As the year comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to give you a brief update on all that we accomplished. This past year we worked together to fight for our ideals, for justice, and for what kind of country we want our children to grow up in. I will continue to fulfill my solemn duty as your Senator and an American to defend the heart of our democracy – the rule of law and free, fair elections.
Let’s remember one important thing: as Americans and Californians, we have so much more in common than what divides us. We are a resilient state fighting together to advance our values, advocate for progressive legislation, and stand firm against this administrations unjust agenda. As Senator, I intend to continue fighting for our state, lifting people up, and putting our families first.
As we look to 2020, we will fight. We will fight for the best of who we are as a country. We will not give up on our fight for fairness and justice.
Here’s to a new decade!
Sincerely,
Kamala
Kamala D. Harris
United States Senator
California Highlights:
Senator Harris talks with Trisha Pesiri-Dybvik, her guest to the 2019 State of the Union and an air traffic control specialist who lost her home in the 2017 Thomas Fire.
Over the past year, the Senator’s office has held roundtables throughout the state to inform and assess pertinent issues, including immigration, protecting DACA recipients, bringing attention to the Black maternal health crisis, and fostering the leaders of tomorrow. Additionally, California-based staff has provided constituent services in the wake of California wildfires and with respect to maintaining oversight of the local detention centers. In one Californian’s notable case, Senator Harris aided Maria Isabel Bueso in receiving an extension after her DACA status was put in jeopardy. Isabel, who has a serious medical condition that requires critical treatment in the United States, testified before the House Committee on Oversight to showcase the impact of the Trump Administration’s irresponsible and inhumane policies. Isabel will be able to continue living in the US, but she never should have faced deportation in the first place.
Watch Senator Harris question Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz on a number of troubling incidents suggesting that Attorney General William Barr allowed political influence to threaten the independence of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Senator Harris is a proud member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the Senate Budget. In her capacity on these committees, Senator Harris questioned numerous Trump administration officials in order to foster oversight, transparency, and accountability of the Trump Administration.
Watch Senator Harris Question Attorney General William Barr over the Mueller Report.
In our democracy, no one – no matter how powerful or well-connected – is above the law.
– U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris
Watch Senator Harris question FBI Director Christopher Wray.
In her role on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Harris has conducted oversight of Trump administration officials like Attorney General William Barr, who have failed to uphold the values of Californians and the American justice system as a whole. The Senator has also been active in oversight hearings aimed to ongoing efforts to reunify and protect immigrant families. In her capacity as a member of the Homeland Security Committee, Senator Harris questioned FBI Director Christopher Wray about potential threats to the United States, foreign interference in U.S elections, witness intimidation in ongoing investigations, and the president’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
Watch Senator Harris question Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Kevin McAleenan on CBP’s duty to ensure the safety of children who enter their custody and are later handed off to HHS custody.
Housing:
Watch Senator Harris explain the LIFT Act.
Housing is a human right. – U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris
In 2019, Senator Harris focused on confronting the nation’s affordable housing and homelessness crisis. In accordance with this, the Senator re-introduced the Rent Relief Act to create a new, refundable tax credit for renters paying more than 30 percent of their income in rent and utilities. She also partnered with Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) to introduce the Housing is Infrastructure Act and the Ending Homelessness Act, comprehensive pieces of legislation to create more affordable housing and address homelessness in California and across the country. These measures call for serious investments to tackle the shortage of affordable housing options for low- and mixed-income families. The Senator also introduced the Fair Chance at Housing Act of 2019to further expand accessibility to housing – no matter a family’s circumstance. Finally, the Senator introduced the Safe Housing for Families Act to require carbon monoxide detectors in public housing.
Immigration:
We must take steps to affirm the basic human dignity of those who come to our country seeking a better life.
Senator Harris continues to introduce new policies that aim to address the climate crisis, protect our environment, and guarantee Americans’ rights to clean air and clean water. This year, the Senator introduced a package of legislation to expand protections for public lands in key regions of Northern, Central, and Southern California and the Outdoors for All Act to create outdoor spaces in cities so that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. The Senator also announced the Water Justice Act to ensure that the nation’s water supply is safe, affordable, and sustainable. The Senator is well aware that communities of color disproportionately bear the impact of climate change, and has introduced the Climate Equity Act and the Clean School Bus Act to ensure we fight for climate justice and that communities at the frontlines of the climate crisis are at the center of climate and environmental policy. Finally, the Senator has introduced comprehensive legislation to protect communities from the growing threat of wildfires and to eliminate bonuses for executives of utility companies in bankruptcy.
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