Picket Fence Media: Congress Can Still Accomplish Great Things When We Work Together!
At the beginning of the year, I shared my 2024 policy and district priorities for our communities. One of those priorities was to deliver the federal resources our district deserves for projects that would improve quality of life, strengthen public safety, and benefit all residents.
Now, I’m excited to share an update on that goal.
Last month, Congress passed its long-overdue government funding bills. In them, I secured $17.7 million for 15 projects throughout our district. These projects demonstrate a tangible commitment to the well-being and prosperity of our communities. They will upgrade our water infrastructure, fix our roads, provide law enforcement with necessary equipment, and more. But perhaps most importantly, these projects represent the work Congress can do—and must continue to do—in service to the American people.
To improve our health and quality of life, I secured nearly $1 million for the water treatment facilities in San Juan Capistrano. This funding will help treat drinking water that currently contains PFAS (also called “forever chemicals”) and high salinity. The facilities will produce 700 acrefeet of water per year and improve our access to clean, safe drinking water.
To upgrade our public roads, I secured $1.1 million to add three miles of managed lanes along I-5. These lanes will help reduce traffic congestion and make it faster and easier to get around our region.
And to strengthen public safety, I secured $500,000 for the Crown Valley Parkway Mobility Project in Laguna Niguel. This project will help bridge a gap in the existing Crown Valley Parkway bicycle corridor, update ADA-accessible features, and enhance pedestrian pathways. As a result, our streets will be more accessible and safer to navigate.
These are just a few of the projects I funded, all of which will help make our communities healthier, safer, and stronger.
Since entering Congress in 2019, I have delivered over $88 million in community-based project funding for our district through annual government funding bills. In total, I’ve helped secure over $860 million in federal grants and other funding for our communities. These dollars deliver real results for residents every day.
I’m proud to deliver these funds not only because of the tremendous positive impact they will have on our communities, but also because they showcase what Congress can do when we put partisan politics and division aside.
I’m grateful for every opportunity I get to speak with constituents, and one message I hear repeatedly is how frustrated many of you are by the partisan divide in Congress. I share those frustrations, and despite all the fighting and negativity cable news shows in Washington on a regular basis, I remain committed to delivering results for our district.
The funding for these 15 community projects would not have been signed into law without bipartisan support. They are a testament to bipartisanship and cooperation. During this time of widespread division, these projects offer a breath of fresh air. They inspire me and give me hope that Congress can still accomplish great things when we work together.
But 2024 is far from over. There’s still more work to do and goals to achieve.
In the coming months, I look forward to working with my colleagues on pragmatic solutions to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our country. This includes addressing our border security problems, tackling veteran hunger and homelessness, moving the spent nuclear fuel away from San Onofre, and combating climate change by accelerating the transition to a clean energy future.
I’m optimistic about our work ahead, and I look forward to sharing our progress in the coming months.
U.S. Representative Mike Levin represents the 49th Congressional District, which includes the South Orange County cities of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. He was reelected for a second term in 2020 and resides in San Juan Capistrano with his wife and two children.
By: Rep. Mike Levin
Source: Picket Fence Media