Garamendi among opponents to bid to repeal Obamacare

Jan. 15--As Republicans in the House of Representatives joined their counterparts in the Senate to pass a budget measure that is the first step to repeal the Affordable Care Act, area Congressman John Garamendi joined his fellow Democrats in opposing the move.

Garamendi was one of 189 Democrats and nine Republicans who opposed the 227 Republicans who voted yes on a budget measure that sets the stage for Republicans to repeal significant parts of the ACA without cooperation from Democrats.

"Over the course of six years, House Republicans have voted more than 60 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, yet we've never seen a comprehensive plan to replace it," Garamendi said in a press release. "Today's vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act puts the insurance of up to 30 million Americans in jeopardy -- 30 million Americans who would be one serious injury or disease away from destitution or worse."

The U.S. Senate passed the budget resolution 51 to 48 on Thursday.

----State Sen. Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber, was re-elected by California's Republican Senators to serve as the chairman for the Republican Caucus during the new session of the Legislature, according to a press release from his office.

Nielsen said the Senate Republicans will continue advocate for reforming the state's regulatory policies and investing in infrastructure.

"This leadership position also affords me the opportunity to push for issues that matter to North State citizens like building Sites Reservoir and fixing our roads and highways," Nielsen said.

----Area Assemblyman James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, led a tour of the site of the proposed Sites Reservoir for a group of a nine Republican and three Democrat legislators on Thursday.

"I organized this trip to provide my colleagues from all over the state with a glimpse of what building toward a successful water future in California looks like," Gallagher said in a press release.

The Sites project is estimated at $4.4 billion and has been studied for more than 40 years. The reservoir would be an "off-stream" reservoir that would not dam a river so it will not block fish migration, the press release said.

"We're grateful to the members and staff of the California Assembly for touring the Sites Project today," said Jim Watson, general manager of the Sites Project Authority. "The Sites Project makes sense for the economy, for water supply, and for the environment both locally and for the state as a whole."

----The court hearing to determine if Eldridge Chaney, a sexually violent predator, will be placed in a house on Ellis Road north of Maryville has been postponed to Feb. 10 at 9 a.m. in Monterey County Superior Court.

It is the second time the court date has been delayed. It was previously pushed back from early January to Feb. 3 due to a scheduling conflict.

CONTACT reporter Kirk Barron at 749-4796.

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