Working the district last week, and every week, is essential to being a good Member of Congress. It provides key opportunities to listen to constituents and discuss the work I’m doing in Washington with community leaders. This week, I return to Washington to work on legislation to fund important programs that will benefit the Valley. Here are a few highlights:
Hometown Heroes
Shout out to volunteer Debra Lopez Nichols for her tireless efforts during the water emergency in Dos Palos! From dawn til dusk, Debra greeted drivers and loaded case after case of bottled water for distribution. Every day we have opportunities to help others in our community, and Debra’s efforts truly made an impact!
I’d also like to thank Donaghy Sales for stepping up! They distributed 50,000 cans of drinking water donated by Anheuser-Busch to nearly 5,000 people who had their water shut off. Thank you Donaghy Sales!
Fixing the Problem
Recently, I convened a meeting with leaders at the local, state, and federal levels, including Assemblymember Adam Gray, USDA, the State Water Resources Control Board and Mayor Hogue, to help secure key grant funding to help replace Dos Palos antiquated water systems.
After a productive meeting, we’re one step closer to ensuring access to a clean and reliable water supply for the people of Dos Palos.
Staying Up-to-Date
What is the best way to contact you and share updates on the work I’m doing?
There’s no reason we can’t ensure that every American has a nutritious meal every day. The Fresno Economic Opportunity Commission (EOC) is doing that with its Food Express Bus program, funded with grant money from the USDA. The EOC has delivered over 740,000 meals to families during the pandemic. The Food Express Bus brings food directly to our most vulnerable families, avoiding traveling and gathering in school sites. Keep up the good work Fresno EOC!
We’re also engaged in other efforts to provide food to our vulnerable communities. Through important programs I’ve supported like the Farmers to Families Food Box Program and the National School Lunch Program, we’ve been able to ensure families have access to food during these difficult times. I will continue my efforts to feed our communities and provide oversight to ensure that these programs have their intended effect.
Keeping California safe
As Coronavirus cases continue to spike across California, the State ordered a rollback of reopening progress to slow the spread. Effective July 13th, all counties must close:
Dine-in restaurants
Wineries and tasting rooms
Movie theaters
Family entertainment centers (for example: bowling alleys, miniature golf, batting cages and arcades)
Zoos and museums
Cardrooms
Also for counties on the watch list, which include Fresno, Madera and Merced counties, the rollback includes the closure of indoor activities at gyms, fitness centers, places of worship, cultural ceremonies like weddings, non-critical offices, personal care services and shopping malls.
The Governor also released new guidelines on schools. According to the Governor’s guidance, schools in counties on the monitoring list, including Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties, must not open for physical instruction until 14 days after coming off of the monitoring list.
As coronavirus continues to spike across the country, I remain concerned about our ability to provide quick and accurate COVID-19 testing in the Valley. I’ve been working with our health officials at the local level to help ensure we have testing sites accessible to everyone. I’m also working to secure additional funding for COVID-19 testing around the country. The current 5-7 day turnaround for testing is simply unacceptable.
NEW ONLINE PORTAL FOR CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CFAP)
I’m pleased to report that after continued pushing, I was successful in urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop an online portal for Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) applications, expanding access to producers.
On July 9th, the USDA updated their list of commodities eligible for CFAP. I am continuing to push the Administration to expand this list to ensure producers receive the assistance they require.
To better respond to the COVID-19 crisis, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is hiring full-time temporary Program Technicians. These technicians will provide valuable support for FSA programs at the field level.
If you or someone you know is interested in applying, email your resume to fsajobs@usda.gov. ;
RESPOND TO CENSUS 2020
Thank you to those of you that have already responded to the 2020 Census.
If you haven’t had a chance yet, now is the perfect time! Make sure you count and help shape our future! IT’S VERY IMPORTANT!
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