Healthcare

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA-26) joined U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), along with over 55 congressional colleagues in pressing Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency escalating violence in American communities on children. […]

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the VA Marriage and Family Therapists Equity Act, legislation authored by Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health.

The move is drawing condemnation from some Democrats in Congress – and praise from some Republicans. Rep. Julia Brownley, a California Democrat and member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, has introduced a bill that would add abortion and abortion counseling as services provided under law.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, introduced a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), to formally overturn the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) recently finalized abortion rule.  

This week marks 53 years since the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, a decision that reshaped our nation by affirming women’s autonomy over their bodies and their futures. In 2022, that progress was reversed when the Supreme Court overturned Roe in Dobbs v. Jackson — stripping away a fundamental freedom that generations of women relied upon.

Today marks the 53rd anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, which for nearly half a century provided constitutional protection for abortion and affirmed the right to make personal health care decisions free from government interference. That protection was dismantled by the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, a devastating setback for reproductive freedom in the United States. Against this backdrop, Congresswoman Julia Brownley released the following statement on her strong opposition to two extreme, misleading bills brought to the House floor by anti-choice Republicans.

Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., said that the VA is becoming a payer, rather than a provider, of health services. “VA is not shutting down facilities, but it does not require important oversight for veterans to receive care in the community,” Brownley said. “It seems competition is the oversight piece in the contract.”

Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., has introduced legislation to overturn the new restrictions. The Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Act would guarantee veterans and their eligible family members “a protected legal right” to receive abortion services from the VA. The bill has collected 118 co-sponsors and was referred to the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health.

“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.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley, who represents sections of Ventura County, addressed the impacts the federal government shutdown is having on local residents during a press conference held Nov. 3 at Santa Paula City Hall. Brownley’s shutdown concerns centered around the halt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and ongoing health care coverage. 

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.