Dear Friend,
I’m on my way back to Washington, D.C. after a packed week in San Diego and wanted to send a quick update on what I’ve been up to – from hosting a roundtable with community leaders that empower and support Black youth in honor of Black History Month to visiting the Port at Long Beach.
As you may know, this Friday (March 1st) is one of House Republicans’ two self-imposed government shutdown deadlines. If House Republicans fail to pass a budget, food safety inspections will stop, paychecks will be delayed for some federal employees, essential food programs like SNAP and WIC may be cut off, veterans programs and federal loan housing support will be disrupted, and so much more. A partial government shutdown would also cost our country billions of dollars.
I’m doing everything I can to ensure that we honor the bipartisan and bicameral funding agreement that was made months ago – so that we can keep the government open and keep the programs going that millions of Americans rely on. In the meantime, if you have more questions about what a government shutdown could mean for you and your family, check out some frequently asked questions about government shutdowns on my website here.
Keep reading for more highlights about what I’ve been up to recently:
Helping Our Community Recover From the January Storms
San Diegans never cease to amaze me, and I'm so proud of how our community has come together to recover from the January storm and flooding damage. Over the weekend, I joined 200 amazing volunteers at the San Diego River Park Foundation’s storm cleanup to help clear out the San Diego Riverbed.
I’m also proud to have secured federal assistance to help San Diegans get back on their feet as soon as possible. If there’s damage to your home, business, or property from the January storm, or if you’ve suffered any other related losses, apply for FEMA assistance with these resources:
I’m also grateful that the IRS has answered my call for tax relief for San Diegans. Just today, the IRS announced that residents and businesses in San Diego County will now have until June 17 to file individual and business tax returns and to make tax payments. For more information, visit the IRS Tax Relief in Disaster Situations website here.
Bringing Together Leaders Focused on Empowering Black Youth
This Black History Month, I was excited to host a roundtable with community leaders and youth who are focused on delivering equity and racial justice for San Diego's Black community.
I heard from students who’ve experienced racism in school and in their housing, and about the need for more apprenticeships, grants, and resources. We have so much work ahead of us to ensure equity and fairness in all areas of life, but I was glad to discuss what more we can be doing at the federal level.
Visiting the Port of Long Beach
I’m proud to represent our vibrant border community in San Diego, and I’m fighting to ensure all border communities and ports of entry like ours have the resources they need. That’s why I regularly visit our own border and ports of entry and talk to our local border officials, and I’ve been to El Paso, Texas, and now Long Beach, California. Last week, I joined some of my colleagues at the Port of Long Beach to tour the Port by boat, learn about their supply chain management, and discuss how federal funding can help support and improve their operations.
Providing Resources to San Diego’s Veterans
Too often, we’ve come up short on the promises we made to our veterans who have served and sacrificed so much for all of us. That’s why I’m grateful for the ASPIRE Center’s work to give veterans a dedicated space, care, and resources to ease their transition back to civilian life.
Last week, I was so excited to celebrate 10 years of ASPIRE’s service to our veterans and to recommit to working alongside them to provide much-needed support to our veterans in San Diego and across the country.
We’re Here to Help
My staff in San Diego is here to help if you need assistance with a federal agency, like small business loans, immigration challenges, issues with Social Security or Medicare, VA benefits, and more! If we do have a partial government shutdown, my offices will remain open. We can still submit federal casework as we normally would, but we expect significant delays in responses from any agency that’s shut down.
