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Dear neighbor,
This week, the LA County Fire Department and all of our courageous firefighters stepped up in the face of danger to protect our community against the Palisades Fire. I am deeply grateful to all of our firefighters for the work they do to keep us safe. As a result of their successful firefighting efforts, all evacuation orders have been lifted and containment has increased to 72%. For updates on the Palisades Fire, please visit lafd.org/news/palisades-fire.
I am appalled by the antisemitic attack that occurred at a Beverly Grove restaurant on Tuesday night. The reports and videos of what happened are disturbing and distressing. Everyone in our community should feel safe and respected. I expect a thorough investigation of the attack and that the hateful perpetrators will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
This was a busy week in Congress. I’m pleased the House passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, introduced by Representative Grace Meng and Senator Mazie Hirono, to help stop Asian hate by ensuring better tracking and reporting of hate crimes and providing more support for victims. The rise in hate and violence toward Asian Americans since the start of the COVID pandemic is unacceptable and must be stopped. This bill, which President Biden signed into law, is the first of many steps we will take to ensure no community is terrorized by racially-motivated violence.
I’m also pleased the House passed my bill, the West Los Angeles VA Campus Improvement Act of 2021, which builds on the progress we’ve made improving the West LA VA and ensures that local veterans have access to the resources to which they’re entitled. It also allows the West LA VA to use funds to construct housing for our nation’s heroes. No one who served our country should go without housing.
In addition, the House passed legislation this week to establish an independent, bipartisan commission to examine and report upon the facts, causes, and security relating to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th. It is imperative that we seek the truth of what happened on the day of the insurrection and take action to ensure that it can never happen again.
Mask Updates
Although the CDC updated its mask guidance last week, the state of California will be keeping current masking guidance as it is until June 15th, and LA County will do the same. Please see below for when and where you still need to wear a mask in LA County if you are fully vaccinated.
For more information on masking guidance in LA County, please visit publichealth.lacounty.gov.
Get Vaccinated!
Los Angeles County is making great progress in administering the COVID-19 vaccine. Please click here to see what percentage of your community has received at least one dose of the vaccine. Please help your community get to 100% by getting vaccinated and encouraging others to do the same!
This week, the LA County Department of Public Health held a virtual vaccine town hall to answer questions about the vaccine and provide information about vaccinating children. To watch the full town hall, please click here.
Everyone age 12 and older who lives or works in LA County is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Please check VaccinateLACounty.com for updated information on walk-in vaccinations or to book an appointment ahead of time. To find a vaccination site near you, please visit corona-virus.la/VaxSites.
If you have a disability or do not have access to the internet and need assistance making your vaccination appointment, you can contact the County’s Call Center –– open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. –– at (833) 540-0473. The vaccine is free to all people and immigration status and insurance are not required.
You can also text your ZIP code to 438829 (GETVAX) in English or 822862 (VACUNA) in Spanish to receive 3 locations near you with available vaccines, as well as contact information for those sites. If you’d rather go online, you can visit Vaccines.gov to find available vaccines near you. If you’d like to get this information over the phone, you can call the National COVID-19 Vaccination Assistance Hotline at 1 (800) 232-0233.
Additional Resources
- Do you need help getting to a vaccination site? Please call the Department of Public Health Vaccine Call Center at 833-540-0473 for assistance.
- The next enrollment deadline to sign up for health insurance through Covered California is coming up fast. Uninsured and off-exchange Californians have until May 31st, 2021, to sign-up and take advantage of financial help starting June 1. Please visit coveredca.com to find out more.
- Need rental assistance? Check out this new tool from the Treasury Department that helps connect renters with Emergency Rental Assistance programs through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
- Discrimination and harassment stemming from fears surrounding COVID-19 in schools is wrong and must be stopped. This kind of treatment can have devastating effects on students and their families. Please click here for a resource for families and actions you can take if you believe a student has been treated unfairly.
- If you are out of work or have had your hours reduced, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits. For questions about unemployment insurance, please go to edd.ca.gov or contact your state legislator for assistance.
- To check on the status of your stimulus check, please visit irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment.
- For CDC guidance on travel for fully vaccinated people, please click here. If you plan to travel, please remember to renew your passport at least 6 months in advance.
- The West LA VA is now offering walk-in vaccinations veterans of ALL ages and their spouses or caregivers.Please call (310) 268-4900 for information about walk-in times and locations.
For additional information, please visit my website at lieu.house.gov, and follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I look forward to updating you again soon.
Stay safe.
Sincerely,
Ted W. Lieu
Member of Congress
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