112th Congress

The Department of Defense will buy only American-made American flags from now on, at the urging of Rep. Mike Thompson, D- St. Helena, his office announced.

This week, Thompson "secured a bipartisan agreement to require that every American flag purchased by the DOD to be 100 percent manufactured in the United States," according to the announcement. These flags should be made "from articles, materials, or supplies that are 100 percent of grown, produced or manufactured in the United States," it notes.

Currently the DOD is not required to buy American-made flags.

"In this case, Northern Californians are the losers," Jackie Speier said.

Gov. Jerry Brown and federal officials announced Wednesday plans for a future water delivery system that includes the construction of a $14 billion pair of tunnels that would divert water from the Sacramento River.

Gov. Jerry Brown and federal officials announced Wednesday plans for a future water delivery system that includes the construction of a $14 billion pair of tunnels that would divert water from the Sacramento River.

For his work to protect the America's public lands, including the Berryessa Snow Mountain area in his district, Congressman Mike Thompson was honored by The Wilderness Society and other organizations as one of America's Great Outdoors Congressional Champions.

Rep. Thompson introduced the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area Act (H.R. 5545) that would protect more than 300,000 acres of oak savannah, pine and fir forests, and rivers in California. This area is a haven for plants and animals and is a popular recreation destination for hunting, fishing, hiking and camping.

Northern California members of Congress are firing back at Governor Jerry Brown's plan for a pair of tunnels to move water south from the Sacramento River.

A group of congressional representatives, including Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Stockton), Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena), Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez), and Rep. Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo), spoke out Wednesday at a Capitol Hill news conference to urge the governor to delay the project until its full impact can be determined.

Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA, 1st District), the lead Democratic sponsor of H.R. 3506, the HELP Hospice Act, received the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization's (NHPCO) Public Policy Leadership Award on Sun., July 22, at Hospice By The Bay's Sonoma County office. As the population of Americans 65 and older grows and an increasing number of terminally ill patients request the comfort of hospice care, legislation supporting hospice funding and access helps ensure that comprehensive end-of-life care will be available for generations to come.

We were pleased to see the U.S. House, once again, approve an amendment to a bill that would expedite innovative treatments for military veterans and active-duty soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries. Now it is time for the Senate to do the same.

The action would allow those suffering from serious brain maladies to obtain new treatment techniques from private sources when such treatments are not offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Thursday U.S. Congressmen Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ) introduced H.R. 6154, The Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act, bipartisan legislation that streamlines permitting for renewable energy projects on public lands.