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"I haven't learned this much in a single year in my entire life."
That's how Rep. Eric Swalwell describes his first 12 months as a congressman.
The East Bay Democrat was sworn in on Jan. 3, 2013 after defeating 40-year incumbent Congressman Pete Stark by a surprisingly easy margin in the November 2012 election.
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.
Freshman Rep. Eric Swalwell of California was 3,000 miles from Washington when he scored one of the greatest successes of his congressional career.
In his East Bay district, knocking on constituents' doors, Swalwell met a man who said he hadn't heard from his brother in the Philippines in days, since Typhoon Haiyan hit the islands. The Democratic congressman took down the man's phone number and called him back with information about the State Department's hotline for locating missing relatives.
PLEASANTON — A new federal law clears the way for a Marine Corps band to play again at the Scottish Highland Gathering and Games after a one-year absence.
In 2013, the Department of Defense barred travel for military bands playing at many community events, including the Scottish Games in Pleasanton, even if event sponsors paid the travel costs.
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.
Habitat for Humanity typically builds houses, but a Habitat event last month tore one down.
A team of Livermore-based Sandia National Laboratories volunteers led by the lab's engineering services manager Larry Carrillo kicked off a new Habitat for Humanity project that will partially demolish and rebuild a dilapidated 60-year-old house in Livermore.
Once completed, Habitat will offer the house to a veteran.
"I couldn't be happier about this project," said Livermore Mayor John Marchand.
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.
DUBLIN, Calif. —
In Dublin, those looking to pick the perfect Christmas tree Sunday were by one of the last people expected to be working there: U.S. Congressman Eric Swalwell.
Swalwell told KTVU Sunday that his work at the Morning Glory Farm Christmas Trees was part of his monthly attempt to meet his constituents by doing their jobs.
"I wanted to come by, pitch in, help out. It's a great way to talk to people and just see what's on their mind," said Swalwell.