Congressman Panetta's First Year in Congress
Since the day of my swearing-in as your Congressman, I have worked to ensure that our home continues to have a sturdy bridge to the federal government and its resources, through constituent meetings, town halls, and roundtables. My work in Washington and on the central coast of California has consisted of and focused on the following priorities (in alphabetical order):
Agriculture
Upon entering Congress, I requested and was appointed to serve on the House Agriculture Committee, where I proudly promote our district as the Salad Bowl of the World. I am working to ensure that our specialty crops, organic production, and robust investment in basic and applied research at our U.S. Department of Agriculture Research Station in Salinas will be well represented in the next Farm Bill. I promote "AgTech" partnership efforts between Salinas Valley and Silicon Valley, advocate for the inclusion of fresh fruits and vegetables in federal nutrition programs, and have supported measures to encourage domestic producers to provide fresh produce in school meals.
I have met with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue multiple times, in Washington, D.C. and once in the Central Valley of California, to discuss challenges associated with the agricultural labor shortage and opportunities to expand export markets for California producers. I hosted Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson for a Farm Bill listening session in Salinas where members of our community advocated for strong federal nutrition programs and support for our local agriculture. Additionally, I hosted Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Sanford Bishop for an agriculture tour to highlight how many of the programs his committee funds are benefitting the Central Coast.
I co-introduced the bipartisan Organic Agriculture Research Act, which would increase funding for USDA's Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative to ensure that organic research and extension programs around the country have the funding necessary to support all farmers with sound science, outreach, and education programs. I also co-introduced the bipartisan Cultivating Revitalization by Expanding American Agricultural Trade and Exports Act, which would expand the USDA's Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program to ensure Congress is continuously investing in export opportunities for producers. I have been proud to support bills focused on strengthening the National Organic Program, protecting kids from discriminatory "lunch shaming" for their school meals, and strengthening our nation's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – known to us in California as CalFresh – for both seniors and those seeking work while on the program. I will continue to advocate for these bills to be included in the Farm Bill.
I serve on the Agriculture Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research Subcommittee, as well as the Nutrition Subcommittee where I am fighting for the well-being of Central Coast residents. I also founded and co-chair the Agriculture Research Caucus, a bipartisan group within the House of Representatives that focuses on topics related to agriculture research, innovation, and mechanization efforts. I am also a member of the Organics Caucus, the Wine Caucus, the Cannabis Caucus, and am a co-chair of the Cut Flower Caucus.
Education
I firmly believe that education is the incubator of American innovation, prosperity, and economic equality. I have consistently advocated for strong funding for programs such as Title I, Head Start, adult education, and tutoring and mentoring for first-year college students which are critical to the central coast of California. I have also supported year-round Pell Grants, streamlined student loan repayment processes, and student loan forgiveness for public service.
I am a cosponsor of the Rebuild America's Schools Act which would make needed investments in our nation's schools and address critical physical and digital infrastructure needs in schools including broadband expansion to communities like ours. I am also a cosponsor of the Strengthening Loan Forgiveness for Public Servants Act, the ACCESS Act, the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act, the Safe Schools Improvement Act, and the Federal Student Loan Refinancing Act, which would make higher education more affordable and safe for students.
I am a proud member of both the TRIO Caucus, where I advocate for the Federal TRIO Programs and higher education access for low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities, and of the Hispanic Serving Institutions Caucus where I represent the interests of our district's six Hispanic Serving Institutions.
Environment
Through my environmental legislative agenda, I work to protect our oceans, coastlines, fisheries, national parks, and marine sanctuaries, and to combat sea level rise and climate change.
I held three roundtables to discuss the threat posed by sea level rise and heard recommendations for combatting this challenge from experts from UC Santa Cruz, the U.S. Geological Survey, and organizations such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium, The Nature Conservancy, Center for Ocean Solutions, Marine Sanctuary Office, Joint Ocean Commission Initiative, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, National Association of Realtors, and The Pew Charitable Trusts.
I also introduced the Federal Infrastructure Flood Resiliency Act, which would ensure federal agencies complete implementation of a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard for government-funded infrastructure projects to reduce exposure to flooding.
I introduced legislation to reopen the Clear Creek Management Area in San Benito County for off-road vehicle usage and, at the same time, designate 21,000 acres of protected land as the Joaquin Rocks Wilderness Area. This bill passed the House on July 11, 2017 and I will work to see it passed through the Senate and signed into law in 2018.
I have fought to protect the Monterey Bay and other sanctuaries, as well as the California Coastal and other National Monuments from downsizing or elimination. I led and joined colleagues on both sides of the aisle in urging the Trump Administration, including the President, Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, and Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to continue to protect public lands and marine sanctuaries.
On my first day in Congress, I cosponsored a bill to prohibit the exploration and drilling of oil and natural gas off the coast of California. I am also a cosponsor of the Climate State Climate Preparedness Act to incentivize communities to develop local resiliency projects, the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act to protect over 250,000 acres of wilderness within the Los Padres National Forest and the Carrizo National Monument, and the Save Our Seas Act of 2017 to aid marine debris prevention.
I am a member of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, a group of Republicans and Democrats that meets regularly to talk about meaningful climate change solutions. I am also a member of the Oceans Caucus, International Conservation Caucus, Trails Caucus, and Estuary Caucus.
Health Care
I support the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and voted against the American Health Care Act (AHCA) because it would have repealed the ACA and targeted the most vulnerable among us, including those living with pre-existing conditions, expectant mothers, veterans, and those seeking treatment for mental health. I held multiple roundtable discussions with numerous health care and insurance providers to learn about the impact that the Affordable Care Act has had upon the health and well-being of our local communities so that I could fight to protect and improve our health care system.
As a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, I joined my fellow caucus members in presenting a bipartisan plan to reduce insurance premiums and shore up health care markets across the country. It is the first bipartisan health care plan offered in the current Congress, and its key principles are reflected in the bipartisan proposal introduced by Senators Alexander and Murray.
I cosponsored the Community Health Investment, Modernization, and Excellence Act of 2017, which would reauthorize community health clinics funding for another 5 years. I have also fought to maintain health care for nearly half the children in the district who rely on Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), including by cosponsoring legislation to extend CHIP and other critical health care programs for 5 years.
I believe everybody should have access to the quality and affordable health care they need. I have supported Planned Parenthood through my votes and floor speeches and will continue to advocate for the varied health care needs throughout the Central Coast. I opposed the targeted rollback of women's reproductive health rights including the reversal of the Title X rule and the Birth Control rule.
I am a proud member of the Pro-Choice Caucus, the Diabetes Caucus, and the Lupus Caucus.
Immigration
I have made bipartisan immigration reform one of my top priorities in Congress, and am working across the aisle to develop an effective solution for immigrant families and individuals who call our district home.
I firmly believe that it is the obligation of Congress to pass long-lasting legislation so that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients can continue succeed in school, serve in our military, and work and live in our communities. I am working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that Dreamers can continue to live in this country.
I know that our nation's immigration policies greatly affect our agriculture industry. Through my position on the Agriculture Committee and as a co-chair of the bipartisan Problems Solvers Caucus' Immigration Task Force, I am working across the aisle on bipartisan immigration reform that provides certainty for both our farmers and farmworkers. I am an original cosponsor of the Agricultural Worker Program Act, also known as the "Blue Card Bill," which would provide eligible undocumented farmworkers a path to become legal permanent residents.
I have also cosponsored both versions of the SOLVE Act, in order to prevent federal funds from being used to implement or enforce the travel ban Executive Orders. I also cosponsored the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2017, the ENLIST Act, the Protecting Immigrants from Legal Exploitation Act of 2017, and the American Promise Act to create a path to permanent residency for individuals who currently receive temporary protected status and Deferred Enforcement Departure, among other bills.
I have been a vocal opponent of the Administration's executive order to increase immigration enforcement, speed deportations, and discourage new asylum seekers. I have met with Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement within the Department of Homeland Security to discuss immigration issues impact the Central Coast. I ultimately believe Congress must come together to pass bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform.
National Security and CA-20 Military Installations
In July, I was appointed to serve on the House Armed Services Committee. I currently sit on the Oversight and Investigations and Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittees. My priority on this committee is to support multiple central coast military installations that teach foreign languages to our armed forces, research and develop cybersecurity and technology used on and off the battlefield, and educate and foster leadership skills of the men and women in uniform. These entities support nearly 15,000 good paying jobs that impact the economy of our communities and the safety of our country. Through my work with the Committee, I had the opportunity in August to travel to the Horn of Africa and the Middle East to visit our special forces, and learn more about our diplomatic and defense work in those regions.
I joined three of my colleagues and fellow veterans in introducing bipartisan legislation to repeal the 2001 and 2002 authorizations to use military force that have been used in Afghanistan, Iraq and beyond while creating a new Authorization for Use of Military Force, limited to authorization against al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria for five years. I am a cosponsor of the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act, which would require congressional authorization for a first-use nuclear strike. I co-led letters to the Trump Administration calling for a national security strategy and for strong, steady, and strategic leaderships to address the challenge posed by North Korea.
I was one of the first cosponsors of a Congressional resolution that called for a non-partisan investigation into Russian's involvement in our elections. I also consistently vote for resolutions that demand the President turn over his tax returns. The American people justifiably want to ensure that those who represent us in government have no conflicts of interest, which is why I will continue to advocate for transparency.
I am a co-founder of the National Security Task Force, which advances smart, strategic, and strong national security policies focused on protecting the United States, the American people, and our interests abroad. I am also a member of the Defense Communities Caucus, the Warrior Caucus, and the Army Caucus.
Pajaro
The citizens of Watsonville and Pajaro have been threatened by flooding from the Pajaro River for far too long. Upon arriving in Congress, I made advancing this decades-old project one of my top priorities. I sat down with senior leadership at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers within my first month in office to stress the importance of resuming work on the federal flood control project which had been moved to an "inactive status." I pushed the Army Corps to reactivate the project on an accelerated timeline, even providing a tour of the project site to senior Army Corps leadership.
After the meeting, the Army Corps agreed to reactivate the project with the aim of completing a feasibility study within one year. Since this agreement, my office hasworked closely with local stakeholders and the Army Corps to move the project forward. The Army Corps released a draft feasibility study in October, and they are currently working through comments that were submitted by the public.
The Army Corps plans to issue a final feasibility study in July of 2018. I fully intend to hold the Army Corps to this timeline, and I will continue to advocate for strong flood protections for the citizens of these communities. Following the feasibility study, I will continue to work with local stakeholders and my colleagues here in Congress to secure project design and construction funding.
Veterans
As a veteran, I recognize the sacrifices that our military men and women make every day, both during and after their service. I am honored to have worked on many bills that support our veterans and active duty service-members. I introduced a bipartisan bill, passed by the House, with fellow freshman Congressman Neal Dunn (R-Fla) that would expand opportunities for veteran-owned small business to contract with the federal government.
This year, many bills have been voted on and passed by Congress and signed into law. These bill include: the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017, which will reform and speed up the appeals process on disability ratings at the VA; the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017, which will make it easier for the VA to remove employees for misconduct while better protecting staffers who bring wrongdoing to light; and the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017, which allows veterans to seek health care outside of the VA, and authorizes the VA to open 28 new clinics, as well as implement new hiring programs.
I am a cosponsor of three other important bipartisan bills: the Gold Star Family Support Act, which will give Gold Star Families access to military installations' services and benefits, regardless of remarriage, which passed the House; the "Forever GI" bill, which will allow military veterans to pursue educational opportunities for life, which was signed into law; and the Global War on Terrorism War Memorial Act, also signed into law, which will allow for construction of a memorial commemorating the Global War on Terror on our National Mall.
I also helped our community to open the new Major General William H. Gourley VA-DoD Outpatient Clinic in Marina.
We owe a debt of gratitude to our veterans and servicemen and women, and I will continue to make it a priority to fight for them here in Congress.
Winter Storms
Within my first weeks in Congress, our home on the Central Coast experienced a series of severe winter storms. We faced the closing of Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge and countless flooding events. I toured the damage caused by the winter storms in our region, and met with CalOES and FEMA to push them to expedite funding and repairs. I worked with other members of the California congressional delegation to request that President Trump declare presidential disaster declarations to help in the response and recovery effort from the winter storms. President Trump accepted our request and released federal funds to assist.
To ensure that response efforts were being directed to the Central Coast, I engaged with officials at FEMA, SBA, and CalTrans to stress the needs of our communities. Both FEMA and SBA opened field offices in our district to help coordinate response efforts and process claims after the storms. Additionally, thanks to diligent work on Highway-1, the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge reopened in a timely manner. I continue to work with FEMA to direct resources into our communities and lessen burdens on those affected, recently sending a letter to the FEMA Administrator with Congresswoman Anna Eshoo asking the agency to ease the administrative burdens on those completing FEMA paperwork.
Serving the people of the Central Coast
Every weekend I come back home to meet with constituents and listen to the needs of our district. In 2017, I was contacted over 133,579 times via calls, emails, and mail. I have been actively engaged with many community members and groups that have formed based on a common desire to get involved in our democratic process. I held 475 in-district meetings. I heard from thousands and thousands of constituents during ten town halls across the district.
I also held roundtables with stakeholders involved in key issues impacting the district including healthcare providers and insurers to discuss ways to improve the Affordable Care Act, DACA recipients concerned about the potential end of the program, climate and marine scientists engaged in the fight against climate change and sea level rise, and local community and military leaders who are working together to support the military presence in our district.
My team is diligently working on casework for hundreds of constituents, and has completed over 578 casework files for issues related to social security, Medicare, immigration and benefits for our service-members and veterans. Please do not hesitate to contact my staff for assistance with an emergency passport or visa, grant applications, military academy nominations, questions about your federal taxes, or any other problem you are having with a federal agency.
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I will continue to work to improve the quality of life and opportunity for everyone in California's 20th Congressional District, to protect our environment, find bipartisan solutions for immigration reform, support agriculture and other drivers of our economy, and secure affordable and accessible health care. Every day, I look forward to meeting with you, hearing your thoughts, concerns, and hopes, and representing your values in Washington, DC. Being your Congressman is the greatest privilege of my life, and I am honored to continue serving the people of the place that we call home.