Working to End the Housing Crisis

I hope you will consider joining us for our upcoming town hall in Richmond. During the town hall I will provide an update on what is happening in Washington, DC, answer your questions, and share information on the services my office can provide. Details for the town hall are below.

Richmond Town Hall
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Lovonya DeJean Middle School
Multipurpose Room
3400 Macdonald Avenue
Richmond, CA 94805
Doors Open at 6:00 p.m.

Please RSVP by visiting /town-hall-rsvp, or contact my offices in Walnut Creek or Richmond for more information about the event.

MARK'S LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Bringing Innovative Solutions to Housing Crisis
America is on the verge of a major housing crisis, especially in high-cost regions like the Bay Area. Working families in communities across the country have few affordable housing options within a reasonable distance to their workplace. The tradeoff becomes traveling great lengths to their jobs and spending hours stuck in traffic rather than with their families. This week I introduced a bill that will help incentivize innovative solutions to America's housing crisis. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to these challenges, our bill will help communities explore much-needed innovative housing solutions like expanding common amenities for a younger workforce, building accessory dwelling units—like basement apartments or converting garages into housing—and adapting one or several buildings into multiple housing units. To learn more about our bill, click here.

Fighting for Women and Working Families
I am proud to annouce that I received a 100% from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Action Fund for the 115th Congress for our work fighting for women's economic security, equal access to education, and civil rights. I look forward to building on these efforts and working to make America more just, fair, and equal.Learn more about the organization here.

MARK AROUND TOWN

Providing a Congressional Update to Pleasant Hill Rotary Club

Mark joined the Pleasant Hill Rotary Club for their weekly meeting to provide an update on the work he is doing in Congress to make our aviation system safer, bring innovative new housing to regions like the Bay Area, fight the role back of environmental protections, and much more.

Honoring Disability Employment Awareness Month

During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Mark toured the Military Ocean Terminal site in Concord with North Bay Industries to discuss how the site is helping empower people with disabilities through employment opportunities.

OPINIONS FROM THE DISTRICT

Hearing directly from you not only informs my work in Congress, but also is my favorite part of being your Representative. To share your opinions with me you can either email me or take our survey.

Below are some of the top issues you shared with me over the last week:

• 160 constituents wrote in opposing the Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture (AQUAA) Act (S. 3138), which would allow for permits to be issued for marine finfish aquaculture activities and cause harm to fish.
• 36 constituents wrote in to oppose offshore drilling along the coast of California, which could cause serious damage to wildlife migration routes and habitats along the coastline.
• 24 constituents continued to express opposition to the House version of the Farm Bill reauthorization, which would cut essential programs like SNAP and agricultural subsidies.

LETTERS MARK RECENTLY SENT

Letter to the Acting Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency opposing the use of WIFIA loan funds to finance the WaterFix/twin tunnels project in California.

Letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to oppose the Administration's moves to roll back rules that protect conservation areas from environmentally harmful roads and logging infrastructure

Letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services urging them to rethink changes to the outpatient service payment rates that may reduce the ability of hospitals to deliver care to vulnerable patients

MARK IN THE NEWS

ABC7 News: Could air traffic controller shortage have impact on safety?

We cannot wait for a tragedy to prompt us to take action to address gaps in aviation safety and ensure that staffing shortages are addressed. Mark spoke with ABC7 News about the shortage of air traffic controllers in the Bay Area and around the country.

Sincerely,

Mark DeSaulnier
Member of Congress