Legislative Wrap-Up: Soldiers' Treatment, Unemployment Benefits, Gun Violence

by David Mills

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa)announced his bill to improve treatment options for active duty soldiers suffering from traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress was approved by the House and Senate.

Thompson said President Obama is expected to sign the legislation.

The bill was part of H.R. 3304, the National Defense Authorization Act. Thompson's bill creates a pilot program that allows military patients to receive treatment from health care facilities outside of the Department of Defense.

“The fact that this legislation is finally being signed into law is great news for our nation’s brave service members,” said Thompson. “With so many of our troops returning from overseas with brain injuries, we need to make sure they have access to the very best care our country has to offer, no matter where it is provided."

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) announced a $1.5 million federal grant for Microvi Biotechnologies in Hayward.

The two-year grant will help fund the development of a high performance bio-process for eliminating “1,4-Dioxane,” a probable human carcinogen, in water.

“Technological innovations like the sustainable solutions developed at Microvi are driving our economic growth in the Bay Area and I will keep advocating for strong public-private partnerships to support this sector," said Swalwell. "Maintaining our federal investment in clean technology is the right thing to do for our economy, environment and health.”

Swalwell and Thompson were also two of the 19 members of Congress who sent a letter to Department of Veterans Affairsofficials, urging them to hire a "supremely qualified candidate with a proven record of success" to fill the open position at the veterans department's Oakland office.

Bay Area veterans wait an average of 422 days to have claims process at the Oakland office, one of the worst backlogs of all regional offices in the country.

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) met with people whose unemployment benefits will expire on Dec. 28.

Lee met with the individuals on Thursday as part of a tour of the Oakland Private Industrial Council's One Stop Career Center.

Lee has consistently co-authored a letter to House Speaker John Boehner, urging him to address the looming expiration of unemployment benefits for millions of Americans.

Rep. Mike Honda (D-San Jose) welcomed back a U.C. Davis student who was studying abroad in Vietnam.

Anna Ha had been prevented from leaving that country by Vietnamese officials who accused her of affiliating herself with pro-democracy causes.

Honda's office contacted the U.S. State Department, which helped secure Ha's release.

"I am thrilled that Anna was able to rejoin her family here in California after this unnecessary ordeal," said Honda.  "Some of the key freedoms Americans enjoy in this country are the freedoms of speech and assembly.  The fact that Anna was detained on suspicion of disagreeing with the Vietnamese government shines a light on the country's troubling overall human rights record."

Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Oakland) held a hearing to discuss the impact of gun violence on men of color in the East Bay.

The hearing took place Tuesday afternoon at Elihu M. Harris State Building in Oakland.

This was the third hearing on the topic for the Assembly Select Committee on Gun Violence in the East Bay, which Bonta chairs.

State Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla (D-Concord) honored two Concord residents for their work in establishing a playground for children of all abilities.

Liz Lamach and Rene Henderson received a certificate from Bonilla at the Matteo's Dream playground, which opened in 2007 in Hillcrest Park on Olivera Road in Concord.

The park was named after Lamach and Henderson's late son, Matteo.

“Matteo’s Dream is unique because it is one of the few playgrounds in the nation where children with physical challenges can play with other children,” said Bonilla. “It is truly inspiring for me to see Liz and René realize their son’s dream by creating this playground from land donated by the city of Concord and see it receive national praise.”