Dear friend, While we have many challenges ahead and work left to do, the House delivered this week to pass the Assault Weapons Ban of 2021 and Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act. Similar to the 1994 ban, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2021 prohibits the sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons and high- capacity magazines. These weapons are designed to inflict wounds that are more lethal than the wounds inflicted by non-assault weapons. The use of these weapons in mass shootings scar communities forever. This bill makes it clear that assault weapons have no place on our streets.
The Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act calls for strategic and targeted investments to improve conditions for fire-adapted ecosystems, and provide near-term drought response, among other provisions. This bill is just the start of what we must do to combat megafires in the West. Our efforts should provide more funding to proactively remove hazardous fuels across our landscapes. We should work in a bipartisan way to enact policies to curb these fire events, starting with passing the Save Our Sequoias Act. Below is another update on the work my staff and I have done recently to serve you.
This Week's Casework Success Dayon of San Diego contacted my office earlier this month regarding her disability payments from Social Security. She had received disability payments since 1997, but after starting a new job, SSA incorrectly determined that she owed $279,540.40 back in payments. My staff flagged this discrepancy and helped SSA staff resolve this issue. Dayon's disability benefits were not affected, and she does not owe SSA $279,540.40.
Additional Legislative Work Supporting our Supply Chain, Manufacturing Efforts, and Global Competitiveness On Thursday, I voted to pass the CHIPS and Science Act to boost American manufacturing, science, and innovation. This legislation makes historic investments to surge production of American-made semiconductors to power our technology, tackle supply chain vulnerabilities, bolster America's scientific research and technological leadership, and strengthen America's economic and national security. Many of these provisions passed the House in February as part of the America COMPETES Act. This legislation will also ensure our STEM workforce reflects the diversity of our country, and revitalize support for our premier research institutions. Legislation to Further Understand Cannabis' Role in Public Health I also introduced a bill to help gather sufficient data on the safety, efficacy, and potential therapeutic value of cannabis use. The Developing and Nationalizing Key Cannabis Research Act would direct agencies to collect data on several metrics to have a more complete understanding of how widespread cannabis use will impact public health. As more states legalize cannabis use, research institutions around the country, including UC San Diego's leading Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, are uncertain about how to legally conduct this research while cannabis remains criminalized at the federal level.
Continuing Momentum for Action on Climate Resiliency On Thursday, I participated in a discussion on climate resiliency hosted by Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions. Rep. John Curtis (UT-3) also joined this event. We spoke about the meaning of resiliency in our districts, including sea level rise in San Diego and the threat of wildfires, the National Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Act, and the role of the Biden Administration in these efforts.
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or need assistance with a federal agency, reach out to us through our website or by calling the district office at 858-455-5550. To stay updated on my work throughout the week, you can also follow my social media accounts by clicking on the icons below. |