109th Congress
Santa Rosa: Press DemocratFive years of hard work and persistence finally paid off for Rep. Mike Thompson this week. The House on Monday approved a compromise plan to designate 273,000 acres of California lands as wilderness area, much of it on the North Coast.
San Francisco ChronicleThe House approved the largest new wilderness area for California in more than a decade, offering permanent protection for more than 273,000 acres of coastal mountains, scenic rivers and forests stretching from Napa to the Oregon border.
Santa Rosa Press DemocratThe smoke and the smell of charcoal wafted through the air Saturday as hundreds of salmon steaks sizzled on giant grills at Fort Bragg's Noyo Harbor for the 35th annual salmon barbecue. It appeared to be a typical Fourth of July barbecue, but just below the surface lurked a more serious tone.
Earlier this month, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in 10 Northern California counties affected by the federal government's decision to severely restrict ocean salmon fishing. In doing so, he made commercial fishermen in Del Norte and nine other counties eligible for state-guaranteed loans totaling $9.2 million.
Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) condemned the Republican Iraq resolution on the House floor today. Thompson, a Vietnam War combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient, was asked by Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi to manage a portion of the floor debate. Thompson called on Congress to bring our troops home as soon as possible.
Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa Valley) renewed his call today to extend the deadline for seniors to sign up for the new Medicare Part D drug benefit. Beneficiaries have until Monday, May 15 to sign up for the plan or face lifetime penalties for failing to do so. Thompson is a cosponsor of H.R. 3860 a bill that would extend the deadline and suspend the penalty for the 2006 calendar year.
Bay Area Members of Congress unveiled disaster assistance legislation today for West Coast salmon fishing communities that will be impacted by this year's slashed salmon season. Reps. Mike Thompson and Lynn Woolsey announced the bill in front of hundreds of salmon fishermen at a rally on San Francisco's Pier 47.
North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) today filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with NOAA Fisheries asking for all documents pertaining to federal salmon policy dating back to 2001.