Congressman Panetta: January Highlights

1. Serving our Veterans: This month, I was part of a bipartisan group of House members that introduced a bill for Veterans exposed to Agent Orange during their service in Thailand.

This bill would give veterans who served in Thailand during the Vietnam War era the opportunity to prove exposure to herbicide agents like Agent Orange and receive Veterans Administration benefits for service-related health problems. This bill covers veterans of the Armed Forces who served in Thailand from February 28, 1961, to May 7, 1975, regardless of assigned duties at the time. Children diagnosed with Spina Bifida whose parents were exposed to Agent Orange during service in the Armed Forces in Thailand during this period would also be able to receive covered benefits.

1. Fostering our Agriculture Industry: A bipartisan group of Members of Congress, including me, met with USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to discuss improving the USDA's efforts to recruit and train veteran interested in becoming farmers. More needs to be done to ensure that veterans know about the resources, educational opportunities, and apprenticeships available to them through community colleges and four-year universities in our district. I look forward to working with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle and Secretary Perdue to strengthen USDA's support of veteran farmers by improving existing programs and partnerships.

Excitingly, at my and fellow Congressman Neal Dunn's (R-FL) urging, the USDA and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implemented a new formal agreement to promote coordination and the streamlining of capacities and obligations on shared concerns. This joint effort will foster innovation, and we are proud to have helped jump-start this program.

1. Fixing our Broken Immigration System: As a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, I led an immigration task force that produced a proposal to put forward solutions for Dreamers, helps Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients continue to contribute to our country, and addresses border security, and family reunification. This proposal should help the Senate as they continue to negotiate with the White House on how to improve our nation's immigration system.

Thousands of DACA recipients living and working on the central coast of California deserve legislative action so that they can continue to contribute to our community. I am working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass bipartisan, lasting solution for our Dreamers.

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.

1. Protecting the Environment: On January 8, the comment period for the proposed 2019-2024 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program opened to the public. The Department of Interior will be collecting public comments for 60 days, through March 9, 2018. While Congress works to address this issue legislatively, such as through the West Coast Ocean Protection Act, it is important for our constituents 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.

To submit your comment, follow these instructions.