May 21, 2014

Dear Friend,

Last week, San Diego experienced the first wildfires of the season. First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers are with the families and communities that were directly hit. My gratitude goes out to our first responders and firefighters who worked tirelessly to contain the fires and keep residents safe. The coordinated efforts of local, county, state, and military agencies were crucial to mitigating damage to homes and saving lives. Recently, I successfully fought against an attempt to put state firefighting aircraft under the control of the Department of Defense. Keeping these assets in state hands allows for a faster response to emergencies in our region.

We had a dry winter and, given this early start to fire season, expect a long and difficult road ahead battling wildfires. San Diegans must be vigilant and prepared – to sign up for emergency updates from the County of San Diego visit here.

When Women Succeed, San Diego Succeeds

There is no doubt that there is still work to be done to foster economic opportunities for women and girls across the country. Last Tuesday, I hosted a discussion with Congresswoman Linda Sánchez, Co-chair of Labor and Working Families Caucus in the House, and several local businesswomen to hear about their experiences in business and government, and how we make progress toward equity. I was excited that so many USD students and local businesswomen were on hand to join in the discussion. I look forward to continuing this dialogue in coming months with local community members, educators, business leaders, and my colleagues in Congress to make sure we’re moving the ball forward.

Honoring Local High School Artists

Thank you to the 37 local High School students who submitted their work to the 52nd District’s 2014 Congressional Art Competition. I recently hosted a reception for participants and their families at The New Children’s Museum downtown. The winning entry, as judged by a panel of local art experts, was from Maya Lin Bronner. Her work will be displayed in the United States Capitol Building for the next year. The fan favorite, as determined by the most ‘Likes’ of the image on my Facebook page was from Brittney Butler, whose piece will be displayed at my District Office in University City.

Showcasing Innovation for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

San Diego is a hot bed for technology, scientific innovation, start-ups, and university-based research – the economic engines that will keep our region and nation globally competitive. I was proud to bring the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to town for a forum with local business leaders to showcase our innovation economy and the fields where San Diego is leading the way and creating jobs.

Stay Connected

I hope you'll stay connected with what I am working on. Like my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, add my Google + page to your circles, or visit my website for more information.

One of the most important jobs I have in Congress is providing a number of constituent services. As always if you have any questions, are having trouble with a federal agency, or want to weigh in on a particular issue, feel free to email me or call either of my offices at 202-225-0508 or 858-455-5550

 
Sincerely,

If you do not want to receive updates from our office, please click here.