Congressman Garamendi Named to Key Positions for California Water and National Security Policy: Now Ranking Member of Coast Guard Subcomittee, More Subcommittee Assignments Announced
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), today was given his subcommittee assignments on the House Transportation and Infrastructure and Armed Services committees.
On the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, his colleagues appointed him as the highest ranking Democrat on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee. He will also serve on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee. In these positions, Garamendi will help set policy for the Army Corps of Engineers, the Coast Guard, and maritime transportation into and out of American ports through which 90% of international commerce flows.
Congressman Garamendi will also serve on the Armed Services subcommittees Strategic Forces and Tactical Air and Land, where he will have jurisdiction over most of the programs that fund Travis and Beale Air Force Bases.
“Each of these committees is focused on important work that matters to the people of the 3rd Congressional District,” Congressman Garamendi said. “From protecting the Delta and river communities to preserving the vital missions at Travis and Beale to securing the shipping corridors our farmers depend on, I’m focused on the needs of this great district. By staying on the Armed Services Committee and returning to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I will be well positioned to advocate for many of Northern California’s most pressing needs.”
He currently represents the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and more than 200 miles of the Sacramento River. In his position on the subcommittee that handles the Army Corps of Engineerss projects, Garamendi will play a key role in setting flood protection and navigation policy for his district and the nation. Garamendi will be well positioned to advocate for Northern Caifornia’s needs during negotiations on transportation legislation and the Water Resources Development Act.
Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee
“I’m honored to serve as the Ranking Member of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, helping to oversee our ports and waterways, which are of vital importance to Northern California’s agro-economy,” Congressman Garamendi said. “On the Subcommittee, I will focus on securing, building, and improving the efficiency of our ports and transit corridors. This includes the ports of Sacramento, Stockton, and Oakland and the Sacramento River, through which so many Northern California agricultural products are shipped out to the world. I’m also interested in finding ways we can help the Coast Guard crack down on the global human trafficking networks that are victimizing thousands of people in California.”
There is a Coast Guard Station is Rio Vista, and the Coast Guard also has jurisdiction over unlawful ships in the Delta and Lake County.
Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee
Garamendi said, “With the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and river communities, I represent the most flood prone district in America outside of New Orleans. With jurisdiction over the Army Corps of Engineers, my top priority on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee is to ensure we fix and improve our fragile levees before it’s too late. As Ben Franklin once said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Congressman Garamendi lives in the Delta community of Walnut Grove, where he grows pears. The Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees constructiuon at almost every waterway, river, and stream in the nation, has a $4.6 billion budget and a regional office in Sacramento. The Corps also oversees construction activity on military bases designed or built by the Army Corps.
Tactical Air and Land Forces
“The Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee has jurisdiction over almost all Air Force and Army acquisitions and is active in Air Force Reserve modernization,” he said. “I represent two of the most important Air Force bases in the nation, Travis and Beale, which respectively fulfill the essential national security missions of air mobility and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR).The brave Airmen at Travis and Beale can be confident that I will be a forceful advocate for their needs on the Subcommittee.”
Strategic Forces
“On the Strategic Forces subcommittee, I will contribute to oversight of the National Security labs, which maintain a robust presence in Northern California,” said the Congressman. “As we adapt to 21st century security threats, we must ensure that our strategic weapons are safe, secure, and reliable.”