Op-eds
Marin Voice: Saving America’s national parks for future generations
by Congressman Jared Huffman
Marin Independent JournalAugust 24, 2016 Venturing around Muir Woods, I am always awestruck by the vast redwoods and beauty of my surroundings, but I also have to marvel at the foresight of the American leaders who acted to protect the scenery, natural historic places and wildlife that our country possesses. One hundred years ago Thursday, Congress took the visionary step of creating the National Park Service to look after our nation's incredible natural heritage. The progressive Republican … Continue Reading
July 02, 2016
Marin Voice: Making ‘good trouble’ to press Congress to address gun violence
by Congressman Jared Huffman
Everyone's hand went up. We were on the House floor in the June 23 "sit-in" to protest congressional inaction on gun violence, and one of my colleagues asked, "How many of you have lost a constituent, friend or family member to gun violence?" Everyone raised a hand. At that moment, it became clear that for me and dozens of House Democrats, this is no abstract issue; it's a grim reality in our own lives, for families and communities we serve, and for millions of other Americans. That's why … Continue Reading
June 17, 2016
California’s water strategy deserves an open debate and real solutions
by Congressman Jared Huffman
Sacramento BeeJune 16, 2015 In response to the worst drought in our state's long memory, our public institutions - with one unfortunate exception - are stepping up. Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature passed long-overdue groundwater and sustainable water investments through last year's $7.5 billion water bond. Local governments and water districts are launching conservation plans to preserve dwindling water supplies. The Obama administration is providing millions in emergency grants to … Continue Reading
June 04, 2016
Not Down with TPP: The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a bad deal
by Congressman Jared Huffman
North Bay BohemianJune 3, 2015 Instead of unifying the United States and Pacific Rim nations behind an aggressive greenhouse-gas-reduction plan, the proposed Trans-Pacific Parternership (TTP) trade agreement could threaten our forests, wildlife, oceans, climate, public health and middle-class jobs. It would spur natural gas exports and increase fracking, putting our water at risk and further cementing our addiction to fossil fuel. The TPP, like previous bad trade deals, allows corporations … Continue Reading
May 14, 2016
Don't punish taxpayers for smart, water efficient choices
by Congressman Jared Huffman
The HillMay 14, 2016 As Americans across the country scrambled to get their taxes filed before the midnight deadline last month, many homeowners found themselves with a new reason to feel frustrated. Their complaint: they may have been hit with a higher tax bill just for working with their local water utility to reduce their water footprint over the last year. In recent years, as states and localities have encouraged homeowners to conserve water and manage runoff, water utilities have … Continue Reading
March 26, 2016
Congress should stop blocking restoration of the Klamath River
by Congressman Jared Huffman and Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva
Sacramento BeeMarch 26, 2016 On the cusp of commencing one of the most significant river restoration projects in history - a project that would remove four old dams that have diminished water quality and harmed salmon migrating along the mighty Klamath River - it is disappointing that some of our Republican colleagues continue to stand in the way of progress. For years, we have supported a balanced deal to resolve conflicts on the Klamath. We have supported the efforts of the states of … Continue Reading
September 15, 2014
Congress must reassert its authority over declaring war
by Congressman Jared Huffman
Santa Rosa Press DemocratSeptember 15, 2014 On the 13th anniversary of 9/11, our nation once again honored lives lost, gave thanks to our brave first responders and reflected on lessons learned from that terrible day. I'm proud of the unity and resolve our country demonstrated in response to 9/11 and grateful that we are better prepared to prevent terrorist attacks. I'm also mindful of mistakes we made in seeking to address security threats in the wake of 9/11 - most notably, the disastrous … Continue Reading
September 15, 2014
Congress must reassert its authority over declaring war
by Congressman Jared Huffman
By Congressman Jared Huffman Santa Rosa Press DemocratSeptember 15, 2014 On the 13th anniversary of 9/11, our nation once again honored lives lost, gave thanks to our brave first responders and reflected on lessons learned from that terrible day. I'm proud of the unity and resolve our country demonstrated in response to 9/11 and grateful that we are better prepared to prevent terrorist attacks. I'm also mindful of mistakes we made in seeking to address security threats in … Continue Reading
April 02, 2014
Repairing Democracy
by Congressmen Jared Huffman, Alan Lowenthal, and Beto O'Rourke
By Congressmen Jared Huffman, Alan Lowenthal, and Beto O'RourkeMarch 28, 2014The Huffington Post As freshmen members of the U.S. House of Representatives, we know the corrosive effect the out-of-control campaign finance system is having on our democracy. Every election brings new examples of special interests drowning out the voices of ordinary citizens -- and of candidates who are forced to fight back against outrageous attack ads from shadowy groups with Orwellian names. This system isn't … Continue Reading
February 04, 2014
Our land, our legacy, our responsibility
by Reps. Chris Gibson (R-N.Y.) and Jared Huffman (D-Calif.)
February 4, 2014The Hill America's public lands are an essential part of our national heritage. The land and history we inherit defines us and we have a moral obligation to safeguard these national treasures and preserve this heritage for future generations. For well over a century, the Antiquities Act has been a critical tool for realizing this objective. Signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt, perhaps the greatest conservationist to ever hold the Presidency, the Antiquities Act … Continue Reading
January 31, 2014
Restoring pride in the U.S. Postal fleet
by Congressman Jared Huffman
Santa Rosa Press DemocratJanuary 31, 2014 It's no secret that the U.S. Postal Service is in a financial crisis. It lost $5 billion in fiscal year 2013, its seventh consecutive net loss. At the end of 2012, it had reached its $15 billion debt limit and defaulted on billions in payments to avert bankruptcy. Clearly, we must bring financial stability to this critical federal agency. Part of these financial woes can be blamed on Congress: in 2006, Congress passed a crippling law requiring that … Continue Reading
January 24, 2014
Addiction programs need our support
by Letter to the Editor
Eureka Times-StandardJanuary 24, 2014 Ms. Roseann Potter's recent op-ed ("Treating addiction cheaper than policing it," Times-Standard, Jan. 15, Page A4) is absolutely right that we need innovative and community-based approaches for drug use prevention and substance abuse treatment. These efforts save lives. Many in our communities are doing incredible work to combat substance abuse. In Humboldt County, organizations like the Alcohol and Drug Care Services and United Indian Health Services … Continue Reading
November 22, 2013
Marin Voice: Remember President Kennedy's legacy
by Congressman Jared Huffman
I appreciate more than ever President Kennedy's imprint on our country: his ambitious policy initiatives, but even more so his ability to inspire Americans to believe in a better future and to do their part in building it. Marin Independent JournalNovember 22, 2013 THREE MONTHS after John F. Kennedy's assassination, I was born into a world that was already being shaped by his legacy. From civil rights to science, space, the Peace Corps, and environmental protection, President Kennedy … Continue Reading
June 13, 2013
Marin Voice: Oysters, wilderness and Congress: Where I stand
by Congressman Jared Huffman
June 19, 2013Marin Independent Journal AFTER SEEING MY POSITION on the Drakes Estero oyster dispute mischaracterized by others, I'm writing to let people hear where I stand - from me. Few issues have polarized our community more. One side vehemently disagrees with former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's wilderness designation and wants the oyster farm's federal lease renewed. The other side passionately opposes renewal as incompatible with making Drakes Estero the first marine wilderness in … Continue Reading
September 12, 2012
For Northern California rivers, luck is not a plan
by Congressman Jared Huffman
San Francisco ChronicleSeptember 12, 2013 In "Dirty Harry," Clint Eastwood memorably asked, do you "feel lucky?" It made for great theater, but it's no way to manage North Coast salmon. Unfortunately, that's been the policy of the U.S. Department of Interior toward the near-record run of chinook salmon that is migrating up the Trinity and Klamath rivers. Instead of a comprehensive strategy to fulfill its duty to protect this iconic fishery, the department is rolling the dice. So far, the … Continue Reading