• Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) issued a statement on July 19 on the rates of Covered California, which a release from her office said “will be 8.7 percent higher, on average, with 3.5 percent due to the repeal of the individual mandate.” “Republican efforts to sabotage health care will hit middle-class families the hardest,” Feinstein stated. “Families that don’t receive federal financial help toward their insurance will pay the full increase, including the 3.5 percent Republican surcharge.” Last year, Feinstein introduced a bill to the Senate, the Affordable Health Insurance for the Middle Class Act, which would change the cut-off for tax credit subsidies so individuals and families wouldn’t pay more than 9.69 percent of monthly income toward health insurance premiums.
• Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) joined other Democratic senators in introducing legislation on July 19, the Rent Relief Act, which would “create a new, refundable tax credit to put more money in the pockets of families at a time when renters’ wages have remained stagnant and housing costs have increased rapidly,” according to a release from Harris’ office. “America’s affordable housing crisis has left too many families behind who struggle each month to keep a roof over their head,” Harris said in the statement. “This bill will ensure no family is priced out of the basic security of a place to live. Bolstering the economic security of working families would strengthen our country and increase opportunity.” Harris introduced the legislation with Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), and Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire). Harris’ release shared stats from California’s Department of Housing and Community Development, which found that one third of California renters (3 million households) are rent burdened, and more than 1.5 million are severely rent burdened. The Rent Relief Act would make a refundable tax credit available to those who live in rental housing and pay more than 30 percent of their gross income for the taxable year on rent including utilities.
• Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) spoke from the floor of the House of Representatives on July 19 in opposition of language in the FY 2019 Financial Services appropriation package that passed the House that prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from implementing new requirements regarding the reporting and disclosure of political contributions from corporations. Carbajal and Michael Capuano (D-Massachusetts) offered an amendment to strike the policy from the bill, but it was denied by a 224-190 vote. “The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision opened the floodgates by allowing corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on election advertising and political activities without having to disclose their expenditures,” Carbajal said. “A corporation’s goal is to make a profit, not to improve the quality of life for all Americans, and they shouldn’t have a say in our elections without their shareholders and the public knowing about it. We cannot allow the voices of the American people to be drowned out by millions of dollars by secret, special interests advertising from corporations.” Carbajal had previously introduced legislation earlier this year, the Corporate Political Disclosure Act of 2018, which would require publicly traded corporations to disclose political expenditures through the SEC.
• After the U.S. House of Representatives voted to agree on House Resolution 990, “Supporting the officers and personnel who carry out the important mission of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),” with a roll call vote of 244 yeas, 35 nays, and 133 present votes, 24th Congressional District candidate Justin Fareed issued a statement on July 18 criticizing Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) for his “present” vote. “Taking a stand to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement requires more than saying you’re in the room,” Fareed statement. “It requires an affirmation on the record. Members of law enforcement deserve our full-throated, indelible support.”
This article appears in Jul 26 – Aug 2, 2018.