News Articles
Three pieces of legislation authored by U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) on Tuesday passed the House as part of the Conference Report on H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013 (WRRDA).
The WRRDA legislation originally passed the House on Oct. 23, 2013, while the Senate passed separate WRRDA legislation, S.601, on May 15, 2013.
Leaders from both the House and Senate have been in negotiations since the legislation passed both chambers.
WASHINGTON D.C. – A bipartisan amendment co-authored by U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) that provides the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with additional resources to address the claims backlog unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives this past week.
Thompson's amendment redirects an additional $10 million to pay for programs like the Veterans Claims Intake Program, the centralized mail initiative, and staff overtime.
"No one who has served our country in uniform should have to wait, in some cases more than a year, for the benefits they've earned because the VA (Veterans Affairs) is backlogged," U.S. Representative Mike Thompson said in a recent news release.
In response to that backlog, Thompson, a Napa Democrat and Benicia's representative in the House, has co-written a bipartisan amendment that would earmark $10 million more to programs to help military veterans.
An ice breaker ship called the Polar Star is coming to Mare Island for repairs-- and with it, dozens of jobs -- thanks to a $5.1 million U.S. Coast Guard contract awarded to Mare Island Dry Docks, LLC, Rep. Mike Thompson's office announced Tuesday.
An ice breaker is used to clear pathways for supply vessels and support research missions, a spokesman said.
The contract for the 90-day project creates 70 full-time jobs and is set to start in mid-August, Thompson spokesman Austin Vevurka said.
Set aside for a moment, if you can, issues of Democratic and Republican politics, homeland security, official language and national identity – all the real but ephemeral concerns around which we organize our national debate on immigration reform, and think for a moment about tides.
Humans of every race, religion, skin color, language and political orientation have been migrating, like waves on the sea, across borders, mountains, deserts, oceans and mighty rivers since the beginning of recorded time.
Fiery Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez stood before a crowd of some 100 North Bay Latino leaders at Chateau St. Jean Winery in Kenwood Saturday afternoon, and told them he would be leaving them shortly to go to the airport to catch a redeye flight back to Chicago.
"At 5 a.m., I'm going to get to my house, and my wife and my daughter and my granddaughter know I'm coming home. Doesn't it break your heart that there are millions of people who don't know their fathers are coming home?"
Sonoma County's Head Start program received a $3.4 million federal grant to continue serving 552 preschool-aged children throughout the county, officials said Monday.
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, announced the grant to the local anti-poverty agency, Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County.
Head Start programs "help make sure all children have a foundation for future success," Thompson said.
TUESDAY - APRIL 15, 2014 - NAPA, CA - Representative Mike Thompson spoke to a group of about 120 Napa High School students on Tuesday afternoon. He described some of his duties as a member of the U.S. Congress and answered questions. J.L. Sousa/Register
By ISABELLE SCHMALTZ
The medicinal use of marijuana may be legal in California, but growing the plants on trespassed land is not, and U.S. Representative Mike Thompson, Benicia's member in the House, said he applauds actions that would reduce environmental destruction caused by such illegal operations.
WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA-5) led a bipartisan letter with Rep. Pete King (R-NY-2) to President Barack Obama requesting that he require all federal agencies to only buy American flags that are 100 percent made in America, by American workers, using American grown and manufactured materials.