Congressman Levin Holds Town Hall

On Saturday, Congressman Levin held a Town Hall in San Juan Capistrano’s Community Center, promising to hold one every month in the various cities he represents in the 49th Congressional district. The packed room, which held approximately 400 attendees, spent 90 minutes listening to Levin talk about the great progress already made on his goals and answer audience questions. Levin was interrupted with applause numerous times.

A big defender of military families, Levin spoke about the new bill the House passed giving Veterans free child care while at the VA for checkups, treatments and other appointments. He explained that too many Veterans were unable to obtain needed healthcare because of childcare issues. He is hopeful the bill will soon pass the Senate and be signed by the President.

In response to a question about the extremely contentious route through San Clemente proposed by the TCA, Levin said he favored addressing better mobility in South County but made it very clear that he was opposed to the routes currently proposed by the TCA. Mobility need not come at the expense of green space or people’s homes.

One particularly interesting exchange was Levin’s description of his typical work week. “I get up around 3:30 or 4:00 a.m. on Monday morning. Go to San Diego airport and take a plane to Dulles in DC.” He spends his week in DC reading the voluminous information, meeting with district residents, meeting in two different caucuses, spending time chairing one subcommittee and attending several others and working on legislation. Thursday or Friday, depending on his work load, he flies back to California. Friday and Saturday he travels around the district, but Sunday, he proclaimed is “family time” devoted to his wife and two young children. He gets up Monday morning and does it all over again.

Why does he travel from his home in San Juan Capistrano to the San Diego airport? He explained. There are no nonstops to DC from Orange County and when he once flew out of John Wayne, he nearly missed his connection and an important vote. Now he, and 5 other Orange County Congress members, get on the same flight from San Diego and fly directly to DC.

During the Town Hall, Levin stressed his bi-partisan approach to problem solving, which he explained is more difficult in the current very partisan atmosphere in Washington. Clean air, clean water, nuclear waste at San Onofre, housing homeless Veterans, protecting military readiness at Pendleton, these are all non partisan issues, Levin stressed. While there might not always be agreement on the approaches, he believes there is agreement that these problems need to be addressed and solved in a bi-partisan manner.

An environmental lawyer by training, he is well suited to the water, ocean and natural resource committees and subcommittees on which he sits. He was particularly proud that as a Freshman, he chairs the Veterans’ Affairs Economic Subcommittee, an unusual honor for a new Congressman.

Levin talked about new bills soon to be introduced in the House like Social Security 2100, to keep Social Security Funded through 2100. He chafes at the word “entitlement” when applied to Social Security. “We pay for it!” Other bills soon to be introduced in the House will address relieving the crushing student debt burden, healthcare and other “kitchen table” issues.