Local Issues

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley announced $17 million in federal funding for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects in Ventura County at Channel Islands Harbor, Ventura Harbor, and the Port of Hueneme.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) today announced that Cecelia Wong, a senior at Rancho Campana High School, won the 2019 Congressional App Challenge for California’s 26th Congressional District. Cecelia created Speek, an augmentative and alternative communication app that helps people with non-verbal disabilities communicate with others.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) announced that Nina Moussavi will serve as her new District Director.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) announced Ventura County will receive more than $1.5 million from the U.S. Department of Interior through the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program to help local governments maintain critical community services.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) announced her office is hosting a series of information nights across Ventura County to help students and their families learn more about attending a service academy and the Congressional nomination process.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) announced California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) will receive $2,500,000 in federal funding from the National Science Foundation for a project aimed at decreasing equity gaps and increasing graduation rates among Latinx and female students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) today announced the launch of the 2019 Congressional App Challenge for California’s 26th District. The Congressional App Challenge is a competition for middle school and high school students to create their own software applications. Students of all coding experiences are welcome to participate.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) today announced the eight Ventura County students she nominated who have accepted appointments to attend one of the five U.S. Service Academies this fall.

On Friday, May 31st, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) and Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D-FL), Chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, took a tour of Ventura County to discuss the various ways climate change is already affecting and will continue to impact different sectors of the region. Congresswoman Brownley and Chair Castor visited Naval Base Ventura County – Point Mugu, held a roundtable discussion at the Port of Hueneme, and toured Houweling’s Tomatoes in Camarillo.  

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) announced more than $2.2 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Continuum of Care Program to help end homelessness in Ventura County.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) today announced the launch of the 2019 Congressional Art Competition for California’s 26th District. The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide high school visual arts competition that was started in 1982 to recognize artistic talent in each Congressional District.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) announced that Ventura County will receive more than $67,000 in funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to support 390 Senior Corps volunteers. This grant, awarded to the City of Oxnard Recreation Division, will continue the presence of the Senior Corps Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in the region.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) and Congressman Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) announced that they will continue to serve as the co-chairs of the Congressional Range and Testing Center Caucus in the 116th Congress. The Caucus serves as a forum to educate Members of Congress about Department of Defense major range and test facilities, like Naval Base Ventura County and Arnold Air Force Base, and advocate for policies that support these critical national security assets.

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Natural Resources Management Act (S. 47), which includes a bill co-authored by Congresswoman Katie Hill (D-CA) and Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) to establish a memorial and national monument for the 1928 Saint Francis Dam disaster. California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris introduced the bill in the Senate, which was incorporated into S. 47 and passed by the Senate on February 12. With today’s House passage, the legislation goes to the President’s desk for signature. More than 400 people perished when the dam burst on March 12, 1928, making this the second deadliest tragedy in California state history, behind only the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) today announced that Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen will be her guest at the State of the Union on Tuesday.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) welcomed the White House’s announcement that Sergeant Major (Ret.) John Canley of Oxnard will receive the prestigious Medal of Honor for his heroism during the Vietnam War. Brownley’s legislation making Canley eligible to receive the medal, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, was signed into law in January.

Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) toured Smiths Interconnect, located in Thousand Oaks, a company that designs, manufactures, and tests precision antennas and antenna systems, on Tuesday. She met with Smiths Interconnect employees and saw firsthand the critical role local manufacturers play in our region’s economy as part of her “Julia at Your Job” series.

Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) announced that Chabad of Camarillo received a $125,000 Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program grant from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to help prevent youth substance abuse.