Dear [firstname],
Read below for an update on my work in Washington on behalf of CA-22. Make sure to sign up for my newsletter to receive regular updates on what's happening in D.C. and the Central Valley. Know someone who would want to read this newsletter? Make sure to forward it to a friend! |
After 42 days of Congressional Democrats holding the country hostage, I proudly voted on a Continuing Resolution (CR) to reopen the government this week and keep it funded until January 30th so the House and Senate can continue to pass full-year funding bills. This shutdown—the longest in our nation’s history—caused hardworking Americans to miss paychecks, delayed payments for federal programs like SNAP, and disrupted air travel, but this bill finally puts an end to the chaos. Passing this short-term budget extension is a win for good governance, and I’m looking forward to getting back to regular business and delivering for the Central Valley.
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Part of the Continuing Resolution (CR) Congress passed this week to reopen the government included three full-year funding bills: the Agriculture Appropriations Act, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, and Legislative Branch Appropriations Act.
In the Agriculture bill, I was able to secure important investments that will directly help families, farmers, and rural communities across the Central Valley through the Community Project Funding process. That includes $3.5 million for the Kaweah Siphon Resiliency Project to build a new siphon under the Kaweah River, keeping surface water flowing to 65,000 acres in the Tulare Irrigation District. This will help restore groundwater, prevent further land from sinking, and protect access to clean drinking water throughout our communities. I also secured $1.64 million for a new 110-foot aerial ladder truck for the Tulare County Fire Department so firefighters in Tipton, Pixley, Earlimart, Terra Bella, and Alpaugh have the equipment they need to keep our communities safe.
This bill also strengthens our agriculture industry by expanding research to combat livestock and crop diseases like avian influenza and New World Screwworm, and by ensuring access to the FSA Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund. It invests in communities like CA-22 by funding affordable housing rental assistance, the Section 502 homeownership program, and rural broadband grants that many of our families depend on. It also increases funding for school meals and WIC, fully funds SNAP, and provides resources for food programs that purchase from Central Valley farmers and producers.
In the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill, I was proud to support strong investments in veteran healthcare, benefits, and the modernization of the VA’s Electronic Health Record system. This legislation also strengthens mental health and suicide prevention programs, supports housing, education, and job training, and invests in VA clinics and hospitals so our servicemembers, veterans, and their families receive the care they earned.
As Chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, I was also glad to see the bill strengthens Capitol security, maintains the historic Capitol complex, and keeps the doors open for students, families, and visitors from CA-22 and across the country.
As the House and Senate work to finish the remaining nine full-year funding bills, I’ll continue advocating to make sure the Central Valley’s priorities are included.
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This week, I was proud to reintroduce H.Res. 872 in recognition of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Awareness Day. CJD is a rare brain disease that causes a rapid decline in a person’s cognitive health and often leads to death within a few months to one year following the onset of symptoms. While there are approximately 600 new cases in the U.S. each year, this rare disease sadly doesn't have a cure. CJD is an issue close to our community’s heart, as we continue to remember and honor Bakersfield’s longest-serving Mayor, Harvey L. Hall, who tragically passed away just two weeks after his CJD diagnosis in 2018. To honor Mayor Hall’s memory and raise awareness for the thousands of CJD patients and families impacted by this disease, I was proud to reintroduce the resolution designating November 12th as CJD Awareness Day. While we don’t yet have a cure for the disease, raising awareness brings us closer to breakthroughs in treatments, faster diagnostics, and the support caregivers need. |
Over the weekend, Team Valadao was proud to present a letter of recognition to World Harvest International Church as they celebrated 25 years of service and ministry in our community. In Buttonwillow, they stopped by the Pioneer Senior Citizens Center to hear directly from local seniors about their priorities and to share how our district office can continue supporting them. On Veterans Day, my staff joined veterans and their families at events across the district, including the Porterville Veterans Day Parade, Hanford VFW Post 5869 Festival, and Hamilton’s Veterans Day Celebration.
My team also helped celebrate the ribbon cutting for Kern Medical’s new Pediatric Emergency Department, presenting a certificate recognizing this important investment in children’s health care. Later, they joined Champions Recovery for their annual "Champgiving" potluck and learned more about the organization’s rehabilitation services. Team Valadao also attended the grand opening of Keller Williams’ new location hosted by the Downtown Business Association, and later participated in the Kern Energy Summit Luncheon to discuss the future of energy production in the Central Valley—including Hydrostor’s flagship Willow Rock project.
In Tulare, my team met with the Chamber’s new Community Partnerships Director, Brittany Howton, to discuss ways we can continue supporting local businesses. They also attended the grand reopening of Dress for Success, an organization doing critical work to help women enter and succeed in the workforce. Finally, Team Valadao met with Lighthouse Rescue Mission to hear more about their ongoing efforts to combat homelessness and serve families in need.
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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 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!
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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. |
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. |
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David G.Valadao Member of Congress |
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