WASHINGTON, D.C. – Governor Gavin Newsom’s second day in the nation’s capital highlighted efforts to keep all Californians safe – from gun violence, wildfires and Republican efforts to roll back reproductive rights.
Governor Newsom meets with Senator Chris Murphy.
The Governor’s second day in DC started on Capitol Hill where he met with Senators on critical issues like gun safety and reproductive rights.
- Meeting with Senator Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut), the two discussed how California and Congress can work together to keep families safer from gun violence.
- Why it matters: California leads the nation in reducing gun violence with commonsense gun safety measures that have cut gun deaths in half since the 1980s. Senator Murphy has been a champion for gun safety, pushing for national, comprehensive laws that will keep our kids and communities safe.
- The Governor’s next meeting with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) centered on reproductive rights and the path forward following the fall of Roe. The Governor and Senator Warren discussed California’s nation-leading efforts to protect and expand access to abortion care – and how California can support efforts at the federal level to do the same.
- Governor Newsom wrapped his time on Capitol Hill meeting with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota). Their conversation focused on issues spanning reproductive rights and gun safety measures – both issues that Senator Klobuchar has led the national conversation on.
Governor Newsom meets with California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla, as well as Defense Department officials.
After his swing through Capitol Hill, the Governor’s focus shifted to efforts to keep all Californians safe from wildfire.
- The Governor met with California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla, and the Defense Department to prepare for this year’s climate-driven wildfire season. The group convened at the White House to identify solutions to better respond to wildfires, including streamlining the National Guard’s firefighting capabilities and the Department of Defense’s coordination with state firefighters.
- In their words: “As the climate crisis exacerbates the ongoing threat of wildfire in California, we welcome the opportunity to work more closely with Defense officials to ensure that the federal government is providing the necessary resources to support California’s emergency response and firefighting capabilities,” said Newsom, Feinstein, and Padilla. “Close coordination between state and federal partners is key to effectively prepare for and actively combat the increasing scale of wildfires.”
- What they asked for:
- Increased access to advanced technology to keep Californians safe from wildfires
- Improving fire agency access to excess military aircraft for firefighting efforts
Governor Newsom ended the day meeting with Ambassador Susan Rice at the White House on a variety of issues where California supports President Biden’s agenda, from homelessness to reproductive rights to supporting immigrants and refugees.
- Why it matters: As President Biden’s Domestic Policy Advisor, Ambassador Rice is a leader in implementing the President’s ambitious agenda. California’s priorities mirror the White House’s – expanding behavioral health treatment, growing opportunities for childcare and early learning, combatting fentanyl smuggling and its dangerous impacts on our communities, and making higher education available to more people of all incomes and backgrounds.
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