February 2010 Archives

By Congressman Brad Sherman

We need to eliminate waste and abuse so our scarce tax dollars can help provide quality education for our children and protect Social Security and Medicare. That’s why I helped lead the fight against bailing out Wall Street, and why I am currently helping to lead the effort to get all our money back from Wall Street and prevent future bailouts.

However, my chief priority is to get our economy moving again so there are quality jobs in the San Fernando Valley. Here are some ways I am working to improve the well-being of Valley families:

Fixing the Economy

Last year, Congress enacted the Stimulus Bill. So far, this legislation has saved or created 2 million jobs that would otherwise not exist today. Millions of dollars have flowed to the San Fernando Valley for transportation. Hundreds of teachers who were slated to be laid off in this economic crisis are still teaching our kids, paid for with Stimulus funds.

California faces a $20 billion budget deficit. I introduced the Zero Cost Economic Recovery Act. Under this bill, the federal government would guarantee state and local bonds, allowing California to borrow funds at low rates. This will cost the federal government nothing while allowing California to provide jobs by beginning important water, road and high-speed rail projects.

Improving Valley Transportation

The Stimulus Bill included millions in federal funding to help accelerate construction of a carpool lane and ramp improvements on both the 405 and 5 Freeways. The 405 Freeway Sepulveda Pass widening project, which broke ground last year, will benefit from $190 million in stimulus funds. Los Angeles will also use nearly $24 million from the Stimulus Bill to resurface streets, install new traffic signals and improve highway-rail grade crossings throughout the San Fernando Valley.

Fighting to Save Entertainment Jobs

A recent study has found that the motion picture industry loses $20.5 billion annually due to phony DVDs and other piracy. This costs nearly 150,000 new American jobs, many in the San Fernando Valley. I cosponsored and helped pass the PRO-IP Act, which is improving the enforcement of intellectual property laws and has increased the penalties for piracy.

I continue to believe that there are more good ideas in the Valley than in Washington, which is why I appreciate hearing from you. Do not hesitate to contact my San Fernando Valley office to share yours, (818) 501-9200.

WASHINGTON, DC – On Sunday, February 21st, Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) hosted a town hall at Reseda High School, fielding questions from some of the approximately 800 hundred constituents who attended.

Sherman has held over 100 town halls since coming to Congress. In January, Congressman Sherman conducted a Telephone Town Hall with nearly 5,000 Valley residents.

Congressman Sherman provided a brief update about his work in Congress before responding to questions about major federal issues, including the condition of the economy, health care and terrorism.

“Town hall meetings are critical to the public policy process, providing an opportunity for me to hear about the most pressing concerns in our community and to elaborate on the work that my colleagues and I are tackling in Congress. We had a good discussion about a wide variety of issues that are important to the daily lives of Valley residents,” said Congressman Brad Sherman. “At a time when many of us are struggling to endure challenging economic times, it is inspiring how united we remain, and how dedicated we are to making our communities stronger.”

Sherman highlighted his continued work fighting against bailouts for Wall Street firms and protecting consumers. Congressman Sherman fought against the $700 billion Wall Street bailout sought by former President Bush. Sherman remains a leading voice in the effort to prevent the Executive Branch of the federal government from getting the authority to provide unlimited bailouts to the giants on Wall Street.

Sherman reiterated his commitment to protecting consumers in the Valley by working on legislation to prevent abuses in overdraft protection. New regulations require banks to obtain the consumer’s consent before enrolling them in expensive overdraft programs. Banks are now required to warn customers when an ATM transaction would cause an overdraft and give the customer the opportunity to cancel the transaction before the overdraft fee is charged. Finally, banks are prohibited from reordering withdrawals to maximize customer fees.

Congressman Sherman directed his constituents to his Sherman Oaks office, (818) 501-9200, for further assistance in solving problems with federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs. He encouraged constituents to visit his website (www.BradSherman.house.gov) for more helpful information.

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) recently launched the newest version of BradSherman.House.gov, featuring a redesigned navigation structure, new graphics and other improvements. This is the first major website redesign for Congressman Sherman since April 2004.

Visitors to the new website will still be able to share their views on the issues facing Congress through the popular Federal Issues Questionnaire and Comment Box.

Congressman Sherman’s new website introduces a number of new features including, online polls, a frequently asked question page, an interactive district map, video and picture galleries, RSS Feeds and a tag cloud system.

“I am honored to represent the San Fernando Valley, and through our increased online presence I have a better opportunity to communicate with constituents and hear what people have to say,” said Congressman Sherman. “Knowing that many people spend much of their day online, I recognize the importance of having a website that better connects Valley residents with the constituent services we provide and the work being done in Washington.”

Congressman Sherman is committed to providing excellent constituent services. These services now extend beyond the walls of his offices in the San Fernando Valley and Washington, DC and into homes across the district.

In the last few years, Congressman Sherman’s online presence has grown, establishing an official account on Twitter, a YouTube channel, and a Facebook page.

The new website can be accessed at www.BradSherman.house.gov. As always, San Fernando Valley Residents without access to the internet can contact Congressman Sherman’s Valley Office at 818-501-9200.