Congressman Panetta: February Highlights
Serving our Veterans: This month, I spoke with the Monterey Herald about our veterans' frustrations about the Marina VA-DoD clinic's pharmacy.
I first conveyed my concerns about the issues surrounding the Gourley Clinic's pharmacy services to representatives of the VA last September when they visited my Washington, D.C. office. They were aware of the problem and assured me that they would work to find a remedy. Since that meeting, and each discussion after, their response has not fully addressed the needs of our veterans. I will continue to work with VA representatives in Washington and at home to hold them accountable on this issue and do everything I can to ensure that our veterans get the services that they deserve.
I will be meeting with representatives from the VA in the coming weeks. In the meantime I encourage community members to attend the Veteran Town Hall being held at the MG William H. Gourley VA-DoD Outpatient Clinic on Wednesday, March 21st, at 5pm in the Dining Area, 201 Ninth Street, Marina, CA 93933.
Fostering our Agriculture Industry: This month, I had the opportunity to engage with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and his USDA staff. During a House Agriculture Committee hearing, I questioned Secretary Perdue on his efforts to streamline the H-2A program and stressed the need for improvements. The current lack of a reliable workforce is dramatically impacting the agriculture sector and rural economy of California. I appreciate Secretary Perdue's focus on this issue, as well as his recognition of farmworkers on the Central Coast as both skilled employees and valued members of our communities. Moving forward, I will continue to work with Secretary Perdue and my colleagues in Congress to advocate for policies that benefit the farmers, shippers, and farmworkers of the Central Coast.
I am proud that a bill that I coauthored, the Organic Agriculture Research Act, got a companion bill in the Senate this month. This means that the Senate introduced a bill similar to our measure. This bipartisan and bicameral introduction by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) demonstrates the broad support for organic agriculture on Capitol Hill.
Protecting our Dreamers: Last year, President Trump assigned a March 5 deadline for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to officially come to an end. Immediately after that decision, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, which I am a member, formed a working group to determine if Republicans and Democrats could reach a deal on the issue. As part of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus' Immigration Working Group, we delivered a set of principles after many late-night negotiating sessions. Key elements include a DACA solution that includes an earned pathway to citizenship, funding for border security improvements, protections for current Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, and modifications to visa programs.
Although the Senate failed to pass any amendments during their scheduled open-ended debate on immigration in February, I continue to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass a bipartisan, lasting solution for our Dreamers. Now more than ever, Congressional leadership must step up and allow a vote in the House on similar bipartisan proposals that provide an earned pathway to citizenship for those young men and women who have and will continue to contribute so much to our community and country.
On February 26 we were reminded that our government's system of checks and balances as still in place when the Supreme Court delayed the Administration's March 5 deadline until further notice. This decision was based on a federal judge's ruling to block the Trump Administration's move to rescind DACA. As a result, the Department of Justice made a direct request to the Supreme Court to hear the case. The Supreme Court ruled that the case must go through the regular appeals process. Now, the case will be properly reviewed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in California, which is expected to rule sometime during the summer of 2018. The Supreme Court could then accept that case this fall, but a final ruling would not come until 2019. Throughout that time, the Department of Homeland Security must continue processing DACA renewal applications.
If you or someone you know previously received DACA and the DACA status expired on or after September 5, 2016, they may still file their DACA request as a renewal request. Click here to find out more.
Protecting the Environment: This month, I met with my colleagues on the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus to discuss how Congress can support reductions in carbon emissions by investing in energy efficient technologies.
As a reminder, March 9, 2018, is the deadline to submit your public comment for the proposed 2019-2024 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program that could include drilling off of the coast of California. While Congress works to address this issue legislatively, such as through the West Coast Ocean Protection Act, it is important for our community members to share their thoughts about the proposed program directly with the Trump Administration. I encourage everyone in our community to speak out and participate in this public comment period.
