Legislative Accomplishments in 2020

Below is an overview of the work Garamendi accomplished in 2020:

OVERVIEW:

• 31 Bills Introduced: To date, you have introduced 29 bills and 2 resolutions, to date, exceeding your personal record of 14 bills/resolutions sponsored in the 112^th Congress (2011-2012).
• 3 Sponsored Enacted: To date, 3 bills you sponsored have been signed into law.
• 12 Cosponsored Enacted: To date, 12 bills you cosponsored have been signed into law.
• 86 Cosponsored Passed: To date, 86 bills you cosponsored have passed the House.
• 106 Committee Consideration: To date, 106 bills you cosponsored have been considered by a House committee.
• 14 Amendments Enacted: To date, 14 amendments you sponsored or co-lead in Committee or on the House floor have been signed into law.
• 21 Amendments Adopted: by House Committee or full House.

Outreach: Staff plans to share all these legislative accomplishments with district and other key stakeholders in your year-end press release (attached), post on social media, and upload to the accomplishments section of the website.

ENACTED INTO LAW:

H.R.5671, Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act

• Status: March 13, 2020, signed into law (Public Law 116-125).

H.R.2617, Service Member's Occupational and Environmental Transparency Health (OATH) Act

• Status: December 20, 2019, most of your H.R.2617 was enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116-9). The remainder is on track to be included in the FY2021 NDAA conference.

H.R.357, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area Act

• Status: March 12, 2019, enacted as part of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Public Law 116-9).

 

FLOOR CONSIDERATION:

H.R.4710, Pharmaceutical Independence Long-Term Readiness Reform Act

• Status: July 21, 2020, your provision regarding the National Defense Strategy was passed by the House as part of the "William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021" (H.R.6395).

H.R.3193, Transportation Emergency Relief Funds Availability Act

• Status: July 1, 2020, your H.R.3193 was included in the "Moving Forward Act" (H.R.2) passed by the House.

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION:

H.R.8217, WIFIA Improvement Act of 2020

• Status: May 11, 2020, Section 3 of your H.R.8217 included in the "America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2020" (S.3591) reported by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

H.R.7523, TIFIA for Airports Act

• Status: January 8, 2020, Senator Duckworth's (D-IL) bipartisan companion bill (S.563) included in the "America's Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019" (S.2302) reported by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

H.R.2838, Enhancing the Strength and Capacity of America's Primary Evacuation routes (ESCAPE) Act

• Status: January 8, 2020, Senator Markey's (D-MA) companion bill (S.1546) included in the "America's Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019" (S.2302) reported by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

H.R.4374, Aircraft Maintenance Outsourcing Disclosure Act

• Status: November 20, 2019, passed by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure as part of the "Safe Aircraft Maintenance Standards Act" (H.R.5119).

H.R.1764, To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act with respect to permitting terms, and for other purposes.

• Status: October 29, 2019, passed by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure as part of the "Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2019" (H.R.1497).

H.R.830, Flood Insurance for Farmers Act

• Status: June 14, 2019, passed by the Committee on Financial Services as part of the "National Flood Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2019" (H.R.3167).

ASSUMED SPONSORSHIP:

H.R.2838, Enhancing the Strength and Capacity of America's Primary Evacuation routes (ESCAPE) Act

• Status: May 20, 2019, introduced thereby assuming sponsorship of bill from Rep. William R. Keating (D-MA) last Congress.

 

H.R.1435, Sites Reservoir Project Act

• Status: February 28, 2019, introduced thereby assuming sponsorship of bill (Sacramento Valley Water Storage and Restoration Act) from Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) last Congress.

 

H.R.1066, American Food for American Schools Act

• Status: February 7, 2019, introduced thereby assuming sponsorship of bill from Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) last Congress.

 

H.R.864, Wildlife Conservation and Anti-Trafficking Act

• Status: January 30, 2019, introduced thereby assuming sponsorship of bill from Rep. Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-GU) last Congress.

H.R.830, Flood Insurance for Farmers Act

• Status: January 29, 2019, introduced thereby assuming sponsorship of bill ("Flood and Agriculture Risk Management Cost Reduction Act of 2017") from Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) last Congress.

H.R.463, Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act

• Status: September 20, 2019, granted unanimous consent on the House floor to assume sponsorship of bill from late Rep. Walter B. Jones, Jr. (R-NC).

AMENDMENTS ENACTED INTO LAW (14 total):

S.1790, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020

• Status: December 20, 2019, President signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public law 116-92), including your below 11 amendments.

 

• • Garamendi #090: Key provisions from your "Service Member's Occupational and Environmental Transparency Health (OATH) Act" (H.R.2617), requiring DOD to input any occupational/environmental health exposure into servicemembers' records while deployed, so it is tracked throughout their career and into veteran status.

• • Garamendi #089: Requires a report that outlines near-term actions being taken to reduce DOD's reliance on foreign-flagged vessels.

 

• • Garamendi #182: Ensures departing servicemembers and veterans can more easily credit their military service toward earning a Merchant Mariner Credential needed to sail US-flagged vessels.

 

• • Garamendi #351: Requires the DOD to continue to recognize civilian-issued Transportation Worker Identification Cards (TWIC) for workplace access to military maritime terminals and allows the DOD's discretion in recognizing these cards for other installations.

 

• • Garamendi #184: Extends the authority to carry out the backup Global Positioning System (GPS) capability demonstration, which is a current expiring directive authority from the FY2018 NDAA, by an additional 18 months, and extends the report submission requirement by an additional 18 months. This will support the establishment of a reliable backup system if our nation's GPS systems are disrupted or hacked.

 

• • Garamendi #155: Makes technical corrections to the portion of the bill authorizing Military Construction (MilCon) projects.

 

• • Garamendi #164: Requires a briefing on the DOD's support to United States' efforts to combat wildlife trafficking.

 

• • Garamendi #166: Required a report on the requirements for, and policies and procedures governing the domestic use of DOD manned and unmanned aerial systems to support States, territories, and other Federal agencies for disaster-response and other civilian missions.

 

• • Garamendi #156:  Requires a report on the DOD's efforts on corrosion prevention/control, and to determine whether a training center needs to be established. You offered this amendment at the request of Rep. Finkenauer (D-IA).

• • Kelly #217 (CJG cosponsored): Based off the "TRICARE Reserve Select Improvement Act" (H.R.613), introduced by Congressman Trent Kelly (R-MS) of which you were the original cosponsor. Ensures that those serving in the National Guard or Armed Forces Reserve can participate in the TRICARE Reserve Select health insurer program. Under current law, federal employees who also serve in the National Guard or Reserves are prohibited from participating in Tricare Reserve Select. To avoid the issue of mandatory spending increases in markup, this would take effect January 1, 2030.

 

• • Bacon #52 (CJG cosponsored): Requires a report with additional information on the "Air Force We Need" proposal (increase to 386 operational squadrons) to include infrastructure requirements, maintenance, supporting personnel requirements, depot production, industrial base support, etc.

H.R.3409, Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2019

• Status: December 20, 2019, President signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public law 116-92), including your below 3 amendments from the "Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2019" (H.R.3409) included in the Senate NDAA's Maritime Administration (MARAD) title.

 

• • Garamendi #65: Directs U.S. Department of Transportation and National Academy of Public Administration to complete an independent study on the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

 

• • Garamendi #66: Requires U.S. Department of Transportation to designate each State maritime academy/college as "center of excellence" for domestic maritime workforce training and education.

• • Garamendi #67: Implements any "Buy American" requirements for grant funds awarded under the Maritime Administration's Small Shipyard Grant Program.

AMENDMENTS ADOPTED BY COMMITTEE/HOUSE (21 total):

H.R.4447, Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act

• Status: September 24, 2020, passed by the House including your below amendment.

 

• • Garamendi #30: Clarifies that offshore wind projects on the Outer Continental Shelf are indeed subject to jurisdiction of the U.S. Constitution and applicable federal labor and environmental laws, as offshore oil/gas rigs are currently. The House passed this language by voice vote in the 112^th Congress (see H.R. 2360).

H.R.7575, Water Resources Development Act of 2020

• Status: July 29, 2020, passed by the House, including your below report language offered as an amendment during the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's markup.

 

• • Garamendi #164: States that the Army Corps should fully implement the Small Business Act across all the Corps' missions (navigation, aquatic ecosystem restoration, flood risk management) and requires a report to the T&I Committee on the number of small business contracts awarded by each geographic Division of the Corps for each mission. Your amendment, endorsed by the International Union of Operating Engineers, was included as directive report language adopted by the Committee and when the House passed H.R7575 under suspension on July 29, 2020.

H.R.2, Moving Forward Act

• Status: July 1, 2020, passed by the House including your below 3 amendments adopted during the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's markup.

 

• • Garamendi #124: Expands "Buy American" requirements for federally funded highway projects to also include US-made and sourced building "construction materials." This amendment is your "Made in America Act" (H.R.3459).

 

• • Garamendi #126: Lengthens the agreement terms allowing states selected by the U.S. Department of Transportation to complete required National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) work including for "categorical exclusions" for any federally funded projects, on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration. The agreement terms in this amendment, from 5 to 10 years, were specifically requested by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), which has a proven track record of completing this work.

 

• • Garamendi #128: Directs the U.S. Department of Transportation to finally implement a pilot program allowing local transportation agencies to use completed documents under the California Environmental Quality Act to satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act: achieving so-called "CEQA-NEPA equivalency." Congress authorized this pilot program in 2015 under the FAST Act (2015 Highway Bill), but it has never been implemented because USDOT has simply not finished the needed regulations.

H.R.6395, William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021

• Status: July 9, 2020, 12 amendments adopted by the Committee on Armed Services at markup and reported to full House.

 

• • Garamendi #466 (Seapower EB1): Requires certain auxiliary ship components be procured from a manufacturer in the National Technology and Industrial Base.

 

• • Garamendi #415 (Readiness EB1): Directive report language regarding an easement sought by Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority from the Air Force.

 

• • Garamendi #420 (Strategic Forces EB1): Directive report language requesting a briefing on the implementation of an operational GPS backup system required per the National Timing Resilience and Security Act.

 

• • Garamendi #315 (Chairman's EB2): Requires information from the Burn Pit Registry to be integrated into electronic health records, to better document and track exposures to occupational environmental health hazards. The FY2020 conference report required the DOD to input occupational environmental health exposures into servicemembers' records while deployed, following them throughout their career and into veteran status. However, integrating the Burn Pit Registry information into the electronic health records fell out during negotiations, so we offered it again this year since many veterans' health records do not account for their exposures. This language would mandate that the DoD and VA retroactively update their records based on information contained in the Burn Pit Registry.

 

• • Garamendi #413 (Chairman's EB2): Legislatively conveys the decommissioned Sharpe Army Depot to the Port of Stockton for continued public use.

 

• • Garamendi #638 (Chairman's EB2): USFS Land Conveyance to Modoc County, offered on behalf of Rep. LaMalfa with waiver from the Committee on Natural Resources.

 

• • Garamendi #469 (Chairman's EB2): Requires DOD to issue new guidance that provides streamlined approval process/expedited review of requests for the use of unmanned aerial surveillance by the National Guard for emergency operations, SAR, and other activities (i.e. wildfire detection).

 

• • Garamendi #125 (Chairman's EB3): Requires that corrective and preventive maintenance for vessels already under contract be performed in the United States to the extent practicable, and defines corrective and preventive maintenance.

 

• • Norcross #73 (CJG cosponsored): Restricts any FY2021 funds from being used to strip DOD employees of their collective bargaining rights.

 

• • Norcross #63 (CJG cosponsored): Enhances Buy American law for major defense procurements.

 

• • Slotkin #12 (CJG cosponsored): Requires the DOD to publish results of drinking and groundwater PFAS testing conducted on military installations or former defense sites such that they are publicly available. Full text of Rep. Slotkin's (D-MI) "Military PFAS Testing Disclosure Act" (H.R.7392), of which you were the original cosponsor.

 

• • Cheney #276 (CJG cosponsored): Expands a prohibition on acquiring certain sensitive materials from specific countries, effective three years after the date of enactment.

H.R.2500, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020

Status: June 12, 2019, 2 amendments adopted by the Committee on Armed Services at markup.

 

• • Garamendi #166: Requires DOD to issue new policy guidance for the domestic use of unmanned aerial systems to bring into parity their use by the National Guard for emergency, search and rescue, and defense support to civil authorities, as all other Guard aircraft perform these activities under existing law. This amendment aimed to expedite the approval process allowing the National Guard to use unmanned aircraft systems to help track wildfires, perform search and rescue efforts, and assist in other efforts to combat emergencies in California and throughout the nation.

 

• • Garamendi #350: Directs the General Services Administration to establish a five-year program to test each of the three models of commercial e-commerce portals before awarding a final contract to a provider. The Senate bill contained no similar provision and the conference outcome replaced the requirement for a five-year test program with a requirement for cost estimates, and directed that the estimates be submitted within a year after the first contracts are awarded under the program.

H.R.3409, Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2019

• Status: June 26, 2019, 2 amendments adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure:

• • Garamendi #68: Authorizes the Coast Guard to extend the duration of Merchant Mariner credentials and licenses, certificates of registry, and other merchant mariners' documents to: help reduce application backlog; align with expiration dates for transportation worker identification credential (TWIC card) issued by the Transportation Security Administration; and harmonize the expiration dates for Merchant Mariner credentials so that merchant Mariners get full 5-year term on their renewed credential.

• • Garamendi #69: Directs the U.S. Coast Guard and Transportation Security Administration to establish a pilot program allowing individuals to apply jointly for both a Merchant Mariner credential and transportation worker identification credential (TWIC card) with a single application.

CHAIRMAN OF ARMED SERVICES SUBCOMMITTEE ON READINESS:

 

• January 23, 2019: Selected as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness.
  • From 2013-2018, Congressman Garamendi previously served as the lead Democrat (Ranking Member) on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation from 2013-2018.

 

• June 5, 2019: Under Chairman Garamendi's leadership, the Subcommittee on Readiness' mark of the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020" (H.R.2500) included several priorities:

 

• • Addresses problems with the management and oversight of military family housing

 

• • Directs the Department of Defense to plan for installation resiliency

 

• • Responds to drinking water contamination

 

• • Authorizes Funding Military Construction Projects, including at $107.1 million at Travis and $74.2 million at Beale Air Force Bases

 

• • Improves oversight, management, and accountability to improve military readiness

 

• June 13, 2019: Chairman Garamendi and other Democratic members of the Committee on Armed Services voted to report the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020" (H.R.2500).

 

• September 17, 2019: Chairman Garamendi appointed to bicameral conference committee for the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2020.

 

• June 23, 2020: Under Chairman Garamendi's leadership, the Subcommittee on Readiness' mark of the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021" (H.R.6395) included several priorities:

• • Makes investments to support the training, sustainment, and quality of life for military personnel and their families

 

• • Continues efforts to address contamination associated with per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) around military installations

 

• • Continues efforts to address vulnerabilities that threaten the resiliency of military facilities and operations

 

• • Builds on the committee's previous legislative and oversight activities to ensure that military personnel and their families live in quality housing and that the department and private housing partners are responsive to resident concerns

 

• • Supports DOD civilian workforce by strengthening the pay and benefits they receive for their service

 

• • Requires DOD to place an emphasis on the sustainment, logistics, and the infrastructure enterprise to enable military readiness and operations

 

• July 1, 2020: Chairman Garamendi and members of the Committee on Armed Services voted to report the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021" (H.R.26395), including:

 

• • "Put Our Neighbors to Work Act" (H.R.6764), introduced with Readiness Vice-chairman Andy Kim (D-NJ)

 

• • Initiating a "National Maritime Logistics Fleet" Strategy:

 

• • • Directs DoD to conduct a comprehensive assessment on the sustainment and logistics requirements to support the national military strategy (Section 351)

 

• • • Limits the Navy's purchasing of foreign-built ships until a sealift acquisition strategy is finalized (Section 1022)

• • • Strengthens U.S. flagged vessel requirements for the movement of military cargo, bringing military's cargo preference in line with existing cargo preference law for civilian agencies (Section 1024)

 

• • • Authorizes National Defense Sealift funding to accelerate development of an acquisition strategy for sealift recapitalization that maximizes commercial designs (Section 1406)

 

• • • Directs DoD to study the strategic and tactical maritime logistics force required to support maritime logistics and establish a bulk fuel distribution strategy that reduces DoD reliance on Foreign-flagged vessels (Section 2854)

 

• • • Authorizes the establishment of a Tanker Security Program to mitigate the fuel tanker gap in DoD fuel distribution Section 3511—

• November TBD, 2020: Chairman Garamendi appointed to bicameral conference committee for the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021.

OTHER LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 

• October 22, 2020:  Helped secure a $1.4 million grant from California's Wildlife Conservation Board for the Camp-Pendola Fire and Habitat Restoration Project. The project will restore areas surrounding New Bullards Bar Reservoir. Congressman Garamendi submitted a letter of support for the project's grant application to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

 

• August 14, 2020: Secured inclusion of almonds in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Section 32 purchase program to support farmers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Congressman Garamendi led a letter cosigned by Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), TJ Cox (D-CA), Josh Harder (D-CA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Ami Bera (D-CA), Devin Nunes (R-CA).

 

• August 14, 2020: Helped secure the inclusion of walnuts in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Section 32 purchase program to support farmers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Congressman Garamendi co-signed a letter led by Congressman Josh Harder (D-CA).

 

August 11, 2020: Secured the inclusion of walnuts in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to support farmers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Congressman Garamendi co-led a letter with Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) and Jim Costa (D-CA).

 

• October 4, 2019: Secured new, punitive tariffs on canned peaches and mixed fruits exported from the European Union. One June 4, 2019, Garamendi sent a letter with Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, calling for tariffs on European Union canned peaches and canned fruit mixtures.

 

• August 1, 2019: Secured inclusion of walnuts in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Market Facilitation Program to assist farmers impacted by the President's self-inflicted trade war. On June 21, 2019, Congressman Garamendi led a letter cosigned by Congressmen T.J. Cox (D-CA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), and Jim Costa (D-CA) to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue calling for the inclusion of California-grown walnuts in the Trump Administration's newest retaliatory tariff-relief package.

 

• June 6, 2019: Secured key provisions for California in $17.2 billion disaster-relief package (Public Law 116-20), including:

 

• • Working with Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA), extended the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program (WHIP) to cover crop losses stemming from 2018 and 2019 natural disasters, including California wine-grape growers with ‘smoke-tainted' grapes from nearby fires.

 

• • Working with Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), ensuring that Paradise, CA and other communities impacted by wildfires qualify for grants, loans, and other assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Program. The City of Paradise would otherwise exceed the population threshold for the USDA Rural Development Program and not qualify, despite many residents leaving following the 2018 Camp Fire.