February 2018
Good afternoon. I would like to provide a few updates on recent developments in Congress and share some important information.
Congressional (in)action:
It has been exactly two weeks since a 19-year-old armed with an assault rifle murdered 17 students and faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Congress has yet to respond to this latest massacre. I have cosponsored several gun safety bills, including one that would renew the ban on assault weapons. Congress cannot stand by while mass shootings continue to ravage our schools, gathering places, and houses of worship.
In other congressional news: In early February, I voted against a budget deal excluding protections for the Dreamers. While the budget passed, it did nothing to address DACA. On Feb. 26, however, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the President's order to let DACA expire. This means the program will survive at least through the fall and gives Dreamers a temporary reprieve from deportation and Congress more time to work on an agreement. I will keep fighting for a vote on a clean DREAM Act.
Gender Equity Forum:
On Saturday, March 10th, we will be hosting CA-17's first ever Gender Equity Forum in the Daly Science Center room 207 at Santa Clara University. The event will bring together leaders in tech, business, and government to discuss key factors empowering individuals in today's workforce and how we can shape a path forward to expand opportunities in leadership and executive positions across Silicon Valley. Specifically, the forum will explore the following key questions:
- Entry -- why are most applicants for tech jobs male and what should be done to remedy this gap?
- Retention -- how do we make the working environment more supportive for all genders to thrive?
- Promotion and leadership -- how do we increase opportunities for leadership roles for all genders?
The Gender Equity Forum is open to attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. Tell us if you can attend by completing this form. The RSVP does not guarantee entry.
CA-17 photo challenge:
We are looking for photographs of our diverse and vibrant communities to highlight on our website and proudly display on the walls of our offices. Photographs must have been taken somewhere in California District 17, preferably by constituents. All submissions will be considered for posting on the website; in order to be considered for enlargement and framing for the offices, the image file must be high resolution (at least 1 MB).
To submit a photograph for consideration, email either the image file or a link to a site from which the image may be downloaded, an explanation of the subject, the location, date, and time of the photograph, as well as permission to use the photo, to District Director Chris Moylan at christopher.moylan@mail.house.gov. Selected photos will be announced at the next town hall meeting that takes place in the photographer's city.
Town hall:
It was great to see so many of you and to answer your questions at my February town hall meeting in Santa Clara. I hope to see you at my next town hall starting at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28th at Orchard Pavilion at the Sunnyvale Senior Center. If you can't make it, you can watch on Facebook Live. And be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram@RepRoKhanna.
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Solving the Nuclear Crisis with North Korea
With the end of the PyeongChang Olympics, we turn back to our continuing nuclear crisis with North Korea. The only way to resolve this without catastrophic military action will require real communications with the North Korean leadership and military, and congressional oversight to prevent any unilateral strikes on the country. Read my op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Combating Prescription Drug Prices
I wrote a letter with 17 of my colleagues to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar calling for action to rein in the outrageous cost of Hepatitis C prescriptions. This treatable disease affects between 2.7 and 3.9 million Americans, killing more than 20,000 annually. However, Pharma company Gilead's Harvoni drug costs $96,000 for a 12-week regiment, restricting access to treatment for only the wealthiest or those in critical condition. Read more here.
Campaign Finance Reform
Our current campaign finance laws allow the top one percent to exert too much power over the political system. I am working with constitutional law scholar Bruce Ackerman on a plan that returns the power to the people by creating "democracy dollars" for citizens to donate to their favored federal candidates. This would shift politicians' focus from big-money fundraisers to truly connecting with the real people of their community. We outline our full plan in the Sacramento Bee.
Constituent Services
Case workers in my Santa Clara office are available to help CA-17 residents navigate through the bureaucracy of federal agencies. My staff can assist with immigration or visa issues, Social Security payments and VA paperwork, among other areas. Visit my website for more information.