Press Releases
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today announced the Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) was awarded a two-year $4.1 million federal SAFER grant to hire and train 12 new firefighters. The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Swalwell, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, wrote a letter to FEMA in September in support of the grant for the Alameda County Fire Department.
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) released the following statement tonight following President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address to a Joint Session of Congress:
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today honored fallen Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Officer Sergeant Thomas (Tommy) Smith, who was tragically killed last week while on duty. Sgt. Smith resided in San Ramon, in Rep. Swalwell's congressional district.
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today organized Democratic Members of Congress on the House Floor to urge Speaker Boehner to immediately restore unemployment benefits for the 1.4 million Americans who recently lost this vital lifeline due to Congressional inaction. Swalwell and 20 Democrats demanded that House Republican Leadership allow an up-or-down vote on H.R. 3824, which would extend emergency unemployment insurance for three months.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Eric Swalwell (CA-15) released the following statement after Congressman George Miller (CA-11) announced that he will retire from the House of Representatives at the end of this term:
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) challenged fellow freshman Congressman Robert Pittenger (R-NC) to a wager on Sunday's NFC game between the San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers. Swalwell will provide Pittenger's office with wine from the Livermore Valley if the Panthers win; if the 49ers are victorious Swalwell's office will receive famous Carolina barbecue.
PLEASANTON, CA – U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) announced that his work to allow military bands to once again perform at community events was successful, with the signing into law of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) last month. A provision in the NDAA, based on an amendment Swalwell passed in the House, would fix a bureaucratic problem at the Department of Defense (DoD) which had been preventing events, like the Scottish Games in Pleasanton, from hosting military bands even when their sponsor agrees to pay the cost.
HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA – U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today urged an immediate extension of unemployment insurance to prevent 214,800 Californians from losing their benefits on Dec. 28. An additional 325,800 Californians will lose their benefits in the first six months of 2014 without any legislative action by Congress. Rep. Swalwell previously sent two letters calling on Speaker Boehner to allow the House of Representatives to consider an extension of this program. California's unemployment rate remains above the national average at 8.9 percent.
HAYWARD, CA – U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today announced that Microvi Biotechnologies in Hayward was awarded a $1.5 million federal grant over two years to develop a high performance bioprocess for eliminating "1,4-Dioxane," a probable human carcinogen, in water. The grant was provided through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
CALIFORNIA – U.S. Representatives Eric Swalwell (CA-15) and Mike Thompson (CA-5) led a bipartisan letter signed by 19 California Members of Congress to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki urging a supremely qualified candidate with a proven record of success to fill the open director position at the Oakland VA. The hiring decision is of utmost importance, as the Oakland VA has one of the worst benefits claims backlogs of all regional offices across the country, with veterans waiting on average more than a year to have their benefits case resolved.