June 20th Newsletter

Statement

Around the Capitol
Entrepreneurial Veterans
Helping our veterans and our small businesses are two of my highest priorities. I'm proud to assist both by cosponsoring the Veterans Entrepreneurship Act, which passed out of the House Small Business Committee last week. H.R. 2499, the Veterans Entrepreneurship Act of 2015, would expand opportunities for veterans coming home from their service by waiving upfront fees for loans under $350,000 to veterans so that they can start their own businesses. Because it does not appropriate any funds, this program does not cost taxpayers any money.

SCV City Council
On Tuesday, I met with representatives from the Santa Clarita City Council, including Councilmember Laurene Weste and Mayor Pro Tem Bob Kellar in my Capitol Office. We discussed three very important issues: Water, Soledad Canyon, and the CEMEX mine issue.

DAMS Act = More Water
Solving California's drought crisis is a top priority for me, and at this point almost everything is on the table. That is why I cosponsored H.R. 2749; the Dam Authorization, Maintenance, and Safety (DAMS) Act, which was introduced by Rep. David Valadao (CA-21) last week. It would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to repair or modify aging dams and evaluate whether additional modifications could be made to the dam facility to increase water storage capacity.

Gryffingear
It was an honor to talk this week about STEM with members of Team 5012 Gryffingear, the 2015 U.S. FIRST Robotics Competition World Champions from The Palmdale Aerospace Academy. Congratulations and keep up the fantastic work!

Around the District
Cadet Send Off
An important duty that Members of Congress are privileged with is nominating young men and women from their districts to attend Military Service Academies. On Saturday, I had the distinct honor of sending off last year's nominees, who will start their enrollment later this year, then serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. Congratulations to the Class of 2019- I know you will make us proud!

Flag Day
Every year on June 14, we ought to appreciate the American Flag as a symbol of the principles and traditions that this nation stands for. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves this year and flew the Stars and Stripes, I know I did.

Excellence in Aviation
This weekend, I attended the Air Force Flight Test Museum's Excellence in Aviation Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles. Congratulations to Joseph Piotrowski on receiving the William J. "Pete" Knight Memorial Scholarship.

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