LOS ANGELES – U.S. Congresswoman Judy from Southern California highlighted her achievements in the first half of 2017 in a message she released Thursday.
“Now that we are half-way through 2017, I want to update you on some of what I have been working on in Congress during the first six months of this year. In January, I met President Trump’s anti-Muslim policies head on, going straight to LAX to protest his Muslim ban and advocate for those being detained. Fortunately, the first ban was defeated and the second has been held up by the courts. But our work is not done. We must continue to build unity between our communities and reject the rhetoric of fear and division. That is why I hosted a Muslim solidarity event at a local mosque, and I was thrilled to be joined by interfaith leaders from a number of area congregations.”
The congresswoman said: “On immigration, I have been appalled by Trump’s callous treatment of Dreamers who, though undocumented, have made America the only home they’ve ever known. And so, working with Democrats and Republicans in both the House and the Senate, I introduced H.R. 496, the BRIDGE Act, to give temporary legal protection to Dreamers.”
The start of this new Congress “has also been marked by a resumption of the attacks on women’s health by undermining access to family planning, contraception, and abortion services. That is why I once again introduced H.R. 1322, the Women’s Health Protection Act, to guarantee that a woman’s right to take control of her own health does not depend on what state she lives in,” said Chu.
“But improving healthcare also requires improving the way we talk about healthcare. In the Asian American community, in particular, mental health is rarely discussed and so people are unwilling or unable to find the help they deserve. And so this month, as part of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, I introduced H.R. 2677, the Stop Mental Health Stigma in our Communities Act, to improve awareness and outreach and help more individuals access comprehensive healthcare.”
“I have also been fighting against the Republican plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) every step of the way. I believe we must protect people with pre-existing conditions, guarantee that health plans cover things like prescription drugs and hospitalizations, and maintain funding for Planned Parenthood. I believe that we can make meaningful improvements to the Affordable Care Act without enacting a law that will force 23 million Americans to lose health insurance coverage,” Chu added.
“I’m also working to improve our economy. Copyright industries contributed over $1 trillion to our economy, but are hamstrung by an out of date Copyright Office. And so at the start of the Congress, I worked bipartisanly to introduce a bill to modernize the Copyright Office to help it better support creators in our area and around the country. And while I was promoted to the powerful Ways & Means Committee, I requested to also stay a member of the Small Business Committee, because I know just how important small businesses are for creating jobs. That is why I introduced H.R. 2364, the Investing in Main Street Act, to increase the amount of capital that a bank or federal savings association can invest into high-growth small businesses,” Chu stressed.
“And of course, one of the best ways to make sure somebody can participate in the economy, is to make it easier for them to get the advanced degree necessary to gain some of the most in demand jobs. But the high cost of tuition makes that difficult for many, which is why I introduced H.R. 2526, the POST GRAD Act, to once again make graduate students eligible to receive Federal Direct Subsidized Loans, the same way undergraduate students are,” Chu said.
“Lastly, one of the features I love most about our district is the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument that I worked with President Obama to establish. Since these mountains were designated a national monument, we have gained millions of dollars to improve access, safety, and more. But in April, President Trump signed a review of national monuments, specifically mentioning ours in a list of targets. Well, I will not let him erode our protections, which is why I reintroduced H.R. 2323, the San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act, my bill to establish a National Recreation Area to increase protections for more of the San Gabriels while safeguarding recreation and water rights,” Chu noted.