Congresswomn Susan Davis "November 2014 E-News Report" for Friday, 21 November 2014
Dear Friend,
The House is back in session after a long election season, and we have a lot of work to do before the end of the 113th Congress. First, we must pass an appropriations bill to fund the government beyond the current December 11 deadline. I would prefer to see a full year appropriations bill that takes a government shutdown off the table and gives businesses, federal employees, and citizens who depend on federal programs the confidence that government services will not be interrupted.
Beyond funding the government, I am hopeful that we will be able to resolve pressing tax issues, finalize the National Defense Authorization Act, and begin the much needed debate about U.S. military action in Iraq and Syria in a bipartisan way once we return to Washington after next week’s holiday. As we gather for Thanksgiving next week, I hope you and your loved ones will keep in mind the thousands of service members and federal civilians who are deployed overseas and unable to spend time with their families during the holidays.
Since my last report to you, I've met with constituents throughout the district, held a federal contracting workshop, and voted to preserve environmental review of the Keystone XL Pipeline project. I hope you will find a few minutes to read what I have been working on in Washington and in the District. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me or follow me on Facebook or Twitter.
Warm Regards,
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Pushing for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Last night, President Obama, like eleven presidents before him, announced limited executive actions to address parts of our broken immigration system. The president’s actions, however, are not a substitute for legislation by Congress to enact a comprehensive immigration plan that keeps families together, protects our borders, and strengthens the economy. Read more about this plan here.
Preserving Net Neutrality
While the debate at the FCC continues, the president recently put forward one option for securing Net Neutrality. I agree that unfettered access to the Internet should not be limited to the highest bidders. ICYMI – Here’s what the President has in mind for protecting internet access: http://www.whitehouse.gov/net-neutrality.
Keystone Pipeline Should Undergo Environmental Review
Last week, I opposed an effort in the House to bypass current environmental law and approve the Keystone XL Pipeline. In my view, this bill is essentially an earmark for a Canadian oil company that will have virtually no impact on job creation and an unnoticeable effect on gas prices. The project is very high on environmental risks and very low on reward, and certainly not worth ignoring our environmental laws.
The bill exempts Keystone from all federal permitting requirements, creating a special exemption for one project from requirements that apply to every other construction project in the country. Claims of job creation from Keystone are dubious, with a report by the State Department saying that only about 35 permanent jobs will be created to maintain the pipeline. Experts also agree that Keystone would have an unnoticeable impact on gas prices, and farmers in the Midwest have expressed concerns over the impact oil spills from the pipeline would have on an aquifer under the proposed route. The Ogallala Aquifer accounts for roughly 20 percent of the groundwater used in U.S. agriculture. Contamination of the aquifer would not only be environmentally damaging but have a significant economic impact.
Listening to Constituents Throughout the 53rd
The House schedule usually prevents me from being able to attend weekday meetings in San Diego. However, the House was out of session for October so I was able to attend many events throughout the 53rd District. Meetings I went to included the Adams Avenue Business Association (pictured here), Mission Hills Town Council, Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group, Mexican-American Business Professionals Association, Uptown Planners, Hillcrest Town Council, and Navajo Community Planners, among others.
At each meeting, I heard from constituents about the need to strengthen our public health system to combat diseases, ways to lower Medicare costs, and the need for higher paying jobs in San Diego. I also talked with residents of the 53rd District about the need for Congress to fully debate U.S. military options in Iraq and Syria and how Congress must pass an appropriations bill for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2015. While I would have preferred that the House had stayed in session to deal with these issues in October, I enjoyed speaking with so many different groups and hope to get to even more in the future!
Honoring Our Veterans
The freedoms we enjoy today are due to the sacrifices our veterans have made to protect and defend the principals that define America. That is why I joined events around the county to bring attention to our veterans and call for continued effort to improve the VA health and benefit system. While we have taken steps to make improvements to the VA system that has failed too many of our veterans, I know we need to keep working to create a world-class system where all veterans get the care they need. I am grateful that we have one of the nation’s best veteran’s hospitals here in San Diego, and hope that it will continue to be an example for other health clinics across the country.
Cutting the Ribbon on New Lanes at San Ysidro
It is official! New lanes have been open for a while now, but I was proud to join local leaders to commemorate the completion of the newest lanes at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The opening of these lanes marks the completion of Phase 1 of the San Ysidro Port of Entry Modernization and Expansion Project, a nearly $750 million project that will ultimately enhance border security, add 38 additional vehicle inspection booths, realign portions of Interstate 5, and add additional bidirectional pedestrian crossing and a multimodal transit center. Border lane expansion, support facilities, infrastructure enhancements, and other improvements at San Ysidro are expected to help increase the legal flow of people across the border, which will increase commerce and create thousands of jobs in the region.
Women in Contracting Workshop
Over 70 business owners and people interested in contracting with the federal government joined experts from the San Diego Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) for a free interactive discussion on federal contracting sponsored by my office. Attendees participated in a federal contracting 101 and Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) program workshop where they received contracting advice and learned about resources for county businesses.
The first hour of the event focused on how to contract with the federal government, current procurement policies for WOSBs, and current legislative initiatives. In the second hour, participants heard from federal small business liaisons, including Space and Naval Warfare Systems Headquarters, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest Division, Department of Homeland Security/Customs and Border Protection, and the General Services Administration. Click here for a copy of the presentation. I look forward to holding additional contracting events in the future!
Defense E-News
As Ranking Member of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel, I spend a lot of time focused on the needs of our military, especially our men and women in uniform and their families. Since I am often asked about how defense and veterans policies coming out of Washington will impact San Diego County, I have started sending out a periodic E-News for anyone who is interested in defense and veterans issues. I will only be sending this information to people who sign up to receive these updates, so please click here to be added to the list.
Interested in an Internship?
Interns gain valuable legislative and public service experience by assisting with constituent inquiries, public events, casework, and other special projects. Internships are a minimum of 10 hours per week and qualify for credit at some schools. If you are interested in interning in the San Diego office, please submit a resume and cover letter to CA53DOInternapp@mail.house.gov. If you are interested in an internship in my Washington office please submit a resume and cover letter to CA53DCInternapp@mail.house.gov.
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