Dear Friend,

I visited San Diego small businesses during national Small Business Week to learn how they are helping to grow our economy and create jobs in our region. I met each business owner and learned what their company does and how Small Business Administration loans have helped them expand their business. 

Clayton's Coffee Shop -- Coronado

I kicked off the day at Clayton's Coffee Shop, a community landmark since the 1940s.  I met the owner, Mary, who started her business in her twenties. Since then, she has been able to upgrade Clayton's Coffee Shop through small business loans, including a renovation to Clayton's Mexican Take Out, which is connected to the coffee shop.

Now that they've mastered coffee and carne asada, Mary's next plans are to open a bakery at a second location.

Biosero -- Sorrento Valley

Biosero financed their new building with an SBA loan. Now, they're able to create more software and lab workflows for San Diego's top life science industry-- and create jobs in the process.

Their software helps accelerate scientific discovery by providing researchers with robotic technology and software that connects different parts of lab equipment. This automation is helping spur discovery in genomics, drug development, agriculture, and more.

I learned how to program one of the robots to execute an automated process. This type of automation helps industries from bio to agriculture run lab tests. One plate transfer can contain as many as 96 test tubes.

Sherpa Clinical Packaging -- Sorrento Valley

Sherpa Clinical Packaging designs packaging and labeling for pharmaceutical clinical trials. The packaging is designed to minimize shipping costs and can be tailored for blind drug trials and other specifications.

Their expertise helps get drugs to patients faster, whether they live in cities across the country or around the world. I was able to see the machine that cuts out the packaging based on a design by the drug company and Sherpa Clinical Packaging before it's folded and glued.

Sherpa Clinical Packaging used their SBA loan to expand to a second building, where new packaging equipment and cold storage rooms will increase capacity by 400 percent. They'll be able to get more drugs to patients and create jobs in our region.

JXR Constructors - Kearny Mesa

I closed out the day with JXR Constructors, a veteran owned small business, at the VA San Diego to see their current construction site. They're extending a stairwell in one of the building wings to connect the VA's planned extension to the existing structure.

I met the owner, Jesus, who is also a Marine Corps veteran. Jesus has a background in professional construction management experience. He started his business in 2012 and serves both the government and private sector.

They're using an SBA loan to purchase a new warehouse for their construction equipment. The veteran owned and operated business is expanding, thanks to contracting opportunities that have opened up since they certified with SBA.

Small businesses, or companies with fewer than 100 employees, represent 98 percent of firms in San Diego. I'll continue to support small businesses by increasing access to capital and talent, leveling the playing field, and decreasing overly burdensome government regulations.

Sincerely,

Dear Friend,

I wanted to share an opportunity for San Diego high school students to have their artwork featured in the United States Capitol. The 2018 Congressional Art Competition is underway and I am encouraging students to enter.

As a former board member of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and a leader in the Murals of La Jolla effort, I know supporting San Diego's thriving art scene means not only investing in our leading art institutions, but also emerging artists.

How to Enter

Students are encouraged to create original artwork according to the following guidelines:

Entries can be no larger than 26” x 26” x 4” when framed. Artwork must be original in concept, design, and execution.

Artwork may be:

• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
• Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)
• Prints: lithographs, silk screen, block prints
• Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
• Collages (must be two dimensional)
• Computer-generated art
• Photographs

 
Visit my website for more details and a complete list of rules and regulations.

Artwork must be dropped off at our San Diego office by Wednesday, April 25th at 4 p.m. Get directions to our office here.

For questions, please contact my San Diego office at 858-455-5550. I look forward to seeing this year's submissions.

Sincerely,

January 25, 2018

Dear Friend,

I know many San Diegans spent the weekend concerned about what the government shutdown meant for them. More than 15,000 active duty service members call San Diego home. There are also roughly 35,000 federal employees in our region, some of whom were at risk of being furloughed.

I spent the weekend in D.C. working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find consensus on a long-term spending plan that would bring certainty to our national defense, our economy, and working families across the country. 

I also pledged to donate my pay during the shutdown to an organization in San Diego, and I renewed the call for the No Budget, No Pay Act, which would withhold congressional pay until the budget is complete. 

Messages to San Diegans

If you missed our messages during the shutdown, view them below. 

Day 2 of the Shutdown

Day 3 of the Shutdown

Fighting for Certainty

When the government shut down, we saw the consequences of too many stopgap bills. This is no way to run our country. We know our military, research institutions, and federal agencies need more certainty because when they’re forced to plan for multiple budget scenarios, it’s a waste of time and money. 

San Diegans rightfully expect their leaders to work together to find solutions. I’m ready to work with my colleagues on a budget that adequately funds our military, increases our resiliency to natural disasters, helps San Diego address cross-border sewage, and doesn’t increase the national debt. These short-term stop-gap measures are just not good enough.

Read my full statement on the latest, stop-gap spending bill.

My offices are always open during this time; please feel free to reach out to us in San Diego at 858-455-5550 or DC at 202-225-0508 if we can be of help.

Dear Friend,

I'm honored to announce our office is now an official partner with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration, a program to properly honor Vietnam-era veterans and their families.

As a Commemorative Partner, my office will host events and activities each year to recognize the tremendous sacrifices of Vietnam-era veterans, highlight the contributions made on the home front, and celebrate the advances made in science, technology, medicine, and military research. 

Many Vietnam veterans were treated badly or met with indifference after their service. The controversy surrounding U.S. involvement in Vietnam sparked protests and demonstrations that continued long after our service members returned home. 

Decades later, it is important that we recognize the sacrifice these veterans made for our country. Regardless of our feelings about the Vietnam War, that blame should have never been placed on heroes who served their country.

If you are a veteran or surviving family member of the Vietnam War-era (anyone who served active-duty during November 1, 1955 - May 15, 1975) and want to be included in an upcoming event to honor Vietnam-era veterans, you can sign up to be notified of our next event.  Visit the Frequently Asked Questions page for more about the Vietnam War Commemoration and eligibility requirements.

Sign up here to be notified of our next event or ceremony.

It's an honor to be part of this new opportunity to give our Vietnam heroes and their families, the overdue recognition they earned through their service. If you have additional questions, please visit our website or call our San Diego office at 858-455-5550.

Sincerely,