Do you have a question about my work in Congress? Are you concerned about a particular issue affecting the Central Valley? Join me on Tuesday, August 13^th at 6:00 pm PST for my Tele-Town Hall to have your voice heard. A Tele-Town Hall is a great opportunity for me to connect with so many people throughout the community, all from the comfort of your home. I’ll be answering your questions and giving an update on my work in Washington.

Sign up for my Tele-Town Hall here.

This week my office presented congressional certificates to individuals for their accomplishments in the local community. The Kern County Asian Chamber of Commerce and the Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce each hosted ribbon cuttings for new restaurants in the area – Le Cave Vin and Cuisine and Maui Pho. I’m proud to support the hard work of our local business owners.

Tuesday, August 6^th was Farmworker Appreciation Day. As a dairy farmer, I’ve worked firsthand with the men and women who work tirelessly to help feed the nation. I’m proud to represent a community that’s home to many farmworkers and farmers alike. Thank you to all the farmworkers in the Central Valley for your essential contributions to our nation’s food supply!

One of my highest privileges as a member of Congress is nominating students from the Central Valley to attend a United States Service Academy. Serving in our nation’s military is among the highest callings there is. I am excited to share that my office will be hosting a Service Academy Information Night on August 29th for middle and high school students from the Central Valley who are interested in attending a military academy. This event will be taking place at the Porterville Military Academy from 6-8pm. You can RSVP for this event here.

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!

Our question this week comes from Albert in Earlimart. He asks:

"What is your opinion on Social Security and Medicare? Do you support or do you oppose? I just turned 65 and I hear so much on how the Republicans want to eliminate these services that I worked so many years for."

Thanks for your question, Albert. I support Medicare and Social Security and recognize that both programs provide vital support for millions of Americans who have rightfully earned these benefits.

When it comes to healthcare, I firmly believe that all Americans should have access to affordable care, regardless of income. It’s crucial that we work to bring down today’s excessive healthcare costs. Most seniors in our country depend on Medicare to receive the health treatment they need, and it’s vital that Congress continue to support this program. The same goes for Social Security- these are benefits retired Americans have earned, and I have never voted to reduce Social Security or Medicare benefits for retirees.

Unfortunately, both programs are facing significant challenges. If nothing changes, Social Security and Medicare will run out of money in the next decade. To ensure we can continue these important programs for future generations, I believe reforms are necessary. However, I don’t support eliminating them and I don’t support making any changes that would affect current retirees or those nearing retirement. The next several years are going to require careful consideration of how best to secure the future of Medicare and Social Security while not impacting the benefits of those who have earned them.

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.