Healthcare

“The Trump administration’s dangerous decision to roll back VA’s already limited abortion access is clearly driven by politics, not patient care,” said Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26), Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health. 

Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced the reintroduction of the Supporting Military Families Exposed to Toxic Substances Act, legislation to extend U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care benefits to eligible military and veteran family members exposed to toxic substances. Specifically, the bill would provide VA health care to family members and other individuals who lived or worked at certain military facilities and have been diagnosed with a presumptive service-connected disability resulting from toxic exposure.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley issued the following statement after House passage of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5371, the Republican spending bill.

More than 35,000 people in a congressional district encompassing much of Ventura County would see their health insurance premiums skyrocket and thousands would drop coverage without the tax credits that are part of the standoff over the government shutdown, U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley said in a Camarillo news conference.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley held a press conference to demand that Republicans end the government shutdown and protect access to affordable health care for millions of Americans. Joined by Ventura County Supervisor Vianey Lopez, Gold Coast Health Plan CEO Dr. Felix Nuñez, and community advocates, Brownley underscored how the shutdown and Republican attacks on health care are devastating families across Ventura County and the nation.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley joined her Democratic Women’s Caucus colleagues in a letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson demanding he bring Republicans to the negotiating table to end the government shutdown. If Congress doesn’t reach a bipartisan agreement, women and families will continue to bear the costs of the Republican health care crisis.

On Thursday, October 23, I will be hosting a telephone town hall with Protect Our Care to talk to my constituents about what is happening to their health care and what House Democrats are doing to negotiate a responsible end to this government shutdown. This is an opportunity for you to ask questions and share your thoughts on the health care crisis and other issues important to you. If you’re interested in joining, visit my website to sign up. 

Yesterday, the federal government entered a “shutdown” caused by a lapse in appropriated resources. Republicans control the House, Senate, and the White House – the three bodies necessary to fund the government. And still, extremists in Congress chose to shut the government down rather than find common ground and negotiate with Congressional Democrats. 

Congresswoman Julia Brownley and Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan announced the reintroduction of a bipartisan resolution recognizing September 25 as Military Sexual Trauma Awareness Day, underscoring the urgent need to confront the issue of military sexual trauma (MST), which affects both women and men within the Armed Forces. 

Congresswoman Julia Brownley introduced Katie Meyer’s Law, legislation to ensure students at higher education institutions have the right to select an independent adviser to help them navigate disciplinary proceedings and create new reporting requirements for campus suicide incidents. The bill was inspired by the life of Katie Meyer, whose tragic passing underscored the urgent need for greater protections and support for students.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley and fellow Democratic colleagues have urged the Trump administration to rescind its proposed rule to reinstate a near-total ban on abortion care and abortion counseling at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As a longtime champion for women veterans’ healthcare, Brownley participated in multiple efforts to underscore the dangers of the rule.

Over 140,000 residents across Ventura County and the Conejo Valley receive Social Security benefits, according to the Social Security Administration, and they deserve to have their benefits strengthened and protected – not subject to risky bets of Wall Street. I am working with my Democratic colleagues to not only protect your benefits from these cuts, but also to enhance benefits to keep them up with rising costs.

In direct response to the Trump administration’s proposed rule to roll back abortion access for veterans, Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced the introduction of the Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Act, which would guarantee that veterans and eligible dependents have the right to receive abortion care, medication, and counseling through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), without interference from political appointees or partisan agendas and protected by law.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley joined Congresswoman Luz Rivas, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (CA), and 33 of her Democratic colleagues in urging U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to reconsider the termination of the legal status of S.G.V. (identified by her initials for privacy reasons). S.G.V. is a four-year-old girl from Bakersfield living with short bowel syndrome who is facing deportation and could die if she loses medical care at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley signed a discharge petition to force an up-or-down vote in the House to protect Medicaid and food assistance from devastating budget cuts proposed by House Republicans.

Friday morning, Democratic Congresswoman Julia Brownley joined health care providers in denouncing Republicans’ proposal to cut 1.5 to 2 trillion dollars from the federal budget over the next decade, saying it could lead to the largest Medicaid cut in history. 

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley joined local healthcare leaders at the Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc.’s Karen R. Burham Health Center in Oxnard to denounce the Republican proposal for the largest Medicaid cuts in history – jeopardizing care for millions, including over 200,000 Ventura County residents.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, hosted a roundtable to hear from local veterans about the impacts they’re experiencing related to workforce cuts in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.