Congressman Bob Filner

Recognized as CACVSO Legislator of the Year for 2007!

I am extremely honored to have been recently recognized as Legislator of the Year for 2007 by the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers (CACVSO).

CACVSO is dedicated to ensuring that all veterans “receive the benefits and services to which they are entitled by law and moral obligation.” The County Veterans Service Officer is often the first point of contact for veterans and their families seeking benefits, and they provide essential advice and guidance, as they navigate the Department of Veterans’ Affairs claims process. CACVSO also identifies and promotes state and federal policy supportive of veterans’ rights and issues.

Advocating for veterans is the most rewarding job that I can think of, as I know that every veteran fought to protect our nation. I will continue to fight to serve the needs of our Nation's veterans and to ensure that they receive the respect, honor and care that they deserve!

Announcing Water Resources Development Act Project Authorizations

Last month, the House of Representatives and the Senate voted to override President Bush’s veto of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). I am pleased to announce that I was able to get included the following project authorizations, projects that will benefit the 51^st Congressional District, in the bill.

Sweetwater Reservoir, San Diego County, California--Project for aquatic ecosystem, Sweetwater Reservoir, San Diego County, California, including efforts to address invasive aquatic plant species.

Sweetwater Reservoir, San Diego County, California--$375,000 to improve water quality, and remove non-native aquatic species from the Sweetwater Reservoir, San Diego County, California.
Imperial County, California--$10,000,000 for wastewater infrastructure, including a wastewater disinfection facility and polishing system, to improve water quality in the vicinity of Calexico, California, on the southern New River, Imperial County, California.
Brawley Colonia, Imperial County, California-- $1,400,000 for water infrastructure to improve water quality in the Brawley Colonia Water District, Imperial County, California.
New River, California--$10,000,000 for wastewater infrastructure to improve water quality in the New River, California.

The legislation also includes language authorizing $30 million to carry out pilot projects for the restoration of the Salton Sea.

We must fix our crumbling national infrastructure, including our waterways. Enactment of WRDA is the first step! However, there is still more work to be done. We must keep the pressure on President Bush to increase appropriations for the Army Corps of Engineers to carry out these critical projects.

A Vote for Historic Civil Rights Legislation to End Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation

Last month, The U.S. House of Representatives approved the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, historic legislation to end workplace discrimination against Americans on the basis of sexual orientation by a vote of 235 to 184.

As a Freedom Rider in the 1960’s, I fought against racial prejudice and discrimination, and I will continue to stand up for to all who are oppressed. ENDA is an important step in the right direction, protecting gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans against workplace discrimination. Unfortunately, ENDA did not extend this protection to the transgender community. I will continue to fight for gender identity protection, and I will not stop fighting until we overcome all discrimination!

The bill would also prohibit employment discrimination against gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans. Under the legislation, employers with 15 or more employees would be barred from firing, refusing to hire, demoting, refusing to promote, or otherwise discriminating against workers on the basis of sexual orientation.

Thirty states permit employers to discriminate against employees based solely on their sexual orientation, and no federal law prohibits such discrimination today.

A study published recently in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that 37 percent of gay and lesbian workers across the U.S. had faced sexual orientation discrimination. Ten percent of respondents said they had been physically harassed at work, 22 percent said they had been verbally harassed at work, and nearly 20 percent said they had resigned from a job or had been fired from a job in part because of discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Many businesses have enacted nondiscrimination policies, both for civil rights and competitiveness reasons. Nearly 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies have adopted policies of sexual orientation nondiscrimination.

The legislation would prohibit preferential treatment on the basis of sexual orientation. The bill would also protect the religious liberty of religious organizations, including religious schools that are not affiliated with any particular church or denomination.

Providing Tax Relief for 30,487 Households in the 51^st Congressional District

Last month, the House of Representatives passed legislation that offers more than $50 billion in middle-class tax relief and saves 30,487 households in the 51^st Congressional District from paying higher taxes under the Alternative Minimum Tax. The Temporary Tax Relief Act is fiscally responsible and fully paid for and was approved by a vote of 216 to 193.

Families in California have seen the cost of health care, gasoline and a college education skyrocket while their homes have lost value. I was proud to vote for a plan that cuts taxes for middle class families and saves 30,487 households in the 51^st Congressional District from paying the Alternative Minimum Tax.

The Alternative Minimum Tax was originally designed to ensure that very wealthy individuals do not avoid paying income tax. The tax now threatens to impact middle-class families and raise taxes on 23 million Americans if Congress fails to take action.

This tax relief protects 23 million middle-class families from being hit by the Alternative Minimum Tax and includes a series of other provisions that provide tax relief to working families. The bill:

· Provides 30 million homeowners with property tax relief

· Helps 12 million children by expanding the child tax credit

· Benefits 11 million families through the State and local sales tax deduction

· Helps 4.5 million families better afford college with the tuition deduction

· Saves 3.4 million teachers money with a deduction for classroom expenses

· Provides thousands of American troops in combat with tax relief under the Earned Income Tax Credit.

This act is fully paid for and will not add to the deficit and will grow our sagging economy with tax relief to promote innovation and high-paying jobs.

Democrats are bringing fiscal responsibility back to Washington: the days of borrow and spend are over. Our legislation is fiscally responsible and won’t add a single penny to the deficit.

The legislation also restores fairness to the tax code and closes wasteful tax loopholes. The Temporary Tax Relief Act closes tax loopholes that allow the privileged few on Wall Street to pay a lower tax rate on their income than other hardworking Americans, such as teachers and firefighters. Additionally, the bill prevents Wall Street hedge fund managers and corporate CEOs from escaping income taxes by using offshore tax havens as unlimited retirement accounts, while middle-class families play by the rules and pay their fair share of taxes.

Telling the Department of Homeland Security to “PAY UP!”

Last month, I introduced the Pay for All Your Undocumented Procedures (PAY UP!) Act, H.R. 4021, to help local hospitals, physicians and ambulance providers obtain reimbursement from the Department of Homeland Security.

The cost of uncompensated emergency care for undocumented immigrants is putting a growing burden on the health care system in our communities. As Congress continues to debate the best approach to reforming our immigration system, we must act now to ensure that health care providers are not forced into bankruptcy and that U.S. citizens continue to have access to high quality health care.

The PAY UP! Act would force the federal government to reimburse emergency ambulance and medical services providers for the cost of uncompensated care and services for undocumented persons aided by the Border Patrol or other federal immigration officials.

Investing in Health Care and Education

I was proud to join a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives to approve legislation that will make significant investments in health care and education. The Labor-Health-Education Appropriations bill was approved by a vote of 274 to 141.

Unfortunately, the President chose to veto this bill and it was sent back to the House for a veto override. I voted to override the veto. Unfortunately, too few Republicans had the courage to stand up to President Bush, and the veto override vote failed to achieve the required 2/3 majority in a vote of 277-141.

For too long, the Republican Congress and President Bush sent billions to Iraq and ignored important priorities here at home. The New Direction Congress is making smart investments in health care and education that will make our country strong.

This bipartisan legislation approved by the House today rejects the President’s cuts in health care, education, job training, and home heating assistance. The increased funding over the President’s request will significantly aid children in California. In California, the legislation would provide funding for 870 more new teachers than the President’s request and provide extra math and reading help to 15,044 more disadvantaged children. Additionally, the funding over the President’s request in the bill would provide access to after-school programs for 18,057 more children.

The bill also makes the following critical investments in our future:

§ Ensuring health care for 1.2 million more Americans through community health centers;

§ Issuing nearly 1,400 more life-saving medical research grants than the President, to potentially find cures for cancer, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimers’ and Parkinsons’disease, with new investments in NIH;

§ Strengthening quality education for our children by training 51,000 more teachers;

§ Increasing the maximum Pell Grant for college to $4,925--$875 more than President Bush; and

§ Helping 173,000 more adults, youth, and dislocated workers with job training and employment.

The Democratic bill also keeps the promise of the New Direction Congress to return fiscal responsibility to Washington, by complying with our five-year balanced budget plan.

While this legislation enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress, President Bush chose to veto it and has threatened to veto other appropriatons bills. The differences between the White House and the Congress on this and other critical appropriations total about $20 billion. At the same time, the President is demanding 10 times that amount to continue to fund the disastrous war in Iraq for another year.

Making the Internet Safer for Our Children

I was proud to join an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives to back legislation that will crack down on online predators, stop the spread of child pornography and help make the Internet safer for children.

The Internet is a tremendous resource, but we must take care to protect our children from those who would do them harm. I was proud to back legislation that will protect our children from online predators and help make the information superhighway a safer place.

This week, the House passed a series of bills designed to improve Internet safety. The bills include:

H.R. 3845 - PROTECT Our Children Act of 2007
H.R. 719 - Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act of 2007
H.R. 4120 - Effective Child Pornography Prosecution Act
H.R. 4134 – Internet Crime Prevention Education Program Act
H.R. 4139 - Enhancing the Effective Prosecution of Child Pornography Act of 2007
H.R. 3461 – SAFERNET (Safeguarding America’s Families by Enhancing and Reorganizing New and Efficient Technologies Act of 2007)

The bills increase resources to fight Internet crimes against children, authorize a new public awareness campaign to promote Internet safety and provide tough new penalties against those people and companies who produce, view and allow others to purchase child pornography. The legislation also cracks down on sex offenders by allowing judges to require convicted sex offenders to use internet tracking and filtering software that limits offenders’ access to certain material online.

In recent studies conducted by the Department of Justice, 1 in 7 children between the age of 10 and 17 received a sexual solicitation online. And 1 in 25 (or one per classroom) receives an aggressive sexual solicitation when a predator calls them on the phone, sends them gifts or requests a meeting.

Too many children are at risk online. Last month, the New Direction Congress took real action to protect our kids and keep them safe.

Citizens of the Month

It is my pleasure to honor Golden Corral Restaurant as my November “Citizen of the Month,” for continuing the tradition of honoring our service-members and veterans.

For the past 7 years, Golden Corral has honored active-duty service-members and veterans of the United States Military with a free “thank you” dinner and beverage at any of the 485 Golden Corral restaurants on “Military Appreciation Monday,” which falls annually on the first Monday after Veteran’s Day. Since the first “Military Appreciation Monday” from 2001 to the present, Golden Corral has donated 1.5 million complimentary “Thank You” meals and $1.9 million dollars to the Disabled American Veterans. On Monday, November 12, of this year, Golden Corral offered the same honor. This year, Golden Corral also made personal postcards available at the restaurant, to send messages of appreciation and encouragement to our nation’s heroes serving overseas.

It is not a coincidence that I chose to recognize Golden Corral Restaurant on Veterans Day weekend. I chose this weekend because Golden Corral has made an important effort to express their appreciation for the hard work, dedication and sacrifices of service-members and veterans in Imperial County and all over the country. Golden Corral has given time and resources to recognize our heroes, and they serve as a positive example for us all.

Presenting Daniel Santana, General Manager of the Golden Corral Restaurant with my November Citizen of the Month Award

Constituent Mail Bag

From El Centro

Dear Representative Filner:

I'm glad that more companies are testing their toys, but I'm shocked that still nearly every day I read about another toy recall. Unsafe toys should not be reaching store shelves and our homes in the first place.

Independent, government-certified inspectors should test our toys to ensure that imports meet U.S. safety standards. Products should be tested in the foreign factories and at our ports--before they wind up on U.S. shelves. It should not be legal to sell recalled toys. Retailers must be required to remove all recalled products from shelves promptly, post prominent recall notices, and check products for safety. If a toy is not safe, we should hear about it immediately--not after children have sickened or even died from product hazards.

I understand that many of the same problems plague our food system. Food recalls today are "voluntary" so the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has to negotiate its recall requests with companies, wasting time while people like me continue to buy the tainted food. We need to be sure that the government can demand the quick removal of unsafe food and products from the shelves. We need better testing of the food we are eating.

Standards are only as strong as their enforcement. U.S. imports from foreign countries nearly doubled since 2000. Compared to when it opened its doors in 1973, today's Consumer Product Safety Commission CPSC) is half its original size in both staff and resources. Today's FDA manages to inspect only one percent of all food imports! With so little enforcement, companies that want to risk importing shoddy, unsafe products know they may well get away with it. We can do better.

Please help restore my confidence in the safety of the items in my cart before I start my holiday shopping.

Congressman Filner replies:

Thank you for contacting me about import regulations.

I wholeheartedly agree! We must do everything within our power to ensure the safety of the food and products we import in the United States. Rest assured, I will work with my colleagues to improve the inspection and law enforcement efforts dealing with imported goods into our country. The nation’s safety depends on it.

I appreciate hearing from you on this most important issue.

Contact My Office