DeSaulnier Digest
Last Thursday, October 17th, our nation and Congress suffered a great loss with the passing of House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings. He was a steadfast force for good and had a knack for bringing both sides together. Chairman Cummings was a true statesman and defender of justice, who will be remembered for his goodness, decency, and integrity.
This year we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of a woman's right to vote and a record-breaking 127 women were sworn in as part of the most diverse Congressional class in our nation's history! Despite the significant jump in female representation in Congress and the strides we have made in advancing women's rights – we are a far cry from true gender equity.
Join us on Saturday, November 2nd in Danville for a special town hall titled "Women in Leadership, Politics, and Society."
As developments in the impeachment inquiry are coming at a rapid pace, our office held a pair of town halls in Pittsburg and Richmond to provide the most current information and answer questions from the community. Read on to find a recap of those events and other updates from the first half of our District Work Period.
Sincerely,
Mark DeSaulnier
Member of Congress
AT A GLANCE
In 1787 when Benjamin Franklin was leaving the Constitutional Convention, a group of citizens asked what kind of government the Convention had created. Franklin's response was: "A republic, if you can keep it." The President's recent attempts to blackmail a foreign government into interfering in the 2020 Presidential election undermine the security and independence of our republic. In response, last week Speaker Pelosi launched an official impeachment inquiry.
Last week, Congress returned to session, and we had a lot to do. On top of debating several bills to protect the environment, we also had a hearing with Concord's own Isabel Bueso and even got a taste of home with a visit from the Oakland A's. Read more about it all below.
Sincerely,
Mark DeSaulnier
Member of Congress
AT A GLANCE
As Congress returns to Washington this week, we want to take a moment to look back on what has been another productive district work period. Meeting with constituents is one of the most enjoyable parts of serving Contra Costa County, and over the last six weeks, we have visited each corner of our district. Thank you to all who came to a town hall or office hours to share your opinion. It is a privilege to serve you.
Last week, the world was introduced to Isabel Bueso, a 24 year-old Concord resident who came to the United States from Guatemala at age 7 to participate in a clinical trial for a rare genetic disease. Isabel receives weekly treatments at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland, and her participation in groundbreaking clinical trials has given hope to Americans with rare diseases.
During the month of August, we have met with thousands of constituents. With two weeks left before Congress reconvenes in Washington, we are hard at work in the district. Tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Campolindo High School in Moraga, we will host a "Climate Change and the Environment" town hall. We hope you will join us, but if you are unable to attend you can join the conversation live on Facebook! Also, happening this week is our joint town hall with Congressman Jerry McNerney on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Antioch Community Center.
Last week brought a lot of big news! After more than a month of hammering the Trump Administration for answers, we received news that it will apparently reverse course and resume the deferred action program. By doing so, hundreds of deserving immigrants like Isabel Bueso will be allowed to stay in the United States to receive life-saving medical care. We will continue pressing the Administration for answers about who is responsible for the policy change in the first place and will seek assurances that this program is safe from future targeting.
Throughout the month of August, we have been hard at work meeting with constituents and hosting events across Contra Costa County. Last week alone, we held three town halls – in Richmond, Danville, and San Pablo — with a combined total of over 1,000 attendees. Additionally, we held a veterans resource fair to better connect Contra Costa's veterans with information about the benefits they have earned and deserve.