Around the District

Women Veterans Forum
Last weekend my office joined Senator Sharon Runner’s office in hosting a Women Veterans Forum in Lancaster to provide assistance with VA benefits and connect female service members with local resources. Thank you to everyone who attended; it was a great event.

Taking Care of Business
On May 21st my office presented a certificate of recognition to Penny Pinchers, a woman-owned small business that just celebrated 50 years in Simi Valley. Keep up the great work!

Presenting a certificate to Penny Pinchers in Simi Valley

Out of this World
Last Friday I spoke at SCVi for the Student Spaceflight Experiments program. Congratulations to all the students who made it to the Step 1 Review Board and those in the Top 3.

Speaking at SCVi in Santa Clarita

Audiology Associates
Friday afternoon I took a very informative tour of Audiology Associates in Valencia. Dr. Patrice Rifkind told me all about the about the services they offer to our community and how they are helping veterans in our area.

Touring Audiology Associates in Valencia

Court of Honor
Following the tour I stopped by the Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Zachary Carlson in Lancaster to present him with a certificate of recognition.  Congratulations Zachary and thank you for your dedication, commitment and service. I wish you continued success in all your endeavors.

Congratulations Zachary!

Seat of Honor
After the Court of Honor Ceremony I went to The Hangar in Lancaster to unveil their new POW/MIA Seat of Honor, which is located at the back of Section 101 and will feature a permanent plaque to commemorate all of the United States Military’s POWs and MIAs. I then stayed for the JetHawks game against the Mavericks, which they won 2-1.

Unveiling the new POW/MIA plaque at The Hangar

Relay for Jack!
On Saturday I joined Jack’s Angels as they hosted the inaugural “Relay for Jack!” in Santa Clarita to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research. Thank you to Janet Demeter for the recognition and for your passion and tireless devotion to this important cause. For more information about Jack’s Angels and their mission, please visit their website here.

Relay for Jack! in Santa Clarita

Memorial Day
Yesterday was Memorial Day, a day to reflect and express gratitude for all the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country and our way of life. I had the honor of attending the Memorial Day Ceremony in Simi Valley, and I want to personally thank Mayor Bob Huber, the Simi Valley City Council, and Matt Valenzuela for an inspirational ceremony for our fallen warriors.

While I was in Simi Valley, representatives from my office attended the Memorial Day Ceremonies at Eternal Valley in Santa Clarita, Desert Lawn Memorial Park in Palmdale, and Joshua Memorial Park as well as the Veterans Court of Honor in Lancaster. All were very moving tributes, and I thank all of the organizers for their dedication.

Paying tribute to our fallen in Simi Valley

Lunch with the Troops Last Monday I had the opportunity to eat lunch and chat with sailors from California on the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Thank you all for your service, and keep up the outstanding work! Enjoying lunch with some sailors St. Francis Dam Memorial Big news- last week the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing on H.R. 5244, the Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Memorial Act. This bill would create a monument to the victims of the St. Francis Dam Disaster that happened in the San Francisquito Canyon in 1928. The highlight of the day was the testimony of Dr. Alan Pollack, President of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, who flew across the country to discuss the tragedy and the need for legislation. You can watch the whole hearing here. Remo Drums at the Capitol John Fitzgerald, an employee of Remo Drumheads in Valencia, visited my DC office on Wednesday with some other members of the National Association of Musical Merchants to discuss the benefits of musical education. Thanks for stopping by! Great meeting with you John A Step Toward Drought Relief Last week I was proud to support S. 2012, the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016, a bill that passed the House floor that would deliver long-overdue water solutions for California. This measure contains provisions from the Western Water Act, a bill I co-sponsored last year that would maximize the amount of drinking water available to Californians by setting up a process for increased pumping, capture, and storage. More information on that bill here. Air Traffic Controllers I had a great meeting in my DC office on May 25th with James Decker, a member of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) at Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center in Palmdale. We chatted about FAA Reauthorization, Air Traffic Controller staffing, and the overall safety of the National Airspace System- all very important issues to our nation and our community. After a great meeting with Air Traffic Controllers Touring Tours Thank you to Trisha Kim from Porter Ranch for stopping by my DC office last week. It was great meeting you and your daughter! For more information on how my office can help arrange tours of the Capitol and White House, visit my website. Thanks for stopping by Tricia! Creating Opportunities in Energy Contracting On Thursday I introduced H.R. 5349, the Energy Contracting Opportunities Act, which would improve our nation’s energy infrastructure by expanding opportunities for more energy providers to compete for federal contracts and studying a longstanding problem that has stunted energy innovation. More information here.