Coronavirus update: The taxman delays his visit

Yesterday, the U.S. Treasury Department postponed the due date for making Federal income tax payments from April 15, 2020 to July 15, 2020. Any individual who owes less than $1 million or business that owes less than $10 million can defer their Federal income tax payment until July 15, and no additional forms will be required for these delayed filings.

With this move, the Trump administration has helped American families and small businesses keep their hard-earned money as we combat the spread of Coronavirus. I encourage you to visit the IRS’ Coronavirus tax relief page for more updates as they become available.

Separately, here is an article from The San Joaquin Valley Sun discussing the need for public health officials to make informed, data-driven decisions regarding Coronavirus.

Lastly, I want to ensure you are equipped with the contact information for your local health officials. I've compiled the contact information for the Fresno County Department of Public Health and the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, as well as updates from the CDC, at my website.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Fresno’s controversial shelter in place order

Today, the Trump administration issued an immediate foreclosure and eviction moratorium for single family homeowners with Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured mortgages for the next 60 days. Under these guidelines, homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages facing hardship due to the Coronavirus can get immediate relief to ensure they are not evicted or foreclosed upon during this uncertain time.

Additionally, the City of Fresno issued a controversial order today recommending that Fresno’s residents voluntarily shelter in place despite opposition to the order from the City of Clovis and Fresno County. No cities in Tulare County are affected by the order. You can get more details on the order in this story from The San Joaquin Valley Sun. Rest assured that I will keep you informed as we move ahead.

Lastly, I want to ensure you are equipped with the contact information for your local health officials. I've compiled the contact information for the Fresno County Department of Public Health and the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, as well as updates from the CDC, at my website.

Coronavirus update: Financial relief for American families

I want to provide you with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s latest update on creating financial breathing room for American families during the Coronavirus pandemic.

To ensure that American families remain financially secure, President Trump is allowing the Treasury Department to “defer tax payments, without interest or penalties, for certain individuals and businesses negatively impacted.” This means that:

•  Families and small businesses can defer tax payments for 90 days.
• Penalties and interest that would otherwise apply during this nearly three-month period will be waived.
• Additionally, the Treasury Department will deploy $300 billion in targeted relief for those who need it. Taxpayers should continue to file their taxes by April 15 as normal. Many taxpayers will get refunds, providing additional funding to families that need it. However, if an eligible taxpayer owes a tax payment, they have the option to defer.

Lastly, I want to ensure you are equipped with the contact information for your local health officials. It is vital to remember that if you are experiencing symptoms of Coronavirus or have come into contact with a person with Coronavirus, please call your doctor or local public health officials before seeking medical attention.

For the Fresno County Department of Public Health’s Communicable Disease Investigation Program, please call: (559) 600-3332. To receive updates regarding Coronavirus transmission in Fresno County, click here.

For the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency’s Communicable Disease Reporting, please call: 211 or (559) 685-5720. To receive updates regarding Coronavirus transmission in Tulare County, click here.

I will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available on this rapidly evolving situation. For continued updates and recommendations on how to stay safe and healthy, visit the CDC's website.

Combating Coronavirus in the Central Valley

As local, state, and federal officials continue to develop protocols to combat the spread of Coronavirus, I want to ensure you are equipped with the contact information for your local health officials. It is vital to remember that if you are experiencing symptoms of Coronavirus or have come into contact with a person with Coronavirus, please call your doctor or local public health officials before seeking medical attention.

For the Fresno County Department of Public Health’s Communicable Disease Investigation Program, please call: (559) 600-3332. To receive updates regarding Coronavirus transmission in Fresno County, click here.

For the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency’s Communicable Disease Reporting, please call: 211 or (559) 685-5720. To receive updates regarding Coronavirus transmission in Tulare County, click here.

I will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available on this rapidly evolving situation. For continued updates and recommendations on how to stay safe and healthy, visit the CDC's website.

Straight talk on the Coronavirus

As the federal government continues to respond to the spread of Coronavirus in the United States, I wanted to share this helpful interview between Dan Bongino and Dr. Christopher Centeno of Regenexx. Dr. Centeno provides clear information on how to navigate the spread of Coronavirus and keep Americans safe. Additionally, here are the CDC’s recommendations on how to stay safe and healthy.

2020's Congressional Art Competition is here

Each year, one outstanding high school artist from the 22nd Congressional District has the opportunity to display his or her artwork for a year at a national exhibition in the U.S. Capitol. Members of Congress choose a winner of the contest, known as the Congressional Art Competition, from their district whose art will be displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol. The tunnel is the most highly traveled access point to the Capitol, with Members of Congress and thousands of tourists viewing the artwork daily.

If you are interested in competing for a place in the national exhibition, please review the guidelines. In addition, all participants will need to complete the student release form, which should be included with all art entries. Finally, all art must be delivered by April 17, 2020, to my Visalia office at 113 North Church Street, Suite 208. For more information please call (559) 733-3861 or stop by my Visalia office.

2019's winner: "My Dog Coco" by Andrea Rivera, Buchanan High School

Tide Turns in California's Water Wars

While campaigning in 2016, then-candidate Trump promised that the Central Valley’s water supply would no longer be held captive by radical environmentalists. This week, both President Trump and Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt visited the Valley to make official the Trump administration’s plans to return water to the Valley.

On Wednesday, President Trump signed a second presidential memorandum to formally adopt policies that will deliver more water to the Valley. In addition to implementing new biological opinions that govern how much water flows through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, President Trump directed the Secretaries of the Interior and Commerce to develop more water storage infrastructure so that Valley farmers, families, and communities can have a more bountiful and reliable water supply. Since before my election to Congress, I have fought to reclaim the water that California’s radical environmentalists have flushed out to the Pacific Ocean. With this week’s actions, President Trump has turned the tide in California’s decades-long water wars.

Along with other Republican congressmen, I joined President Trump for the signing ceremony. To watch video of the signing, click on the image below.

World Ag Expo, exchange students come to the Valley

Tuesday marked the start of the Central Valley’s 53rd annual World Ag Expo. Hosted by the International Agri-Center in Tulare, the World Ag Expo displays the latest in farm equipment from more than 1,450 exhibitors, drawing over 100,000 visitors. With Congress in session this week, I unfortunately had to miss this year’s World Ag Expo. However, my staff attended and enjoyed celebrating the Valley’s farming expertise.

Back in DC, I was honored to meet with students from the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program on Wednesday. Administered by the State Department, the FLEX program awards scholarships to a select number of high school students from Europe and Asia to spend an academic year in the United States, living with a family and attending an American high school.

These students – from Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine – are enjoying their time at Mt. Whitney High School, Redwood High School, and University Preparatory High School in Visalia. I hope they will develop a lifelong connection to the Central Valley and their host families!

Looking ahead after a successful State of the Union

On Tuesday, President Trump delivered his State of the Union address. As President Trump demonstrated, the United States is thriving. The economy is booming for working Americans of all backgrounds, our nation has been made safer by eliminating terrorists like Qassem Soleimani, and we achieved bipartisan successes on criminal justice reform and the USMCA.

While Tuesday night provided an opportunity to reflect on our nation’s successful last three years, we must continue to pursue reforms that improve Americans’ lives. To that point, I am introducing legislation to increase transparency in our healthcare costs. Titled the Fair and Honest Advanced Cost Estimate for Patients Act, this bill requires healthcare providers and facilities to work with insurers to provide a cost estimate for scheduled services directly to individuals. Thus, both privately insured and uninsured individuals will no longer be blindsided by the cost of their healthcare services. I am hopeful this bill will be another bipartisan triumph for the American people.

Tax reform keeps delivering for Americans

On Tuesday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its Budget and Economic Outlook for 2020-2030, which provides Congress with an unbiased 10-year budget projection and measures the nation’s economic health. Thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which House Republicans passed and President Trump signed into law in 2017, America’s economy is roaring.

The report affirms that Republican pro-growth policies have created more jobs and increased wages for American workers while reducing the federal deficit by a projected $705 billion over the next decade. I’m eager for Congress and President Trump to build on these successful policies and keep the economy growing for all Americans.

Coming your way: USMCA

Next Wednesday, President Trump will sign the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) into law. After being needlessly held up by House Democrats for a year, the Senate last week passed USMCA by an overwhelming vote of 89 – 10. Once signed into law, USMCA will generate over $68 billion in economic activity, create 176,000 new jobs for American workers, and, for the first time, open Canadian markets to American dairy products. With this great deal, alongside his recent trade deal with China, President Trump is delivering on his promises to put America first and dismantle unfair trade barriers on U.S. farmers and workers.

An historic China trade deal

On Wednesday, President Trump signed an historic Phase One trade agreement with China. This trade deal culminates a three-year-long effort by the Trump administration to rebalance our trade relationship with China. Prior to this deal, the U.S. trade relationship with China suffered from cybertheft of U.S. intellectual property, forced technology transfers, and inadequate market access to U.S. businesses.

With this Phase One trade deal, China has committed to purchasing roughly $200 billion of U.S. goods while promising to implement structural reforms and other changes to their economic and trade regime. In particular, the deal dramatically expands U.S. agriculture and food exports to China. I’m optimistic this Phase One trade deal will usher in free and fair trade with China and bring economic growth to the Central Valley. I look forward to the Trump administration’s continued efforts to deliver strong and enforceable trade deals for all Americans.

Delivering USMCA for American workers and farmers

Today, with my support, the House of Representatives voted to pass the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). I have long believed that trade is vital to the Central Valley’s economic health. With its passage, USMCA will generate over $68 billion in economic activity and produce 176,000 new jobs for American workers. Moreover, agricultural products that had zero tariffs under NAFTA will continue to be tariff free, while American dairy farmers will now have access to previously unopened Canadian markets. Modernized for the 21st century, USMCA will deliver tremendous economic benefits to the Central Valley. You can watch my remarks on the passage of USMCA by clicking here.

Getting the Valley growing again

Water is the San Joaquin Valley’s economic lifeblood. However, radical environmentalists in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento have long coordinated to deprive the Valley of its rightful share of water. Exploiting poorly-written environmental guidances, these extremists manipulated water allocations to serve their economically destructive goals. Billions of gallons of water have been needlessly flushed into the ocean while our farmers and families struggle to get by with the little water that the radicals decree we can have.

Finally, however, we have good news to share. Recently updated environmental opinions will finally allow California’s water infrastructure to work as intended and give Valley families the water they rightfully deserve. These new guidances will produce quick and precise water allocations to give farmers the certainty they need when planting.

This is a great first step. I will continue the fight to ensure that our families have the water we need to get the Valley growing again.

House passes resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide

Last Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted to support a resolution affirming the United States’ recognition of the Armenian Genocide. I was proud to cosponsor this resolution, which passed the House by a vote of 405 – 11.

The continuing denial of the Armenian Genocide, particularly by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, is an act of historical vandalism. We must call genocide for what it is wherever it occurs. Few know this truth better than the San Joaquin Valley’s Armenian population, many of whom descend from genocide survivors. I am proud to represent such a resilient people.

Visiting Armenia's Dzidzernagapert memorial in 2012.

Academy Night 2019

Each year, I have the honor to nominate outstanding young men and women from the Central Valley to our nation’s prestigious military academies. The military academies are some of our nation’s finest schools. Not only do they teach academics, but they instill discipline and leadership qualities in young Americans.

My office will host my annual Academy Night on Thursday, October 3, 2019, to provide more information to students interested in attending a military academy. If you know of any potential applicants, please encourage them to read this flier for further details on Academy Night and fill out this application and return it to my Visalia office.

Remembering 9/11

Eighteen years ago today, our nation was viciously and suddenly attacked by al Qaeda. I will never forget the horror of watching the World Trade Center towers collapsing, the Pentagon aflame, and Flight 93 lying wrecked in a field.

America’s darkest moment since Pearl Harbor revealed the amazing courage and resiliency of everyday Americans. I will always remember the heroes who ran into burning buildings – knowing they would likely not survive the destruction – to save their fellow citizens. To me, their sacrifices will always express the best of America.

Today, I ask that we remember the nearly 3,000 Americans who tragically lost their lives on 9/11. I also ask that we take a moment to thank our everyday heroes – the servicemen and women, first responders, and police officers who go about their jobs, often in dangerous circumstances, with little recognition or reward. Americans will never forget 9/11, nor will we ever be cowed by terrorists.

A visit to San Joaquin Valley College

I toured San Joaquin Valley College’s Visalia campus yesterday. The campus offers young Valley residents high-quality career training in numerous fields, such as nursing, respiratory therapy, dental assisting, and technical and industrial programs. These programs are vital pipelines that provide the Valley with the skilled career professionals we need to thrive.

Following my visit to SJVC, I met with the Tulare Chamber of Commerce and accepted the Spirit of Enterprise award. I’d like to thank the Chamber for this honor – I have fought hard to ensure that Congress make it as easy as possible for American entrepreneurs to start their own businesses.

Chipping away at Obamacare taxes

Last Wednesday, with my support, Congress voted in favor of H.R. 748, the Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2019. There was strong bipartisan support for the bill, which passed the House of Representatives on a 419 – 6 vote. The bill repeals Obamacare’s burdensome Cadillac tax, thus saving employers from paying a 40 percent tax on high cost employer-sponsored health coverage. The bill will lower deductibles and make coverage more affordable for millions of hardworking Americans.

Still, this bill could have done more to remove unnecessary tax burdens on Americans, such as the medical device tax and the health insurance tax. We must continue to undo the damage Obamacare has done to our nation’s healthcare system. I remain committed to removing Obamacare's mandates, penalties, taxes, and regulations in favor of an affordable and efficient free-market healthcare system for everyone. You can watch my remarks on H.R. 748 by clicking on the above image.

My proposal to modernize our outdated prescription drug payment system

I recently authored a brief proposal to modernize our outdated prescription drug payment system to ensure Americas have access to affordable drugs. To read my proposal, click on this link.