From the Office of:
Representative A. Granston
California 44th
House Committee on Homeland Security
To the 44th Congressional District of California,
In order to keep you all up-to-date, I am writing this letter to inform you of the latest challenges
and successes we have experienced during the 116th Congress.
Originally, I had hoped to increase awareness and education regarding the current Coronavirus
crisis. As I’m sure you all are aware, the Virus has reached our lovely home of California, and is
increasingly spreading. This legislation would introduce government issued short
lectures/lessons in public schools, raise public awareness by providing government issued
resources and places to find accurate information regarding the pandemic, and provide formula
grants to all public schools to issue proper stockings of antibacterial soaps, tissues, and hand
sanitizers.
Unfortunately, even after partnering with two other Representatives to co-sponsor an omnibus
bill (V.I.R.U.S.), we were shot down, and our bill was killed in committee. The other members of
the Homeland Security committee were more concerned with immigration and border issues,
rather than the increasing pandemic that is taking over the United States. Nevertheless, I
promise to you, that I will continue to advocate for local education reform within our district, and
hopefully work to contain the spread.
During the session, Representatives Palmer, Hutchins, Diouf, Re-Yonkos, and Mount, proposed
the P.R.E.V.E.N.T. bill, which provided legislation regarding opioid abuse treatment and
prevention. This bill presented ideas to help fix the opioid crisis by creating more rehabilitation
centers to house citizens struggling with opioid abuse, enact various education programs to be
implemented, providing more opportunities for research, as well as to create and enforce a set
of guidelines when prescribing opioids. When first introduced, I abstained. This bill was simply
too expensive for what was being proposed; however I understand how important this issue is,
especially as our district has such a high level of veterans, a group that heavily suffers from
opioid addiction, so I couldn’t say no to the bill.
The bill passed with 25 yea’s, 8 nay’s, and 7 abstensions. The bill was then sent to a
conference committee in which an opioid bill from the Senate was compromised with the
P.R.E.V.E.N.T. bill. Luckily, these compromises allowed for the necessary amendments
regarding my concerns with the money to be worked through, and when introduced back
through the House, the bill passed with 40 yea’s, and 1 nay. It passed through the senate again,
and the President signed it. P.R.E.V.E.N.T. is now a law -- a success of which we can all be
proud.
Another success was the shutting down of the I.R.A.N bill, which would authorize the President
of the United States to use the armed forces of the United States to destroy Iran’s nuclear
program. The president would have full power to make a high-stakes military decision on his
own, without consulting any other branches.
With no check being placed on POTUS’s power, I simply could not support this bill. Even after
Senator Dinkel, the sponsor, was given time on the floor to defend his bill, I was completely
against this abuse of power. Luckily, so were the majority of Representatives, as the bill was not
passed with 6 yea’s, 28 no’s, and 2 abstentions.
The last challenge we experienced came in the form of an energy reform bill. The S.P.F Act
proposed legislation to preserve and improve the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit for
citizens purchasing solar energy, to make solar panels accessible for all people and to institute
a national market for selling Solar Renewable Energy Credits. As I’m sure you all are aware, our
environment is in severe danger. From air pollution to forest fires, we’ve experienced it all. We
know first hand just how important it is to save the earth--to save our planet, which is exactly
what I told when debating to the House.
I worked tirelessly, speaking multiple times and voicing my strong support for this brilliant bill
that would save and protect many aspects of our current energy crisis. It paid off, as the bill
passed through the House; however, the Senate was not as eager to protect the earth. It did not
pass through both houses, and therefore did not become a valid law.
Even with the challenges in mind, I hope that you appreciate what has been done on your
behalf, and that you support the work I have done for you. I will continue to tirelessly represent
you and your ideals, and hope that you continue to be proud of what your government does for
you. I thank you for your trust.
Sincerely,
Representative A. Granston
