Brownley Sworn in To 116 Th Congress; Priorities Include Restoring Democracy, Serving Women Veterans, Addressing Climate Change

Press Release

Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) released the following statement today after she was sworn in to the 116th Congress:

"I am so honored to have the opportunity to continue representing Ventura County in Congress and fighting for our community's priorities and values.

"As part of the new House Democratic majority, I am focused on ensuring our democracy is working for the people once again. That's why the very first piece of legislation I introduced in this new session is to require all states to allow same-day voter registration for federal elections, just as we have in California. High participation in our democracy translates to representation that better reflects the needs and challenges of the people. Same-day voter registration lowers barriers to voting, which has proven to increase voter participation.

"This session, I will continue to have the honor of serving on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, and I intend to seek my colleagues' support to serve as Chair of the Health Subcommittee. As Chair, my top priority will be to ensure that the VA is providing our veterans with access to the care and benefits they have earned and deserve -- including the fast-growing population of women veterans. One of the first bills I Introduced today will help homeless veterans with children get off the streets and into a safe place to live -- an issue disproportionately impacting women veterans.

"While it often feels like there is no agreement in Congress, there is a clear consensus that we must work together to provide veterans with the care they have earned and deserve. I am proud of the bipartisan progress our Committee made in the 115th Congress, and I will continue to work across the aisle to deliver for veterans here in Ventura County and across the country.

"Finally, it is imperative that we address the devastating economic and human toll brought by climate change, which has led to longer wildfire seasons and deadly disasters that have wreaked havoc on our local communities. I am committed to taking real action to curb the effects of climate change, protect public health, and build a competitive clean energy economy. Our future depends on it."

Other bills Brownley introduced today include:

Amend the Code for Marriage Equality Act: Legislation to strike gendered words like "husband" and "wife" from all federal laws and replace them with the gender-neutral term "spouse" to ensure federal code better reflects LGBTQ equality.
Dental Care for Veterans Act: Legislation to provide access to full-service dental care for veterans.

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