Report to the Valley: March 23, 2014

Congressman Brad Sherman: Town Hall Meeting

I will be hosting a Town Hall Meeting on Sunday, March 23rd from 2:00 to 3:30 PM at Birmingham High School, located at 17000 Haynes Street, Lake Balboa (near the intersection of Balboa Blvd. and Victory Blvd.).  Over the years, I’ve held over 170 town hall meetings in the San Fernando Valley. They are an excellent opportunity for me to listen to what’s on the mind of Valley residents and to respond to questions.  My constituent service staff will be available to help you deal with any problem you’re having with any federal agency.  If you have any additional questions, please feel free to call my office at 818-501-9200. The event, parking and refreshments are free.  I hope to see you there.  

The Right to Know What's in Our Food

When Americans purchase food, they deserve to know if that food was engineered in a laboratory. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires the labeling of over 3,000 ingredients, additives, and processes, but not genetically modified foods. Congressman Sherman cosponsored the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, bipartisan legislation that would require the FDA to clearly label genetically engineered foods. Consumers deserve to know if the food they purchase contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Protecting Consumer Rights

Congressman Sherman has fought attempts to weaken consumer rights, including efforts to weaken the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This agency has already secured more than $3 billion in refunds for millions of consumers since it was created in July 2011. The CFPB is the agency consumers can turn to when faced with unfair lending and banking practices. Sherman is fighting against legislation (H.R. 3193) that would severely weaken the CFPB.

Protecting Social Security and Medicare

The Republican-led House put forward a budget which Sherman believes would convert Medicare into a voucher program. Seniors would use their own money, along with a government voucher, to buy health insurance at prices set by the insurance companies. Others have proposed “privatizing” Social Security, or cutting Social Security benefits. Sherman will continue to fight against proposals that he believes would undermine Medicare, privatize Social Security or cut Social Security benefits.