Dear Neighbor,
It's been a busy two weeks in Washington, and I want to update you on all the work we are doing for the 44th Congressional District. In the last two weeks, we rallied for access to innovative treatments for Alzheimer's, spoke out against allowing more dirty trucks on our highways, and helped secure a grant to build a new tunnel for the water treatment facility in Carson.
But first, an important note on the debt ceiling.
On Thursday night, the House passed a deal that raises the debt ceiling, but came attached to provisions that set a dangerous precedent for future negotiations, impose restrictions and cuts funding for programs Americans need, and weakens environmental protections that will primarily harm communities of color and low income communities. That is why I voted against the bill.
The bill hurts everyday Americans by freezing federal spending for two years. This means that funding for vital programs that help Americans with rental and food assistance, mental health, childcare, and education services will NOT increase with inflation, leaving many Americans behind.
The bill also sets back our progress to fight climate change: it changed provisions in the National Environmental Policy Act that will make it easier to build dirty energy projects in frontline communities like ours.
While I appreciate the work of the Biden Administration to protect our historic climate investments in the Inflation Reduction Act and ensure no cuts to Medicaid or Social Security, this compromise sets a dangerous precedent for future negotiations. This package was a political stunt forced by extreme House Republican demands, and in the end, hurts American families and endangers communities like mine. That is why I voted NO on the bill.
