CONGRESSMAN DESAULNIER INTRODUCES LANDMARK LEGISLATION TO SUPPORT WORKERS, TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE, PROMOTE CLEAN TRANSPORTATION, AND ADVANCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING

November 8, 2021

Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) announced the introduction of landmark legislation to help transition our economy off fossil fuels to cleaner, renewable energy while simultaneously supporting workers, communities, and state and local governments. The Jobs for a Carbon Free Transportation System Act (H.R. 5896) takes a unique approach to addressing the intersection of three of the biggest challenges our nation faces: climate change, outdated infrastructure, and job insecurity.

REPRESENTATIVES DESAULNIER AND LEE PASS EFFORT TO EXONERATE THE PORT CHICAGO 50

September 23, 2021

Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) successfully passed a measure that directs the Secretary of the United States Navy to publicly exonerate the Port Chicago 50. The effort was included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (H.R. 4350), which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 316-to-113. Passage of the effort comes seventy-seven years after the devastating explosion at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine in Concord, California on July 17, 1944 that led to 50 sailors being unjustly convicted of mutiny.

 

Here are some of the bills we’re tracking…

Endorsed Legislation

 SB 988, The Miles Hall Mental Lifeline Act
AB 988, a bill that would create a new three-digit phone line (9-8-8) for suicide prevention and to provide an immediate localized emergency response by trained mental health professionals for individuals in a mental health crisis. The legislation has seven joint authors, including Assembly Member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan.
 AB 20, The Corporate-Free Elections Act
AB 20, the Corporate-Free Elections Act, would prohibit business entities and corporations from contributing to candidates running for any state or local elected office in the state of California. Corporations and business entities contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to political candidates in California each election cycle.
 
SB 271, the Sheriff Democracy and Diversity Act
Current California law requires that candidates for the office of Sheriff possess a Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) certificate and some combination of salaried law enforcement experience.
These eligibility requirements severely restrict who can run for Sheriff; resulting in few competitive elections, a compelling lack of accountability that harms statewide efforts to reimagine public safety, and a lack of candidate diversity that has led California to have only four females, three Latinx individuals, and two Japanese-Americans holding the office of Sheriff while white males hold the office in the other 49 counties as of 2020, a result that does not reflect California’s demographic makeup.
SB 271 would repeal these restrictions, thereby allowing all registered voters to run for Sheriff, as was possible from 1850 through 1989.