What’s Happening in Congress? Economic Gains, Free COVID Tests, & Key Infrastructure Wins: A Message from Rep. Huffman

Hello,

January was a busy month for my team and me, and I’m excited to share the latest accomplishments of what we’ve been working on in Washington and at home in California’s Second District.  

Strengthening the Economy

Under President Biden’s leadership, we have done an excellent job of getting people back to work and the economy back on track. The numbers speak for themselves. According to recent reports:  

• During President Biden’s first year in office the economy grew 5.7%. This was the strongest year for economic growth since 1984. 
• The U.S. has recovered 84% of the jobs lost during the worst of the pandemic. 
• Job growth under President Biden averaged 565,000 per month for a total of over 6 million jobs since he took office. This is the biggest job creation year in American history. 
• The unemployment rate dropped to 3.9%, down from nearly 15% in 2020. The unemployment rate has never decreased this quickly.

This is no accident. The American Rescue Plan as well the Biden administration’s economic policies and vaccination campaign are working. We are creating good jobs with better pay, rebuilding our manufacturing, and strengthening our supply chains here at home to prevent bottlenecks. We are finally building an American economy for the 21st Century where more hardworking people can succeed, and we will continue to build on this historic progress. 

Source: White House

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Wins for California:

Thanks to President Biden and Democrats’ leadership in Washington, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide California with billions of dollars for infrastructure projects that will create jobs, build safer communities, connect neighborhoods, and increase global competitiveness. Some of the funding that was announced this month includes: 

• $4.25 billion over the next 5 years to upgrade bridges in California.
• Almost $7 billion is going to our district for three key water infrastructure projects: 
• $20,000 for jetty monitoring in Bodega Bay.
• $2,950,000 to replace original emergency and service gates at Dry Creek (Warm Springs) Lake and Channel.
• $1,500,000 for Control Tower Bridge repainting and $2,500,000 to replace and repair restrooms at Pomo C, South Boat Ramp Parking Lot Extension, Overlook, and Fig Recreation Areas and clean-up, demolish, and rebuild recreation, utility, and maintenance assets destroyed by the September 2021 Hopkins Fire at the Coyote Valley Dam in Lake Mendocino. 

What Else We’re Working On

• This month marked the first anniversary of the January 6th assault on the Capitol. I hosted a virtual town hall with my colleague, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08), where we discussed how we can protect our democracy from future attacks, as well as safeguard voting rights. 
• I re-introduced my Salmon FISH Act, which would protect and sustain salmon habitats. I also introduced the bipartisan Save  America’s Rural Hospitals Act with my Republican colleague, Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06), which would support rural hospitals by offering greater Medicare reimbursement.  
• I hosted two virtual roundtables with transportation and infrastructure leaders throughout the district to discuss infrastructure needs in the community and how to access funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law. I also visited the Coast Guard Training Center in Petaluma, where I spoke at the Renewable Energy Microgrid Groundbreaking ceremony. This will be the largest solar project for the Coast Guard in the country, and it will bolster electrical infrastructure against disasters and public safety power shutoffs. 
• If you haven’t had a chance to read my 2021 Year Report, I urge you to take a look to learn more about the great work my office accomplished last year. You can find the report here.  

Order Your FREE COVID-19 Tests

With the rise of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, access to COVID-19 testing is more important than ever. To help keep our communities safe and healthy, the Biden administration made free at-home COVID-19 rapid tests available for every U.S. household. Tests will ship within 7-12 days of ordering, and each household is eligible to order four free tests. It’s quick and easy to place your order. Sign up here!   

Vaccinating our communities is our best defense against the virus, so we can safely keep businesses and schools open. You can schedule your booster here, as well as find free testing options in Northern California here. 

Serving You

As always, my staff is hard at work serving you. Whether it’s assistance working with a federal agency or providing information about legislation and policy – we're here to help.   

I’d like to share one of our recent success stories. 

“I work as a special education paraeducator and my employment authorization expired while I was still waiting for USCIS to approve my petition for renewal. With assistance from Congressman Huffman’s Office, I was able to expedite the application, and it was approved in just a few days, allowing me to return to work!” – Raquel, Marin County 

This is just one example of how my office can help you. You can submit a Casework Authorization Form on my website if you need assistance.  

If you would like to keep up with the work I am doing as your representative, please subscribe to my newsletter, and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. As I continue my important work for the people of California’s Second District, please don’t hesitate to contact my office for assistance if you are in need. 
 
I also invite you to subscribe to my podcast, “Off the Cuff with Rep. Huffman,” so that you can engage with our in-depth conversations about what's happening in California and in Washington, D.C. 

I hope you are staying safe and healthy, 

Jared Huffman

Member of Congress

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