Political Watch

• Amid extreme heat waves across California and the nation, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) applauded the Biden administration’s proposed rule to establish the first-ever federal safety standard to protect workers from the severe risks of excessive heat, according to a July 2 statement from Padilla’s office. The rule, proposed by the Department of Labor’s […]

• Representatives in the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force announced a new effort to force a vote on legislation led by U.S. Reps. Lucy McBath (D-Georgia) and Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) to expand Americans’ access to red flag laws, which allow the removal of a gun from someone who is deemed by a court […]

• U.S. Sens. Laphonza Butler (D-California) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) announced the introduction of the Health Equity Innovation Act, legislation to fight racial disparities in health outcomes by expanding access to preventative health care in underserved communities, according to a June 21 statement from Butler’s office. The bill would establish a new grant program […]

• Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) announced a legislative oversight hearing in response to the recent state auditor’s report on wage theft, according to a June 13 statement from Hart’s office. The audit identified substantial deficiencies by the California Labor Commissioner’s Office in assisting Californians affected by wage theft. According to Labor Commissioner’s Office data, […]

• U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-California), Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut), and Peter Welch (D-Vermont) led senators in calling on the Biden administration to finalize the proposed mental health parity rule released in 2023, according to a June 6 statement from Padilla’s office. The senators emphasized that these rules will hold insurers accountable and ensure they follow […]

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) and the Biden administration announced new funding for two Central Coast school districts to support their purchase of 35 zero- and low-emission school buses for students, according to a May 29 statement from Carbajal’s office. Ventura Unified School District and Santa Barbara Unified School District are receiving $7 […]

• The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation crafted by U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) and several of his colleagues to authorize funding the United States Coast Guard through 2026 and support for members of the service branch in their critical missions, according to a May 14 statement from Carbajal’s office. “Every single day, […]

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal joined several of his colleagues in introducing the Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act, a bipartisan bill to allow service members to opt in to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) patient enrollment, according to a May 9 statement from Carbajal’s office. Currently, members of the armed forces cannot apply for VA […]

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) and Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse joined Santa Barbara Harbor officials to survey the semiannual dredging at Santa Barbara Harbor and discuss how more than $3 million secured in the 2024 federal funding deal will help ensure safe navigation for Santa Barbara’s maritime industry, recreational boaters, and maintain […]

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) highlighted $850,000 he helped secure in the 2024 federal budget to build a 1.2 mile bike and pedestrian path adjacent to Highway 227 in San Luis Obispo, according to an April 25 statement from Carbajal’s office. The funding is set aside to help complete segments two of the […]

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) visited the future site of more than 30 new studio apartments and a health clinic in downtown Santa Barbara, and presented a ceremonial check for $1 million, an investment he secured in this year’s federal budget to support the project, according to an April 16 statement from Carbajal’s […]

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) joined Grover Beach officials to present a $543,000 federal grant that the congressman helped secure through his work on the 2024 federal budget, according to an April 12 statement from Carbajal’s office. The funding included in the 2024 federal funding bill signed into law by President Joe Biden […]