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The House Appropriations Committee today has approved $42 million in funding to fight Pierce's Disease and the glassy-winged sharpshooter. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa Valley) requested the funding as part of the FY2005 Agriculture Appropriations bill. Pierce's Disease is a harmful plant virus, spread by the glassy-winged sharpshooter. The disease attacks and kills grapevines. It is responsible for the complete destruction of more than 1,000 acres of grapevines in Temecula starting in the late 1990's that cost growers and the California economy tens of millions of dollars. Rep.

Congressman Mike Thompson (D-Napa Valley) announced today that a key Congressional panel has approved a $20 million federal appropriation for the Napa Flood Control project. The funds were approved by the House Energy and Water Subcommittee as part of the FY2005 appropriations bill. Thompson said the new funding is $13 million above the President's budget request but equal to what the Army Corps of Engineers has determined necessary to keep the project on schedule to protect homes and businesses from another massive flood.

The House of Representatives yesterday approved $8.7 million in funding to combat Sudden Oak Death. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa Valley) requested the funding as part of the fiscal year 2005 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. “The North Coast has been hit hard by Sudden Oak Death. Far too many of our trees have been infected.” Thompson said. “This funding will aid the fight to control and eventually eradicate the disease.” Sudden Oak Death Syndrome is a fungus like pathogen that has decimated oak trees and infected other plant species such as California's prized redwood trees.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers today urged the Bush Administration to reevaluate its rulemaking process in regards to salmon policy. In recent weeks information has come to light suggesting that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries), is prepared to institute a policy that would count hatchery raised salmon in Pacific Northwest wild salmon counts, despite warnings from prominent scientists and without public input.

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) today called on Northern California veterans attending the World War II Memorial dedication in Washington DC to contact his office regarding participation in the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. Thompson, a Vietnam Veteran and Co-Chair of the Congressional Veterans Caucus, called the project an extraordinary opportunity to remember the sacrifices of those who have served.

The release of a new report on secret chemical and biological weapons tests performed on US troops by the Department of Defense during the cold war has prompted the call for further Congressional investigations into the growing scandal. The General Accounting Office recently released its report on the DoD's investigation into Project SHAD and Project 112.

The author of the original House motion to accept Pay/Go provisions spoke out on the House floor today in strong support of a new motion that would apply Pay/Go rules to all spending and revenue measures. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), a member of the House Budget Committee, said, “Ten years ago our colleagues across the aisle made a contact with America. One of the first principals they promised to instill in this Congress was a requirement that all laws that apply to the rest of the country also apply equally to the Congress.

A key congressional panel today debated the merits of new legislation that would adjust the Redwood National Park boundary to include the 25,000-acre Mill Creek State Park. The legislation, entitled “The Redwood National Park Boundary Adjustment Act of 2003,” is authored by North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson. Thompson said he introduced the measure in an effort to streamline the management of the Redwood National and State Parks as well as protect the area's watersheds, which are vital for Coho salmon.