Press Releases

Today, a leading group of U.S. Representatives who support the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta voted against the passage of H.R. 1837, the so-called Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act. As written, the legislation would divert additional water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta to south-of-Delta water users, running counter to established economic thought, environmental policies and leading scientific research.

The legislation passed the House by a vote of 246-175, and now goes to the Senate for consideration. The lawmakers responded today after the vote:

Amid the continuing national foreclosure crisis that has impacted millions of Americans, a unilateral decision by Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to block all forms of principal write-down for loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has prevented the housing market from recovering more quickly, said U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-Martinez) and Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena), who today ramped up pressure on the FHFA to reverse the decision that has stymied a more buoyant housing recovery.

Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1) today announced $256,145 in federal grants for the American Canyon Fire Protection District. The grant was awarded through The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The grant will be used for a 2,000 gallon water tender.

Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1) today demanded that service members who were subjected to the Department of Defense's (DOD) chemical weapon testing be able to receive full medical care and disability compensation for their service-connected medical conditions. In late 2002, the DOD revealed for the first time that between 1962 and 1974 it had tested harmful chemical and biological agents by spraying them on ships and sailors.

Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1) today announced that final approval has been given to build the Willits Bypass. The approval permits were necessary for Caltrans to proceed with its plans to reroute a segment of U.S. Highway 101 around the city of Willits in Mendocino County.

Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1) today announced $604, 578 in federal grants for the Arcata Fire Protection District. The grant was awarded through The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The grant will be used to update the entire Humboldt County Fire Radio Network. This includes the Mountain Top Radio Repeaters, the dispatch console in the command center, and the infrastructure that supports it.

Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1) is leading a group of Representatives in calling on President Obama to protect the U.S. agricultural workforce from a harmful “enforcement-only” approach to immigration reform. In a letter to the President, Thompson and his colleagues in the House wrote that if only mandatory worker verification methods like E-Verify were implemented without regard to workers and employers, it would risk the economic vitality of the entire American agricultural industry.

Ten Northern California representatives are today calling on the House Committee on Natural Resources to oppose H.R. 1837, the so-called San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act. As written, the legislation would divert additional water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta to South-of-Delta water users, running counter to established economic and environmental policies.