In The News
Gloria proposes ‘Sexy Streets’ repair program for underserved communities
Nearly $40 million would be directed toward repairing streets and roads in historically underserved communities under a proposed “Sexy Streets” program, Mayor Todd Gloria announced Monday. Gloria was joined by Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-San Diego, and City Councilwoman Monica Montgomery Steppe at a news conference Monday morning as he highlighted key portions of his proposal. “People say infrastructure isn’t a sexy topic. I disagree — and that’s why I call newly paved roads `sexy streets,”‘ Gloria … Continue Reading
April 30, 2021
Advocates ask Biden administration to reverse Trump restrictions on asylum for domestic violence survivors
Immigration advocates and domestic violence experts are calling on the Biden administration to reverse Trump-era policies that made it increasingly difficult for survivors of gender-based violence — including acts of domestic violence — to seek asylum in the United States. President Joe Biden has committed to restoring protections for people fleeing domestic violence, but he has not reversed those policies. At Biden’s first address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, he asked … Continue Reading
April 30, 2021
100 Days Later, What Has Biden Actually Done?
Since taking office on January 20, President Joe Biden hasn’t wasted any time making his mark on the presidency, signing the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill and issuing a slew of executive orders overturning Trump’s draconian immigration policies. On Wednesday night, Biden announced the sweeping, New Deal-like $1.8 trillion American Families Plan — an unprecedented federal investment in education, childcare, and paid family leave — which would be paid for by raising taxes on the … Continue Reading
April 29, 2021
Representative Sara Jacobs: President Biden's address "gave us reasons" to feel hopeful
Congresswoman Sarah Jacobs, a Democrat from California, says President Joe Biden's address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday gave Americans many reasons to feel "hopeful." She joins CBSN's Tanya Rivero for a closer look at Mr. Biden's speech and on his pledge to get the DREAM Act passed. + to view the full interview, click … Continue Reading
April 29, 2021
A Fight Over Work Requirements Is An Early Hurdle For Democrats’ Child Care Plan
The leading proposal to revitalize and expand the nation’s broken child care system, which would spend billions of dollars to make child care free for millions of families and cheaper for millions more, has met its moment. It has political winds at its back amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has provided the public with a brutal reminder of the issue’s importance. It has the backing of the two leading Democrats with jurisdiction over the topic, widespread support among Senate Democrats … Continue Reading
April 28, 2021
San Diego Dems Praise President Biden’s ‘Bold’ and ‘Transformative’ Vision Before Congress
The two newest Democratic members of the San Diego County congressional delegation praised President Biden’s address to Congress as a “bold” and “transformative” vision for America. “As one of the youngest members of Congress I thought that it was especially important that President Biden put forward a transformative vision of the future,” said Sara Jacobs, who is serving her first term representing the 53rd District in central San Diego County. “President Biden laid out a bold vision to … Continue Reading
April 27, 2021
Congressional News Conference on Universal Child Care
To view the full press conference, click … Continue Reading
April 27, 2021
Elizabeth Warren: It's a 'win' Biden describes childcare as 'infrastructure'
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., praised President Biden's priority on childcare as she pushed to include her universal day care proposal into the next round of infrastructure spending. "We have a president who is describing childcare as infrastructure. I think it's time to take the win," Warren said Tuesday of her former Democratic presidential rival. "And now we just want to fill in the details." Warren made the comments outside the Capitol as she reintroduced her Universal Child … Continue Reading
April 27, 2021
Democrats signal House bill go further than Biden proposal on child tax credit
Key House Democrats on Tuesday signaled the House will include a permanent expansion of the child tax credit (CTC) in legislation based on President Biden’s forthcoming family-focused plan, though Biden is expected to only propose extending the expansion of the credit for several years. “The House will be writing the bill, and we will be making the child tax credit permanent,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said during a virtual press … Continue Reading
April 22, 2021
Rep. Nancy Mace Says Women's Workforce Exodus During COVID 'Dialed Back' Decades of Progress
As part of A Starting Point's (ASP) Explore series, U.S. Representatives Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) discussed the impact of the gender pay gap and the effect the coronavirus pandemic has had on women in the workforce. "The gender pay gap is exactly what it sounds like: It's the difference in pay that men get versus women or LGBTQ+ counterparts," Jacobs said. Regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation, Mace said, "the same person working the same job with the same … Continue Reading
April 20, 2021
Local officials react to conviction of Derek Chauvin in George Floyd's murder
Jurors reached their verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd, convicting the former Minneapolis officer in Floyd's death. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's May 2020 death. San Diego County leaders reacted to the conviction, saying justice had been served and more work must be done. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said the conviction was "rightly called": “The jury has rightly called this … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
New bill protects service members with disabled family members from additional housing costs
For eight months after moving in, she requested the housing office remove it. Then in August, she tripped on it, fell and broke her back. After her injury, the company sent workers to fix the carpet. They used duct tape and told Fourtner if she wanted the carpet removed, it would cost her about $8,000. A House bill introduced last week attempts to clarify that private companies leasing to military families on bases cannot charge for needed upgrades to meet a resident’s disability. Fourtner, … Continue Reading
April 16, 2021
Biden Backs Off Trump-Era Refugee Cap as Democrats Like Sara Jacobs Protest
Hours after he signed an order Friday limiting U.S. refugee admissions this year to the historically low 15,000 cap set under his predecessor Donald Trump, President Biden reversed course under Democratic pressure. Earlier, Biden shelved a plan to raise the cap to 62,500. But that first announcement drew immediate criticism from Democratic leaders, including Rep. Sara Jacobs of San Diego. In a statement, the first-term Democrat said she was extremely disappointed that the White House has … Continue Reading
April 14, 2021
Why undocumented essential workers need to be part of Biden’s massive infrastructure package
On Tuesday, April 13, a bicameral group of Democratic lawmakers delivered a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to prioritize legislation that would offer a simple and unobstructed pathway to citizenship for undocumented essential workers in the second round of his infrastructure package. In the letter, the lawmakers are requesting Biden to include H.R 1909/S. 747, aka the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act, as a top priority in the American Family Plan — the name of the second part … Continue Reading
April 13, 2021
Democrats send letter to Biden requesting immigration bill in second part of infrastructure package
A bicameral group of Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Tuesday requesting he prioritize legislation that would offer a pathway to citizenship to undocumented essential workers in the second part of his two-part infrastructure package set to address education and childcare. In the letter obtained by CNN, the lawmakers said they want Biden to include H.R. 1909/S. 747, the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act, as a priority in the American Families Plan, the name of … Continue Reading
April 13, 2021
How President Biden’s infrastructure plan could be used for fixing up San Diego housing
It is common for homes in San Diego County’s poorest neighborhoods to be more than 100 years old and many of them could probably use much more than a new paint job. President Joe Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan introduced recently includes a piece of legislation that would give homeowners tax credits to fix up old houses in certain areas of San Diego County. Some of the areas identified for repair and investment are some of the region’s poorest: San Ysidro, National City and parts … Continue Reading
April 12, 2021
New co-chairs named for congressional caucus for millennials
The Millennial Action Project has named Reps. Blake Moore (R-Utah) and Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) the new co-chairs of the Congressional Future Caucus. According to a press release sent out Monday, the caucus is focused on bridging partisan divides and creating policy-driven solutions for the next generation of leaders. Under the new leadership, the caucus will focus on issues that are affecting the younger generation, which include democracy modernization, sustainable energy solutions and … Continue Reading
April 11, 2021
House members still reeling from Capitol siege
House Democrats still reeling from the Jan. 6 Capitol assault have found a new refuge: a group text chain in which they share everything from their anxieties to recipes and other attention-shifters. What they're saying: “I liken it to that experience when I was in combat,” said Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), a decorated Army Ranger and veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan who's one of about 20 members in the “Gallery Group." “When you go through a traumatic experience and a situation like that … Continue Reading
April 10, 2021
First bill by Rep. Stephanie Bice addresses military housing upgrades for disabled residents
Rep. Stephanie Bice introduced bipartisan legislation on Thursday to ensure residents of military housing don’t have to pay for upgrades necessary to accommodate disabilities. Bice, R-Oklahoma City, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said, “Military families endure enough stress and financial strain without having to bear the burden for required upgrades to housing provided by the military for a disabled family member.” The freshman lawmaker’s first bill was coauthored with Rep. Sara … Continue Reading
March 29, 2021
Millennials, forged by recession and ridicule, are ascendant in Washington
When the Senate's first millennial, Jon Ossoff, heads to a vote, he skips the golden, senators-only elevator and takes the back stairs, two at a time — maybe because he's a young man in a hurry or maybe because he needs the steps. Regardless of why, the 34-year-old Ossoff is blazing the millennial trail in Washington, part of a new crop of politicos and policy wonks, including the first Cabinet member in Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who recently arrived in Washington ready to take … Continue Reading