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| In the 107th Congress I was elected by my colleagues in the Democratic Caucus to serve on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution designates "All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives." So, the House Appropriations Committee is essentially the purse strings of the federal government.
Two-thirds of federal spending is automatically allocated to mandatory payments such as Social Security benefits or interest on the public debt. The remaining one-third of federal spending is referred to as the discretionary account. The discretionary account is obligated each year by the 10 House Appropriations Subcommittees, which determine the funding levels for all Federal agencies, programs, and Departments.
I am the most senior Northern Californian serving on this committee, and the only Democratic member from California serving on the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies. The Subcommittee has legislative jurisdiction over the Department of Agriculture except for the U.S. Forest Service, including the Farm Credit Administration; Farm Credit System Financial Assistance Corporation; Commodity Futures Trading Commission; and the Food and Drug Administration located in the Department of Health and Human Services.
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California is the nation's largest agriculture production state, and the Central Coast tri-county region grows more crops than any single state. So my position on the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee provides me the opportunity to shape national agriculture funding priorities to benefit our specialty crops and organic industry, as well as highlight rural development needs, particularly with respect to farm worker housing.
I am the second ranking Democrat and the only Californian on the Subcommittee on Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies which has legislative jurisdiction over the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction for the Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, and Defense Agencies, and Reserve Forces; Military Family Housing; DOD Base Closure Account; DOD Family Housing Improvement Fund; and DOD Military Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund; Homeowners Assistance Fund; and the NATO Security Investment Program.
With two major military education facilities in Monterey, I am in a good position to assist both the Defense Language Institute and the Naval Postgraduate School upgrade their campus facilities. Both these academic institutions are considered "crown jewels" of the military education system and generate significant economic development to the local economy.
With the start of the 110th Congress, I have joined the Subcommittee on Homeland Security with legislative jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security.
If you would like to learn more about the appropriations process, the Congressional Research Service has prepared a good one page explanation.
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Washington Office
1221 Longworth House
Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-2861
Fax 202-225-6791
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Salinas Office
100 West Alisal Street
Salinas, CA 93901
831-424-2229
800-340-FARR
Fax 831-424-7099
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Santa Cruz Office
701 Ocean Street
Room 318
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831-429-1976
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