Morgan Hill
’s congressman for the 11th district, Richard Pombo, (R-Tracy)
has been busy recently. In May he was named a deputy whip by
Majority Whip Roy Blunt, (R-Missouri). The position comes on the
heels of an appointment as chairman of the House Committee on
Resources.
Morgan Hill’s congressman for the 11th district, Richard Pombo, (R-Tracy) has been busy recently. In May he was named a deputy whip by Majority Whip Roy Blunt, (R-Missouri). The position comes on the heels of an appointment as chairman of the House Committee on Resources.
“Richard will be an excellent Deputy Whip, and I am pleased that he has agreed to do this very important job,” Blunt said. “I look forward to working with him every day to move the Republican agenda forward in the House.”
Whips – majority (Republican) and minority (Democratic) – keep track of how various members intend to vote on issues and work to sway fence-sitters over to their side. There are several deputy whips but Blunt does not release information on how many, according to Doug Heye, Pombo’s communication aide.
“With critical legislation facing the House everyday, we must have a strong team working to ensure that vital legislation becomes approved,” said Pombo, chairman of the House Committee on Resources. “I’m honored that Roy Blunt has asked me to be part of his team.”
As chair of the Resources Committee, Pombo’s is involved with environmental issues such as drilling for oil in the Arctic wilderness, managing forests, parks, energy and water.
“Richard Pombo’s new role will give California’s 11th District an even bigger voice in the decision-making process in the House,” Blunt said. “This is a real win for California.”
Alex Kennett, president of the South County Democratic Club, agreed.
“Yes, it is a win for California,” he said, “because whenever your representative – whether you like his views or not – holds a position of leadership, it is important. As long as he listens,” Kennett said.
The Majority Whip is the third-ranking member of the House leadership, behind the Speaker and the Majority Leader. Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor serves as the Chief Deputy Majority Whip.
Pombo became Morgan Hill’s representative in the 108th Congress – but not San Martin’s or Gilroy’s – because the California Legislature moved the city into Pombo’s predominantly rural, agricultural and Republican district during the 2000 redistricting. Previously Morgan Hill was represented by Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose. Pombo is a strongly conservative Republican.
Last week, on May 28, Pombo released a statement commenting on criticism that the Fish and Wildlife Service will run out of funds to designate critical wildlife habitat for endangered species.
“Today the radical environmental community in America attacked the Bush Administration again with the signature scare-tactics they’ve used for the last three decades,” Pombo said. “Fortunately, stubborn facts, science and technology show us that critical habitat designations are ineffective in recovering endangered species. … We have approved new, scientific approaches to protect endangered species on select federal lands. These management plans are forward-thinking, balanced and holistic in their preservation of entire ecosystems.”
The Congressman also recently introduced – for the third time – a bill to prohibit the use of MTBE as a fuel additive.
“We were lied to when we were told that MTBE would clean our air,” said Pombo. “Instead, it has polluted our groundwater.”
Morgan Hill has been treating underground water near the city’s corporation yard – off Edes Court – when gasoline from a school district storage tank, across the street, leaked into the water system.
The Congressman remains active in agricultural matters as well.
Pombo and Congressmen Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) are leading a bipartisan effort with 22 other California Representatives to urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to keep California’s remaining Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices open and fully staffed. The USDA will close 200 NRCS and FSA offices nationwide and many California offices may be targeted.
Pombo was also a supporter of the recently passed and signed bill to cut $350 billion in taxes over 10 years. The Republican-sponsored bill was called the Jobs and Growth Tax Act of 2003.
Congressman Richard Pombo’s website is www.house.gov/pombo/
