Weekly Update From Congressman

TJ Cox

Our entire country mourns the loss of Chairman John David Dingell, Jr., the longest serving Member of Congress in history, the Dean. Congressman Dingell leaves a legacy of leadership and many accomplishments, most notably his tireless advocacy to ensure all Americans had access to affordable healthcare by helping pass Medicare in the House of Representatives.  

He will forever be remembered for his unwavering commitment to public service and as a force for good in our country.

Highlights of What Congress Did This Week

Voted YES on H.R. 840, the Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act 

This week the House overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation that will break down barriers for veterans to access healthcare by making the VA’s Child Care Pilot Program permanent and expanding it so that veterans across the nation have a convenient, cost-free child care option when they have VA medical appointments.

Congress created the pilot program in 2011 to provide child care for qualified veterans using VA healthcare services and since then the program has become widely popular. A VA report issued in 2015, estimated that over 10,000 children had been taken care of through the Child Care Pilot Program by the end of Fiscal Year 2014.

Voted YES on H.R. 450, the Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act of 2019 

The House unanimously passed legislation that establishes a fine and imprisonment of up to 5 years as penalties for those who attempt to defraud military veterans of their benefits. This legislation provides law enforcement with the necessary tools to fight back against pension poachers to protect the financial security of our veterans.

The Federal Trade Commission provides public awareness resources to help veterans avoid known scams, however there are currently no criminal penalties for charging illegal fees in exchange for benefit assistance services. This bill would close that loophole in our criminal law.

Voted YES on H.R. 507, the Trafficking Victims First Act of 2019 

My colleagues and I approved the Trafficking Victims Act of 2019. The bill requires that law enforcement set aside a portion of the funds they receive for combatting human trafficking to ensure that victims receive support that is trauma-informed and victim-centered. The bill further directs the Attorney General to form a broadly-representative working group to assess the status of the collection of data on human trafficking and recommend best practices and prepare a report to Congress on Federal efforts to estimate the prevalence of human trafficking and how to best address it. 

Forced labor and human trafficking are among the world’s fastest growing criminal enterprises. Globally, this illegal and inhumane industry generates an estimated $150 billion a year in profit. This bill will ensure that survivors of human trafficking do not go unnoticed and provide victims with more opportunities to recover from their experiences.

Legislation I Cosponsored this Week

• Resolution Seeking House Recognition of Lunar New Year – The resolution seeks to recognize the cultural and historical significance of Lunar New Year and expresses the deepest respect for Asian Americans and all individuals throughout the world who celebrate the holiday.
• Fairness for High Skilled Immigrants Act – The bill reforms the legal immigration system by eliminating-per country percentage limits that cause backlogs in the employment based green card system. It would also ease backlogs for certain family sponsored immigrants by modifying the per-country limits in the family-sponsored green card system.
• Fairness for Farm Workers Act – For decades, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has excluded farm workers from overtime and the minimum wage. This bill amends FLSA and ends the minimum wage and overtime exemptions for farm workers.

Policy Letters I Wrote and Cosigned 

• Letter to Acting Interior Secretary Bernhardt – This week I sent a joint letter along with Chairman Raúl M. Grijalva to Acting Secretary Bernhardt requesting calendars prepared by him or on his behalf after July 24, 2017 and any Meeting Proposal Information forms submitted to his office after July 4, 2017. The American people deserve a government that is transparent and accountable to them, not special interests and Washington insiders. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, I’m committed to exercising aggressive oversight to ensure that the Acting Secretary provide the requested documents and be forthcoming with Congress and the public. We must ensure that policy decisions being made at DOI are in line with those of the people and our communities. To read the full letter text click here.
• Letter to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Lee Francis Cissna – I joined my Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to Director Cissna raising concerns about the growing backlog of adjudications at the agency and asking key questions to shed light on the agency’s apparent shift from a service-oriented immigration services agency to yet another enforcement-focused arm of DHS. 
   

Weekly Highlights

State of the Union Address

I was humbled to finally meet Raj Kaur, my SOTU guest, a federal law enforcement officer, single mother and cancer survivor who was impacted by the government shutdown. People in Washington could learn a lot from the example of Raj and the 250 other law enforcement officers in Mendota who put their lives on the line every day to protect us. I was deeply honored to have Raj as my guest.

My Response to the President’s SOTU Address:

Once again, the President did not address the division we are feeling as a country, and to date he’s shown little interest in reaching across the aisle to advance an agenda that helps middle-class families. The American people deserve an honest conversation about immigration, about the skyrocketing costs of healthcare and prescription drugs, and about the increasing polarization in our country. I’m committed to working with members of both parties to push to restore integrity to Washington, finally pass comprehensive immigration reform, and to bring middle-class jobs and investment back to the Central Valley. 

House Floor Speech 

I spoke on the House Floor this week in recognition of Black History month and to honor my constituent, Paula Massey of Hanford, California. 

Paula is the founder of Women with Visions Unlimited, a non-profit organization that works with youth in literacy and summer school programs to improve the academic attainment of children in the Central Valley. Through Women with Visions Unlimited, Paula organizes numerous events to empower African-American women and focuses on bringing awareness to Valley Fever - an illness deep and dear to her heart. 

As we celebrate the 43rd commemoration of Black History Month, let us never forget that the United States has been marked by the great contributions of African-American leaders like Paula Massey. Click here to watch my full speech. 

 

This week the House Natural Resources Committee held its first hearing on climate change focusing on its impact to communities and the need for new strong federal policies. This was the first hearing on climate change in this committee since June of 2009. I asked witnesses about the specific impacts of climate change in rural communities and how climate change directly impacts people’s health. Only two of my Republican colleagues showed up to the hearing further proving it’s clear there is no way one can deny science and the existence of climate change at this day in age. 

Meetings & Events

Earlier this week I stopped by Corcoran to meet with members of the City Council: Vice-Mayor Pat Nolan, Councilman Ray Lerma, Councilman Jerry Robertson, and Mayor Sid Palmerin. We discussed the importance of rural healthcare, public safety and the new post office in Corcoran.

Thank you to everyone who joined me for my swearing-in ceremony last Saturday. It was a very special moment for my family and me, and I couldn't have asked for a better crowd. #TodosJuntos

TJ's  Recommended Reading 

Frequently, I read articles or see videos that I think my constituents would benefit from.

Washington Post (2/8/19) – John Dingell: My last words for America 

Chairman Dingell’s last words to our nation serve as a reminder of the stark change in politics and the increasing partisanship we see in the U.S. Congress today. The Op-Ed highlights how policies such as the Medicare program seemed extreme and impossible at one point in history but were able to successfully become law and benefit millions of Americans. 

Washington Post (2/8/19) – What’s next, a tariff on peanut butter? 

The trade war this administration started with China has had a detrimental effect on farmers and ranchers throughout the Central Valley. The Washington Post Op-Ed goes into depth on how the U.S. Court of International Trade intends to rule on a doctrine that could rectify the imbalance between the legislative and executive branches of government, including the president’s ability to impose trade tariffs.

CNN (2/9/19) – Why this year’s Black History Month is pivotal 

As we celebrate Black History Month this February, it’s important to remember the many contributions of the African-American community and the pioneers who so tirelessly fought for equality. The CNN article highlights the importance of discussing and documenting the lived realities of African-Americans throughout history.

 
Staying Informed

You can find more press releases, commentary and information on issues I’m working on at cox.house.gov. I also encourage you to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. 

If you’re ever in DC, please call ahead so we can arrange tours for you and update you on upcoming events you may be interested in attending. Be sure to visit us at our office, 1728 Longworth and take the “TJ Challenge” – you get a special prize if you can tell me how many steps there are from the basement up to the 7th floor (and you’ll have to walk them to know!)   

All the best, 

 
Congressman TJ Cox