Dear [firstname],
It’s been a busy week here in the nation’s capital. Read below for an update on my work on behalf of the Central Valley in Washington, DC. Make sure to sign up for my newsletter to receive regular updates on what's happening in DC and the Central Valley.
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This week is National Police Week, a time to thank our brave men and women in law enforcement and honor those who have lost their lives in the line of duty. I was honored to speak on the House Floor to thank our Central Valley officers for their selfless dedication and service. Watch here or below.
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Police Departments in smaller communities often struggle with having enough funding to recruit, train, and provide resources for their officers - leading to increased stress on our existing force and putting the safety of our communities at risk. This concerning trend has had a disproportional effect on small, rural law enforcement agencies like many of those in the Central Valley. That’s why I’m proud to be a co-sponsor of the Invest to Protect Act – a bipartisan piece of legislation that would create a new grant program for police departments with less than 200 police officers.
Read more here.
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I wrote an op-ed last year about the importance of investing in our law enforcement. You can read my full op-ed here.
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The flooding and expected snowpack runoff are top of mind for me and many people here in the Central Valley. Next Wednesday, May 24th I’ll be hosting a tele-town hall to answer your questions on flood resources and the federal government’s role in flood response. As your representative, I’m committed to doing everything I can to help you navigate a very bureaucratic and confusing system for disaster response. Sign up for the town hall here.
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Some of California’s largest and most destructive wildfires have happened in the last five years. Recent atmospheric rivers are expected to lead to intense growth and an increased amount of tree branches and trees on the ground – which will act as more fuel for fires later into the season. This week, I introduced the Emergency Wildfire Fighting Technology Act. This bill would make ensure our firefighters are equipped with the most up-to-date technology to combat these fires in a quicker, more efficient way. Read more.
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This week, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies met to report the Fiscal Year 2024 bill to the full committee. As a member of the subcommittee, I’m proud that our bill fully funds the VA, veterans’ healthcare, and other critical veterans’ benefits programs. House Republicans are fully committed to funding the needs of our veterans and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure our veterans have the resources they deserve and responsibly fund our government through the appropriations process.
Read more.
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This week, I had the privilege of welcoming veterans from across the Valley to Washington for the Central Valley Honor Flight. These brave Americans fought to protect freedom and democracy around the world, and it was truly an honor to be able to meet them in the Capitol. To all the veterans across #CA22 – thank you for your service to our nation!
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The impacts of the pandemic have been difficult for everyone, but especially for our children. Young people are struggling with their mental health like never before, and as a father of three, this trend is a big concern to me. That’s why this week, I joined Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC) to introduce the Improving Mental Health and Wellness in Schools Act. This bill will ensure Central Valley schools have the tools they need to educate students about the importance of maintaining their mental and physical health so they can lead happy and fulfilling lives. You can read more about our bipartisan legislation here.
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May is Military Appreciation Month, a chance for us to honor the brave men and women who make up the United States Armed Forces. To all those serving here at home and around the world - thank you for your service to our nation!
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Tomorrow, May 20th, is also Armed Forces Day. The men and women in our Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, Space Force, National Guard, and Reserves are the best in the world, and we all owe them a debt we can never fully repay. Thank you to all of those in our armed forces for your service and commitment to freedom around the world.
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Our question this week comes from Bill in Hanford. He asks: “What are you doing to address the homeless issue here in Kings County? We have homeless encampments popping up all over." Thank you for your question, Bill. Homelessness has always been an issue across California, but the increases in our homeless population over the past decade are truly shocking. Homeless encampments are no longer just showing up in our major cities but in every part of the state – including here in the Central Valley.
We must do more to address mental health, drug addiction, and housing affordability – the root causes of the homeless crisis – if we are going to be able to resolve this enormous challenge. Through my work on the House Appropriations Committee, I have worked to secure targeted funding for homeless assistance grants, which will create 18,000 new housing options. But homelessness is not just a federal issue. It will take a coordinated response between federal, state, and local governments to ensure displaced residents have the resources to get off our streets, move into permanent housing, and successfully reintegrate into our communities. I will continue to work with our partners at all levels of government to reduce the number of homeless on our streets.
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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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Congressman Valadao Talks Invest to Protect Act
This week, Rep. Valadao joined Ralph Bailey on Kern Radio to talk about how the Invest to Protect Act will help the Valley.
Listen here
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Mental Health Education Would Become Part of School Wellness Under Valadao Bill
The Improving Mental Health and Wellness in Schools Act, H.R. 3331, which Rep. Valadao cosponsored alongside bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC), would amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to modify requirements ...
Read more
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The Looming Water Crisis in the Central Valley
Rep. Valadao sits down with Steve Hilton to discuss water, farming, and the future of California.
Listen here
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Bipartisan Efforts Fly Firefighting Technology to New Heights
In a display of bipartisanship, two Valley congressmen worked together to enhance wildfire fighting technology. Congressman Jim Costa and Congressman David Valadao introduced a new bill to help combat wildfires more effectively.
Read more
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Valadao Introduces Congressional Bills to Support Municipal Police and Fire Agencies
U.S. Representative David Valadao is a co-sponsor of the Invest to Protect Act, and introduced the Emergency Wildfire Fighting Technology Act alongside fellow California representative Jim Costa.
Read here
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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.
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David G.Valadao Member of Congress
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