Last week, Congress convened for the first votes of 2022.
Early in the week, the House passed bipartisan legislation to bring equitable access to the GI Bill benefits for servicemembers of the National Guard and Reserve. The Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act of 2021 ensures that every day spent in uniform – including required training – counts towards the educational assistance benefits of these servicemembers. This bill recognizes the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve who are on the front lines of some of our greatest challenges, including responding to wildfires throughout our state and the pandemic that has ravaged communities throughout our country.
The House Majority also took decisive action to protect Americans’ fundamental right to vote. As many state legislatures pass restrictive measures to suppress the voters’ rights, the House passed historic voting rights legislation that would protect voters’ access to the ballot, fight big money in politics, and end partisan gerrymandering. The voting rights legislation before Congress is imperative to protecting the right to vote and safeguarding free and fair elections, which are a cornerstone to our democracy.
As the new year begins, I also wanted to highlight several of my bills that became law in 2021.
Despite the challenges of 2021, the House Majority delivered major legislative wins to help rebuild our economy, cut taxes and reduce costs for the middle class, expand healthcare access, and made historic investments in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. I am proud of what we have accomplished to honor our veterans, combat the climate crisis with the urgency it demands, and support working families.
Even with these critical achievements, there is still work to do and I am committed to fighting for our community’s priorities in Congress.
Today, many Americans across our country will come together to celebrate and honor the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a civil rights giant, whose work was grounded in the founding ideals of our nation.
Dr. King had faith in America and our democracy. Let us recommit ourselves to take action toward realizing Dr. King’s dream and live up to our founding creed that all people are created equal. Let us work toward bringing our nation together and moving us toward becoming the “more perfect union” our country strives to be.
It is my honor to represent you in Congress, and I look forward to continuing to serve you in 2022.
As always, if you or someone you know needs assistance with a federal agency, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am here to help!
Sincerely,
JULIA BROWNLEY
Member of Congress