113th Congress

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) yesterday hosted a summit on economic revitalization of Mare Island. The meeting took place on Mare Island. Thompson was joined by representatives from the U.S. Navy, the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment, the City of Vallejo and local business and elected leaders. The summit focused on the clean up, redevelopment, long-term economic opportunities available on Mare Island.

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today announced a Targeted Brownfields Assessment award of up to $75,000 for the City of Vallejo to examine a series of dilapidated buildings on North Mare Island. These funds will be used to provide technical assistance to the City of Vallejo through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which supplements the Brownfields Grant Program by promoting the cleanup and development of Brownfields.

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today announced that the Napa County Airport's glideslope receiver system is operational. Over a nine year period, Thompson has secured funding on three separate occasions, totaling nearly $1.5 million for the project. The glideslope allows approaching pilots to land during periods of low visibility due to adverse weather conditions.

U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA-5) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE-1) today introduced H.R. 2260, The Crop Insurance Accountability Act of 2013. The bipartisan legislation enhances conservation by incentivizing responsible farming practices. Under this legislation, in order for farmers to qualify for taxpayer subsidies of crop insurance, they must meet basic conservation requirements that minimize the impact to some of our most sensitive areas such as highly erodible lands and wetlands.

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson announced today that the House of Representatives passed legislation with language called for by Thompson and other California Democrats that would hold the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accountable for ending the backlog of claims at the Veterans Benefits Administration. The language was included with H.R. 2216, the Fiscal Year 2014 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill.

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today announced a $521,500 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Port Security Grant for the Mare Island Ship Yard (MISY). The funds will be used for emergency response equipment.

“This funding positions the Mare Island Ship Yard as the go-to emergency responder for marine vessels in the San Francisco Bay Area,” said Thompson. “The new equipment will improve response time, help our first responders save lives and enhance the overall safety of the San Francisco Bay region.”

Today, several Members of Congress from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta region spoke out against the current Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) and the lack of input afforded their constituents at a press conference in Sacramento. The current BDCP proposed by Governor Brown, the U.S. Department of Interior and south of the Delta interests would devastate the Delta region and ignores the concerns repeatedly raised by stakeholders in the Bay-Delta region.

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) announced today that his office is accepting applications from those ages 17-23 who are interested in attending the four service academies requiring nominations: United States Air Force Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, United States Military Academy at West Point, and the United States Naval Academy. The fifth service academy, the Coast Guard Academy, does not require a nomination.