Environment

Garamendi led a letter to the Agriculture Secretary urging him to designate the Bay-Delta watershed as a critical conservation area. This will make private companies, agriculture groups, universities, non-profit organizations, local and tribal governments and others eligible for conservation funding.

"On issues as global as wasteful spending in our nuclear weapons program to as local as supporting a thriving arts scene, Davis is driven to make things better," Garamendi said.

“This bill will help protect communities from devastating floods and threats to public health. It will also accelerate American business growth and job creation," said Garamendi.

"Protecting our great outdoors provides enormous benefits. ... When independent entities demonstrate a commitment and ability to manage conservation easements, states should be allowed to designate them as managers."

Many breweries currently reuse their spent grain to feed cattle, sometimes for beef used at restaurants on premises. The FDA proposed a regulation that would have pointlessly made this practice prohibitively expensive, thus increasing food waste and cutting into brewery profits. Following a letter from Garamendi and LaMalfa, the FDA announced that they would not pursue the regulation. This is a victory for sustainable agricultural practices and California’s craft breweries.

He praised Davis Aggies for their innovation and entrepreneurship, pledging to continue as a champion for the school and the region’s businesses.

“If enacted into law, this extreme Tea Party-inspired budget would wreck havoc on my district and communities across America,” said Congressman Garamendi. “Construction on levees in flood prone Sacramento Valley communities would be delayed. College students would shoulder even more debt. Agricultural researchers at UC Davis would see their groundbreaking work halted. Seniors in Rio Vista would see their health costs skyrocket. Struggling families in my district would see food, housing, and health care taken away from them.”

Congressman John Garamendi spoke of the importance of investing in renewable energy technologies to help reduce the impacts of climate change. Congressman Garamendi applauded the President’s budget for supporting programs like the renewable energy tax credit and called for Congress to develop an energy plan that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.