Health Care

Health care is a right, plain and simple. I came to Congress because my brother has a preexisting condition that left our family with a hundred-page medical bill. Without insurance, my parents never would have been able to afford the care he needed, but now insurance itself is becoming too expensive to afford. I hear similar stories from folks at every town hall and in every city I visit. Health care and prescription drug costs are out of control, in fact, the 43,000 people without insurance in our community could pay more than $600 a month for lifesaving medications like insulin. That’s unacceptable and I’m laser-focused on bringing those costs down.

The Affordable Care Act (also known as “the ACA” or “Obamacare”) was an important first step to getting health care for more people, especially folks with pre-existing conditions. I will always fight to protect that access and continue to expand health insurance coverage. I’m also working to bring down costs and bring more doctors and nurses to the Valley.

I’ve already passed multiple amendments through the House to help protect preexisting conditions and increase access to mental health coverage.

Jobs & Education

Folks in the Central Valley know how to work hard. However, the deck is stacked against us in Washington and Sacramento causing us to – have an unemployment rate twice the national average.

As a former businessman, I know what it takes to grow a business from a couple of guys in a garage to a company with hundreds of employees. I’m using this experience to bring more good-paying jobs and more opportunity to the Central Valley. We have to attract top job opportunities to the Valley – and that starts by making sure our community has the in-demand skills to match what employers need. That's why I'm focused on building stronger apprenticeship and vocational programs to get folks the skills they need for good-paying jobs.

You used to be able to support a family and send your kids to school all on one salary. Not anymore. The Middle Class is being squeezed, and it’s harder than it’s been in decades for folks to get ahead. We have an amazing workforce ready to work hard – we just need the resources and skills to bring those good jobs to the Valley. That’s why I’m focused on making the Central Valley the best place to raise a family and do business.  

For more information concerning work and views related to Jobs and Education, please contact our office.

Water

We just came off of the worst drought in California history. We have the most variable annual rainfall of any state in the country, and because of that we’re locked into a boom and bust cycle on water. Unfortunately, Washington and Sacramento didn’t invest in our water systems like they should have twenty years ago. That means in wet years, we can’t save enough water for the dry ones.

That’s why my first priority in Congress was to introduce an all-of-the-above water bill that will increase storage opportunities, spur new innovation, and make long-overdue investments in our aging water infrastructure. I spent months sourcing water ideas directly from local experts to make sure my bill meets the needs of everyone – from farmers and consumers to environmental advocates and water providers. I will continue fighting to bring the federal funding we need to the Central Valley to protect our local farmers and consumers.

For more information concerning work and views related to Water, please contact our office.

Agriculture

My great-grandfather came to the Central Valley to farm peaches in Manteca back in the 1850s. Just about everyone you talk to around here has a similar story. Agriculture is not only a key driver of our local economy and a source of jobs, it’s also an important part of who we are.

The Central Valley is the fruit and nut basket of the world – which is why I fought to serve on the House Agriculture Committee. One of my most important roles in Washington is serving as the voice of our local growers and producers on the committee. It’s vital that we have clear Farm Bill implementation and a trade policy that actually works for our farmers and families. My job is to make sure that federal agriculture policy works for our farmers – not just folks in other parts of the country.

My office is dedicated to helping our farmers in any way possible, if you need help cutting through red tape with the USDA please contact us.

For more information concerning work and views related to Agriculture, please contact our office.

Veterans

Veterans across the Central Valley have made huge sacrifices to keep our nation safe. When service members come home, they deserve every opportunity to succeed.

However, too many of our veterans are left without a place to live, relevant job training, or facing unreasonable wait times for care. That’s why I’m working to guarantee that our veterans get the benefits and high quality care they’ve earned and are able to lead fulfilling lives. If you’re a veteran and need help with VA benefits, lost medals, or anything else, please contact our office. 

For more information concerning work and views related to Veterans issues, please contact our office.

Immigration

The Central Valley is a land of immigrants and a land of farmers. We all came here to work hard and get ahead. Just about everyone I talk to agrees that our immigration system is broken. For too long, partisanship has gotten in the way of fixing the real issues we’re facing. That has to change.

I’m fighting for a comprehensive, humane, and bipartisan immigration system that allows people to get right with the law and come out of the shadows – especially the nearly 8,000 Dreamers who live in our communities. For so many of these folks, America is the only home they’ve ever known. They are Americans in every way but one: on paper. That’s why I’m a proud cosponsor of the Dream and Promise Act. We need to fix our broken immigration system.

It’s also vital that immigration reform include keeping our border secure and our communities safe. I support 21st century investments in border security. We need to be investing in advanced drone technology, the Unmanned Aircraft System, up-to-date screening technology to detect and stop contraband, better infrastructure at our ports of entry, and increasing the number of agents at the border. I am committed to working with anyone, on either side of the aisle, to get a comprehensive fix – one that secures our border and allows us to live up to our country’s ideals.

Bipartisanship

More and more lately, folks across our nation have started to segregate themselves by ideology, but you won’t see me on cable news fighting with folks – I’m focused on getting things done. We know better in the Central Valley. That’s why I’m proud to be one of the most bipartisan members in Congress. I’m collaborating with folks on both sides of the aisle to grow jobs and opportunity in the Central Valley, protect health care access, and increase our water supply. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican or a Democrat – we all face challenges together as Americans, and the best way through them is to work together.

There are issues that some people will never agree on, but I am a firm believer that there is more that unites us than divides us.

Homelessness

Homelessness is one of the most common issues I hear about as I travel through the Central Valley. Almost 2,000 people, including about 250 kids, are homeless in Stanislaus County, and the numbers in San Joaquin County are just as troubling. We have to do more to get folks off the streets and into safe housing. I am committed to bringing federal support to our local governments and organizations to combat this growing problem in our communities.

We need a comprehensive solution to confront its root causes to get our neighbors back on their feet. That’s why I am a proud supporter of the Fighting Homelessness Through Services and Housing Act. This bipartisan bill would provide $750 million in federal investments to local governments and nonprofits to provide wrap-around services such as emergency housing, mental health services, treatment for substance abuse, and job training for people who are homeless.

For more information concerning work and views related to Homelessness, please contact our office.