"It is an honor to serve in Congress, and I thank the voters for their support in the November 2009 special election. As a lifelong rancher, Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia, Senator, Insurance Commissioner, US Interior Department Deputy Secretary, and Lieutenant Governor, I saw difficult times but none worse than today. I conducted eight Congressional town halls and heard from fellow citizens about their deep concerns for America. Our economy has a long way to go, but I believe we are on a path to recovery.
"During the election I said that my top priority was job creation, then set about regulating Wall Street, protecting Social Security and Medicare, creating affordable universally available healthcare, creating a renewable green energy policy, improving education, fixing our crumbling transportation infrastructure, protecting our parks, promoting research and development, reinvigorating a domestic manufacturing base, bringing our troops home, and supporting them when they return. These remain my goals.
"In the four months that I have served in Congress many critical issues have been debated. I voted for comprehensive health insurance reform and improving Medicare benefits. I voted for renewable energy programs, money for transportation networks, reorganizing our intelligence systems, and veterans support.
"We stopped proposals to privatize Social Security. We passed laws to hold Wall Street accountable and to help homeowners and renters.
"While jobs remain hard to find, the Recovery Act (stimulus) produced 650,000 jobs nationwide and $63 billion dollars have gone to California. This includes $197 million for the new Caldecott Tunnel, money for repairing I-80 in Solano County, and over $9 billion to employ teachers. The new Jobs for Main Street Act will add thousands of new infrastructure jobs while supporting schools, firefighters, and police.
"I humbly ask for your vote. I will continue to fight for jobs and services for the citizens of Alameda, Contra Costa, Sacramento and Solano Counties."
Congressman Garamendi will continue to address the concerns of his constituents and the people of California just as he has done for the past thirty years.
