October 2, 2020

Dear friend,

I hope you and your loved ones continue to stay safe and well. Below is another update on some of the work my staff and I have done this week to serve you.

The House of Representatives remains in session and this week, we worked to pass critical bills including a revised version of the Heroes Act to provide relief for millions of Americans, and my bipartisan STANDUP Act to prevent violence on campuses and ensure school safety.

Click image to watch video of STANDUP Act floor remarks.

• Updated Heroes Act: The $2.2 trillion package strengthens support for small businesses, and ensures the Paycheck Protection Program serves the smallest businesses and struggling non-profits. It also provides targeted assistance for independent live venue operators and the restaurant business.
  • This legislation also extends the Payroll Support Program to protect airline industry workers who face mass layoffs, and enhances education and child care resources, with $182 billion for K-12 schools, $39 billion for colleges and universities, and $57 billion to support child care for families.
• STANDUP Act: Requires states, schools and Tribes to implement commonsense, evidence-based policies to prevent suicides and equips teachers, administrators, and students with the skills needed to get help for people who are at risk of harming themselves or others. (Related floor remarks pictured above.)
• Creating Hope Reauthorization Act: Incentivizes the pharmaceutical industry to develop treatments and cures for life-threatening conditions through an extension of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) rare pediatric disease priority review voucher program.
  

This week, I spoke about my Health STATISTICS Act during GovDATAx 2020, a leading virtual event for the data community to engage in dialogue and planning for future U.S. policies related to data. I explained the bill, which seeks to fix inconsistencies in data collection and essential reporting to effectively combat coronavirus, as part of the conversation on sound public health data during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This event was hosted by the Government Matters news program and the Data Coalition trade association, which advocates for responsible policies to make government data high-quality and accessible.

I joined California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara for a virtual town hall on wildfires assistance and insurance resources available to renters and homeowners. We discussed the efforts involved with protecting California residents and their properties, the effects of climate change, and the related policy challenges including forest management, land use and development and providing more federal resources. 

Amy Bach, Executive Director of United Policyholders, San Diego Fire Chief Colin Stowell, and Deputy Fire Chief/Fire Marshall Douglas Perry also joined this important discussion.

Gary from Carmel Valley contacted our office in April requesting assistance with the IRS. He had been trying to obtain a refund on behalf of his parents for the past three years. Gary repeatedly provided the IRS with the necessary documentation to process his case, but was not successful. My staff worked with Gary and IRS officials to clear any confusion and gather all the necessary information for the release of funds. This week, IRS notified that Gary would soon receive a check for $2,375.

The San Diego County Registrar of Voters provides important information regarding the presidential general election. Notable changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic include the following:

• All active registered voters in California will receive a ballot in the mail.

**Click here for a list of mail ballot drop-off locations throughout San Diego County.**

• Polling places will be open for four days, October 31st through November 3rd, for those who need to vote in person. There will be fewer locations than in prior elections, so the location of your assigned poll has most likely changed.

Sincerely,