The DeSaulnier Digest: Join Our Immigration Town Hall and Resource Fair This Wednesday
Don’t forget to RSVP for our Immigration Town Hall and Resource Fair on Wednesday, April 16th in Danville. Starting at 5:30 p.m., local organizations will be available to share resources on navigating the immigration process, and I will kick off the town hall portion of the event at 6:30 p.m. where I will take your questions.
To RSVP, please click here or on the image below. We hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
Mark DeSaulnier
Member of Congress
ON THE FLOOR
Congressman DeSaulnier Advocates for Students with Disabilities
There are around 7.5 million students with disabilities nationwide who rely on federal special education programs administered by career experts at the Department of Education. Despite the growing needs of this vulnerable population, the President has eliminated nearly half of Department staff and is shutting down offices that protect students’ civil rights. Last week, Mark took to the House floor to highlight how these actions will hurt students with disabilities and call out the cruelty of this Administration. To see his remarks, click here or on the image below.
DeSaulnier Votes Against Effort to Cut Medicaid and Provide Tax Cuts for Wealthy
With the 2017 Republican tax law expiring at the end of 2025, House Republicans are trying to renew these tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and large corporations by cutting trillions of dollars from Medicaid, SNAP, and other programs that tens of millions of Americans rely on. Medicaid provides health insurance to over 72 million Americans, including 15 million people with disabilities, and it is unconscionable that Republicans want to take away this health care in order to give even more tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. Congressman DeSaulnier opposed House passage of this budget proposal (H.Con.Res. 14), but despite his opposition, it passed the House.
Mark Opposes Bill to Make it Harder for Americans to Vote
House Republicans recently advanced legislation that would make it harder for millions of Americans to vote. The bill (H.R. 22) would require every citizen filing a new or updated voter registration to provide a passport or a birth certificate paired with a current photo identification. This would add barriers to the right to vote for millions of Americans who do not have passports and for the 70 million women who have changed their last names after marriage meaning that their birth certificates do not match current identification. Congressman DeSaulnier opposed House passage of this reckless bill that would undermine voting rights, but despite his opposition, it passed the House.
IN COMMITTEE
Congressman DeSaulnier Comments on Impact of Aggressive Tariff Policy
The Trump Administration’s threat of retaliatory and excessive taxes on imported goods, or tariffs, has threatened the global economy. At a recent Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure hearing, Congressman DeSaulnier highlighted how the consequences of an unpredictable and aggressive tariff policy can impact goods movement at airports and ports across the country, but particularly in the West Coast. The uncertainty can cause unforeseen damages to airport operations and the workforce. The President's ever-increasing tariffs and unstable trade policy is wreaking havoc on businesses and the economy, and the Congressman will continue to fight against the Administration's harmful and illogical policies. To watch, click here or on the image below.
Mark Focuses on Supporting Public Transit and Remote Work
Since the COVID pandemic, transit systems have faced many challenges in increasing ridership across the country. Congressman DeSaulnier discussed these issues at last week’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure hearing and brought attention to the difficulties of balancing the benefits of remote work, including reduced commute times and improved quality of life, with the need to support transit. To watch, click here or on the image below.
Congressman DeSaulnier Discusses Protections for College Athletes
While college athletics has become a billion-dollar business, athletes themselves often lack basic health and safety protections. In recent years, a small number of teams have taken steps to unionize and collectively bargain for higher pay, safer working conditions, and better benefits. Last week, the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing on college athletes’ right to unionize. In his role as the top Democrat on the Subcommittee, Congressman DeSaulnier engaged with experts to discuss how college sports have changed and how we could provide greater rights and protections to athletes without negatively impacting the viability of sports programs nationwide. To watch the exchange, click here or on the image below.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Opportunity Junction Celebrates Graduation for Medical Assistant Program
Our team joined Opportunity Junction in recognizing two dozen graduates of the Medical Assistant Program last week in Antioch. Congressman DeSaulnier was proud to secure funding to expand job training offerings at Opportunity Junction to fund this program in 2023.
POST OF THE WEEK
BY THE NUMBERS
