Jimmy Panetta

I had the pleasure of attending @AsmGailPellerin’s 2026 care fair to recognize the outstanding Mental Health Heroes from CA-19. Thanks to Assemblywoman Pellerin for all of her work and service. https://t.co/jpQ1iPIXaJ

Great to sit down with a local school board member to talk about ways to strengthen our public school system. https://t.co/q3Sj2HQCkb

Proud to announce more than $1.1 million in federal funding for CSUMB to expand educational opportunities and help more students succeed. https://t.co/HufGjot9DM

Always proud to cut through the red tape with the federal government to get results for the people of CA-19. When a constituent reached out for help expediting the review of their employment authorization renewal, I quickly got to work with the USCIS. Glad to have gotten this positive message from them.

Emergency operations centers act as a central nervous system for our communities during major disasters. Proud to have secured more than $1 million in federal funding for a new facility in San Miguel, adjacent to the existing fire station. I will continue to work in Congress to ensure that our first responders have the resources they need to keep our communities safe. https://t.co/WDHSqai977

Great to convene local leaders and first responders at the San Miguel fire station to announce a significant investment of federal funding for an emergency operations center. https://t.co/zHfXxEZ8xR

The House unanimously passed my bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. My bill would help crack down on the illicit trafficking and misuse of xylazine while protecting its legitimate use by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers. https://t.co/DepV3l8fi9

Congratulations to the UCDC internship program on its 25th Anniversary. My participation in its predecessor program, Davis in D.C., bolstered my sense of public service. Looking forward to the program’s continued impacts on college students. https://t.co/TP660yFh0O

After leaving Brookdale without local postal services for nearly two years, USPS is now considering permanently closing the community’s post office without proposing an alternative location or expanded service. I called on Postmaster General Steiner to stop the study and start figuring out how USPS can provide the community with reliable postal services.

Affordable housing is the number one issue facing California’s 19th Congressional District. I’m proud to have secured $2 million in federal funding to help build Pacific Station North, which is now open and providing 128 new affordable homes in Santa Cruz. I’ll continue working in Congress to ensure that everyone in CA-19 has a place to call home. https://t.co/5OTL2Fq4et

Another SNAP cut under the One Big Beautiful Bill took effect, halving the federal government’s share of administrative costs and forcing states to cover the remaining 75%. https://t.co/xg5tFix9cO

Proud to have secured more than $1 million in federal funding for the San Miguel Fire Department to build an Emergency Operations Center in their new fire department. This investment will give local first responders the dedicated space and resources they need to better communicate and coordinate emergency responses and keep our communities safe.

Grateful that Big Sur’s state parks have reopened for the first time since the Timber and Plaskett fires began. Thank you to the firefighters and first responders whose sacrifices and tireless work made this possible. https://t.co/EVuHylD7oa

We must protect patients and Medicare from bad actors who steal benefits and undermine trust in hospice care without penalizing the hardworking providers who deliver dedicated, compassionate care. That’s why I authored and passed the bipartisan HOSPICE Act into law and helped introduce the bipartisan Enhancing Hospice Oversight and Transparency Act to strengthen oversight, increase transparency, and hold fraudsters accountable. I’ll continue listening to hospice providers and working across the aisle to protect patients in CA-19 and across the country. https://t.co/ccXl8W5LtA

Santa Cruz, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) called on U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner to immediately halt the discontinuance feasibility study for the Brookdale Post Office, identify an alternative post office location in the community, and expand postal services to ensure that residents have timely and local access to their mail. Postal services in Brookdale have been suspended since a fire severely damaged the community’s contract post office in December 2024. After residents waited nearly two years for the facility to reopen, with no apparent progress being made on repairs, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) notified the community in September 2026 that it was conducting a feasibility study on permanently closing the location. USPS still has not proposed an alternative location or expanded service within Brookdale. “Since the Brookdale Post Office burned down, the people of that community have waited for nearly two years in good faith while the USPS sat on its hands saying that they would reopen the facility,” said Rep. Panetta. “Then, out of the blue, the USPS made the haphazard decision to study whether it should shut down the post office without providing any postal service in Brookdale. Such an indiscriminate and arbitrary decision to shut down a local post office, without any plan to open up the existing one or attempt to provide postal services to existing Brookdale customers, is unreasonable, and we expect more out of our Postal Service. That is why I wrote this letter calling on the USPS to stop the study and start figuring out how it can provide postal services to the people of Brookdale.” Brookdale residents do not receive home mail delivery and have historically relied on post office boxes and retail services at the local facility. Since the fire, residents have been forced to travel to neighboring communities, including Boulder Creek and Ben Lomond, to retrieve their mail and access basic postal services. In the mountain community of Brookdale, that burden is particularly significant for seniors, people with disabilities, working families, and residents without reliable transportation, especially during severe weather and other disruptions in the San Lorenzo Valley. Rep. Panetta called on Postmaster General Steiner to: Immediately halt the discontinuance feasibility study on the proposed permanent closing of the Brookdale Post Office; Investigate potential alternative permanent post office locations in Brookdale; Explore home delivery service for the residents of Brookdale; Until home delivery is available, offer cluster box units or another mail pickup solution in Brookdale; and Schedule a meeting with Rep. Panetta to discuss next steps. Rep. Panetta has repeatedly pressed USPS leadership to restore postal services in Brookdale. In a February 2026 letter to the Postmaster General, he called on USPS to repair and reopen the facility with a clear project timeline and provide temporary postal service within the community in the interim. After USPS missed its promised May 1 reopening date, Rep. Panetta sent a May 2026 letter requesting that the USPS Inspector General review the agency’s management, communication, and decision-making, the adequacy of interim services, and the feasibility of restoring service through a temporary or alternative facility. Full text of the letter is available here and below: Dear Postmaster General: I write to request your immediate action to end the discontinuance feasibility study for the Brookdale Post Office, to find a new post office location in Brookdale, California, and to expand appropriate postal services to serve this community. Since their contract post office burned down, my constituents have waited for nearly two years in good faith while the USPS deflected its responsibility to reopen the facility. The decision this month to consider discontinuing postal service in Brookdale, with no alternative services to your existing Brookdale customers, is unreasonable without any effort to find an alternative post office location or any other remedy for postal services and basic operations in the community. In December 2024, a fire disabled service at the contract post office in Brookdale, a town I represent in California’s 19th District. Brookdale is a rural mountain community, and for nearly two years, residents waited in good faith for the USPS to restore service, traveling to other towns to receive basic postal services. This would be a burden under normal circumstances, and it is particularly challenging when residents face weather events or other impediments in the San Lorenzo Valley. For disabled, elderly, and mobility-impaired constituents, traveling out of their town presents an additional challenge, but Brookdale residents have done so patiently with the expectation that USPS would eventually restore a local post office. However, in September 2026, after years of deflections, the USPS announced a discontinuance feasibility study for the post office and took the extraordinary step of preemptively refusing to expand services in Brookdale or to consider a new post office location in the community. Brookdale has never had home delivery, despite the fact that neighboring towns enjoy this basic service. Over time, residents have come to rely on boxes and retail services at the local post office. For years, these services were housed in a rented facility. When that facility suffered a catastrophic fire, the USPS spent years assuring residents and my office that they were waiting for the property owner to conduct necessary repairs. This rationale continued even after the property owner missed basic deadlines for the repairs. Instead of considering alternative locations for the post office, or my constituents’ requests for home delivery or cluster box units in Brookdale, the USPS took steps to discontinue service altogether. Faced with this situation, I ask that you: Immediately halt the discontinuance feasibility study on the proposed permanent closing for the Brookdale Post Office; Investigate potential alternative permanent post office locations in Brookdale; Explore home delivery service for the residents of Brookdale; Until home delivery is available, offer cluster box units or another mail pickup solution in Brookdale; Schedule a meeting with me to discuss next steps to ensure my constituents are being served. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Restoring dependable postal operations is vital for my constituents, and these steps will help ensure the residents of Brookdale can rely on the United States Postal Service for years to come. Sincerely,

The Administration’s overreaching mass deportation policy has gone well beyond the border and well beyond felons and gang members and instead led to chaos in many communities and pain in our local economies. Detention centers are an extension of that cruel policy, and I applaud the leadership of Monterey County in taking steps to temporarily block this Administration from establishing these types of facilities in CA-19. https://t.co/MpL0gk4E2S

Proud that my bipartisan Taxpayer Protection and Preparer Proficiency Act unanimously passed the Senate! Americans should not be penalized for the mistakes or misconduct of unqualified tax preparers, and I’ll continue working to pass this bill in the House so taxpayers in CA-19 and across the country can file their taxes with confidence.

Proud to have secured $1.92 million in federal funding to repair Wharf No. 2, a critical landmark for our ecosystem and economy here in Monterey Bay. Hoping to continue to support our local wharves and ensure the federal power of the purse is felt here at home. https://t.co/zK1dHu9TQN

Good discussion with a constituent on our public education system and the issues impacting our CA-19 communities. https://t.co/nuWhI7OBSq

Proud to have secured significant federal funding for the Cambria Fire Department to purchase a brand new fire engine so that our firefighters have the best resources available to keep our communities safe. https://t.co/Em64DdxlZM

Thanks to the tireless day-and-night efforts of our firefighters and first responders, the Plaskett Fire is now 100% contained. As crews continue their work on the Timber Fire, now 88% contained, our community remains deeply grateful for their courage and commitment. https://t.co/Y3UnL25szK

Great to see the brand new family housing wing at a local transitional homeless shelter. Amazing to see not only the facility, but also the community support for our most vulnerable. https://t.co/Ypujr0DXUe

Good to see continued progress on the Timber Fire. Evacuation warnings for zones MRY-D078, MRY-D085, MRY-D086, MRY-D089, MRY-D090, MRYD091, MRY-F014, MRY-F015-A, MRY-F020, MRY-F029, and MRY-F031-A have been lifted. I’m grateful to the firefighters and first responders working tirelessly in steep terrain to contain the fire and keep our communities safe.

The Administration’s ban on certain Canadian alcohol, dairy products, and motorcycles will only escalate this senseless trade war and further strain our relationship with one of our closest allies. That’s why Congress must pass the BAD DEAL Act to protect working families from the costs of these harmful policies and reclaim its constitutional authority over trade. https://t.co/YYI1QAKUGn

Rep. Panetta highlights critical federal funding to coordinate emergency response and keep San Miguel residents safe. To watch his remarks, click HERE or on the above photo. For additional photos and b-roll, click HERE. San Miguel, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) announced that he secured $1,034,487 in federal funding for the San Miguel Fire Department to construct an Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The Community Project Funding, provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Operations Center Grant Program, will fund the EOC portion of a new multiuse public-safety facility adjacent to the existing fire station. The facility will provide emergency services and law enforcement agencies with the dedicated space, technology, and resources needed to coordinate responses to large-scale emergencies. Rep. Panetta was joined at the press conference by San Miguel Fire Chief Scott Young, Assemblymember Dawn Addis, and local law enforcement representatives. “When disasters strike, it’s an all-hands-on-deck reaction by our firefighters and law enforcement officers at every level. That’s why coordination, communication, and integration are important for the success of that type of unified response,” said Rep. Panetta. “Emergency Operations Centers can act as a central nervous system for our community during major disasters. That’s why I’m proud to have secured more than $1 million in federal funding for an Emergency Operations Center to be located at a new firehouse in San Miguel. This investment will give local first responders the dedicated space and resources they need to better react, communicate, and keep our community safe.” “With San Miguel’s continued growth comes the responsibility of enhancing our emergency response services, facilities, and equipment. The proposed fire station expansion is a critical step in preparing San Miguel for the future. The San Miguel community is truly grateful for this support and for the recognition of the need to invest in emergency services, public safety, and community resilience. This funding will help place San Miguel Fire on the path forward, allowing us to better serve the needs of our community, our county, and our state with reliable emergency services well into the foreseeable future,” said Fire Chief Young. “As wildfires continue to increase in intensity and winter storms become more aggressive across the Central Coast, a local Emergency Operations Center will give the San Miguel Fire Department the tools and coordination capacity it needs to respond to complex emergencies, from fires and flooding to severe storms and earthquakes. I am proud to support this project and thank Congressman Jimmy Panetta for the critical investment in the resilience of our San Miguel neighbors,” said Assemblymember Addis. Located in northern San Luis Obispo County, San Miguel currently lacks a dedicated facility for coordinating a large-scale emergency response. The new multiuse building will strengthen the community’s ability to prepare for and respond to natural or human-caused disasters. When the EOC is not activated, it will provide shared space for emergency services and law enforcement agencies serving the region. During an emergency, the EOC will serve as a central hub for deploying resources, securing additional personnel and equipment, sharing information among responding agencies, and communicating with the media and public. While local agencies can manage most incidents within their own jurisdictions, larger and more complex emergencies often require a multi-jurisdictional response. A dedicated EOC will allow San Miguel’s first responders to work more effectively with North County law enforcement, CAL FIRE, the California Highway Patrol, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, and other county, regional, state, and federal partners. Primarily staffed by dedicated volunteers, the San Miguel Fire Department serves a population of just over 3,000 residents. This investment will help ensure that the department’s emergency-response capabilities continue to grow alongside the community. This funding adds to the millions of dollars Rep. Panetta has secured for emergency services across California’s 19th Congressional District, including $500,000 for the design and construction of a fire and emergency services training facility in Paso Robles, $1 million for a new fire engine and equipment for the Templeton Fire Department, and $935,000 for a new fire engine for the Cambria Fire Department. For additional photos and b-roll, click HERE. ###