In order for additional federal resources to be made available to our state, the Governor’s office has to accurately report the damages these storms have caused. California Office of Emergency Services is required to justify a request for additional federal support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency by presenting the reported costs and losses that the public reports. 

If you have experienced weather-related damages or losses during these storms, it is critical to report them to your respective counties

Kings County Flood Damage Survey

Tulare County Flood Damage Survey

Kern County Flood Damage Survey

Don’t forget to:

• Sign up for your county’s emergency alert system and follow evacuation orders
• Do not travel to see dangerous weather events
• Report property damages to your county

Today, Governor Newsom announced that due to recent storms, California will be relaxing some of the state's drought restrictions. This announcement is welcome news and a relief to farmers and rural communities throughout the Valley. Unfortunately, it does not change the fact that we’ve wasted a seemingly immeasurable amount of water because we do not have the proper storage. For years, I have stressed the dire need to increase water storage, but extreme environmentalists and Sacramento bureaucrats have grossly mismanaged our water and prevented these projects from getting off the ground.

You can read my full statement on the Governor's recent announcement here.

As a father of three, I know firsthand just how important parent involvement is when it comes to childhood education. Children that have one or both parents involved in their primary education are more likely to earn higher grades and more likely to graduate from high school and college. We should be encouraging more parental involvement in our children’s education, not trying to keep parents out of our schools.

That’s why I was proud to vote in support of H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights, which passed the House of Representatives this week. H.R. 5 is focused on guaranteeing 5 key rights for every single parent:

1. The right to know what’s being taught in schools
2. The right to have their concerns heard
3. The right to see school budgets and spending
4. The right to protect their child’s privacy
5. The right to be updated on any violent activity at school

This week, the House Budget Committee held a hearing on President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Shalanda Young, came to testify before the committee about the President’s budget and I was able to question her about the most important issues facing Valley families. I asked Director Young about the President’s proposal to end certain tax deductions for small, independent energy producers as well as how the budget prioritizes building desperately needed water storage infrastructure in California.

You can watch my full questioning of Director Young here. 

This week marks National Agriculture Week, a time to recognize the hardworking farmers, growers, producers, and workers who make up our vibrant Central Valley agricultural community. The Valley produces a quarter of the nation's food with less than 1% of the farmland in the U.S. - a true testament to our community's dedication and work ethic. Our farmers are the ones who feed the world, and I am incredibly proud to represent our ag community in Congress.  

Our question this week comes from Ricardo in Hanford. He asks:

”The price of natural gas has gone up more than double now the gas company wants raise the price of gas again.  Why is this happening and what can you do to help? They have us between a rock and a hard place.”

Thank you for the question, Ricardo. I’ve heard from countless constituents over the last few months about just how expensive their natural gas bills have become. Many people are seeing their energy bills double or triple each month and that is a real burden for hardworking Valley families. Sadly, the truth is the Biden administration’s energy policies have done real damage to our oil and natural gas producers throughout the country, including here at home in Kern County. 

The President’s energy policies have done enough damage, and we must go in a new direction. That's why I am proud to support H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act. This legislation is a comprehensive package of commonsense reforms that will cut red tape and allow us to increase our supply of safe, clean, and affordable energy. Valley families should not have to choose between heating their homes or buying food for their families. H.R. 1 will once again restore American energy independence and finally bring down costs for residents across not only the Central Valley but the entire country. 

Sadly, President Biden is not the only one implementing misguided energy policies that are driving up costs for Valley families. Governor Newsom has also pushed an energy agenda that has reduced our supply, driven small independent producers out of business, and caused gas bills to skyrocket. That's why earlier this month, I joined my California colleagues in a letter to Governor Newsom that urged him to reverse his administration's energy policies and allow producers across the state to operate at full capacity - the only way to guarantee long-term affordable energy prices. 

I will continue to fight for commonsense policies that reduce costs for families, farmers, and small businesses across the Valley. 

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!

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