Dear Friends,

Wishing you and yours a Happy Labor Day Weekend!  Every day — and especially on Labor Day — we honor America’s workers and the unions that built America’s middle class. The middle class has a union label on it and is the backbone of our Democracy.  Labor unions built our country’s ladders of opportunity for countless people for generations — with values of community and dignity that bind us as Americans.  We are all in this together, and we are stronger when we stand together for justice, fairness and opportunity for all.

Since the current occupant of the White House and his minions barged back into office in January, his Administration has waged an all-out, illegal assault on the rights of workers. This anti-union, anti-worker attack has stripped away collective bargaining from hundreds of thousands of our public servants, including those who care for our veterans — many of whom are veterans themselves.  Washington Republicans have shown us exactly who they are — they voted to strip health care and food aid from more than 20 million Americans and pushed policies that are making it harder to afford groceries, gas and other everyday essentials.  All while giving billionaires massive tax breaks that will add trillions to the national debt.

This past week, we celebrated the 105th anniversary of the 19th Amendment.  With gratitude for all the women who struggled, fought, marched, starved and were starved before winning the right to vote — we must never take change for granted.  Republicans have openly discussed ways to make voting harder for women, and we will not stand for that — ever.  As we face monstrous threats to our health care, freedoms and Democracy from Republican extremists — let me be clear: we are not going back!

Dear Friends,

Americans already pressured by skyrocketing costs from Trump’s tariffs are bracing for the impact of the Republicans’ Big Ugly Budget which will make low-income people poorer and sicker while making the ultra-rich even richer – it’s sinful.

Dear Friends,

Thank you for being on the frontlines of our Democracy and fighting to defend our voices and our values and to Save Our Health Care. Together, we are continuing to help California voters connect with their Republican Representatives in Congress who voted to defund Medicaid — including David Valadao in the Central Valley who broke his vital promise to his constituents with eyes wide open after authoring or signing onto numerous letters detailing the harm that would be caused by the Big Ugly Bill.

Dear Friends,

Americans already pressured by skyrocketing costs from Trump’s tariffs are bracing for the impact of the Republicans’ Big Ugly Budget which will make low-income people poorer and sicker while making the ultra-rich even richer – it’s sinful.

Americans know Republicans ripped away health care to fund billionaire tax breaks. Republicans know they will lose the Midterm elections, so they decided to cheat — to change Texas' voting rules in the middle of the game. Rather than take care of flood victims and other constituents in need and address how to provide lifesaving health care and food for millions of Texans who will lose both, Texas Republicans have chosen to do the direct bidding of Donald Trump by redrawing their Congressional maps with a redlining mid-decade gerrymander that violates the Voting Rights Act by erasing representation for minority communities.

Dear Friends,

This week, House Democrats celebrated Honor Our Veterans Day of Action on Purple Heart Day — a time to honor those who have been wounded in the line of duty. It was also an opportunity to recognize all of our veterans for their service and to reaffirm our commitment to caring for those who have sacrificed for us. I began the week with my California colleague, Congressman Mike Thompson, CA-04, a decorated Purple Heart veteran of the Vietnam war who has been leading the way in the Congress for restoration of Trump‘s cruel budget that jeopardizes cuts to veterans’ cancer care in our PACT Act, to veterans suicide prevention in the COMPACT Act and to Inflation Reduction Act tax credits. 

On Thursday, I visited the San Francisco VA Medical Center. Unfortunately, recent changes made by Republicans to Medicaid and the SNAP program have made it more difficult for veterans to receive the assistance they also need and deserve.

Democrats are dedicated to providing our veterans with the highest quality care. We value the employees of the Veterans Administration and acknowledge their right to organize. Our mission will always be to leave no veteran behind. We will continue to push back against the harm that has been inflicted on veterans by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans.