Dear neighbor, 

I am relieved to share that this week, the House passed a budget agreement to protect American families from the devastating impacts of a default on our national debt. Make no mistake – this was a manufactured crisis, and it was incredibly irresponsible for Republicans to put our nation in this position. House Democrats and President Biden successfully prevented extreme Republicans from forcing the economy to collapse. The agreement prevents a catastrophic debt default and rejects MAGA extremist demands to cut critical programs that American families rely on. Since day one of the 118th Congress, President Biden and House Democrats have remained cool, calm, and collected in the face of unending Republican chaos.   

While MAGA extremists recklessly took our economy hostage, President Biden negotiated a deal that protects critical investments made by Democrats in recent years. The Bipartisan Budget Agreement protects the historic Infrastructure Law to rebuild America’s road, bridges, and highways, and safeguards the CHIPS and Science Act, which is bringing high-tech manufacturing back to America. Importantly, thanks to the insistence of President Biden and Democrats, this deal also protects the provisions of the PACT Act so veterans can continue to receive the care they deserve. As a veteran, I am pleased that we were able to prevent the 22% cuts to veterans’ funding that MAGA extremists voted for. For these reasons, I voted yes on the budget agreement to protect American families, veterans, and seniors from a GOP-manufactured economic disaster. The Bipartisan Budget Agreement passed the Senate on Thursday night, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law by President Biden soon.  

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: I proudly joined Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar at our weekly leadership press conference to discuss the Bipartisan Budget Agreement. Democrats stood united this week against extreme MAGA Republican efforts to crash the US economy.  

• Spoke to Bloomberg about the options Members of Congress are considering as we develop a responsible federal regulation framework for artificial intelligence. 
  
• Welcomed Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra to Los Angeles! Secretary Becerra paid a visit to the Venice Family Clinic, for which I recently secured $500,000 in federal funds. The Venice Family Clinic provides lifesaving care to our community, and I look forward to seeing their great work continue.  
  
• Marked the beginning of Immigrant Heritage Month! As an immigrant, I feel incredibly proud to be an American. This month we honor the contributions and courage of all those who left their homes to come to our great country. 
  
• Celebrated the start of Pride Month! No matter who you are or who you love, you are perfect the way you are. I’m looking forward to celebrating Pride with the LGBTQI+ community in our district and around the country. 

CALLING YOUTH LEADERS: Applications for our 2023-2024 Youth Advisory Council are now open, and I encourage all high school students interested in policy, government, or public service to apply! This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to meet with their peers and discuss solutions to the most pressing issues facing the next generation. Our district is home to so many bright young people, and I look forward to welcoming a new group of them to the Youth Advisory Council soon. Applications are due July 7th. To learn more and submit an application, please click here.   

LET'S JET! If you’re planning international travel, don’t forget to check your passport’s expiration date! Passports that will expire within a year should be renewed. Please reach out to my Los Angeles office if you or your family need assistance with passport renewal. 

Due to a higher volume of requests across the country, the State Department has said standard passport processing times are now 10 to 13 weeks, while expedited processing time has risen to seven to nine weeks. If you need to apply for a new passport in person, please click here. If you have a passport that will expire within six months and need to renew it via mail, or if you need to correct or change your current passport, please click here. If you’ve already applied for a new or renewed passport and would like to check the status of your request, please click here.  

For more information on my work in Congress, please visit my website at lieu.house.gov and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have any questions or concerns, please call my D.C. office at (202) 225-3976 or my Los Angeles district office at (323) 651-1040.   

I look forward to updating you again soon.  

Sincerely, 

Ted W. Lieu

Member of Congress