veterans at the Delano Veterans Day Breakfast to honor Jerold Ross Hampton as this year’s Grand Marshal and presented certificates at Kern Medical Center’s Education Summit in Bakersfield to recognize their 70 years as an accredited public teaching hospital.

Team Valadao participated in the Wasco Police Department Badge Pinning Ceremony, the Purveyor Branding Co. ribbon cutting in Bakersfield, and the special dedication of Kern County District Attorney’s Victims of Violent Crime Memorial, which honors homicide victims in Kern County. My staff also met with Blood Cancer United to discuss their Student Visionaries of the Year campaign and attended the ribbon cutting for La Colonia Park outside Shafter, presenting certificates to celebrate the new community space.

My team attended several Veterans Day recognition events, including the McFarland Annual Veteran Celebration, the Kern County Honor Flight breakfast, and Veterans Day tributes at Brookdale Senior Living and Magnolia Place. Finally, my team presented a certificate to Kern County Human Services Holiday Cottage for their continued service supporting local families and met with Shafter Councilmember Pete Espinoza to discuss the impacts of high-speed rail projects on the city.

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!

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.