Ken Calvert

The American farmer is an integral part of country's fabric and remains an essential member of communities across the nation. Additionally, the world renowned California agriculture industry is one of the most significant contributors to our state's economic engine.

Farmers across the country, including California, face serious challenges: pests and disease, a shortage of water, regulatory burdens, and low market prices and unfair trade barriers. The government must address these problems as well as work to expand market opportunities and provide emergency assistance when appropriate and needed. American farmers also need a reliable and affordable source of water, which is why I will continue to advocate on behalf of comprehensive water solutions for California and the rest of the nation. I will also continue to work with our farmers to ensure that American crops are treated fairly by countries that export crops to the United States and that any agricultural products entering the country are free from pests and diseases.

America's agricultural industry is one of the most capable in the world and their ability to compete and thrive depends on the freedom for them to produce in a fair marketplace and without being severely hindered by conditions beyond their control. Americans need their government to ensure that they will continue to have an affordable, safe and reliable food supply.

As the Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I am dedicated to ensuring our Armed Services have the tools and training required to maintain our national security.  We must restore the military readiness that eroded after two decades of war, and modernize our capabilities to curb the advances of aggressive adversaries, such as Russia and China, and hold corrupt regimes, like those in Iran and North Korea, accountable for their actions. Our national security interests demand we send our adversaries a strong message.  As the world’s lone superpower, stepping back from international affairs only emboldens authoritarian regimes to fill that void.

The resources we put towards the defense of our nation tells the rest of the world more about our country than any strategy or policy could hope to do. I intend to send clear messages about our priorities through the annual Defense Appropriations Act. I will show our nation that we are investing in an efficient, effective military that is accountable, harnessing innovation, and is proactively engaged on both global and domestic stages while taking care of its most valuable asset, its people. Our national security budget will show our partners and allies that we support a global security posture that recognizes America cannot face today’s complex threats alone. Finally, it will unequivocally demonstrate to our adversaries that America is the world’s lone superpower because we will have, and always will have, the world’s most advanced, capable, and ready military force backed by the best and brightest of American innovation and entrepreneurship. We are a nation that seeks peace through strength; but will be prepared to fight and win at a moment’s notice if required.

Locally, our region plays a vital role in national security. The Naval Surface Warfare Center – Corona Division, March Air Reserve Base, and other southern California military installations are key players in our ability to wargame, project power, and deploy our Forces around the world. We must continue to invest in these critical assets and ensure they are positioned to play a vital role well into the future.

I understand the impact of a stagnant job market on my constituents and on hard-working Americans across the country, and am committed to working with my colleagues – on both sides of the aisle – to advance long-term, pro-growth policies that get our economy growing.

I support the following targeted solutions: simplify the tax code, lower the corporate tax rate, halt all job-killing regulatory proposals, reduce employer payroll taxes for newly-hired employees; make E-Verify - the only tool for employers to verify the legal status of potential employees - mandatory in all 50 states; and open global markets to American products.

As a former small business owner, I understand what it means to sign the front of a payroll check, and what that paycheck means to families. Putting Californians back to work remains a top priority.

I fully recognize that the future of America is linked to the successful education of our children. While public education has traditionally been a right and responsibility of states and local communities, federal funding and control has increased over recent years. As a result there has been a growing debate on whether federal involvement in education, and the billions in federal spending that comes with it, is actually improving educational opportunity.

I support the reevaluation of the federal role in education and believe that federal policy must always balance the need for standards and accountability with the rights of students, families and teachers while preserving local control of K-12 education. And in a time of ever more tight budgets, where spending restraint is necessary to decrease the federal deficit, innovative and effective education policy must be the guiding principle.

The energy challenges facing our nation continue to pose a significant burden on American families as well as our domestic economic security. To meet our energy needs, our country must take action on multiple policy fronts.

In the short term, we must reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy by increasing domestic production of American resources. In the long term, we must make significant investments that will help our country lead the world in the development and production of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies.

The congressional district I represent encompasses a diverse environmental cross-section of California's extraordinary landscape. The district also includes natural resources that are part of the Cleveland National Forest and the Santa Ana River. Our region continues to work towards a balance between economic development and environmental protection. During my career in public service I have spent a great deal of time working with local stakeholders as they strive to find this balance.

The security of our homeland is under constant threat by the crisis at the southern border, heightened by our broken immigration system, and exacerbated by the flow of illicit narcotics into our communities.

First and foremost, we must regain operational control of our border. Since January 2021, more than 4.6 million individuals have been apprehended attempting to illegally enter the United States through the southern border. America is a nation of immigrants, but we are a beacon of hope throughout the world because we respect and enforce the rule of law.

I regularly visit the southern border to see the situation on the ground firsthand, meet with border patrol officials and community leaders in the impacted regions, and understand what resources are needed to combat this crisis.

In 1996 I authored the legislation which later became the E-Verify program, the only tool available for employers to voluntarily check the legal status of newly hired employees. Over the years, I have worked steadily to expand E-Verify and make It mandatory for all employers in the U.S. On January 12, 2023, I reintroduced the Legal Workforce Act (H.R. 319) which would do just that and help cut off the job magnet that draws people here illegally.

I also believe that to truly secure our homeland, we must stop the flow of illicit narcotics into our communities. Fentanyl, in particular, is especially deadly and is being trafficked across our southern border every day. Riverside County loses more than one person a day, on average, from a fentanyl-related poisoning. This is why I helped launch and am a co-chair of the Bipartisan Fentanyl Prevention Caucus which works to educate the community on the dangers of fentanyl, understand the pipelines that bring it into the United States, and stop its proliferation into our neighborhoods. 

My record on border security, ensuring a legal workforce, and rejecting amnesty is second to none in Congress and I will continue to fight for the integrity of our borders and the security of our homeland as your Representative in Congress.  Below are some of the initiatives I support in the 118th Congress to secure our borders and stop illegal immigration:

HELD Act (H.R. 136) – I am the sponsor of the Help Ensuring Legal Detainers (HELD) Act which would require local municipalities to respond to an ICE detainer issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security promptly to arrange for custody of the illegal immigrant.

 

The Security First Act (H.R. 163) – I am a cosponsor of this legislation which provides additional resources for law enforcement through Operation Stonegarden, a grant program that allows local law enforcement to assist border patrol efforts at the southern border.

 

The STOP Fentanyl Act (H.R. 355) – I am a cosponsor of this legislation which puts sentencing for fentanyl-related offenses on par with other narcotics, such as methamphetamine. 

 

I believe we should complete the fence along our southern border with a physical barrier where possible, and state-of-the-art technology where it is not.

I fully support our Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers who are the first line of defense at our ports of entry. I believe we must ensure CBP is adequately funded and that our officers have the appropriate technology to keep themselves and our communities safe.

I have always been, and will continue to be, dedicated to working toward a solution so that all who have paid into the Social Security system will benefit fairly.

As it has become increasingly obvious that Social Security will go bankrupt without action, Congress has been working to find a solution. While we continue to work to protect and preserve Social Security for the beneficiaries now on the roles and those near retirement, we must also seek out innovative solutions for the millions of younger Americans who will one day rely on the program.

Social Security provides an important safety net for the senior citizens of our nation and I believe that every American who has contributed to Social Security deserves the benefits for which they have paid. The retirement of the baby boomers represents a huge demographic shift that will greatly impact Social Security. With the cost of living in California rising at an alarming rate and the baby-boom population reaching retirement, it is important that Congress take actions to protect current benefits and ensure long-term solvency of the Social Security program. I remain committed to working in a bipartisan manner to strengthen Social Security for current beneficiaries and future generations.

There are a variety of proposals to address the unfunded liability of the Social Security system. Some plans seek to create voluntary individual retirement accounts to replace the current system, and others would retain part of the current system while adding individual accounts. I believe that younger Americans who want to move towards higher yield investments should have that option as long as today's seniors and near seniors will not be affected by such a transition. I do not support the government investing Social Security funds in the stock market and I will never support legislation that would change current retirees' benefits.

I also support eliminating the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision and restoring benefits to federal, state, and local government workers, that is why I am a cosponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act.

Ensuring the long-term solvency of the Medicare and Medicaid programs is a top priority. One way to improve Medicare's financial outlook is to ensure that the program only pays for services for which reimbursement is due. I support all efforts to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse that exist in the Medicare system today so that Medicare and Medicaid are available to serve America's future generations.

Maintaining solvent and stable Medicare and Social Security programs is paramount to my legislative goals. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and the President to ensure America continues to maintain strong and reliable Social Security and Medicare systems.

For too long government has assumed that a percentage of an individual's income is owed to them. However, I believe that it is the government who is beholden to the people. Individuals should expect results from the hard earned money that they turn over every year to the federal government. Everyone who works hard deserves to keep the money they earn and, in turn, spend or save as they see fit. By letting the people keep more of their income, they are able to spend more on goods and services thereby contributing to a robust national economy. When taxes are raised, people are inclined to spend less and our economy suffers. That is why, since my first term in office, I have consistently worked for lower taxes and less government spending.

I share hard working Americans' frustration with the Internal Revenue Service and our current convoluted tax code. I believe that Congress should encourage a full discussion and act on fundamental tax reform. Whether it is a flat income tax, a national sales tax or another idea, I will support a tax plan which provides fairness to the taxpayer and makes the system less complicated.

I have consistently voted for lower taxes, and will continue to do so. In recent years, Congress has cut the marriage penalty tax, increased the child tax credit, lowered tax rates for everyone, and I will continue to work to end the death tax once and for all.

America's veterans are the reason we are able to enjoy the freedoms we have today. Because of their sacrifice and honor, our country has prevailed over the worst of foes. That is why it is imperative that our country never forgets the price that has been paid for the quality of life that we now enjoy. A veteran is the picture of courage, strength, resolve and loyalty.

My commitment to the highest standard of treatment to our veterans and retirees will not waiver. The debt that is owed to the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms is one that can never fully be repaid. Our men and women in uniform injured or wounded in the line of duty deserve not only the respect of their country, but the best medical care available.

As Congress works to rein in spending, funding for veterans and military retirees is still a top priority. I will work to ensure adequate funding for Veterans Affairs claims processing, oppose TRICARE fee and premium increases on families and retirees, and fight to ensure returning veterans have opportunities to work and continue to contribute to our communities. While Congress works through this difficult budget environment it is important to minimize the impact on programs that our servicemembers, retirees, and veterans rely on.

As a country it is our duty to respect the memory of those lost and honor those who have fought on the beaches of Normandy, the hills of Korea, the jungles of Vietnam, the mountains of Afghanistan and the sands of Iraq. They are our neighbors and fellow citizens and their sacrifice demands our humility and deepest gratitude.

For many years California water users have experienced fairly level water rates. However, some communities have begun to see rate increases because the population growth in southern California has not been matched by similar growth in available water supplies. Local water agencies must ultimately decide what water rates are appropriate in order for them to provide water to their users.

In December of 2007, U. S. District Judge Oliver Wanger issued a final ruling that is expected to result in the reduction of water deliveries from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta by about a third, in an effort to protect the endangered delta smelt. The ruling comes at a time when 23 California counties are under a federal drought emergency declaration, and the Colorado River is experiencing historically low flow levels. If these conditions continue, Californians in many areas may be faced with mandatory water rationing in the not too distant future.

I believe that California must address its water imbalance by increasing water supplies and taking appropriate measures to reduce water demand. Significant investments are needed to improve our water infrastructure, including additional surface and groundwater storage, a comprehensive Bay Delta solution and water use efficiency. California must continue to examine water recycling, desalination, and conservation methods to efficiently manage our water supplies.

As the former Chairman of the House Water and Power Subcommittee, I have worked to maintain and enhance a reliable water supply in California and our nation. My legislation, H.R. 2828, the Water Supply, Reliability and Environmental Enhancement Act, was passed during the 108th Congress and signed into law by President Bush. This federal reauthorization of the California-Federal Bay Delta Program (CALFED) will play a critical role in developing new water yield and adequate storage.