Jerry McNerney's website

McNerney visits with Lodi leaders, talks transportation

Congressman McNerney visited Lodi recently and met with city officials, including Mayor Bob Johnson, Vice Mayor JoAnne Mounce, City Manager Blair King and other senior city staff.

One of more prominent issues discussed was a possible ACE train extension to Lodi. According to the Lodi News-Sentinel:

McNerney said he discussed the issue of bringing a commuter train to Lodi. The Altamont Commuter Express train is considering expanding service from the Bay Area to Sacramento with a potential stop in Lodi. McNerney, a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said he was "excited" about the idea of bringing more passenger rail service to the Central Valley.

"It's an issue that is very important to the committee," he said.

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Johnson said the meeting was a good chance to get to know the congressman and introduce him to the issues.

"It seemed he had an interest in many areas of our concern," Johnson said. "He seemed cognizant of the issue of light rail and seemed interested in seeing that move forward."

Congressman McNerney also discussed a number of other issues, including groundwater contamination cleanup, renewable and new energy technology, Homeland Security funding, and Community Development Block Grants.

To read more about the Lodi meeting, click here.

McNerney introduces first bill

Today, Congressman Jerry McNerney is introducing his first bill -- the Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007 -- along with Rep. Ellen Tauscher. The bill will authorize $125 million in funding for projects that increase usable water supply by encouraging innovation in water reclamation, reuse, and conservation.

“Right now, parts of California are poised to break records for the driest January ever,” Rep. McNerney said in a press release.  “Not only that, but increasing global temperatures will have an impact on the melting snowpack that provides water for much of California.  This bill authorizes funds to develop alternative sources of clean drinking water, as well as water for agricultural and industrial purposes.”

According to the press release, the Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007 "amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize alternative water source projects.  Importantly, it will provide a necessary source of funding for ideas like aquifer storage and retrieval and membrane filtering technologies that have the potential to greatly increase our ability to use water more effectively and efficiently."

“I am excited about this act, which encourages innovation by authorizing funding for pilot projects to develop water supplies through conservation, management and reclamation,” Rep. McNerney said.

The Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007 will be considered by the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment on Wednesday, January 31.

The 100th comment -- by Jerry McNerney

The conversation continues...

After taking the time to read your thoughts and reactions to his recent Op-Ed in the Stockton Record, Congressman McNerney just posted the 100th comment to "My Op-Ed and your response":

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I’m impressed by the depth and breadth of the responses to my Op-Ed piece. I appreciate your thoughtful insights, questions and feedback.  I’d like to comment briefly on many of the issues you have raised. 

Iraq and the Global War on Terror:

It makes me sick to think of how many men and women in our Armed Forces have lost their lives or been injured in Iraq –- and how poorly President Bush has mismanaged this effort. Now that I serve in Congress, many people have asked my feelings about the war in Iraq and what I plan to do about it. I’ll tell you that I am opposed to President Bush’s proposed troop escalation. It’s clear that the President did not listen to the American people, who strongly expressed their opinion in the November election, or his own Joint Chiefs of Staff –- who unanimously oppose the escalation plan.

The troop increase could actually make the situation on the ground less stable. Not only that, but redeploying additional troops to Iraq will stretch an already fully deployed force even further. I am considering all possible options to pressure President Bush and hold him accountable for his mismanagement of the war in Iraq – while pushing for a new direction that transfers responsibility for security to the Iraqi government.

Sustainable Energy and Global Warming:

It’s been an exciting few days on the sustainable energy and global warming front. Many of you know that I was proud to cosponsor the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007 in Congress, which is a first step in reducing our dependence on foreign sources of energy and investing in renewable energy technology here at home. I have also had some great discussions with local businesses and investors who are interested in fighting global warming and exploring new energy technologies. There were some very good ideas discussed about legislation to grow new energy technology businesses, some in our district, to help fight global warming and move our country away from its dependence on foreign oil. I will pursue these ideas vigorously. I am very excited about the opportunity you all gave me to help be a part of the solution. And, I will depend on your ideas and energy to keep the momentum moving.

I recently visited Tesla Motors, a manufacturer of high-performance electric vehicles, and had an impressive ride in their sports car. They have some good technology there, and it’s basically just good engineering. I know we can get where we need to be with regard to transportation. There are many different options out there. Among our options are bio-fuels and other new technologies that will be developed soon enough. Hydrogen is also a possibility, but much more work is necessary before it’s viable.

Health Care:

Health care was a pillar of my campaign because health care costs continue to skyrocket, putting affordable coverage out of reach for 47 million Americans, a number that continues to grow. In California, there are nearly 700,000 more Californians that don’t have healthcare today than in 2000. What the President proposed in his State of the Union address last week is not a solution. In fact, it would result in a tax on many Americans who currently do have health insurance. I will work and vote for a reasonable, affordable plan to provide health coverage to the tens of millions of Americans who do not have it.

Morgan Hill:

Are you kidding? I love Morgan Hill. It’s a great town with great people I consider true friends. I’ll be there in February to hold a series of meetings and hear what’s on people’s minds.

Thanks everyone.

Jerry

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If you would like to continue the conversation with the Congressman, go ahead and post a comment here.

Eden w/ McNerney for Congress

My Op-Ed and your response

Hi everyone -

I would like to share with you an Op-Ed I wrote for the Stockton Record on Sunday. It addresses what we have accomplished together in the first 100 hours of Congress as well as what we can accomplish in the future to steer America and our district in a new direction.

As I write below, this is only the beginning. Your input -- whether it be on our blog, via email, or at various local events -- has helped inform and guide me through my first weeks in office.

I value your feedback very much and would like to hear from you again. By posting a comment below, please let me know your thoughts on this Op-Ed as well as what you think Congress should be doing -- and what you are willing to do -- to address our nation's most important priorities in the coming weeks and months.

STOCKTON RECORD
Op/Ed
'A new direction' for the country

By Jerry McNerney
January 21, 2007

As I traveled around San Joaquin County and the 11th Congressional District during the 2006 election campaign, I heard from many members of our community.

Some expressed deep concern at the multitude of ethical scandals in Congress.

Some were frustrated by what they saw as an inability of elected representatives to work together to address important issues.

Many people felt let down, disheartened and ready for change.

That's one reason I ran for Congress. I stood up to say enough is enough.

I'm proud to report that in just the first few weeks, the 110th Congress has been able to address many of the concerns I heard during the campaign.

From Day One, we have worked together to deliver on an agenda that offers a new direction for our country.

This isn't a partisan agenda. It's an American agenda, with much bipartisan support.

The first order of business was the adoption of new ethics rules - the most sweeping since the post-Watergate era.

This is a first step in ending the pay-to-play link between lobbyists and legislation, by banning gifts and travel from lobbyists, and ending the abuses connected to privately-funded congressional travel.

During the campaign, I heard many times from people who said they simply wanted to be able to believe their representative and know their member of Congress was looking out for their constituents, not special interests.

I feel the same way and we acted on it.

We restored tough pay-as-you-go budget rules to stop passing on trillions in debt to our children and grandchildren - and voted to end the abuse of special interest pet projects.

Having passed rules to restore fiscal responsibility, ethical standards and civility in the House, we moved to focus on meeting the everyday needs of Americans.

We're making America safer, and passed a bill that implements unfulfilled recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 commission.

We voted to increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over the next two years.

That brings the federal minimum wage closer in line with California's, making our businesses more competitive nationwide.

By passing a revision of the Medicare prescription drug bill, we saved money for millions of seniors by allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for lower drug prices.

Importantly, we gave millions with debilitating diseases a brighter future by expanding federal funding for life-saving embryonic stem cell research.

We also have worked to make college more affordable for over 5 million students and families by cutting in half the interest rate on subsidized student loans for undergraduates.

We set America on the path to energy independence by passing a bill that repeals $14 billion in corporate welfare for profit-rich oil companies and invests those funds in clean, renewable energy sources.

As someone who has spent 20 years working in new energy technology, I'm especially proud of that last accomplishment.

We must diversify our energy sources and end our dependence on foreign oil, which puts our economy and our national security at risk.

By investing in new energy technologies, we also will create an entire spectrum of good-paying jobs here in San Joaquin County and throughout the United States.

Some estimate this effort will produce nearly 1 million jobs in the next three years, generating $30 billion in new wages.

Last week, I also launched an energy and climate working group for all newly elected members, Democrats and Republicans, to discuss ways to promote our energy independence.

Many of my colleagues have good ideas about how to wean the U.S. off of foreign oil and encourage the use of sustainable energy.

We need to have an open and frank conversation about how to do it.

While it's been a whirlwind of activity, it's only the beginning.

I'm excited about the work that lies ahead and promise I'll continue to work every day to serve the people of California's 11th District.

McNerney, D-Pleasanton, represents the 11th Congressional District in the House of Representatives. He wrote this for The Record.

Thank you for taking the time to read my Op-Ed. If you have a minute, please post a comment below and let me know your thoughts. I read the comments and usually make time to post a response.

From Stockton to Pleasanton and Morgan Hill to Danville -- and all the way to Congress -- we're in this together. I am looking forward to hearing from you!

P.S. Thank you so much for your generous support last week in reaction to the attack mailers from the National Republican Congressional Committee. I am heartened to know that your commitment to my campaign for change continues to be so strong and so deep. Again you have shown that the grassroots and netroots are fundamentally shifting the political landscape and our district is ground zero for that change. (If you are unfamiliar with the NRCC attack mailers, please click here to read more about it).

Good news and bad news for you

I have some good news. And I have some bad news.

The good news is that I was just appointed to the House Science and Technology Committee as well as the Veterans' Affairs Committee -- in addition to my previous appointment to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

As a new member of these important bodies in Congress, I am thrilled to be sinking my teeth into some of the most important issues facing our nation and our district. In these committees, I will be able to research renewable and new energy technology initiatives, explore the impact of our climate crisis, and make sure our veterans are treated with dignity and respect on their return home from serving our country. As you can see, I am taking advantage of every opportunity I can to represent you -- and the issues I ran on -- in Congress.

The bad news?

On January 4, the same day that I was sworn in to our historic new Congress, negative attack mailers from the National Republican Congressional Committee targeting me appeared in the mail boxes of voters across the 11th Congressional District.

Hard to believe?

Here's the mailer, front and back:

You can click on the images to see these mailers up close.

In a Letter to the Editor published in the Contra Costa Times, one voter wrote of the NRCC mailer that arrived in his Pleasanton mail box:

"They sure are not going to recapture the seat they lost by mailing this kind of garbage to constituents. I am not a partisan voter, but keep sending me this kind of junk, and the effect will likely be that I will vote for McNerney again when he is up for re-election."

The voter was repulsed both by the content -- which is baseless and ridiculous -- and the timing of the NRCC's attack. The NRCC claims that they are not responsible for the timing and have shifted blame to the United States Post Office.

I'm not sure who is at fault but I do know this: after I defeated one of the most prominent and entrenched House incumbents in America, Republicans in the bowels of Washington are already targeting me for defeat. This mailer is a sobering reminder that they are cranking up their smear machine to take this seat back. They don't even need a candidate to do it. 

As you know, I am not interested in the politics of personal destruction. I am interested in the politics of people power.

And, if we are going to realize that power, I need your help now.

Being elected to Congress and appointed to these important House committees is an incredible accomplishment for all of us. But, if we are going to realize our vision for this district and our country, it's going to take more than two years.

You are going to need to make a long-term commitment to America's future. Today.

You can make a long-term commitment now by making a single contribution or a recurring monthly contribution to my campaign for change. Just click here:

http://www.jerrymcnerney.org/commitment

Support me now so that we, together, can help our nation kick its addiction to oil and turn our district into the "Silicon Valley of renewable energy."

Support me now so that we, together, can push our elected leaders to realize the enormity of the climate crisis and what it will take for our country to change course and change the world.

Support me now so that we, together, can bring a responsible end to the tragic war in Iraq and take good care of our troops when they return home.

Please make a long-term commitment by making a single or recurring monthly contribution in whatever amount you can afford. Just click here:

http://www.jerrymcnerney.org/commitment

Will our victory in November be a footnote in American history? Or the beginning of a new era in the history of the world?

It's up to you.

No matter what you decide to do, please know that I am eternally grateful for the opportunity you have given me to serve you in the People's House and I will do everything I can to make you proud.

P.S. You made my service in Congress possible. Now it's up to you to make sure that the promise of people-powered politics transcends the politics of personal destruction. Please make a long-term commitment today:

http://www.jerrymcnerney.org/commitment

The day you've been waiting for...

You burned up shoe leather from the streets of Stockton to Pleasanton. You stuffed envelopes night and day. You wore out several mouse pads spreading the word to everyone you know. You contributed your hard-earned dollars to "The Boot" -- multiple times.

And now, that participatory investment in your democracy is paying off.

Today, in our nation's Capitol, Jerry McNerney is being sworn in as the elected Representative of California's 11th Congressional District.

You don't have to say "-elect" anymore. It's Congressman Jerry McNerney now.

In the lead-up to Congressman McNerney's first hours in office, local reporters have produced several interesting reports in recent days, including an in-depth profile in the Contra Costa Times. Curious about the coverage? Check out the following print, blog and radio reports that appeared in the Stockton Record, Contra Costa Times, and KQED's "California Report":

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Stockton Record
Thursday, January 4, 2007

McNerney to be sworn into House seat
By Hank Shaw, Capitol Bureau Chief

SACRAMENTO - Rep.-elect Jerry McNerney will officially become Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, once he takes the oath of office at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., this morning.

McNerney, who defeated seven-term incumbent and former House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, last fall, has become a minor celebrity in Washington for ousting Pombo, who became the first committee chairman to lose in a decade.

McNerney this week is expected to face a whirlwind of parties and receptions as well as cast his first vote - a Democratic package of new House rules that will, among other things, prohibit lawmakers from traveling on corporate jets free of charge.

Click here for the rest of the Stockton Record article...

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Contra Costa Times
Saturday, December 30, 2006

Somehow, McNerney always lands on his feet
By Lisa Vorderbrueggen, Times Political Columnist

When Rep.-elect Jerry McNerney strolled into the freshman orientation reception in a Washington hotel earlier this month, heads turned.

And why not? He's the most famous freshman in the upcoming 110th Congress.

McNerney even has a nickname, the "dragon-slayer," in honor of his wildly unexpected triumph Nov. 7 over seven-term incumbent and powerful committee Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Tracy.

Click here for the rest of the Contra Costa Times article... 

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Contra Costa Times Politics Weblog
Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Rep.-elect McNerney moves in
By Lisa Vorderbrueggen, Times Political Columnist

That click you heard this morning was Rep.-elect Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, turning the key in his Washington, D.C., office for the first time.

It's at 312 Cannon Office Building, a three-room, 1,000-square-foot suite with royal red carpets, fresh paint and a lovely view of the parking lot next to the Capitol South Metro train station. His official plaque was already installed on the wall outside the door: "Jerry McNerney. California. 312."

It was a morning full of firsts.

Staff picked up the mail for the first time from the floor where it had landed after being pushed through the slot. The daily newspaper bundle arrived for the first time, with the New York Times and the Washington Post. The phone rang as McNerney swung open the door.

Click here for the rest of the Contra Costa Times blog post...  

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KQED's California Report
Tuesday, January 2, 2007

California's Newest Congressman
By Cy Musiker, Reporter

The 110th Congress convenes in Washington on Thursday. California voters are returning to office all the incumbents who ran for re-election, except Republican Richard Pombo. Pombo represented the 11th District, which sprawls from Stockton in the San Joaquin Valley to the Bay Area suburbs, but he lost this year in an upset to political novice and Democrat Jerry McNerney.

Click here to listen to audio of KQED's California Report (the segment on McNerney starts a few minutes into the program) ...

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What are your thoughts?

When Jerry sent you a message about his national Democratic Radio Address to America last Saturday, you responded with 100 robust comments on Jerry's Blog. The 101st comment came from the Congressman himself, who wrote about how "your feedback shows that people are yearning to hear the truth, that people want a change."

Click here to read Jerry's comment and 100 others from your fellow supporters.

If you have a comment in reaction to any of the newspaper and radio reports above or you would like to congratulate Jerry on this momentous day, post your comments below and your new Congressman will likely post a response very soon!

And remember -- with your shoe leather, mouse pads and hard-earned dollars, you made this historic day possible.

Thank you!

Team McNerney