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Dear friend,
While most of the work out of Washington, D.C. continues to be focused on COVID-19 and relief, we also saw the start of former President Trump's impeachment trial. Re-watching the horrific violence that took place at the Capitol on January 6th affects all of us. In the context of this pandemic, it's more important than ever to take care of ourselves and others by wearing masks and practicing social distancing, but also to look after our mental health and overall well-being. To search for specific county mental health services and resources, click here.
I continue my work in the district to stay in touch with the people I represent. Below is another update on some of the work my staff and I have done this week to serve you.
Legislative work
House Committee on Energy and Commerce markup of COVID-19 relief budget reconciliation
We know the crises brought on by COVID-19 are far from over. Americans need relief now and the government must provide resources and boost existing efforts to end the pandemic. We're closer to delivering President Biden's American Rescue Plan after this week's full committee markup of important portions of this aid package. This markup session was extended over two days, during which committee members debate, offer and vote on amendments. You can watch my remarks here to hear about the inclusion of the Tracking COVID-19 Variants Act, a bill I introduced with Rep. Ami Bera (CA-07) and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (WI). This legislation provides crucial funding to scale up national genomic sequencing efforts, which are vital to track virus mutations and further protect public health.
District work
Conversation with NDN on New Dem 100 Day Agenda
This week, I discussed the New Democrat Coalition's priorities during President Biden's first 100 days in office with Simon Rosenberg, the founder of the NDN think tank and advocacy organization. As Vice Chair of the House New Democrat Coalition for Policy, I reviewed the coalition's agenda and priorities, which include ending the pandemic, getting people back to work, fighting climate change and restoring our country's leadership role in the world. If you missed this conversation, you can watch it here.
Meeting with members of the San Diego Community College District
On Monday, I met with leaders from the San Diego Community College District. They spoke about the actions they would like Congress to take, including action for DACA recipients, Pell Grant increases, support for student veterans, and making Pell Grants tax exempt. We also discussed the toll COVID-19 is having on student and staff mental health
Meeting with service academy nominees
On Thursday, I met the 33 students I have the honor of nominating to our nation's service academies. These young men and women were selected after applying and being interviewed by an independent service academy nomination board. The nomination makes them eligible to be selected for a fully-funded education with one academy, with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for at least five years after graduating. Congratulations to this year's nominees! I wish you a successful and fulfilling future as you begin your careers in the armed forces.
This week's casework success story
Mehri from downtown San Diego is a nurse working at Scripps on the frontlines to battle COVID-19. She contacted the office in October to request assistance with expediting her asylum interview. Mehri originally filed in November 2016 under the previous administration's Last In/First Out policy. Since then, her interview has been delayed several times, creating uncertainty over her long-term status. My staff worked with Mehri to gather paperwork and justify the need for an expedited interview. After submitting employment letters and verification on behalf of Mehri, her expedited interview for asylum was approved.
NEW: Participate in our weekly poll!
We've recently introduced a new section in our e-newsletter for readers to weigh in on a relevant topic. Thank you to everyone who has participated so far. Here's this week's question:
Proposals to address student debt and the high cost of higher education are being debated as we deal with the current economic crisis. What do you think?
Click here to submit your answer via Google Forms. We'll share the results in next week's e-newsletter.
Last week's question was "What do you think is the best course of action for Congress to help families and businesses given the severity of this (COVID-19) crisis?" Here are the results:
438 Responses: 55.7% Pass the entire $1.9 trillion plan, 11.9% Pass the entire $618 billion plan, 20.6% Compromise and meet in the middle, 1.4% Offer a new plan altogether, 10.4% Other
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.
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