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Rep DeSaulnier in hearing

Share Your Opinion at Upcoming Events

July 29, 2019
DeSaulnier Digest

With the month of August right around the corner and Congress beginning its annual August district work period, we have several upcoming events in the community that will provide an opportunity for Contra Costa residents to share their opinion on a number of important topics.

  • On Monday, August 5th at 6:30 p.m. we will host a town hall to discuss immigration issues at St. Mark's Catholic Church in Richmond.
  • On Tuesday, August 6th at 12:30 p.m. we will host a Veterans Health Care and Benefits Fair at Heather Farm Community Center in Walnut Creek.
  • On Thursday, August 8th at 6:30 p.m. we will host a general town hall at the Veterans Memorial Building in Danville.

To RSVP to the Danville town hall, click here. To RSVP to the Immigration town hall, click here. To RSVP to the Veterans Health Care and Benefits Fair, call our Walnut Creek office at (925) 933-2660. We hope you will join us!

Sincerely,
Signature
Mark DeSaulnier
Member of Congress

AT A GLANCE

In this week's Digest, you will find information on Congressman DeSaulnier's:

  • Votes last week, including one to protect immigrants in detention at the southern border;
  • Bill to improve cancer treatment and survivorship; and
  • Questions to Juul Labs, the largest e-cigarette company in the U.S., about its poisonous product.

SPECIAL COUNSEL TESTIMONY

On Wednesday, former Special Counsel Robert Mueller testified in front of two House committees to discuss the findings contained in the Mueller Report. Later that day, Mark held a Facebook town hall to discuss the report and its impact moving forward. To check it out, click on the image below.

 

LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Mark's Vote on the Budget Compromise

Eight year ago, before Mark came to Congress, a bill was passed that set up restrictive budget caps and created sequestration. This misguided effort has made it nearly impossible for us to provide enough funding to the programs that need it the most. With the agreement that was reached by Speaker Pelosi with the Administration, we have put ourselves on the right path and avoided defaulting on our national debt. Included in the deal were investments in priorities like job training, education, and housing assistance. It was certainly not perfect – it included much more funding than is necessary for the Department of Defense in a time when their funding has skyrocketed. Mark will continue working to address that by pushing for an audit, but this deal was necessary for our nation's fiscal health. Congressman DeSaulnier voted in support of the bill (H.R. 3877), which passed by a vote of 284-to-149.

Mark's Vote to Improve Conditions for Immigrants in Detention

The deplorable conditions at our southern border should shake every American to their core. Children have been ripped away from their parents, and families are being held in overcrowded cages, filling these individuals with fear and leaving them unsure of what comes next. These inhumane conditions have led to the tragic deaths of three children and seven adults in custody over the past 10 months. The conditions are so bad that the Department of Homeland Security has issued two management alerts on the dangerous conditions faced by migrant families. Legislation written by Democrats in the House, the Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act (H.R. 3239), sets basic minimum standards for care at detention facilities, like health screenings, proper medical personnel and equipment, and nutritional and hygiene standards. Mark was proud to support this bill, which passed by a vote of 233-to-195.

Mark Introduces Legislation to Help Patients Better Understand and Navigate a Cancer Diagnosis

Medical breakthroughs are at an all-time high, but advancements in doctor-patient communications are not keeping pace. Last week, Mark and Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-GA), co-chairs of the Congressional Cancer Survivors Caucus, introduced the Cancer Care Planning and Communications Act (H.R. 3835), which would improve doctor-patient communication by enabling doctors to bill Medicare for the time they spend developing comprehensive cancer care plans. These plans help guide patients' treatment and recovery and make them active participants in their own care.To learn more about the bill, click HERE.

IN COMMITTEE & THE NEWS

Holding Juul Labs Accountable for Marketing E-Cigarettes to Children

When the tobacco industry marketed cigarettes directly to kids in California, we passed laws to put an end to it. Last week at the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Mark questioned Juul's co-founder about the harm its product causes and Juul's role in today's youth nicotine epidemic. Click the image below to watch.

The NBC Nightly News spotlighted Mark's questioning of Juul executives and the damage vaping is doing to children across the country

The San Francisco Chronicle also highlighted Mark's work in Committee

House Oversight and Reform Committee Subpoenas

High-level members of the Trump Administration including the President's daughter and son-in-law have been using personal email and messaging services to perform official government business – a direct violation of federal law. Last week, Mark joined the Democratic members of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform to authorize a subpoena for documents that the White House has refused to provide despite months of good faith effort by Chairman Cummings and Members of the Committee. It must be made clear that no one is above the law, including the President's closest advisors and family.

BY THE NUMBERS

MARK AROUND TOWN

Members of the Richmond Police Activities League (RPAL) stopped by our Washington, DC office. Each year RPAL serves approximately 2,000 young adults by providing a safe place to go after school for help with homework, to talk with a trusted adult, and more.

A group of inspiring high school students from Contra Costa visited Washington as part of the ACLU's Summer Advocacy Institute. These students are helping to raise awareness about the crisis at the border and are pushing for the fair treatment of immigrants.

Office Locations

503 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-2095
Fax: (202) 225-5609
4703 Lone Tree Way
Antioch, CA  94531
Phone: (925) 754-0716
Fax: (925) 754-0728
3100 Oak Road
Suite 110
Walnut Creek, CA  94597
Phone: (925) 933-2660
Fax: (925) 933-2677