Jerry McNerney's website

BREAKING NEWS: McNerney introduces military pay hike bill

From Lisa Vorderbrueggen's Inside Politics blog:

Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, introduced today legislation that would increase pay rates for the military’s most dangerous jobs.

The Combat Operations and Medical Benefit Authorization for Our Troops Act would also raise wages for servicemembers undergoing rehabilitation after evacuation from combat zones and hike salaries of the psychologists and other medical personnel who care for them.

In addition, military personnel involuntarily separated from their spouses and children would receive an increase.

You can read the rest of the article here.

Legislation Needed to Protect School Districts from High Fuel Costs

This blog entry appeared in Washington newspaper The Hill today, but I wanted to make sure that folks here in California saw what Congress is doing to try and help.

Schools, just like families and businesses across the country, are being squeezed by high gas prices. That’s why yesterday, along with my colleague Rep. Zack Space (OH-18), I introduced legislation to address the impact high gas prices have on the ability of school districts to transport our children to and from school.

More and more, the astronomical cost of diesel fuel for school buses has cut into school budgets, forcing school districts to reduce service, start charging or increase fees for bus service, or cut back on other programs.

In my district, some schools are facing a 40 percent increase in their fuel budgets over last year. In order to cope with that increased cost, some districts have reduced the amount of time bus drivers are permitted to wait for a child. One district has increased by 35 percent the fee it already charges parents for their children to ride the bus to school. And several districts are facing potential service cuts, especially in rural areas where buses travel lengthy routes and are already packed with students.

Our children need a quality education in order to compete in today’s global economy. We have an obligation to them and we cannot allow the price of gasoline to adversely affect their education in any way.

The Gas Price Relief for Schools Act provides emergency funding over a two year period to help public school districts offset increases in school bus transportation costs due to high fuel prices. Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to award grants to state or local governments responsible for providing school bus transportation to a public school system, based on need. Considerations include whether a public school system has implemented cuts to transportation services, changes in school operations such as a shorter school week, and the distances school buses must travel to transport students.

McNerney keeps up commitment to availability and accessibility

Since he took office, Jerry has worked to be open, available and accessible to his constituents, holding over 40 Congress at Your Corner sessions all across the District.  Now the Congressman has begun another program to connect with constituents: the Telephone Town Hall.

In a recent editorial, The Independent complimented Jerry for his efforts:

On June 27 he went high-tech with that noble American institution, the town hall meeting, holding an hour-long session in which constituents vented their concerns to him from their homes via a special phone call-in setup.

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The congressman reportedly enjoyed the dialogue and plans to hold more of these town hall call-ins. We encourage him to do so. It delights us to see that in Jerry McNerney’s 11th Congressional District, participatory democracy seems to grow stronger every day.

You can read the full editorial from The Independent here (Page 4.)

Finding a solution to the housing & foreclosure crisis

Just open up the newspaper or turn on the television anywhere in the country and it’s hard to avoid news of the foreclosure crisis, especially in Stockton and San Joaquin County.  There were nearly 170,000 foreclosure filings in California in the first quarter of this year and over 7,500 in Stockton alone.  Those are staggering numbers.

That's why I’m proud to say that last week we passed legislation to help families in financial difficulty, to aid cities and towns in reclaiming neighborhoods and to stabilize the market. 

To read more about our efforts, you can read this Los Angeles Times story.

Last December, Congressman Cardoza and I hosted a foreclosure assistance workshop at the Stockton Arena.  Families were waiting in line hours before the workshop began and ultimately 500 people passed through the doors.

I heard heartbreaking stories from so many.

When a foreclosure take place, a family loses its homes, a neighborhood becomes destabilized, crime and illicit activity increases.  In fact, studies have found that when a house is foreclosed, the value of every other home in an eighth of a mile declines by one percent and the crime rate climbs two percent.

And the problem has grown to the point where the impact of the foreclosure crisis is rippling throughout all sectors of the economy. 

The bill that passed the House will provide mortgage refinancing assistance to families facing foreclosure, will help cities and towns purchase forecloses properties for affordable housing, and also increases the loan limits for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Administration so  people in high-cost areas will be able to access stable, secure mortgage products.

This is an important step that will provide real assistance to help solve this crisis.

Historic energy bill passed today

On Friday, I reached out to ask you and others like you for help. And hundreds responded. I'd like to personally thank all of you for your help now and for everything you have done over the past months and years.

As we approach the end of the year, and the important fundraising deadline, I turn to you once again. I'll be frank: I need you to give what you can. Donations of $15, $20, $40, or any amount come together and give us the strength and resources necessary to continue our fight for change.

I am back in Washington for the week, working hard for a better national energy policy. I am proud to report that just this afternoon we passed an energy package that includes an increase of vehicle fuel efficiency standards - for the first time in 32 years! The bill also makes other solid investments in our energy independence, including my bill to increase research and development funding for 21st century geothermal energy technology.

While not perfect, and unfortunately without a renewable electricity standard and production tax credits, this bill is an important step, one of many such steps we must take to address climate change and move our country in a new direction. I can't wait to come back after the holidays to continue the fight.

Last year, nearly half of the support that enabled us to run a ground-changing campaign came from donations under $100. Every contribution makes a huge difference. When many voices come together, change happens.

As you prepare to enjoy the holidays with your family and friends, please take a moment to consider my request. There are only a few days before the end of the year to make our goal, to show our opponents that we are on the offense and to show how we continue to lead. Please click here to make a donation of any amount now. 

Again, thank you. I look forward to working with you over the coming year and hope you will be there with me.

Your Friend,

Jerry

P.S. For coverage on this historical bill please click here and here.

 

 

 

Congressman McNerney on serving you: "It's been an incredible experience"

Congressman Jerry McNerney wrote a commentary for the Tracy Press that was published in today's paper.

It’s been just more than seven months since I took office representing you and California’s 11th District in Congress. It’s been an incredible experience. I’ve learned so much and met so many people in Washington and in the district where I spend every weekend meeting with you and other community members at Congress at Your Corner events, parades, fairs and town hall meetings.

Looking back on the past seven months, I wanted to give you a brief update on what I’ve been up to.

Jerry continues the Op-Ed by highlighting his service to constituents, including the "Healthy Communities Water Supply Act" that he introduced and passed through the House with wide bipartisan support.

In addition to releasing his list of "earmark" funding requests to the public and supporting strong ethics measures in the House, the Congressman has also focused on economic development in San Joaquin County:

I’m committed to helping create jobs in San Joaquin County through the expansion in use, research and development of new energy technology. Before I was elected to Congress, I spent more than 20 years working with wind energy and other types of clean energy technology. I know San Joaquin County is well-positioned to benefit from the well-paying jobs that are being created by the renewable energy industry.

That’s why last week I chaired an Economic Development Summit at the University of the Pacific focusing on economic growth and job creation in San Joaquin County.

Finally, Jerry informs Tracy Press readers about his commitment to meeting with people in the community where they gather (as opposed to expecting folks to come to his office):

One of the most rewarding parts of representing the 11th District is being able to return home every weekend to tour the region and meet with community members to hear their concerns. To date, I have held 21 Congress at Your Corner events — including one recently at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Tracy — in which I go to a supermarket, coffee shop or restaurant and spend an hour meeting with residents.

You can read the rest of Jerry's Op-Ed here.

Contra Costa Times: "McNerney comes through..."

Congressman Jerry McNerney continues to earn praise from local press for his constituent services in the 11th Congressional District.

Alan Elias of the Contra Costa Times is lauding McNerney's responsiveness to a group of Dublin high school students desperately needing passports before a long-scheduled group trip abroad.

Due to federal changes in passport rules, there have been significant delays in the processing of passport applications -- in some cases, for many months.

Which brings us to Dublin High School foreign language teacher Jennifer Lea and the participants of her European study-abroad program. After planning and saving up for the trip all year, four group members had not received their passports just 11 days before their scheduled June 23 departure.

Understandably panicked, Lea contacted McNerney's office to see whether it would be possible to apply some congressional arm-twisting at the State Department.

One of his Pleasanton staff members heeded the teacher's appeal, got all of the necessary forms signed and sealed (hey, it's the government, after all), and got on the phone to the Charleston, S.C., Passport Office to apply enough pressure to crowbar the passports back to Dublin within a week -- in time for all students to make the flight.

"I know the students had worked hard to raise the money for the trip, and it's wonderful that they were able to enjoy themselves and experience foreign cultures," McNerney said in an e-mail.

This isn't the first time the Congressman has stepped in to help constituents urgently in need of a passport. Just a few weeks ago, the Lodi News-Sentinel told readers about Congressman McNerney's efforts to provide critical assistance to a woman seeking a passport for immediate health care in Canada.

And Lisa Vorderbrueggen, of the Times, wrote about a Lodi woman who was quite impressed with Congressman McNerney's responsiveness to an issue with her social security benefits:

"Oh, I'll vote for Jerry, you betcha," said Lodi Republican Deborah Kafton after McNerney's office helped restore her Social Security disability payments. "The fact that he helped me, a small person in the world, I would back him all the way. My opinion (on other political issues) might be different, but that would be the case with any politician."

You can read other articles about Congressman McNerney's service to his constituents by clicking here.

McNerney on releasing earmark requests: "I came to Washington on a campaign of openness and ethics"

Following up on his campaign promise to provide transparent and accountable representation to his constituents, Congressman Jerry McNerney has released his list of "earmarks" -- federal funding requests that congressional members make to pay for projects in their home districts.

Lisa Vorderbrueggen covers the story for the Contra Costa Times:

The House of Representatives passed ethics reforms in January that require earmarks to carry the sponsoring member's name when they appear in appropriations bills. But the rule does not mandate that members individually release their requests.

McNerney said he released his list because "I came to Washington on a campaign of openness and ethics. ... I thought I would put the list out there and let people judge for themselves."

While some earmarks, like the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere," have been singled out as wasteful federal spending, most earmarks are legitimate requests for important projects related to maintaining and providing important services to constituents.

Indeed, there are several projects that Congressman McNerney has requested that would improve living conditions in the 11th Congressional District, including a groundwater cleanup project in Lodi. As Ross Farrow of the Lodi News-Sentinel reports:

Two funding proposals would directly benefit the city of Lodi, while others would benefit the region as a whole.

The city could get $1 million to help finance the cleanup of Lodi's groundwater, which is tainted with PCE and TCE contamination, and another $500,000 toward a police/fire training center at the proposed San Joaquin Delta College satellite campus off Victor Road.

Other McNerney funding requests cited by the News-Sentinel include:

•  Computer improvements for patients at Lodi Memorial Hospital, $400,000.
•  San Joaquin County agriculture center in Stockton, $1 million.
•  Water storage project for Mokelumne River to recharge groundwater in eastern San Joaquin County, $1 million.
•  Construction of infrastructure for the Groundwater Recharge Project for eastern San Joaquin County, $1 million.
•  Equipment for San Joaquin County's Emergency Operations Center, $200,000.
•  Tests for effectiveness of Delta levees, $1 million.
•  Bicycle/pedestrian path along the old Central California Traction line, $400,000.
•  New computer-assisted telephone interviewing laboratory for the Business Forecasting Center at University of the Pacific, $400,000.
•  Enhancement of the Pacific Natural Resources Institute at University of the Pacific, $500,000.
•  Two grade levels added to the San Joaquin County A+ Program, a reading improvement program throughout the county, $500,000.

Meanwhile, Rep. Ellen Tauscher has placed an earmark tutorial on her Web site that, according to Vorderbrueggen, "spells out the uncertain fate of earmarks. Many will never survive the arduous journey to the president's desk."

While the great majority of earmark requests are never funded, spokesman Andy Stone told the News-Sentinel that "Congressman McNerney is hopeful that some of these requests will be funded."

In-depth profile captures McNerney's widespread appeal; A Lodi Republican: "Oh, I'll vote for Jerry, you betcha"

Lisa Vorderbrueggen, lead political reporter for the Contra Costa Times, has written an in-depth profile of Congressman Jerry McNerney's first six months in office.

Titled "New Politician Finds His Way," this revealing piece explores how McNerney has confounded the expectations of those who would assume he might not appeal to a wide spectrum of voters in the 11th Congressional District.

The reality, as Vorderbrueggen has found, has undermined those would-be detractors, with McNerney continuing to connect with constituents of all ideological stripes:

"Oh, I'll vote for Jerry, you betcha," said Lodi Republican Deborah Kafton after McNerney's office helped restore her Social Security disability payments. "The fact that he helped me, a small person in the world, I would back him all the way. My opinion (on other political issues) might be different, but that would be the case with any politician."

McNerney has won particular acclaim for his "Congress on the Corner" (NOTE: it's actually "Congress At Your Corner"), a regular series of small gatherings held throughout the district where McNerney talks personally with constituents.

Even staunch Republican leaders praise McNerney's first six months in office.

"(McNerney) has been very, very accessible," said San Ramon Mayor H. Abram Wilson, a GOP candidate for the state Assembly. "He realizes that he has a huge learning curve, and he has been in the community as much as possible to try to get to know the community, its residents and leaders. For that, I really give him a lot of kudos."

Perhaps one reason for this widespread praise from Republicans, Democrats and independents across the district is the Congressman's enthusiastic embrace of public service:

"Being out in the community and meeting people, being here for the residents, is more important than anything I could do on the campaign trail," McNerney said.

[...]

Asked whether he's still happy voters sent him to Washington, McNerney answers without hesitation.

"Absolutely. It's so exciting to be a part of what's happening in our nation right now," he said last week, between bites of a tuna salad at Vic's, a diner in his hometown of Pleasanton. "The decisions we make in the next 10 years will impact our society and the world for the next 200 years."

McNerney's decisions, and those of his colleagues, are already making an impact from Washington to California:

McNerney has helped Democrats pass the party's first 100 hours of priority legislation, including ethics reform, a reduction in student loan costs, a minimum wage increase and support for stem cell research.

[...]

With help from Democratic Party leaders anxious to cement McNerney's hold on the seat, he secured coveted spots on the House transportation, veterans affairs and science committees. He also was appointed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's select committee on global warming.

The congressman has sponsored four bills of his own, starting with a small water conservation grant program. His other bills include the creation of a program to monitor veterans with traumatic brain injury and one to expand geothermal energy research.

[...]

He formed citizen advisory panels on agriculture, health care, small business and, soon, education.

And, as many of you know by reading this blog (click here for several similar articles), that's just scratching the surface.

You can read the rest of Lisa Vorderbrueggen's profile of the Congressman here, including pulled quotes from McNerney on both the war in Iraq and immigration.

SF Chronicle: McNerney "stakes out issues, watches his back"

In an extensive front-page article in today's San Francisco Chronicle, reporter Zachary Coile profiles how Congressman Jerry McNerney is bringing his passion for science to Capitol Hill:

Fellow lawmakers say McNerney's scientific background, his curiosity and diligence have proved to be his best assets. House Science and Technology Committee Chairman Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., said he can't remember the freshman skipping a single committee hearing.

"He's very conscientious in his attendance and his preparation," Gordon said. As one of the few scientists to serve on the committee, Gordon said, "he brings a unique perspective."

McNerney has pledged to be a key advocate for boosting funding for science. He helped lead an effort in the House earlier this month to pass legislation that would double the National Science Foundation grants. "We need consistent government support and involvement in order to get results," he said.

Of course, this focus is a distinct departure from that of his predecessor:

McNerney -- who stunned the political world by defeating House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo in November -- is cutting a much quieter path through Congress than his cowboy-boot-wearing Republican predecessor from Tracy, who sought to use his clout to rewrite many of the nation's environmental laws.

In his first five months, McNerney is focusing on the little things: He's requesting highway money to ease traffic congestion back home from his seat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He's holding regular "Congress at your corner" coffee klatches to get to know his constituents. He's formed an agriculture advisory panel to hear what fruit and vegetable growers in San Joaquin County want out of the forthcoming farm bill.

That attention to constituent detail isn't stopping Karl Rove and company from attacking the Congressman:

Republicans believe his seat is ripe to be taken back. A secret political memo by an aide to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove -- exposed by House Democrats -- shows that the White House picked McNerney as their No. 3 target among 20 top House races in 2008.

"Karl Rove and the White House have him in their crosshairs -- there's no doubt about it," said Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who has been given the job by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of leading the effort to re-elect House Democrats.

Republicans may be underestimating how difficult it will be to unseat McNerney next year, Van Hollen said.

"The most important thing a member can do is No. 1, establish a strong constituent outreach and relations effort at home -- and he's doing that -- and No. 2, to get to work on issues that are important to people in his district, and he's doing that," Van Hollen said. "He's making his mark on a range of issues."

McNerney is using his background as a wind energy engineer to carve out a niche as the Democrats' leading in-house expert on renewable energy. Pelosi gave him a plum assignment on the new Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, assuring him a high-profile spot to air his views.

Click here to read the rest of the Chronicle article, including pulled quotes from Jerry McNerney on Iraq, global warming, and immigration.

House overwhelmingly passes first McNerney bill

Congressman Jerry McNerney's first bill sailed through the House of Representatives today.

From a congressional press release:

Today, the Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007, authored by Rep. Jerry McNerney (CA-11) and sponsored by Rep. Ellen Tauscher (CA-10), passed the House by a vote of 369 to 55.

The Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007 will authorize $125 million in funding for projects that increase usable water supply by encouraging innovation in water reclamation, reuse, and conservation.  The bill provides funding for a grant program that requires a fifty percent local funding match.

“This bill authorizes funds to develop alternative sources of clean drinking water, as well as water for agricultural and industrial purposes,” Rep. McNerney said.  “That’s an important consideration this winter in California with lower than normal rainfall totals and a S ierra snowpack just 65 percent of its normal size – sources that are essential to the state’s water supply.”

“I’m glad that the Congress has finally taken the initiative and passed this legislation.  I have always been a proponent of sound water policies that protect our current supply and create healthy alternatives for future use,” said Rep. Tauscher.  “I’m glad to have leaders like Rep. McNerney among our new Democratic Majority, a majority that allows us to finally pass common-sense legislation protecting our natural resources.”

The Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007 amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize alternative water source projects.  It will provide a necessary source of funding for ideas like aquifer storage and retrieval as well as membrane filtering technologies that have the potential to greatly increase our ability to use water more effectively and efficiently through a grant program requiring a local funding match.

“I am excited about this act, which encourages innovation through pilot projects to develop water supplies through conservation, management and reclamation.  It also lets local communities decide what type of project works best for them,” Rep. McNerney said.

The Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007 moved quickly through the legislative process after having first been introduced on January 27, 2007.  The Act was considered by the House ubcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, and then moved to the full House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, before being considered by the full House this morning.

Stay tuned for more as this develops...

McNerney's first bill clears committee; on way to full House

As reported in the Stockton Record, Congressman McNerney's first bill is on its way to the full House floor:

Legislation sponsored by Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, that could open a federal stream of revenue for innovative water-saving projects cleared its first major committee Wednesday.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the measure by a unanimous voice vote, sending McNerney's first bill to the full House floor.

No floor vote has been scheduled yet.

"Congress does seem to deal with a seemingly endless series of contentious issues," McNerney said. "But everyone recognizes the need for clean water."

To find out more about the bill, check out Hank Shaw's article in the Record.

Stockton Record: "No relaxation for McNerney as footsteps of 2008 grow louder"

The Stockton Record's Hank Shaw spent a number of days with Jerry McNerney in Washington and filed this report on how the Congressman is getting situated in our nation's capital while flying back to the district on weekends:   

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No relaxation for McNerney as footsteps of 2008 grow louder

By Hank Shaw
Stockton Record
Capitol Bureau Chief

WASHINGTON - Jerry McNerney shocked the political world in the fall by defeating Tracy Republican Richard Pombo. Now that he has finally made it to Capitol Hill, the Pleasanton Democrat is not about to give up his seat without a fight.

January should be time for a lawmaker to concentrate on making laws, but McNerney sits in one of the nation's most precarious seats. He does not have the luxury of looking past 2008.

Republicans are lining up to challenge McNerney. Nearly every political oddsmaker in the nation has the 55-year-old on their endangered species list. McNerney flies home virtually every weekend, pressing the flesh and listening to his new constituents.

He is working so hard, McNerney got himself a bed for his capital apartment just last week. McNerney knows his way through the Capitol's catacombs by now, but his congressional office is still as spare as it was when he first turned the key a month ago...

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To see a photo of Congressman McNerney in his new office and read the rest of Shaw's article on McNerney's first weeks in office and what he is doing to serve his constituents, click here.

McNerney to chair House floor proceedings

Tonight, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. PST, Congressman Jerry McNerney will chair the proceedings of the U.S. House of Representatives as Speaker pro tempore.

This will be Congressman McNerney’s first time serving as the presiding officer of the House of Representatives. 

The House proceedings will be available live on C-SPAN.