The DeSaulnier Digest: Join Our Town Hall in Martinez on Thursday, October 8th
Last year, gas prices spiked across the East Bay following a devastating fire at the Martinez refinery. Now, as CA-10 residents face sky-high costs at the gas pump due in part to President Trump's policies, I am hosting a town hall on Thursday, October 8th in Martinez to discuss the intertwined issues of refinery safety and affordability in the Bay Area. Join us at 6:00 p.m. for a discussion with expert special guests from the Hazardous Materials Programs at Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and the Bay Area Air District. We will also take your questions.
Sign up by clicking here or on the image below to join us. I hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
Mark DeSaulnier
Member of Congress
IN THE NEWS
Mark Pens Refinery Safety Op-Ed
For years, Congressman DeSaulnier has been sounding the alarm about the need to better regulate refineries to prevent deadly safety incidents. To highlight the policy reforms and cultural changes needed to protect workers, the environment, and our communities, he penned an op-ed in the Mercury News that you can read by clicking here or on the image below.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Congressman DeSaulnier Stands with Rossmoor Residents United Against Hate
Following disturbing instances of hate towards LGBTQI+ residents of Rossmoor, Mark joined the community at a symposium to respond to these concerning incidents with solidarity and peaceful action. In his remarks, Congressman DeSaulnier reaffirmed the value of celebrating and defending the strength of diverse communities.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Mark Introduces Bill to Protect Retirement and Health Coverage
Workplace-provided retirement and healthcare plans are fundamental to the lives of millions of Americans. Whether accessing a lifetime of savings in a 401(k) plan or critical medical care covered by an employer-sponsored healthcare plan, Americans deserve to be treated fairly and have the right to seek a remedy in court if their benefits are wrongly denied. Unfortunately, in recent years, plan sponsors have made it harder and harder for workers and retirees to pursue a remedy in court when they are wrongly denied benefits under their retirement or health plan.
To address these barriers, Congressman DeSaulnier and Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) authored the Employee and Retiree Access to Justice Act (H.R. 10641), which would prohibit unfair practices like forced arbitration and mandatory class action and help restore workers' and retirees' access to the legal system for claims involving their workplace retirement or healthcare plans.
Congressman DeSaulnier Introduces Bill to Improve Public Transit for Riders
Last week, Congressman DeSaulnier introduced the Better Transit for Riders Act (H.R. 10662), legislation to help public transit agencies provide more reliable, efficient, and coordinated service. The bill would bring together transit agencies, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, labor representatives, and other experts to identify best practices and benchmarks for improving transit funding, operations, and performance. Recommendations would focus on issues that directly affect riders, including reliability and service quality, safety, integrated fares, coordination between transit agencies, and regional planning. With national transit ridership still roughly 20% below pre-pandemic levels, the legislation aims to help agencies increase ridership, improve the rider experience, and develop more sustainable approaches to funding public transportation.
POST OF THE WEEK
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