Dear Community Member:

As we embark upon the new year, I want to provide you with an update on some of the work I did during the fall of 2021 for the central coast of California.  Despite the ongoing pandemic and the recent redistricting of California’s congressional districts by an independent commission, I continued to spend a great amount of time over the past few months visiting our Central Coast communities, listening to you, discussing the challenges that we face, and providing federal solutions for those issues through my work in the United States House of Representatives.  I continue to work hard to protect the Central Coast, secure federal funding to contend with the pandemic, author, introduce, and pass legislation in Congress, and fight for the proper investment in our local infrastructure including broadband, water projects, agricultural research, and more.  At the same time, I continue to serve you by providing constituent services, ensuring that the federal bureaucracies work for us, fighting to uphold our democratic values, and protecting our home on the Central Coast.

Protecting Our Democracy

Last week, we marked the anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.  Although it was the tip of the spear for the growing threat to our democratic institutions, we must continue our responsibility to shield and strengthen our democracy.  The cathedral of all democracies was physically assaulted by a mob directed to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election.  As the violence grew, the U.S. Capitol was breached, and members of Congress and the Vice President fled the floors of the House of Representatives and Senate while the ex-President sat and watched it take place, despite the pleas for him to take immediate action.  Although the attack paused the democratic process, it did not diminish Congress’ determination to do our jobs that day.  Thanks to the U.S. Capitol Police, members of the House of Representatives and Senate got right back on the House floor and voted to certify the election just hours after the attack.

A year later, we continue to face threats from a movement openly contemptuous of democracy that has proven its willingness to use violence to achieve its objectives.  As a self-governing society, we cannot survive such threats by denying that the movement exists.  That is why, with the leadership of the bipartisan U.S. Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack, we must continue to uncover the facts and hold those accountable who called for, conspired, and carried out the attack.  Even with that Congressional investigation and other ongoing federal prosecutions, the truth will not satisfy everyone, including certain state legislatures that are creating ways to overturn the will of the voters.  That is why we also must move forward with implementing federal protections of our elections that can withstand further attacks

We in the House worked on and passed legislation to strengthen our voting rights, including the For The People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.  Last month, we also passed the Protect Our Democracy Act to curb presidential abuses of power.  It is past time for the Senate to act and pass the above bills or their proposed Freedom to Vote Act.  We also must reform the Electoral Count Act to ensure that state legislatures do not overturn the will of its voters.  Moreover, we must all continue to be engaged and involved in our democratic process.  Not just today, not just on Election Day, but every day we must fulfill our obligation to our democracy by participating in our society with courage, civility, and a sense of humanity.  That is how we best fulfill our form of self-government, strengthen our shield of democracy, and pursue a more perfect union. 

Rep. Panetta’s photo as he was on the House Floor just moments prior to the certification of the 2020 presidential election and just hours after the attack on the U.S. Capitol (January 2021)

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)

For far too long we have underinvested in our nation’s transportation and infrastructure systems.  In November, Congress came together in a bipartisan fashion to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and it was signed into law by President Joe Biden a week later.  This legislation will make significant investments to improve our supply chains, bolster our economy, increase jobs, help prevent wildfires, enhance rural broadband, broaden our water resources, and fight the effects of climate change. 

Click here to see Rep. Panetta's statement on the local news about the passage of the  bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (November 2021)

I am proud to have worked on and supported such a transformational and bipartisan bill that clearly will strengthen the foundation upon which our democracy can go forward and lead in the 21st Century.  The IIJA will include federal funding for the following items:

Wildfire Resiliency – it includes $3.369 billion to the Department of the Interior and USDA-Forest Service for wildfire risk reduction by providing funding for community wildfire defense grants, mechanical thinning, controlled burns, the Collaborative Forest Restoration Program, and firefighting resources.

• It also includes provisions of my REPLANT Act, which will create nearly 49,000 jobs over the next decade and prevent damaging mudslides after intense wildfire seasons.

• $9.5 billion for the Army Corps of engineers.
• $4 billion for Operations and Maintenance, the account that services the maintenance dredging in the Santa Cruz Harbor.

• $3.2 billion for aging water infrastructure
• $1.15 billion for water storage, groundwater storage, and conveyance projects
• $250 million for desalination projects
• $1 billion for rural water projects
• $300 million for a Drought Contingency Plan
• $400 million for WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants
• $100 million for the Cooperative Watershed Management Program
• $250 million for the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program
• $100 million for multi-benefit watershed projects

Repairs Roads & Bridges – it includes $110 billion dedicated to new roads, bridges, and major surface transportation projects.

• $40 billion for bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation.
• $5.25 billion for the Low-No (emission) bus grant program.

Invests in Public Transit – it includes $39 billion in new investments for public transit, which will benefit Monterey-Salinas Transit and Santa Cruz Metro.

Expands Broadband – it includes $65 billion to ensure every American has access to reliable high-speed internet, all the more critical after COVID.

• $40 billion in grants to states for deployment.
• $600 million for Private Activity Bonds to finance broadband deployment, specifically for projects in rural areas.
• $2 billion for broadband programs administered by the UDSA, including the ReConnect Program, which provides loans and grants to fund the construction, acquisition, or improvement of facilities and equipment that provide broadband service in rural areas.
  

Energy Grid Resiliency – it includes $27.65 in grid infrastructure and resilience that will help keep the lights on in the face of extreme weather and natural disasters, reducing the need for Public Safety Power Shutoffs.

Clean Energy Supply Chains – it includes $7.7 billion for clean energy supply chains.

• $3 billion for battery materials
• $3 billion for battery manufacturing and recycling grants

EV Charging Stations – it includes $7.5 billion to build out a national network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, which will accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.

Rep. Panetta at the White House signing ceremony for the bipartisan  Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (November 2021)

My Legislation in the Bipartisan IIJA

I am proud to announce that versions of both my Repairing Existing Public Land by Adding Necessary Trees Act (REPLANT Act) and Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act were both included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and are now law after President Biden signed them in November.

The REPLANT Act – To address the Forest Service’s reforestation backlog, the REPLANT Act removes the current $30 million annual funding cap for the Reforestation Trust Fund, the primary source of funding for the United States Forest Service’s (USFS) planting needs, making an average of $123 million annually available for reforestation in National Forests.  In addition, the REPLANT Act directs USFS to quantify the backlog of replanting needs, reduce delays by expanding stewardship contracting, and encourage state and Tribal partnerships.  Among other associated activities, reforestation includes planting tree seedlings on forests that are unlikely to regenerate on their own in order to reestablish native plants and ensure the health of ecosystems and wildlife that depend on forests.  Replanting forests is an effective way to create jobs in rural America, support natural ecosystems and improve natural carbon sequestration.  Estimates show that the REPLANT Act would help plant 410,000 acres, or 123 million trees annually, for a total of 4.1 million acres (1.23 billion trees) over the next ten years.  That’s the equivalent of sequestering 75 million metric tons of carbon dioxide or avoiding the use of 8.5 billion gallons of gasoline, in a decade.

Due to funding shortages and federal limitations, each year our federal government fails to plant an adequate number of trees.  Such little investment in reforestation by our federal government has led to significant challenges within our public lands, including wildfires, invasive species, diseases, and climate change.  By lifting the cap on the Reforestation Trust Fund, we will be able to plant hundreds of millions of trees over the next decade, while creating sustainable jobs and sequestering as much as 800 million tons of carbon emissions.  The enactment of the REPLANT Act will help to provide wildlife with critical habitat, improve downstream drinking water quality, and restore our public lands for generations to come.

Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act – This law establishes a federal grant program available to state departments of transportation and Native American tribes to carry out pollinator-friendly practices on roadsides and highway rights-of-way.  This law will help address the steep decline of pollinator populations, which poses a serious threat to California farmers and the American food supply.

For generations, we on the central coast of California have had a front row seat to the migration of the monarch butterfly.  Unfortunately, we are now witnessing the decline and potential extinction of this magnificent pollinator across North America.  The Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act will provide the funding for the necessary investments to research and restore the habitats of the monarch butterfly.  This law is a small example of how we must continue to fight the effects of the climate crisis by working to preserve the future of a species that means so much to our ecosystem and to us on the Central Coast.

The Build Back Better Act (BBB)

This historic legislation invests in our working families and our future to deal with the effects of climate change.  It funds childcare and universal Pre-K, improves our schools, and helps students afford college.  It extends the historic Child Tax Cut for middle-class Americans, which is cutting child poverty by 25 percent.  It lowers healthcare and prescription drug costs and reduces the cost of housing by investing in both accessibility and affordable development.  The bill makes the largest investment in clean energy in American history to combat our climate crisis.  It reduces the deficit by $100 billion and it is paid for by responsibly raising revenues to fund these investments.  Although the bill passed the House of Representatives, the Administration is still negotiating with the Senate on a final version.  Based on the bill’s necessary and paid for investments in our working families and the future effects of climate change, I firmly believe that the bill or a similar version of the bill must be signed into law as soon as possible.

I am proud that several of my bills to reduce our carbon output and improve our agriculture productivity were included in this legislation, and that we responsibly raised the necessary revenue to fund our priorities.  This legislation, along with the bipartisan infrastructure bill that was signed into law by the President, will help us in our fight to expand our supply chain capacity, increase our productivity, provide working families with dignity, and ensure the prosperity of the United States in the 21st Century.  The BBB legislation that passed out of the House of Representatives includes funding for the following items:

Lower Health Care Costs – The Build Back Better Act will lower drug costs for seniors and halt price hikes above inflation for all Americans.

• Ensures Americans with diabetes do not pay more than $35 per month for their insulin.
• Creates a new, out-of-pocket cap of $2,000 on what seniors pay for their Medicare Part D drugs.
• Expands the Affordable Care Act to make coverage more affordable for those who buy insurance on their own.
• Lowers premiums in the ACA Marketplace, with individuals seeing a reduction in their premiums of more than $800 per year.
• Expands the ACA to cover those in the states that have refused to adopt the Medicaid expansion.
• Helps older Americans access affordable hearing care by expanding Medicare.

Lower Child Care & Family Care Costs – Build Back Better will save working families more than half their current spending on childcare, ensuring the vast majority of families will have to pay no more than seven percent of their income for child care.

• Expands the basic promise of free schooling in America for the first time in 100 years with universal preschool for all 3- and 4-year olds.
• Establishes a universal and permanent paid family and medical leave program, providing four weeks of paid parental, family caregiving, and medical leave.
• Expands access to high-quality home care for older adults and people with disabilities.

Child Tax Cut for Working Families – Build Back Better gives more than 35 million families a major tax cut by extending the American Rescue Plan’s Child Tax Credit (CTC).

• Continues the $250 per month tax cuts ($300 for children under 6), which middle-class families receive each month.
• Makes the CTC permanently refundable, helping families most in need.
• Eliminates the requirement that children have a Social Security Number to be eligible for the credit, helping all children regardless of immigration status.

Increases Access to Affordable Housing – Build Back Better reduces families’ housing costs and expands housing options, with a major housing initiative.

• Improves and expands the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) to double the number of LIHTC-funded projects in California.
• Invests $24 billion in rental assistance.
• Provides $10 billion in down-payment assistance for first-time homebuyers.
• Provides $65 billion for public and assisted housing.

Invests in Education – Build Back Better invests in our teachers, schools, and students.

• Provides $9 billion to Minority Serving Institutions, including Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) on the Central Coast, including $3 billion to increase research capacity.
• Provides $12.5 billion to lower the cost of higher education by increasing the Pell Grant by $550, and expanding federal financial aid to students with DACA, TPS, and DED status.
• Invests $650 million in addressing the nationwide teacher shortage by funding efforts to recruit and train educators.
• Provides $160 million to hire special education teachers.
  

Secures Supply Chains – Build Back Better invests in supply chain resilience to increase preparedness for future emergencies.

• Provides $5 billion to the Department of Commerce to monitor and identify critical manufacturing supply chain vulnerabilities that imperil our national and economic security and support domestic companies and other domestic entities in closing those vulnerabilities.
• Provides $600 million to the Maritime Administration to support supply chain resilience, reduce port congestion, environmental remediation, develop offshore wind resources, and reduce the impact of ports on the environment.

Invests in Agriculture Research and Conservation – Build Back Better provides $2 billion for agriculture research to advance our food and agriculture system’s competitiveness, innovation, food security, and climate change resilience and makes more than $28 billion in agriculture conservation initiative investments.

• Includes $210 million for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research to carry out activities related to climate change.
• Includes $30 million to the Office of the Chief Scientist to carry out advanced research and development relating to climate through the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA).
• Includes $210 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).
• Includes $9 billion for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program – a voluntary conservation program supporting farmers and forest managers with conserving & improving natural resources on their land.
• Commits $7.5 billion for Regional Conservation Partnership Program to support conservation, restoration and sustainable use of soil, water and wildlife on a regional and watershed scale.
• Provides $5 billion for soil conservation assistance for producers who establish cover crops for soil health.

Largest Investment to Combat the Climate Crisis in History – Build Back Better is the largest effort to combat climate change in American history, investing $555 billion over 10 years in clean energy and climate investments.

• Extends the investment tax credit (ITC) for clean energy technologies like solar, wind, and geothermal power while adding new technologies like battery storage and linear generators.
• Creates new credits for next-generation fuels like clean hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel.
• Improves and increases credits for electric vehicles, creates new credits for commercial EVs like zero-emission buses, and provides consumer tax credits for e-bikes.
• Provides $12.5 billion in home energy efficiency and appliance electrification rebates to reduce energy usage and electrify appliances.
• Provides $3 billion for more reliable, efficient, high-capacity transmission lines.
• Creates a Civilian Climate Corps to create public service opportunities to fight climate change.

My Legislation in the BBB

Through my work on the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, I was able to secure inclusion of my legislation in the BBB on green buses, microgrids, e-bikes, linear generators, agriculture research and development, and Health Profession Opportunity Grants.

MICROGRID Act – The BBB contains microgrid controller tax credits, which was developed from my MICROGRID Act.  These credits will provide energy grid resiliency through incentivizing the expansion and deployment of microgrids.

Clean Energy Production Parity Act – The bill contains tax credits for linear generators, which was developed from my Clean Energy Production Parity Act.  This type of tax credit will provide energy grid resiliency by incentivizing the investment in the expansion and deployment of new linear generator technology.

E-BIKE Act – The tax credit for e-bikes, which was developed from my E-BIKE Act, will amount to a 30 percent tax credit directly to consumers. By incentivizing the use of electric bicycles to replace car trips through a consumer tax credit, we can not only encourage more Americans to transition to greener modes of transportation but also help fight the climate crisis.

Click here to read the above article about Rep. Panetta's E-BIKE Act (November 2021)

Green Bus Tax Credit Act – The Build Back Better Act will include a 30 percent manufacturers tax credit for the purchase of zero-emission buses, which was developed by my Green Bus Tax Credit Act.  This credit will spur the development of the zero-emission bus industry, bringing down prices, and making green buses more affordable across the country.

Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Act – The BBB includes my HPOG Act.  It requires that training hours meet state and industry standards, and ensures participants receive valuable credentials they can use to get jobs, generate wealth for their families, and go on to earn additional credentials in the future. 

Agriculture Research and Development Funding – The bill contains $210 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), the nation’s leading competitive grants program for agricultural sciences.  It also contains $30 million for a newly created Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA), which will increase mechanization capabilities for the harvesting of specialty crops, address labor needs, and develop novel countermeasures to prevent animal and plant diseases.  As co-chair of the Ag Research Caucus, I led 128 Members of Congress in securing this crucial funding in the BBB.

Protecting Our Local Farmers and Farmworkers During the Pandemic

In October, I welcomed USDA Under Secretary Jenny Moffitt to Salinas to announce new farmworker pandemic relief programs that total $1.35 billion. The Farm and Food Worker Relief Grant Program will provide $700 million for farmworkers, meatpacking workers, and frontline grocery workers for pandemic-related safety costs.  This program is intended to defray the costs for personal, family or living expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rep. Panetta and USDA Under Secretary Jenny Moffitt on the Central Coast discussing the  Farm and Food Worker Relief Grant Program (October 2021)

The USDA has an additional $650 million for the Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program to support specialty crop producers, farmers markets and other small processors.  During negotiations of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, I worked to ensure the final legislation included funding to support farmers and farmworkers.  I also led a bipartisan letter to the USDA urging it to allocate funding to keep agricultural workers safe.

Farmworkers are valued not just for what they did throughout the pandemic but also what farmworkers do every single day.  They get up, they show up, they step up, and step into the fields to do the back-breaking work that many Americans will not do.  These grant programs are a victory for farmers and farmworkers across the country and here on the Central Coast.

Protecting and Honoring Our Central Coast Veterans

Veterans Day – Once again, I was honored to speak at three separate Veterans Day events in Hollister, Watsonville, and Salinas on November 11.  Veterans Day is recognized on the 11th day of the 11th month to honor the armistice that ended World War I, and it was a privilege to pay tribute to our local veterans in person.

Thank you to my fellow veterans on the Central Coast who helped defend our freedoms and secure the future of our democracy.  It is our responsibility to serve those who served us with the aid and assistance that they earned.  In Washington, we are supporting our veterans by passing legislation that helps expand access to mental health care, improve safety and expanding services at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, and end veteran homelessness.

Wreaths Across America – I was honored to participate in two Wreaths Across America ceremonies that took place in Hollister and at our very own Central Coast Veterans Cemetery.  Across our nation, 2700 ceremonies took place to remember, honor, and teach about our veterans, their service and sacrifice, and our obligation to them and our democracy. 

The Legal Services to Homeless Veterans Act – Last year, my Legal Services to Homeless Veterans Act was included in the Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, which was signed into law at the end of the 116th Congress.  This law requires the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to create grants to provide legal assistance in areas such as housing, family law, and criminal defense to veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

The Veterans Earned Transportation Act – This year, I authored and introduced the Veterans Earned Transportation Act, which ensures that our nation’s veterans have access to reliable transportation so they can easily access the COVID-19 vaccine, mental health counseling, and other critical care. 

The PROVIDE Act – I also authored and introduced the bipartisan PROVIDE Act, which ensures that veterans receive improved understanding and support with their VA disability claims after they have experienced a major disaster.  This expedited service and flexibility will allow our veterans to better access the resources they deserve and need to recover and succeed.

Protecting Our Central Coast Agriculture

A few months ago, after working with the Office of the United States Trade Representative, I was able to secure a huge win for the agricultural community of the Central Coast. The onerous testing protocols that Canada implemented last year for romaine lettuce grown in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara counties, which amounted to a non-tariff barrier, will no longer be in place.  This is big news for our romaine lettuce growers.

Protecting Our Central Coast Forests from Wildfires

In October, I reintroduced the Save Our Forest Act of 2021. My bill addresses chronic staffing shortages in National Forests, including the Central Coast’s Los Padres National Forest, to improve risk mitigation and response to wildfires.  The legislation directs the Chief of the Forest Service to fill vacancies in National Forests for recreation and management planning staff, authorizes funding to fill positions, and prioritizes filling vacancies in National Forests facing a high risk of wildfires. It is in the best interest of our National Forests and the safety of our communities to ensure our National Forests have the resources they need to respond to these threats and mitigate risk.

Click here to read the above article about Rep. Panetta's Save Our Forests Act (September 2021)

Over 80 percent of wildfires are caused by humans, often because people are not following rules that keep everyone safe.  While visitation, including unfortunate instances of irresponsible visitation, at National Forests has increased, we have seen a notable decline in staffing within the National Forest System, including the Los Padres National Forest in Big Sur.  As accelerating climate change produces hotter, drier conditions, and our forests continue to suffer from chronic staffing shortages, our communities are left even more susceptible to devastating and deadly wildfires. My bipartisan legislation, the Save Our Forests Act, will provide the funding necessary to rebuild the recreation management workforce in our federal forests, particularly those located in or near the wildland-urban interface.  The more we can staff up our federal forests, the better chance we have at wildfire prevention.

This bipartisan bill is supported by California State Senator John Laid, California State Assembly member Robert Rivas, Monterey County District Supervisors Chris Lopez and Mary Adams, the Ventana Wilderness Alliance, the Community Association of Big Sur, Bug Sur Fire, the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce, Audubon California, the Wilderness Society, Sierra Forest Legacy, Earthjustice, American Forests, Western Environmental Law Center, Center for Biological Diversity, National Association of Conservation Districts, the Sierra Club, the National Wildfire Institute, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Summit Land Conservancy.

Rep. Panetta speaks with U.S. Forest Service personnel (January 2022)

Protecting Our Central Coast Heritage

I introduced the Monterey Bay National Heritage Area (MBNHA) Study Act, which directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties as a National Heritage Area (NHA), specifically the Monterey Bay National Heritage Area.  On the Central Coast, we not only appreciate, but we also cherish our region’s rich history, culture, and environment.  Ultimately, such a designation will help secure additional resources and protections for our communities and ensure that future generations can continue to be enlightened and enriched by our heritage on the Central Coast. 

Click here to see the above local news story about  Rep. Panetta's MBNHA Study Act (October 2021)

Protecting and Promoting Our Central Coast Infrastructure

I was honored to help lead the ribbon cutting ceremony for the completion of Monterey-Salinas Transit’s South County Operations and Maintenance Facility in the Salinas Valley.  The new facility provides more access to public transit for South County residents in addition to creating jobs in the region.  This project best demonstrates how local, state, and federal work together for the greater good.  The state of California’s Department of Transportation (Caltrans) was awarded $4.5 million of federal bus facility funds on behalf of MST to jump start this project and provided the incentive to spark the Hartnell College-Workforce Development Partnership.  I look forward to continuing to support the infrastructure and amenities that the hardworking people of our district so rightly deserve.

Rep. Panetta joins other Central Coast leaders for the ribbon cutting of the Monterey-Salinas Transit operations and maintenance facility (October 2021)

Now that the IIJA is law, the Department of Transportation and other federal agencies will set up programs that will determine the formulas for how federal funding is distributed for projects across the country.  Once those federal grant programs are established, I will continue my work to obtain this type of direct funding for the transportation and infrastructure projects on the Central Coast. I plan to work directly with local counties, cities, and stakeholders to assist them in the application process and advocacy so that our infrastructure needs are met with this federal funding.

Protecting Future Opportunities for Our Youth

Central Coast School Visits –  I regularly meet with students from the Central Coast.  I am always impressed by their thoughtful questions and inspired by their dedication to their education and our community’s most pressing issues, including voting rights and climate change. 

Rep. Panetta talks with high school students from the Central Coast  during their visit to Washington, D.C. (December 2021)

I am committed to making the necessary investments in our infrastructure, so they have equal opportunity and access to learning and education.  The Build Back Better Act makes investments in education and broadband, which is vital for homework and online learning.  It will also fund universal pre-kindergarten, expand the Child Tax Credit and paid family leave, increase educator recruitment and retention, and allow schools to offer free, healthy meals to all students.

Rep. Panetta takes a picture with high school students on the Central Coast (December 2021)

Rancho Cielo Youth Campus – This fall, I met with over 120 youth at Rancho Cielo to discuss the impact of the education and job training programs.  Rancho Cielo invests in education, training, and counseling for youth facing challenges.  This organization’s crucial work has transformed the lives of so many young people in our community. 

Rep. Panetta speaks to students at Rancho Cielo (October 2021)

First Woman Eagle Scout in Monterey County – I was honored to attend and speak at the Court of Honor for the first woman Scout to obtain the rank of Eagle in Monterey County.  Her commitment to our community is inspiring.  The trail this young leader blazed will serve as a guide for others to follow on the Central Coast.

Rep. Panetta presents a Congressional Certificate to the first woman  Eagle Scout in Monterey County (December 2021)

Protecting Our Central Coast Sloughs and Wetlands

In October, I toured Elkhorn Slough to get briefed on their partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  This area is the largest tract of tidal salt marsh in California outside of San Francisco Bay.  During my tenure, I have supported increased funding for the Elkhorn Slough Foundation and will continue to support a $500,000 investment to rebuild three boardwalks that have provided access to the Elkhorn Slough for 35 years.

Rep. Panetta at Elkhorn Slough (October 2021)

Additionally, I toured the Watsonville Wetlands and learned about the Watsonville Wetlands Watch, which is dedicated to the protection, restoration, and fostering of appreciation of the wetlands of the Pajaro Valley.  Along with the beauty and diverse habitat for wildlife, these wetlands provide a critical service to the environment.  As natural filters, wetlands can remove impurities from the water before it enters streams and oceans.  Wetlands are also incredible carbon sequesters that remove and store greenhouse gases from the earth’s atmosphere to slow the onset of global warming.

Rep. Panetta meeting with students and volunteers  at the Watsonville Wetlands Watch (October 2021)

Protecting and Serving You on the Central Coast

If you ever need any assistance from the federal government or would like to meet with me or my staff to discuss any federal issues, please call my Salinas office at 831-424-2229, my Santa Cruz office at 831-429-1976, or my Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-2861. You can also contact me through my website at panetta.house.gov.

If you would like to receive future updates, please sign up for my newsletters by clicking here. You also can find more information about my legislation and votes cast in the U.S. House of Representatives by clicking here.

As your Congressman, I am here to make the federal government work for you. Please do not hesitate to reach out and let me know how I can continue to best serve you and our home on the Central Coast.

Sincerely, 

Jimmy Panetta
United States Representative
20th Congressional District, California

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