In the News
Taking A Stand by Sitting Down: Jared Huffman Takes the Floor
Congressman Jared Huffman is "standing strong," reported his communications director Alexa Schaffer from Washington this morning. Of course, Huffman is not actually standing, but sitting, on the House chamber floor along with about a dozen other congressional Democrats, to make a point about gun violence. The sit-in commenced yesterday morning, with around 168 House members (out of 188) and 34 senators (out of 44) on the floor and in the aisles by evening. Fortified by doughnuts from Sen. … Continue Reading
June 22, 2016
Democrats disrupt House over gun measures; Huffman joins protest
Rebellious Democrats shut down the House’s legislative work on Wednesday, staging a sit-in on the House floor and refusing to leave until they secured a vote on gun control measures before lawmakers’ weeklong break. Exasperated Republicans were forced to recess while cutting off cameras that showed the protest. But in an unprecedented step, C-SPAN used live video feeds from one lawmaker’s Periscope account and another’s Facebook page to transmit words and images from the House … Continue Reading
June 22, 2016
Huffman urges Congress to provide solutions for the Zika Virus
We haven’t talked about it much here on the North Coast but according to the World Health Organization nearly four million people could be infected with the Zika virus by the end of this year; with the epicenter being Puerto Rico. The territory is in major debt and on the verge of an economic collapse. Local 2nd District Congressman Jared Huffman says the two issues go hand-in-hand, and with up to 5% of the Puerto Rican population coming into the Continental U.S. each year, Congress needs to … Continue Reading
June 22, 2016
Rep. Jared Huffman Among Democrats Staging Gun Control Sit-In on House Floor
Rep. Jared Huffman, our congressman, is among those estimated 70 members of the House of Representatives’ Democratic Caucus staging a sit-in on the floor of their chamber today. They’re protesting the House leadership’s refusal to bring gun control legislation to a vote in the wake of the Orlando massacre. Here’s Huffman’s statement on the subject, from his Facebook page: I’m proud to join Congressman John Lewis & House Dems in a protest on the House floor as we urge an immediate … Continue Reading
June 15, 2016
Huffman: Push For Gun Control Debate Growing 'Palpably Tense' In Congress
Congressman Jared Huffman joined The Drive this week in the first of his new monthly appearance on the show for an update from DC. Huffman reacted to the weekend's tragic events in Orlando and described the tense mood in Congress from House Democrats push to discuss bills related to gun control. Congressman Huffman also provided an update on his current legislation in Congress including banning of the Confederate Battle Flag from VA Cemetaries, car seat legislation, the American Savings … Continue Reading
June 13, 2016
Marin lawmakers renew calls for gun control action after Orlando massacre
A day after the American-born son of Afghan immigrants shot and killed 49 people in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Marin’s representatives in state and federal government called for renewed efforts to pass tougher gun control laws. “It is time to get assault weapons off our streets once and for all,” said Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-San Rafael, speaking Monday at a San Francisco press conference along with other Assembly members backing gun control legislation pending in the state … Continue Reading
June 10, 2016
House Democrats sponsor bill for universal retirement coverage
Democrats in the House of Representatives put forth legislation Friday seeking to promote universal retirement coverage for American workers by extending a retirement vehicle to those without access to a workplace savings plan. The bill, called the American Savings Account Act, would automatically enroll all private-sector workers whose employers don't offer a qualified retirement savings plan into an American Savings Account (ASA), modeled after the Thrift Savings Plan available to federal … Continue Reading
June 10, 2016
Dredge Report
The Journal tagged along with North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman and the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Conservation and Recreation District earlier this week on a visit to the dredge Bayport, which is clearing winter storm shoaling that made Humboldt Bay's entrance super dangerous and prevented several cargo ships from docking this spring. Huffman was joined by Harbor District commissioners Mike Wilson and Larry Doss. Bar Pilot Tim Petrusha piloted the fire boat shared by the Harbor District and … Continue Reading
June 08, 2016
Congressman Huffman congratulates local CA Gold Ribbon School
Congressman Jared Huffman is on the north coast and Monday morning he paid a special visit to a Eureka elementary. Alice Birney students gathered in the school’s courtyard to greet Huffman, as he was there to congratulate them. The elementary was recently named a California Gold Ribbon School. To win the honor a school must display outstanding educational programs and practices. Huffman and the students discussed everything from the Golden State Warriors to why he became a congressman. … Continue Reading
June 03, 2016
Marin’s efforts lead to healthy soil regs
Buoyed by innovative environmental practices created by the Marin Carbon Project, Congressman Jared Huffman introduced the Healthy Soils and Rangelands Solution Act — legislation that would direct federal land managers to rigorously evaluate how to increase the amount of carbon captured on public lands. “This legislation holds significant promise for advancing the health of American soils, and represents a triple-win; for working lands, for producers and consumers, and for the climate,” … Continue Reading
May 27, 2016
PD Editorial: Another water grab surfaces in Congress
House Republicans are trying a new approach to divert more water from Northern California. Check that. They’re dusting off a stale and disreputable tactic: attaching a proposal that can’t pass on its own to unrelated legislation that has bipartisan support. In this instance, they’re hitching a ride on Senate-approved energy measures that reached the House floor this week. One is a must-pass bill that contains $37.4 billion in funding for the upcoming fiscal year. The other is a broader … Continue Reading
May 26, 2016
Huffman Thumps Trump
North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman blasted presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s planned visit with the leaders of the Westlands Water District in an absolutely scathing press release sent out this afternoon. “Donald Trump, who continues to refuse to release his tax returns and show the public his personal accounting, will be sitting down with the perpetrators responsible for one of the largest municipal bond fraud cases in SEC history,” Huffman wrote. He accuses … Continue Reading
May 24, 2016
Marin reformers prevail on shark fin ban as U.S. Supreme Court takes pass
The U.S. Supreme Court this week upheld legislation prohibiting the sale of shark fins in California — a movement with Marin origins — by refusing to hear an appeal. Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law AB 376 — co-sponsored by then-Assemblyman Jared Huffman of San Rafael — in October 2011, banning the sale of shark fins for food. Shark researcher David McGuire of Sausalito started the effort to ban fin sales. Among other efforts, he worked to get the town of Tiburon — which means “shark” in … Continue Reading
May 20, 2016
Huffman votes against Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act
This week, North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman voted against H.R. 4909, the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act on the House floor. “This year’s defense authorization bill would do real harm to many Americans while playing budget games that jeopardize our men and women in uniform,” Huffman said in the release. “It is unacceptable that this bill enables defense contractors to discriminate against LGBT employees and prevents the implementation of the Fair Pay and Safe … Continue Reading
May 19, 2016
House Backs Huffman Bid to Limit Display of Confederate Flag in National Cemeteries
The House of Representatives on Thursday agreed to legislation by North Bay Rep. Jared Huffman to ban the use of federal funds to fly Confederate flags in 131 national cemeteries managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The legislation would not bar small individual flags from being placed on graves in the cemeteries. Rather, it would end the current practice in VA-run cemeteries of allowing the Confederate battle flag to fly from flagpoles at the facilities on two days each year: … Continue Reading
May 16, 2016
Reps. Huffman & McClintock Slam Inclusion of Zombie Coal Earmark in 2017 Defense Appropriations Bill
Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Tom McClintock (R-CA) slammed the House Appropriations Committee for reviving a “zombie” coal earmark in the newly released 2017 Defense Appropriations Bill. On a bipartisan basis, the House voted last year to approve a Huffman-McClintock amendment to ensure that the Defense Department would not need to spend money to unnecessarily ship Pennsylvania coal 3,000 miles to American bases in Germany. In drafting the fiscal year 2017 bill, however, the … Continue Reading
April 21, 2016
Four Mendocino County community health clinics to receive $5.5 million from federal government
Four Mendocino County community health clinics were awarded approximately $5.5 million in federal funds Thursday, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, announced. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration awarded more than $16 million in one-time discretionary funds to 11 health centers throughout the North Coast. The funding is expected to be used to support the ongoing work performed by the health centers, which provide primary and … Continue Reading
April 21, 2016
Two Marin health clinics will get promised federal money
Two of Marin’s federally qualified health clinics received confirmation Thursday they will receive their full year’s funding from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. Marin Community Clinics was notified it will receive an additional $1.55 million this year, and the Coastal Health Alliance received word it will get an additional $1.15 million. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, announced that the Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded more than $16 … Continue Reading
April 20, 2016
Huffman applauds Brown for emergency proclamation for roads
North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman thanked Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday for signing a Proclamation of a State of Emergency due to damage to North Coast roads from winter rains. “I thank Gov. Brown for understanding the North Coast’s dire need for immediate assistance to restore this critical transportation artery and for taking the first step today by signing an emergency proclamation,” Huffman said in a release. “I will continue to work tirelessly with Caltrans and the federal … Continue Reading
April 16, 2016
House Votes To Remove Confederate Flag From VA Cemeteries
In a sign of just how quickly things can change on Capitol Hill, the House adopted an amendment on Thursday to remove Confederate flags from cemeteries run by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Less than a year ago, it was a Confederate flag amendment that derailed the entire appropriations process in the House, with Republicans unwilling to vote on a proposal to remove even one Confederate flag image — found on the Mississippi state flag — from one hallway in the Capitol. On Thursday, … Continue Reading