Dear John,

Thank you to the voters of the 3rd Congressional District for tonight’s vote of confidence. This victory gives us an opportunity to continue the critically important work that’s before us. 

 

The national election has exposed the reality of a deeply divided nation in remarkably stark terms. This is not new to America. Our history is filled with periods of conflict, but America always moves toward a “More Perfect Union.” President Lincoln Charged Americans to “bind up the Nation’s wounds” in his second inaugural address. After years of division, we must heal similar wounds today. 

Joe Biden has described this election as the “battle for the soul of our nation.” I couldn’t agree more. As we continue to tabulate election results from across the country, I am confident that Joe Biden will be deemed the winner of the Presidential election. He has made his priorities clear: He will govern for every American. He will champion policies that defeat the COVID-19 pandemic and chart a path to build back a better economy than we had before the virus. He is a Democratic candidate, but he will be an American President who fights for all of us. That’s exactly what our country needs right now. 

The pain our nation has endured from the COVID-19 pandemic has reached new heights in recent weeks as cases and deaths are both on the rise. The American people deserve a new round of stimulus checks, our hospitals require additional PPE and supplies, and our schools need resources to safely welcome back their students. Senate GOP leadership has blocked several Democratic bills to address these issues, but I have newfound hope and optimism that tonight’s strong show of support for Democrats throughout the country will provide the votes that are needed to pass these bills and provide relief for the American people. 

Looking ahead, we must enact policies that will address the climate crisis and create millions of good-paying middle-class manufacturing jobs in our clean energy sector. We must also work to rebuild our nation’s crumbling infrastructure using American materials and workers, and I will continue to advance my “Make it in America” and “Buy American” agendas to achieve this goal. 

As the Chairman of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, I’ve fought to protect and expand the missions at Beale and Travis Air Force Bases. That work will continue in the new year to ensure the men and women of Travis and Beale will continue their vital service to our nation for years to come. 

The $4 billion agricultural sector in our district will continue to thrive. I will work to ensure that our national policies promote the production of safe, affordable food for our district and communities around the world. I will also fight to ensure our region’s water is protected and we invest in new storage infrastructure like the off-stream Sites Reservoir Project. 

 

Thank you to everyone who participated in this election. I am grateful to be able to continue serving you in Congress, and I am incredibly hopeful for the days ahead.  

 

John Garamendi