Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5), Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, today sent a letter signed by 114 of his colleagues calling on the White House to take action to reduce gun violence. The letter urges the president to close the background check loophole through executive action. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) lead a letter signed by 24 senators also asking the President to take executive action to close the background check loophole.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today announced a $100,000 United States Department of Agricultural (USDA) grant for the County of Sonoma Department of Health Services. With the funds, the Department of Health Services will work with key partners to expand farm to preschool programs at fifteen school-based pre-kindergarten sites serving low income families throughout Sonoma County.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today announced a $145,101 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Project Based Voucher grant for the Housing Authority of the City of Napa. The grant will provide 17 Section 8 VASH vouchers for the Valley View Senior Homes.

WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today voted in favor of H.R. 1314, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. The agreement raises the debt limit until March 15, 2017, and sets increased spending levels for two years by partially rolling back sequestration cuts by $80 billion, which will be split equally between defense and nondefense spending.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today announced that the Department of Treasury decided, at his urging, to allow Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) sites to more easily qualify for economic development funds though the New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) Program. In a letter sent in March, Thompson requested that Treasury expand the universe of NMTC qualifying criteria to include BRAC sites. Treasury recently responded favorably to Thompson's request. This provides private entities with an incentive to invest in BRAC areas.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today announced Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) funds will be available to eligible applicants such as state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations in Lake County. This is funding for local communities to use to repair critical public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, buildings, water infrastructure and sewage collection facilities. The federal government covers 75 percent of the costs, and the state and locals governments split the remaining 25 percent.

WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today announced a $1.5 million Defense Department grant for Riptide Bioscience, Inc. Riptide Bioscience is based in Vallejo on Mare Island. The grant, part of the US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA), will go towards a research project titled the "Evaluation of Novel Antimicrobial Peptides as Topical Anti-Infectives with Broad Spectrum Activity Against Combat-Related Bacterial and Fungal Wound Infections."

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5), Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, today introduced a resolution to establish a Select Committee of the House to study gun violence. The committee would be comprised of six Republicans and six Democrats. It would issue a final report and recommendations, including legislative proposals within 60 days of its establishment.