Dear neighbor, 

This week I was pleased to celebrate the next step in our fight to end veteran homelessness in LA County. I joined other elected officials and veterans at the groundbreaking for 380 new housing units on the West LA VA campus. Buildings 401A, 402, 404, 156 and 157 will provide supportive housing for 380 unhoused and at-risk veterans and their families. These new units follow two grand openings of housing for veterans this year. When they are move-in ready, the new buildings will bring the total number of units for unhoused and at-risk veterans on the West LA VA campus to over 600. 

During the eight years that I represented the West LA VA in Congress, I saw firsthand the dedication of all those who helped get us here, including advocates, community leaders, and most importantly veterans. These new buildings will provide safe, comfortable, and reliable housing for 380 of our nation’s heroes and their families. This development was made possible by the West Los Angeles Leasing Act, which I co-authored with Senator Feinstein in 2016. In 2021, President Biden signed my West Los Angeles VA Campus Improvement Act into law to ensure that lease revenue generated at the West LA VA campus will go directly toward housing and other services for veterans. 

Building on that success, in 2022 Senator Feinstein and I introduced a measure to allow funds specifically generated by easements at the West LA VA campus to go toward supportive housing development. That bill was later signed into law as part of the annual defense authorization package. I’m also pleased to have championed the PACT Act, a new law that provides over $350 million in funding for critical improvements at the West LA VA to better serve our veterans. This week’s groundbreaking was an important step forward in our fight to end veteran homelessness. I look forward to continued progress on the West LA VA campus.  

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: I was glad to join my friend and colleague Congressman Brad Sherman, along with other state and local officials, at this week’s groundbreaking at the West LA VA. This new project will provide safe housing for 380 unhoused and at-risk veterans and their families.  

REINTRODUCED A FEDERAL BAN ON CONVERSION THERAPY: As Pride Month comes to a close, I know the fight for full equality for the LGBTQI+ community is far from over. This week, I reintroduced the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act along with my colleagues Senators Patty Murry (D-WA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ). This bill would place a federal ban on so-called “conversion therapy,” a harmful, fraudulent practice that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity based on bunk science. A national community of professionals in education, social work, health, and counseling have called conversion therapy a dangerous and useless practice. It’s time to end this scam once and for all. 

IT'S EASY BEING GREEN: The House of Representatives’ Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) just launched its Inflation Reduction Act clean energy incentives hub! The Inflation Reduction Act, which I strongly supported, is the largest single investment in climate and clean energy in our nation’s history. If you’re interested in learning more about tax credits for home electrification, solar panels, electric vehicles, and more, check out SEEC’s IRA hub and the White House’s Investing in America clean energy resource page. 

APPLICATIONS STILL OPEN! 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 apply, please click here.   

SUMMER TRAVEL PLANS? 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. The State Department HIGHLY RECOMMENDS that you check your passport and ensure that it is current, or renew it before you plan a trip or purchase an international flight. 

Due to a higher volume of requests across the country, the State Department’s standard passport processing times are now 10 to 13 weeks, while expedited processing time is 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