NOTES FROM CONGRESSWOMAN ANNA ESHOO’S TOWN HALL MEETING

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Opening Remarks

Eshoo’s top priorities

  1. ACA—Eshoo gave up a leadership position as the ranking Democrat on the House Communications and Technology Subcommittee so that she could sit on the House Health Subcommittee and fight for the ACA.
  2. Release of Trump’s tax returns—Eshoo introduced legislation with bipartisan support that would require the release of tax returns of party nominees, including the president. She is bringing a Privileged Resolution to the floor this week, which would require each member of the House to cast her/his vote on the record on this proposed legislation.
  3. Russia—Eshoo called for an independent bipartisan commission to investigate Russia’s interference in our election and find out who had/has ties with Russia. She said we need open proceedings because the House and Senate Intelligence Committees do not operate publicly.

Q & A

1. How can activists provide support for the mid-term elections?

Because taxpayer money was being used to put on the town hall meeting, Eshoo could not speak to this issue. She could only say, “The Democratic Party needs rebuilding.”

2. What can we do to resist?

Again, Eshoo could not speak directly on this topic because of the tax-exempt nature of the event. She quoted Lincoln: “Public sentiment is everything.” She encouraged vigilant expression of our views and involvement in the many groups that have formed for civic involvement. She said that the members of Congress are paying attention to the outpouring of public sentiment, and the public outcry, especially about the ACA, has the Republicans running scared.

3. What is the Democratic Party doing about Sessions?

Eshoo said that Sessions committed perjury and that there is little trust in the FBI, so we need a bipartisan independent commission to investigate Russia’s ties with the Trump administration. She said that she and more than 100 other Democrats have called for such a commission.

4. Will you reconsider your position on HR676 (Medicare for all)?

Eshoo said that although Medicare for all is a legitimate goal, there is no chance of achieving it in the current political climate. She said that we should be realistic and focus our efforts on saving the ACA.

5. How do we get money out of politics?

Eshoo supports publicly funded elections. She said that Citizens United was one of the worst decisions in Supreme Court history and that she is working on a constitutional amendment that would overturn the decision. Eshoo thinks that public sentiment is in favor of such an amendment and thinks it could pass.

6. With funding to Planned Parenthood threatened, how will women’s health be covered?

Eshoo will fight to preserve the insurance reforms achieved by the ACA:

  • Insurance companies cannot charge higher premiums and fees for women.
  • Children can be covered under their parents’ policies until age 26.
  • Insurance companies cannot exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Since 1945 states have jurisdiction over the specific provisions of insurance coverage. Now it is technically legal for people to purchase insurance policies from another state, but they would be required to receive their health care in that state. The Republicans are hiding their proposed health care plan, but Eshoo thinks the plan may amend the law so that people could purchase insurance in other states but receive care in their state of residence. That plan would result in a “rush to the bottom.” While California standards are high, those of many other states are not. People will end up with the lowest-cost plans with the least amount of protection. Eshoo vowed to oppose the Republican plan in the floor debate. She thinks the Democrats can win this fight because of public outcry on the ACA.

7. How can we protect research on climate change?

Eshoo said there are a large number of Congress members who don’t believe in science, including some sitting on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the chair of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, and the head of the EPA (which she noted was started by Nixon). The EPA is on the hit list for major funding cuts. The Democrats don’t have the votes to stop it. She thinks the courts will play a key role on this issue.

8. How will you support mass civil disobedience on environmental issues, such as the Standing Rock protest?

Eshoo opposes the Keystone pipeline. She said the project would create temporary jobs only, and it’s the dirtiest kind of oil that sinks into the ground and contaminates the water supply. She praised the protesters for their courage. However, she said that the Democrats don’t have enough votes to stop the project, so court intervention is needed.

9. A pediatrician from the Packard Children’s Hospital stated that 50% of California children depend on Medicaid and 1 in 8 California children has at least one undocumented parent. She asked how Eshoo will address the effects of immigration policy and health care policy on children?

Eshoo said the Republicans want to use block grants to fund Medicaid. That means that the federal government would determine each state’s lump-sum grant amount in advance, and those amounts would most likely reflect significant cuts in the level of support. If the state’s costs exceed the amount of the block grant, the state would have to use its own funds to make up the difference or cut services to low-income residents. Eshoo said she would debate the issue, using facts to debunk the Republicans’ position and show what would happen to families if the block grant approach is adopted.

As for immigration, Eshoo said that the courts will have to decide the validity of Trump’s immigration policies. She said that the country needs comprehensive immigration policy reforms, but those reforms must include a pathway to citizenship for people already here even if illegally as long as they are responsible members of our communities. And she said that refugees are in a totally different category because they are fleeing terrorism.

10. Will you vote against increases in the military budget?

Eshoo said that the U.S. military is not depleted and is second to none. She said that an increase of $54 billion in the defense budget would require “killer” cuts in other programs to pay for it. She said that the defense budget should be based on two factors: first, the needs of the individual service person and her/his family (including vets); and second, the needs of the American people. Eshoo will examine the proposed budget and make her decision based on those factors. She is against a nuclear weapons buildup.

11. What about net neutrality?

Eshoo is a co-chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus. She said she remains steadfast on net neutrality and vowed not to compromise on the issue. During the debate leading up to net neutrality under Title II of the Communications Act, more than four million people contacted the FCC, so she thinks attempts to curtail net neutrality now would cause a n uproar. However, the FCC chairman is determined to undo net neutrality regulations, so Eshoo encouraged people to put pressure on the FCC and Congress NOW. She said the Republicans are already working on statutory restrictions on net neutrality.

12. An eight-year-old girl asked Eshoo to talk about public education.

Basically Eshoo said that charter schools are part of the public education system and can be effective for some students, but it’s unconstitutional to use taxpayer money to fund religious schools. Again, it’s a fight that will be fought in the courts.

13. A thirteen-year-old boy asked about the Congressional Review Act.

The CRA is a seldom-used law that the Republicans are invoking to block government regulations. The law allows Congress to review an agency regulation within 60 days of its issuance and bring it to the floor for a vote. If the Congress strikes down the regulation, the agency cannot re-introduce that regulation again; only the Congress can revive the regulation.

14. Because there are so many issues that require resistance efforts, should we expend any of our time and resources on really “scary” legislation that is being introduced (such as the bill to establish that life begins at conception and proposals to sell off our national parks)?

Eshoo thinks some of those extremist bills have a chance of passing in the House because the Republicans would use them to pander to their far right base. However, she thinks that they would be subjected to greater scrutiny in the Senate and most likely be defeated there. She saidwe still need to be vigilant, though.

Additional exchanges with audience

  • Eshoo said that she is not using the fact that there are not enough votes(for Democrats to block Republican actions) as an excuse. She said, “They (the Republicans) cannot take away my voice.” She committed to debate publicly the ACA, the release of Trump’s tax returns (she cited a poll that shows 70% of people support the release of his returns), and the need for an independent commission to investigate ties with Russia. She said that building bipartisan support for these issues takes time and requires constant discussion/debate.
  • Eshoo praised Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and a former U.S. Attorney, for pressuring FBI Director Comey.
  • An audience member praised Eshoo and thanked her for her efforts. Then he asked her to be more like Adam Schiff by appearing on TV and getting more widespread public coverage. Eshoo said that her staff does contact the press about her availability to appear on air, especially in regards to the release of Trump’s tax returns and about an independent commission into the Russia scandal, but she doesn’t have control over the choices of the press. She said she has never turned down an invitation to appear, that she has accepted invitations to appear on programs that don’t agree with her positions (she has appeared on Fox News), and that she will continue to use the House floor to get her opinions heard.
  • Eshoo said that her office has been inundated with requests for help with family members’ immigration issues.

Closing Remarks

Eshoo praised the blossoming of all the new organizations for involvement in the political process. She encouraged everyone to sustain the effort. She wants her constituents to give her input even if we agree with her because it gives her strength and evidence of support for her arguments. She ended by saying that we must not give in to fear. Stay vigilant!