5/13/2008 REP. BECERRA VOTES TO SUSPEND FILLING PETROLEUM RESERVE TO LOWER CONSUMER PRICES WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House of Representatives passed the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 6022) tonight. Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House and the only congressional member from Southern California on the...

5/13/2008 REP. BECERRA’S LATEST TAX BILL PROVIDES FOR EQUAL TREATMENT FOR TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS AND CHARITIES WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last Thursday, Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House and the only congressional member from Southern California on the Ways and Means Committee, introduced H.R. 6005, the Tribal Charities Fairness Act of 2008. “This modest bill would...

5/8/2008 ON REP. BECERRA’S MUSEUM BILL BECOMING LAW WASHINGTON, D.C. – On learning that the president today signed S.2739, legislation that includes the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino Act (H.R.512/S.500), Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House and author...

5/1/2008 REP. BECERRA VOTES TO PROHIBIT GENETIC DISCRIMINATION, URGES PASSAGE OF GENE PATENTING BAN WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the House of Representatives passed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (H.R.493/S.358) by an eye-popping vote of 414-1. Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House, the only congressional member from Southern California on the...

4/29/2008 REP. BECERRA’S LATINO MUSEUM LEGISLATION IS NOW HEADED TO THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States House of Representatives tonight voted to give final approval to the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (S.2739), which passed in the Senate April 10. Contained within S.2739 is the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the...

4/23/2008 REP. BECERRA PRESSES FOR PLAN OF ACTION ON SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BACKLOG WASHINGTON, D.C. — At a hearing today of the House Ways and Means Committee, Representative Xavier Becerra, Assistant to the Speaker of the House and the only congressional member from Southern California on the committee, sharply questioned Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Michael...

4/15/2008 BECERRA-AUTHORED PROVISIONS INLCUDED IN HOUSE-PASSED TAXPAYER ASSISTANCE LEGISLATION WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States House of Representatives today passed the Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act of 2008 (H.R. 5719). The legislation incorporates important provisions from Representative Xavier Becerra’s (CA-31) H.R. 5716, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act. Rep. Becerra,...

4/12/2008 REP. XAVIER BECERRA TO DELIVER NATIONAL HISPANIC RADIO ADDRESS WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House and the only member of Congress from Southern California on the Ways and Means Committee, will deliver the Democratic Hispanic Radio Address Saturday, April 12, 2008. He will discuss the president’s...

4/10/2008 'WHAT WAS ONCE A DREAM IS NOW A REALITY' WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Senate today took up and passed S. 2739, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008. Contained within that bill was the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino Act (H.R. 512/S.500), legislation which passed...

4/8/2008 WITH TAX DAY LOOMING, REP. BECERRA INTRODUCES TAXPAYER BILL OF RIGHTS WASHINGTON, D.C. — With April 15 a week away, Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House and the only congressional member from Southern California on the Ways and Means Committee, introduced today the Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2008. “Tax season can...

4/2/2008 REP. BECERRA VOTES TO BOOST FUNDING TO FIGHT AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS AND MALARIA WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly today to pass the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act (H.R. 5501). Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker...

3/31/2008 REP. BECERRA ON THE LEGACY OF CESAR CHAVEZ WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in remembrance of the late labor and civil rights leader Cesar Estrada Chavez, Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31) released the following statement: “Senator Robert F. Kennedy called him ‘one of the heroic figures of our time.’ Cardinal Roger...

3/19/2008 REP. BECERRA STATEMENT ON THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR IN IRAQ WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the fifth anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq, Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House, issued the following statement: “Five years ago today, President Bush led us into a war in Iraq that I believe lacked a valid rationale,...

3/18/2008 LOCAL & NATIONAL LEADERS, LAW ENFORCERS ENDORSE BECERRA-AUTHORED MICROSTAMPING LEGISLATION LOS ANGELES – Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House, announced today that his legislation, the National Crime Gun Identification Act (H.R. 5266), has received the endorsement of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Los Angeles...

3/14/2008 REP. BECERRA VOTES FOR FISA BILL THAT RESPECTS RULE OF LAW WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House of Representatives passed the FISA Amendments Act (H.R. 3773) today following debate in a closed session yesterday evening. Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House and the only congressional member from Southern California on the...

3/13/2008 REP. BECERRA APPLAUDS PASSAGE OF A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the House of Representatives passed the federal budget resolution for fiscal year 2009, H.Con.Res 312. Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House, the only congressional member from Southern California on the Ways and Means Committee, and...

3/6/2008 BUDGET VOTED FAVORABLY OUT OF COMMITTEE FOLLOWING MARK-UP WASHINGTON, D.C. – Late last night, the House Budget Committee voted to favorably report a fiscally responsible 2009 budget to the House. Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House, the only congressional member from Southern California on the Ways and Means Committee...

3/5/2008 REP. BECERRA PRAISES FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE 2009 HOUSE BUDGET WASHINGTON, D.C. – Right now, the House Budget Committee is debating the 2009 budget resolution that rejects President Bush’s proposed cuts to health, environmental and public safety programs, while adhering to pay-as-you-go budget rules. Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant...

2/27/2008 HOUSE PASSES RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT, CLOSES TAX LOOPHOLES FOR BIG OIL WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House of Representatives voted today 236 to 182 to pass H.R. 5351, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act, legislation that shifts subsidies to big oil companies toward investments in clean, renewable energy. Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant...

2/7/2008 BECERRA'S LIBRARIAN ACT PASS WITH HIGHER EDUCATION ACT REAUTHORIZATION WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the House of Representatives voted 354 to 58 to pass H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, legislation that reauthorizes the Higher Education Act for the first time in 10 years. Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House...

2/7/2008 REP. BECERRA AND SEN. KENNEDY INTRODUCE GUN MICROSTAMPING LEGISLATION WASHINGTON, D.C. – Close to 40 percent of all homicides nationwide go unsolved each year. To help improve this gravely disappointing statistic, Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House, today introduced the National Crime Gun Identification Act of 2008. Senator...

1/23/2008 FACED WITH A CHANCE TO INJECT A LAYER OF ECONOMIC STIMULUS, HOUSE REPUBLICANS UPHOLD CHILDRENS' HEALTH CARE VETO WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House of Representatives this morning voted 260 to 152 to override President Bush’s veto of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program reauthorization bill, falling 30 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed. Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant...

1/17/2008 BECERRA-BERNANKE BACK-AND-FORTH AT BUDGET HEARING WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a hearing today of the House Budget Committee, Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, endorsed the need for an economic stimulus package in accordance with the “timely, targeted and temporary” principles advocated by Democrats in congress and a broad range...

1/16/2008 BECERRA.HOUSE.GOV ONCE AGAIN RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE BEST SITES IN CONGRESS WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier this week, Representative Xavier Becerra’s (CA-31) Web site was honored by the Congressional Management Foundation, a non-profit, non-partisan consulting and research organization, for being one of the best in Congress. Becerra.House.Gov was among the 618 Web...

1/4/2008 BECERRA-AUTHORED PROVISION WILL PROTECT GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AT MLK HOSPITAL WASHINGTON, D.C. – The spending bill for fiscal year 2008 signed into law by President Bush December 26, 2007, included a provision that protects the Medicare-funded graduate medical education residency positions allotted to Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital. This will ensure that any future...