Dear Friend,

It’s hard to believe 2021 is over. The past year was defined by both remarkable challenges and incredible resilience.

In the face of a pernicious threat from COVID-19 and the economic destruction it brought about, my House colleagues and I focused on lowering costs and burdens for workers, families, and communities, so they emerge from the pandemic stronger and healthier.

In March, we passed the American Rescue Plan COVID-19 relief package: extending unemployment benefits, providing grants to small businesses, slashing child poverty by expanding the Child Tax Credit, and delivering $1,400 stimulus checks to hundreds of millions.

This legislation was also the catalyst for a historic vaccination campaign that has helped millions of people reunite with loved ones and get back to their daily lives. To date, that includes more than 79% of L.A. County residents. If you or a loved one haven’t yet received a vaccine or booster, please do so today. The vaccines are safe. And they are available in your community.

From there, we turned our focus to the heart of our agenda: legislation to fix America’s aging infrastructure. And the $1 trillion infrastructure package passed with broad, bipartisan support. Already on its way to the 28th District is historic funding to repair roads, highways, and bridges, modernize public transit, and fortify our communities against the climate crisis. And this year, we will not rest until we make good on the second half of our promise: lowering the costs of childcare and health care, establishing paid family and medical leave, and making the single-largest investment to fight climate change and invest in green, clean energy in our nation’s history.

We made tremendous progress on other fronts, too.  After decades of fighting alongside the Armenian American community through heartbreak and disappointment, I was heartened when, at our urging, President Biden became the first U.S. president to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide. It was a watershed moment for our community, and all thanks to the determination and hard work of so many over so many years.

And throughout the year, I introduced legislation to address some of the most pressing issues of our time, from fighting gun violence and wildfires to expanding access to equitable health care and affordable housing.

Most recently, the House passed my Protecting Our Democracy Act, a landmark package of reforms to ensure there are safeguards against future presidential abuses of power and improve congressional oversight.

This legislation will help us rebuild the pillars of democracy broken during the last four years. And no single event illustrates the need for this legislation more than the violent attack on our nation’s Capitol on January 6, aimed at overturning the results of the 2020 election.

The horrors of that day reminded us just how fragile our democracy is – and give new urgency to the fight to protect it.

I carry that purpose with me in all of my work in Congress, including on the January 6 Select Committee, where I’m proud to serve alongside colleagues from both sides of the aisle. We hope to share a full accounting with the American people early this year.

As always, though, the highlight of 2021 was the quality time spent with all of you – especially after so long apart. I met incredible people at events across the 28th District, from touring the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to attending the historic groundbreaking of the Armenian American Museum and the ribbon-cutting of an electric vehicle charging station in Burbank.

So I begin 2022 with tremendous gratitude.

I am so proud to be your voice in Congress – and I look forward to another year of working on your behalf.

Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy 2022,

Member of Congress

2021 in Review

Championing Local Priorities

Fighting and Preventing Wildfires

Amid another historic fire season for California, Congressman Schiff urged the Defense Department to extend a program called FireGuard that helps local firefighters respond to blazes before they spiral out of control. The program has now been extended for five more years, which will undoubtedly save lives and livelihoods. Schiff is continuing to press for more resources to fight wildfires.

Modernizing Our Infrastructure

Supporting the Armenian Community

After decades of fighting in Congress alongside the Armenian American community, Congressman Schiff was heartened when President Biden became the first U.S. president to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Congressman Schiff secured $950,000 in funding for the Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California in downtown Glendale in the House’s 2022 federal government funding legislation, which he’ll fight to get appropriated early this year.

In the year since Azerbaijan waged war in Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Artsakh, Congressman Schiff has repeatedly called on the Biden administration to demand the release of illegally-detained Armenian prisoners of war, fought for humanitarian relief, and publicly condemned the Aliyev regime’s ongoing aggression. Schiff also became the first Member of Congress to call for the recognition of the Republic of Artsakh.

Leading the Effort to Fund an Early Earthquake Warning System

Congressman Schiff continues to lead the effort to finance the Earthquake Early Warning System for the entire West Coast, including California. This year, Schiff helped secure a record-breaking $28.6 million in funding for this lifesaving program.

Recovering Together from COVID-19

Congressman Schiff supported the American Rescue Plan, which delivered immediate relief to families weathering the pandemic and expedited the historic rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. Schiff led efforts in the package to help freelancers and gig workers, particularly in the entertainment industry, get the relief they needed to survive, despite having non-traditional jobs.  

Congressman Schiff visited vaccination sites across L.A. County and hosted town halls with public health experts to answer questions and dispel rumors about the vaccine.

Congressman Schiff also led the fight to curb vaccine misinformation online, demanding tech companies, including Amazon and Facebook, take immediate action to address the spread of deadly falsehoods on their platforms.

Keeping Pets and Families Together in Affordable Housing

Congressman Schiff introduced the Pets Belong with Families Act, which would prohibit public housing from imposing unfair pet restrictions based solely on breed and size – so no family has to choose between an affordable home and their beloved animal.

Expanding Affordable, Equitable Health Care

Making Equitable Medical Care a Civil Right

In October, Congressman Schiff, in partnership with California Senator Alex Padilla, introduced his Equal Health Care for All Act, which would make equitable health care a protected civil right for everyone – no matter their race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or religion. Schiff will work on additional measures to help make equitable health care a reality.

Eliminating Barriers to HIV Prevention

In December, Congressman Schiff and Minnesota Senator Tina Smith reintroduced the PrEP Access and Coverage Act, which will expand access to lifesaving HIV prevention medications and ensure high-risk communities are not left behind.

Supporting Americans Through Anomalous Health Incidents

In October, President Biden signed Congressman Schiff’s HAVANA Act into law, a bill that will provide medical benefits to Americans afflicted by anomalous health incidents.

Protecting Our Democracy

Protecting and Strengthening Our Democracy

The House passed Congressman Schiff’s Protecting Our Democracy Act on a bipartisan basis. The bill will safeguard American democracy by rooting out corruption, reining in presidential abuses of power, and strengthening our system of checks and balances. 

Investigating the Attack on January 6

As a member of the January 6 Select Committee, Congressman Schiff has been working alongside his colleagues to investigate the Capitol attack. The Committee expects to begin sharing its findings this year.

Supporting Our Students

Helping Every Student See the Board

In November, Congressman Schiff introduced the See the Board Act, legislation to help students in both rural and urban communities access optometry care at no cost to their families, so they have every opportunity to succeed in the classroom.

Visiting Local Schools

Congressman Schiff joined Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona at Fairfax High School to meet with students, education advocates, and community members about the Biden administration’s efforts to safely return to in-person learning.

In December, Congressman Schiff joined students at Clark Magnet High School in Glendale for a discussion on the Protecting Our Democracy Act.

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