Political Watch

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) announced that the National Science Foundation is bringing $18 million over six years to UC Santa Barbara’s Materials Research Laboratory, according to a July 7 statement from Carbajal’s office. UCSB’s Materials Research Laboratory has been deemed one of the top five materials research facilities in the world, and […]

• State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and state Sen. Monique Límon (D-Santa Barbara) are calling on textbook publishers to diversify their instructional materials and work with the task force they co-chair, a special Task Force on Inclusive Education. “As our nation grapples with book bans and literary exclusions, it is critical we ensure […]

• U.S Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) are reintroducing the College for All Act—a legislation that would expand access to college for millions of working-class children. This legislation represents the most significant federal investment in higher education in the modern history of the United States, according to a statement from […]

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) introduced the Community College Agriculture Advancement Act: a bipartisan bill that would fund community college workforce training, education, and research programs in agriculture, according to a June 7 statement from Carbajal’s office. This legislation will be considered for inclusion in this year’s Farm Bill and amending the National […]

• Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced $16 million in grants to increase home ownership for farmworkers in California. The grants will support five programs statewide to build or purchase homes for lower-income farmworkers and advance programs that help farmworkers become or remain homeowners through mortgage assistance. “California isn’t California without our farmworkers—not only are they […]

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) co-led two bills aimed at strengthening U.S. supply chains, alleviating congestion, and improving efficiency in U.S. transportation corridors, according to a May 24 statement from the congressman’s office. The House Committee on Transportation advanced legislation that allows a variance of up to 10 percent weight between axles of […]

• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) cosponsored the introduction of two bills that expand access to paid leave in the United States, according to a May 19 statement from Padilla’s office. The Healthy Families Act would ensure that workers can earn up to seven job-protected sick days each year to recover from their own illnesses, […]

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla, and 12 other California members of Congress urged the U.S. Department of Commerce to prioritize completing the designation process for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off the Central Coast, according to a May 10 statement from Carbajal’s office. The Department […]

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) recently visited the North T-Pier in Morro Bay to highlight the impact that $1.5 million in federal funds will have in repairs and upgrades to the structure, which is critical to the city’s residents, industries, and tourism revenue, according to a May 4 statement from the congressman’s office. […]

• The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was set to host a public forum on May 3 to discuss the license renewal process for Diablo Canyon Power Plant, agreeing to an invitation from U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), according to a statement from the representative’s office. The commission planned to answer questions directly from Central […]