Helping Our Veterans and More

Statement

I know sometimes it can feel like Washington doesn't listen. Instead of bickering, both parties need to do a better job of finding common ground to solve problems.

Here's a new update on what I'm doing to bring your voice to Washington to make government work:

Passed Amendment to Help Veterans Earn College Degrees and Compete in 21st Century Economy:

As a doctor who's helped care for our veterans, I've seen their sacrifices first-hand. They deserve nothing less than our unwavering support.

And it's tragic to see far too many of our veterans struggling with their transition to civilian life after they've served us overseas. We owe it to them to make sure they have every chance to get a good-paying job to earn a decent living.

That's why I'm pleased to share that this week, I fought for and passed an amendment to help our veterans earn their college degrees. This will help ensure veterans receive the higher education credits they deserve from the real-life lessons they've learned on the battlefield.

We need to ensure our veterans can get the training and education they need to compete in our 21st century economy. Our men and women in uniform have invaluable experience to contribute to our society, and it's time they get the credit they deserve.

And as always, if you or someone you know is a local veteran who needs help with backlogged benefits, health care, or another federal government issue, please contact my office. We're here to help local veterans in however we can.

Making Government Work for Sacramento County:

It's been great to hear from some local folks back home over the past several days.

I was happy to see Carmichael's postal workers holding their 24th annual food drive. They were able to collect over 170,000 pounds of food for local needy families! Their hard work is inspiring, and I'm honored to have pitched in. No child in Sacramento County should have to worry where their next meal is coming from.

And as a doctor, I was glad to stop by the Sacramento County Mental Health Services' Stop Stigma Day last weekend.

Many of our friends, neighbors, and loved ones in Sacramento County suffer from mental health issues. Educating everyone to correct negative social stigmas that come with seeking help is one of the most crucial steps we can take to help them.

Staying in touch about my work in Sacramento County and in our nation's capital is a core part of my job. My email updates are a great way for us to do that, but I also like to keep in touch through social media platforms like Facebook. If you haven't already liked my page, I hope you'll do so now to get the latest on how I'm working for you.

Putting Patients First and Lowering Health Costs:

As a doctor, I've made it a priority to put patient needs first and to lower costs.

That's why this week I urged the tax writing committee in Congress to support two commonsense bills I introduced to fix the parts of the Affordable Care Act that aren't working for Sacramento County families.

After learning about a local resident who was unfairly punished with a $7,000 tax bill after doing the right thing to save for his retirement, I introduced legislation to make sure others don't have the same issue. I also introduced the bipartisan Health Savings Protection Act to make sure families can responsibly save for health care expenses.

As many families in Sacramento County know, health care is an expensive commodity. We have to work together, regardless of party, on solutions to make our health care system work better for everyone.

You can learn more about some of my recent work on health care issues from my email update during National Public Health week.

Congress should be a place for service where we put people ahead of politics. As always, please feel free to share your thoughts and views with me.

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