John Garamendi

“When President Trump diverts military resources to immigration enforcement, our armed forces suffer. Critical training is delayed, flight hours are lost, and funds are pulled from military family housing and readiness priorities,” said Rep. Garamendi. “These diversions weaken the training, modernization, and maintenance our forces need to stay prepared and mission-ready.”

“Public transportation is critical for our communities by helping Bay Area residents get to work, access health care, and visit family, all while reducing traffic congestion,” said Rep. Garamendi. “It is imperative that Congress protects and enhances core investment programs, such as the Section 5337 State of Good Repair program, which helps ensure our transit systems are safe, reliable, and efficient.”

“My Commission colleagues and I thank Representatives Simon, García and Garamendi for their leadership in preserving the cornerstone of the federal transportation program,” said Metropolitan Transportation Commission Chair and Pleasant Hill City Councilmember Sue Noack. “Federal transit formula dollars drive the engines of prosperity for metro areas all around the country. Here in the Bay Area, we use federal formula money to help keep our transit infrastructure in good condition, which is key to safety and reliability for the million riders our systems carry each day. Thanks to this support, millions more have a viable alternative to driving. Just 3% to 5% fewer vehicles on the road can cut traffic delays by up to 70%. Without our transit formula funding in place, congestion could overwhelm highways from the Bay Area to the Beltway.”

“As a cosponsor of this resolution, I am proud to stand with my colleagues to rectify a historic injustice and call for the exoneration of the Port Chicago 50,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. “These 50 courageous sailors have suffered the impact of racial discrimination throughout their service in World War II, and their names have been tainted for 73 years. In today's political climate, we must come together against discrimination and inequality. It is imperative that we rectify this wrongdoing and bring justice to those sailors who made great sacrifices for our nation.” “The Port Chicago 50 were ordered to their deaths in summer 1944, nearly four years before President Truman signed the executive order formally banning racial segregation in the American military. Now, almost eight decades later and even after President Clinton’s 1999 pardon for Freddie Meeks, the families of the Port Chicago 50 convicted for mutinying against an order that should never have been given are still waiting for justice. As Port Chicago’s new Congressman, I am proud to stand with those family members and my colleagues Representatives Mark DeSaulnier and Barbara Lee in demanding that justice be delayed no further,” said Congressman John Garamendi. “Thank goodness for Rep. Mark DeSaulnier for carrying forward the exoneration idea. The Port Chicago 50 should have their names cleared,” said Rev. Diana McDaniel, President of The Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial. “We are most appreciative and are very hopeful that under President Joseph Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, justice will prevail.” On July 17, 1944 the tragic explosion at Port Chicago killed 320 mostly African American munitions workers. Prior to the incident, the Navy failed to properly train the sailors to load munitions, which likely led to the explosion. While white officers were given time off following the accident, African American sailors were ordered to return to work in the same unsafe conditions that killed their fellow servicemembers. When 50 of these men refused, they were wrongfully convicted of mutiny. Representatives DeSaulnier and Lee have introduced a version of this resolution in the 114 th, 115 th, 116 th, and 117 th Congresses, and together they have called on then-President Obama and past and current Secretaries of the Navy requesting they remove these racially biased convictions from the Port Chicago 50’s records. Additionally, Congressman DeSaulnier successfully included a provision to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requiring the Navy to investigate the circumstances surrounding the treatment of sailors at Port Chicago. This led to the Navy acknowledging the injustice that was served to the Port Chicago 50. DeSaulnier has also secured funding to create a public meeting space near the site of the Port Chicago explosion to bring awareness to this dark chapter of our history and share the stories of the Port Chicago 50.

"Today's vote was the culmination of months of hard work and negotiations. As a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I was proud to play a part in these negotiations and fight to ensure California's transportation needs were addressed in the ‘Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,'" Garamendi said.

"This is a historic piece of legislation, and a strong investment in our infrastructure and the middle class. The legislation includes much-needed support for America's roads and bridges, water infrastructure, rural broadband, and more. It will also create new middle-class jobs by rebuilding our nation's crumbling infrastructure using American materials and workers," Garamendi continued.