Press Releases
Rep. Vargas Statement on Philippine Independence Day
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) released the following statement celebrating Philippine Independence Day on June 12, 2024. “I want to send my best wishes to everyone celebrating the 126th Philippine Independence Day here in the United States, in the Philippines, and around the world. Our two nations share significant and enduring ties. More than four million Filipinos and Filipino Americans call the United States home, and their contributions, histories, and culture are … Continue Reading
June 10, 2024
Rep. Vargas, Colleagues Support Department of Education’s Efforts to Increase FAFSA Access and Urge Further Action to Address Delays
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) joined 65 of his colleagues in a letter expressing support for the U.S. Department of Education’s efforts to improve the rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. The lawmakers also urged the Department of Education to expeditiously resolve remaining barriers to completing the FAFSA form and encouraged the Department of Education to implement reforms to prevent similar challenges from occurring in future … Continue Reading
June 07, 2024
Rep. Vargas Presses for Answers on Timeline for Reopening Friendship Park
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) called on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for answers on the timeline for reopening Friendship Park, which has long served as a bi-national meeting spot for friends and family along the U.S.-Mexico border. Last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced plans to reopen Friendship Park and the Binational Friendship Garden once repairs were completed. However, construction has remained halted. “Friendship Park, … Continue Reading
June 07, 2024
El Representante Vargas Exige Respuestas Sobre el Plazo para la Reapertura del Parque de la Amistad
WASHINGTON - El Representante de EE.UU. Juan Vargas (CA-52) pidió al Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) respuestas sobre el plazo para la reapertura del Parque de la Amistad, que ha servido durante mucho tiempo como un punto de encuentro binacional para amigos y familiares a través de la frontera entre EE.UU. y México. El año pasado, el Servicio de Aduanas y Protección de Fronteras de Estados Unidos anunció planes para reabrir el Parque de la Amistad y el Jardín Binacional de la Amistad … Continue Reading
June 04, 2024
Representantes Vargas, Peters, Jacobs, y Levin Introducen una Enmienda para Establecer un Nuevo Programa Federal para Combatir la Contaminación del Valle del Río Tijuana
WASHINGTON - Representantes de los EE.UU. Juan Vargas (CA-52), Scott Peters (CA-50), Sara Jacobs (CA-51) y Mike Levin (CA-49) presentaron una enmienda a la Ley de Autorización de Defensa Nacional 2024 (NDAA) para ayudar a combatir la contaminación tóxica causada por aguas residuales en el Valle del Río Tijuana. Esta enmienda establecería un nuevo programa federal - el Programa de Restauración de la Calidad del Agua y la Salud Pública en relación al Río Tijuana - para planificar, coordinar y … Continue Reading
June 04, 2024
Reps. Vargas, Peters, Jacobs, Levin Introduce Amendment to Establish a New Federal Program to Combat Tijuana River Valley Pollution
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representatives Juan Vargas (CA-52), Scott Peters (CA-50), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Mike Levin (CA-49) introduced an amendment to the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to help combat toxic sewage pollution in the Tijuana River Valley. This amendment would establish a new federal program - the Tijuana River Public Health and Water Quality Restoration Program - to plan, coordinate, and provide grants for public health and water quality restoration projects in the … Continue Reading
May 30, 2024
Reps. Vargas, Castro, Jacobs, Peters Call on Border Patrol for Answers on New “Shadow Units” Report
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representatives Juan Vargas (CA-52), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Scott Peters (CA-50) called for answers on “Shadow Units” or “Critical Incident Teams” within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) following a new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO report confirms that these units were widespread - used in seven of nine U.S. Border Patrol sectors, including San Diego, on the southwest border - and operated for years … Continue Reading
May 20, 2024
Rep. Vargas Statement on the Warrant Applications by the ICC
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) released the following statement on the International Criminal Court application for arrest warrants for top Israeli officials. “The International Criminal Court’s efforts to seek arrest warrants for democratically elected Israeli leaders is outrageous and shameful. I join President Joe Biden in condemning in the strongest possible terms any equivalence between Israel and Hamas, a terrorist organization that is dedicated to the … Continue Reading
May 13, 2024
Vargas, Casten, Schatz, Smith Lead 17 Colleagues in Urging the SEC to Finalize Strong ESG Funds Disclosure Rulemaking
WASHINGTON — Congressman Juan Vargas (CA-52), Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06), Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) led 17 colleagues in a letter urging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to finalize its ESG Funds Disclosure Rulemaking. “We recommend the final ESG Disclosures Rule include several key elements the SEC proposed: 1) only allowing funds for which ESG factors are a significant or main consideration to use ESG language in their names; 2) requiring … Continue Reading
May 08, 2024
Rep. Vargas, Colleagues Call for Executive Action to Protect American Families
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) joined 82 of his colleagues in calling on President Biden to protect long-term undocumented immigrants in the United States by streamlining pathways to lawful status for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens, family caregivers, and other long-term residents. “We urge your Administration to take all available actions to streamline pathways to lawful status for undocumented immigrants, providing certainty to the American businesses, … Continue Reading
May 08, 2024
Rep. Vargas Statement on Arms Delay
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) released the following statement on the delay in arms shipments from the United States to Israel. “Hamas unleashed pure terror on the people of Israel on October 7th. In the aftermath of that horrific attack, the United States sent a strong message to Israel: you are not alone. The Biden Administration should work quickly to resolve any differences with our friend and ally Israel regarding arms shipments so we can ensure we do not … Continue Reading
May 03, 2024
Rep. Vargas Statement on Biden Administration Expanding Health Care for DACA Recipients
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) released the following statement after the Biden Administration answered calls to expand affordable, quality health care coverage to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients for the first time. Under the rule, around 100,000 Dreamers without health insurance will now be eligible to enroll in a qualified health plan through the federal insurance marketplace or become eligible for coverage through a basic health … Continue Reading
May 03, 2024
Declaración del Rep. Vargas sobre la Administración Biden ampliando la atención médica para los recipientes de DACA
WASHINGTON - Representante de los EE.UU. Juan Vargas (CA-52) publicó la siguiente declaración después de que la Administración Biden respondió a las llamadas para ampliar la cobertura de atención médica asequible y de calidad a los beneficiarios de la Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia (DACA) por primera vez. Bajo la regla, alrededor de 100.000 Dreamers sin seguro ahora serán elegibles para inscribirse en un plan de salud calificado a través del mercado federal de seguros o serán … Continue Reading
April 29, 2024
San Diego Congressional Delegation Thanks Biden Administration for Attention to Cross-Border Pollution, Calls for Additional Action
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representatives Juan Vargas (CA-52), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Mike Levin (CA-49), and Scott Peters (CA-50) wrote a letter thanking President Joe Biden for including significant funding for ongoing improvements to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in both his Fiscal Year 2024 and Fiscal Year 2025 Budget requests. The lawmakers also called for additional action to respond to the sewage pollution in the Tijuana River Valley. “Thanks to your strong partnership … Continue Reading
April 23, 2024
Rep. Vargas, Colleagues Call on House Leadership to Join Democrats in Preventing 23 Million Households Nationwide From Losing Internet Access
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) joined 96 of his colleagues in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson calling on House Republican Leadership to take immediate bipartisan action to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program. Enacted as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) currently empowers over 80,000 households in California’s 52nd Congressional District and 23 million households nationwide to access affordable broadband. … Continue Reading
April 20, 2024
Rep. Vargas Statement on Vote to Support Our Democratic Friends and Allies and Deliver Humanitarian Aid
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) released the following statement on his vote to pass the national security supplemental funding bills that reflect the Senate-passed, bipartisan National Security Act, 2024. “For months, House Democrats have repeatedly called on House leadership to bring forward legislation that supports our democratic friends and allies in Ukraine, Israel, and in the Indo-Pacific, and delivers much-needed humanitarian aid to civilians around the … Continue Reading
April 17, 2024
Rep. Vargas Remarks in Support of SEC Climate Disclosure Rule at House Financial Services Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON - At a House Financial Services Committee hearing today, U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52), co-chair of the Congressional Sustainable Investment Caucus, voiced support for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) recently finalized climate disclosure rule. “The SEC’s climate rule is about standardizing the climate related disclosures publicly traded companies must make so that regular people invested in the market can have access to the same information that … Continue Reading
April 16, 2024
Rep. Vargas Statement on the Tijuana River’s Inclusion on the “Most Endangered Rivers” List
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) released the following statement today after American Rivers released its 2024 America’s Most Endangered Rivers report with the Tijuana River listed #9. “For too long, sewage in the Tijuana River Valley has harmed public health, our local economies, and our ecosystems. This designation reaffirms what our communities already know too well - toxic pollution is flowing into the Tijuana River every day and we need the South Bay International … Continue Reading
April 13, 2024
Rep. Vargas Statement on Attacks Against Israel
WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) released the following statement on attacks against Israel. “After decades of attacking Israel through its proxies, including Hamas and Hezbollah, today Iran has launched a direct and reckless attack on Israel. This is an alarming escalation. Now more than ever, it is critical for us to stand by our friend and ally. As President Biden has made clear: "Our support for Israel’s security is ironclad. The United States will stand with the … Continue Reading
April 12, 2024
Rep. Vargas, San Diego Delegation Secure Over $39 Million in Shelter and Services Program Funding for San Diego
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52) announced over $39 million in Shelter and Services Program (SSP) funding for San Diego communities and organizations that provide critical assistance to migrants awaiting the outcome of their immigration proceedings. “The San Diego area has a long tradition of welcoming individuals seeking asylum and refuge with open arms. I’m proud to have worked alongside my San Diego delegation colleagues to secure this critical funding for … Continue Reading