Dear Friends,
Recent jobs numbers have given some the impression that the "economic recovery" we've heard so much about over the last several years is finally taking place. But an evaluation of trends in the job market and American economy at-large reveal some troubling facts. Many of the jobs being created now are part-time, low-paying jobs, and the workforce participation rate remains at the record low it reached during the Carter Administration.
Jobs, the economy, and creating economic opportunity for all Americans continue to be my priorities as I serve California's 39th Congressional District. I'm happy to inform you that with my support, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act passed both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, and will be signed into law.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act improves federal workforce development programs, provides supports to people with disabilities to enter and remain in competitive, integrated job settings, and fosters the modern workforce that evolving American businesses rely on to compete. The bill eliminates 15 redundant federal programs and overhauls requirements throughout the federal job training system to help job seekers gain the skills and education that employers are seeking.
Better-trained workers will be able to fill good-paying, stable jobs that require skillsets that are often hard to find in the labor market. More people working means more customers at small businesses, who can then expand and hire more workers.
I was recently dubbed the "Workhorse" of Congress by the OC Register, and it's a term I'll wear with pride. Please know that I will keep pushing for solutions that bring about a real economic recovery for all Americans. As always, it is an honor to serve as your representative in our nation's capital.
Sincerely,
Representative Ed Royce
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News for June 28- July 11, 2014
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Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi Ordered to Remain in Jail
A Mexican court ordered that U.S. Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi must remain in the jail in which he has been held since his March arrest. While Rep. Royce is disappointed that Wednesday’s hearing did not result in Sgt. Tahmooressi’s immediate release, he is hopeful that his case will be dealt with in a fair and timely manner. The House Foreign Affairs Committee, which Rep. Royce leads, will continue to follow this case closely, and Rep. Royce will continue appealing to the Government of Mexico for Andrew’s immediate release so that he can begin treatment for his combat-related PTSD. Rep. Royce visited Sgt. Tahmooressi in jail last month, and believes that Andrew is an American hero that should be home in the United States with his family.
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Disappointing High-Speed Rail Ruling
The U.S. Department of Transportation gave its approval on June 27 for work to begin on the second leg of California's proposed $68 billion high-speed rail line, endorsing the state's environmental review for the section running between Fresno and Bakersfield.
The high-speed rail project is widely unpopular among Californians, a wasteful use of taxpayer resources, and an unnecessary undertaking that diverts resources from other critical infrastructure projects. Rep. Royce believes that local, state, and federal transportation spending should be aimed at decreasing gridlock on our freeways, not a multi-billion dollar boondoggle dreamed up in Sacramento.
Earlier this year Rep. Royce cosponsored the Responsible Rail and Deterring Deficiency Act, a bill that would block federal funding of any projects related to California high-rail construction.
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| OC Register Profile on Rep. Ed Royce - "SoCal has D.C.'s workhorse"
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Meet Southern California Reps. Ed Royce and Darrell Issa, among the most powerful people in Congress. Each steers an influential committee in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives – Royce at the helm of Foreign Affairs, Issa in charge of Oversight and Government Reform.
Royce’s work helps shape U.S. foreign policy legislation and keeps an eye on diplomatic endeavors, from foreign aid to international broadcasting to treaties. Royce takes on singular causes, too, such as the 275 schoolgirls kidnapped by terrorists Boko Haram in Nigeria and the Marine sergeant who has been sitting in a Mexico jail since March.
He pops up on CNN or Fox News and is known among the Washington press corps as very accessible, yet he is also called “the quiet one.”
“I think Ed Royce is a fairly reliable conservative, a pretty good watchdog internationally, and I know he exerts a lot of time and energy in the community,” said Ann Coil, a longtime politics watcher who coordinates Santa Ana’s Tea Party Patriots. “Darrell seems a little more moderate, but I think he’s doing a pretty good job in that IRS investigation.
‘The Workhorse’
Ed Royce is known as “The Workhorse.” He’s a reflective detail man who cultivates camaraderie and common ground on his 45-member committee. His trips abroad, such as an April journey to Ukraine, are jammed with a meeting itinerary that rivals speed dating. He’s not exactly Mr. Excitement on television, observers concede, with expressions that range from serious to more serious.
But opposition Democrats praise the Fullerton representative. “First, Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for this meeting,” piped up Gregory Meeks, D.-N.Y., at a May hearing on the Boko Haram kidnappings. “I want to be clear – I concur with you and I think the research work your staff has done is excellent.”
Read the full article here
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Interning with Rep. Ed Royce
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Rep. Royce's DC, Brea, and Rowland Heights offices offer internship opportunities for students and recent graduates. Interns are given a wide variety of tasks and leave with a greater, more practical understanding of how our government works. Interns complete legislative research, attend Congressional hearings or events in the district, answer phones, read mail, give tours of the U.S. Capitol and much more. All three offices are currently accepting applications for Fall 2014, learn how to apply here.
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