Sam's Newsletter - January 21, 2025
Hello Friends,
It’s me – Sam Liccardo! Welcome to my first-ever Congressional newsletter! If you’re not already subscribed, sign up here so we can stay connected.
We’ve had a whirlwind of a few weeks getting my term underway – let’s recap:
Getting Started
The Constitution mandates that the new Congressional session commences on January 3rd. California was not part of our great nation then, so they couldn’t have predicted how jarring January would be for this West Coast guy.
My team and I opened the doors to our new office in Longworth 1117, turned up the thermostat, and welcomed guests for an open house. It was a pleasure hosting California Senator Padilla, Representative Pete Aguilar, Representative Zoe Lofgren, and many friends.
Before heading to the House Floor to be sworn in, I connected with our local media here in DC. In case you missed it, check out my interview with KGO here.
Then, it was time for the big moment: swearing-in. Raising my hand and taking my oath to uphold the Constitution and serve our country provided a moment to reflect, amid a rush of emotions. I feel both humbled and very grateful to serve our community in the 119th Congress.
Committee Assignment
Biology textbooks define the lowest form of life on the planet as a “frosh member of the minority party on Capitol Hill.” So, we don’t get our first choice of committee assignments, and the competition and jockeying for many committees can be fierce. It’s also uncommon for a frosh to be appointed to one of the four “exclusive” committees (Ways & Means, Energy & Commerce, Appropriations, and Financial Services), and only two Democratic rookies got a placement on an exclusive committee. So, I feel very grateful to be one of the two, and I will begin my tenure on the House Financial Services Committee next week. The Financial Services Committee has jurisdiction and oversight over many important sectors of our economy, including housing, banking, insurance, capital markets, fintech, and monetary policy. We’ve begun early conversations with colleagues about housing bills to attempt to relieve the cost burdens of millions of American families. More to come!
Saying Farewell to the Bidens and Starting a New Era
Over my first weekend in Washington, Jessica and I visited the White House, where President Biden and First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, graciously welcomed all new members for a reception. When I last spoke with President Biden, we talked in the Oval Office about gun violence prevention measures we’d launched in San Jose, and I feel grateful for his life of commitment to that critical issue and so many others–environmental sustainability, economic fairness, and much more, but above all, to decency. In my interview with the Associated Press, I shared my thoughts on this torch-passing moment.
Now, our country has begun a new era under President Trump. Like my Democratic colleagues–and unlike the chaos of four years ago – I declined to object to the certification of electors on January 6th. It’s critical to set an example for the future, to honor the essential tradition of our now-vulnerable democracy: the peaceful transfer of power, pursuant to the will of the voters. It has been said that “democracy depends on the consent of the loser.”
Legislative Corner
I want to make sense of the legislation we’re considering in Congress. So, I have created two-minute segments called, “Sip with Sam” on my social media pages. If you want to hear more about my thoughts on what we’re voting on, please pull up a cup of Joe, and check out my videos on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).
To begin the 119th Congress, Republican leadership brought forward a dozen bills for immediate consideration and vote, as is the prerogative of the controlling party. The bills have several characteristics in common: First, the GOP leadership mandated a “closed rule” – no amendments, and no committee consideration or hearings– just a simple up-or-down. Second, not a single one of the bills purports to address the single most important issue to Americans today: the skyrocketing cost of living. That’s an astounding 0-for-12 on America’s #1 priority, based on virtually every survey. Third, most of the bills amount to “gotcha” legislation: carrying titles that make any American conclude, “Well, ‘Preventing Violence Against Women’ seems like a no-brainer, right?” One of the bills was a no-brainer– to relieve thousands of Americans and Taiwanese nationals of the burden of unfair double taxation— so I voted for it last week. Several of the remaining bills– such as H.R. 28., H.R. 29, and H.R. 30 – reflect a lack of careful crafting that will result in many harmful unintended consequences.
Take H.R. 30, for example, which would purport to make undocumented immigrants deportable for committing crimes such as rape and domestic violence. In case you’re wondering: yes, noncitizens already have been deportable on those grounds– for many decades. Twenty-five years ago, I prosecuted convicted rapists for re-entering the country under federal law. So, no, this bill wouldn’t do anything helpful in that regard–based on my years of experience as a criminal prosecutor of these crimes–but it did grab plenty of headlines and TV coverage.
Like other prosecutors, I frequently encountered the largest barrier to reducing sexual assault and domestic violence in our community: fear. Most survivors of domestic violence or rape cannot overcome their fear and the swirl of other painful emotions to report the crime and testify in court. So, most assailants avoid arrest. Often, there’s a good reason for victims to feel fearful –particularly if they are not U.S. citizens themselves. Some sexual assault and DV survivors, for example, are themselves charged with battery or assault because they tried to resist by biting an ear or kicking the groin of their assailant. Too often, they are arrested because the rapist will call the cops first to undermine the survivor’s credibility. In existing federal law, protections existed to ensure that rape and other crime victims wouldn’t themselves become deportable because of such pretextual accusations. HR 30, however, omitted such protections, making reporting victims vulnerable. This oversight drew the ire and opposition of more than 200 women and domestic violence survivors’ advocacy groups. That uniform opposition of survivors appears particularly astounding for a bill entitled, “Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act.” I voted against H.R. 30, but the Republican majority approved it anyway.
We have several more of these “closed rule” (i.e., no amendments allowed) bills to consider in the days ahead. We can only hope that Republican Speaker Johnson will take a breath, and change course, allowing the legislative process to work–with hearings, amendments, and meaningful debate that avoids these harmful unintended consequences. Stay tuned…
Back in the Bay
This weekend, I was happy to be back in the Bay Area and connecting with you all in person. I can’t do this job without hearing from YOU, so if you have an event you’d like me to attend, please fill out this form on my website. I’ll be sharing more about my adventures in our community on social media, so follow along!
Photo Finish
Congress could learn a thing or two from California’s cities, and we need more legislators who act like mayors. As a recovering mayor myself, I see tremendous value in keeping open lines of communication with local officials. I was happy to meet with three mayors this week– Palo Alto Mayor Ed Lauing (pictured here), Sunnyvale Mayor Larry Klein, and Woodside Mayor Brian Dombkowski.
We talked about a range of issues, including measures we can work on together to reduce fire risk in our hillsides and improve traffic safety. I look forward to working with Ed – and other Bay Area mayors – throughout my term.
Sam's Reading Corner
- President Trump’s policy agenda may result in mass deportations, and the prospect has has frightened thousands of our neighbors, many of whom have been living, working, abiding by our laws, and contributing to our community for decades and I am doing all I can to play defense in Washington. I shared my concerns with San Jose Spotlight.
- Our hearts go out to our Southern California neighbors enduring the devastating wildfires Firefighters from throughout our region have rushed to LA County to help. Read about the heroic efforts of San Mateo County’s finest in the San Mateo Daily Journal.
- In one of his final acts in office, President Biden said the Equal Rights Amendment should become law. It’s time for Congress and the Courts to align with our outgoing President and 3/4 of our state legislatures on a long-overdue recognition of the ERA as the law of the land. Follow coverage in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Sincerely,
Sam Liccardo