Last Monday the House passed H.R. 3779, the Social Security Fraud Prevention Act, a bill by Congressman David G. Valadao that I am proud to cosponsor. This bipartisan legislation would protect Americans, especially children, veterans, and senior citizens, from becoming victims of identity theft. As many of us know, mail theft is a serious problem in many of our communities, but this legislation would help address the issue by reducing the amount of government documents that have Social Security numbers on them, which would lessen the threat of identity theft. This is an important step in the right direction, and I am pleased to see it is moving forward. More information on the bill here.

Space Race

On Tuesday I participated in a House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology hearing entitled “Are We Losing the Space Race to China?” I spoke about the future of our space exploration program and the need for collaborative projects like our very own SOFIA program, which is located in Palmdale. Check out the clip here.

Improving VA Work Times

Last week I cosponsored a bill by my colleague, Congressman David G. Valadao, that would improve VA wait times, which is something many in our local veteran community struggle with all too often. H.R. 6207, the Act to Improve VA Timing and Efficiency (ACTIVATE), would increase scheduling efficiency at the VA by allowing the Department to seek outside help from professional medical schedulers and operators to assist veterans in making appointment and follow-up visits at VA medical facilities. This would help address concerns about long wait times and other difficulties many veterans face in seeking medical care from the Department.  More on my website.

Working Overtime

Last week the House passed H.R. 6094, a bill I cosponsored that would delay the implementation of the Department of Labor’s (DOL) harmful overtime rule by 6 months so small businesses and other entities may prepare for compliance. The overtime rule may sound good, but it will ultimately harm those it seeks to help by increasing compliance costs for small businesses and forcing them to cut jobs and slow growth. This bill would give our small businesses much-needed time to mitigate some of the mandate’s most harmful effects, and I am proud to stand with my Democratic and Republican colleagues in the House in advancing this important measure. Read more here.

Standing Up for NASA

Today I sent a letter to House Committee on Science, Space, & Technology Chairman Lamar Smith and Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson urging them to fully fund aeronautics programs for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) budget. Aeronautics is the first “A” in NASA. It is crucial to our national security as well as our economy, especially here in Southern California. We must ensure our continued success in this industry by properly investing in aeronautics research and development today. Read more here.

Astronomy Day
October 8, 10:00am-3:00pm
Valencia Library, 23743 W Valencia Blvd, Santa Clarita

UC Application Workshop for High School Seniors
October 8, 1:00pm-5:00pm
Simi Valley Library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Rd, Simi Valley