Congressman Darrell Issa represents the people of California's 50th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.
The 50th District encompasses the central and northeastern parts of San Diego County and a portion of Riverside County, including the communities of Fallbrook, San Marcos, Valley Center, Ramona, Escondido, Santee, Lakeside, El Cajon, Temecula, and the mountain and desert areas of the San Diego-Imperial County line.
Federal Student Aid
The Issa Office hosted a constituent webinar on student financial aid. Please click here to view the materials presented by the U.S. Department of Education on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.
Servicemembers and veterans come from all walks of life and all corners of the country to protect and defend this great nation through military service. The federal government must keep its commitment to our hardworking, dedicated veterans to deliver the care and services they have earned.
Issa is a proud Army veteran. As a senior in high school, Issa enlisted in the United States Army. Through his service, he received a ROTC scholarship and graduated with a degree in business. Upon graduation, Issa was commissioned as an Army officer, and ultimately obtained the rank of captain.
The Office of Congressman Issa hosted an informational webinar on military spouse employment tools provided by the Department of Defense on August 12. View the presentation here.
If you are a resident of the 50th District of California and need assistance with a personal VA issue, please click hereto request assistance from our Office.
The Office of Congressman Darrell Issa hosted a constituent webinar on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development programs. Please click here to view a presentation on USDA's Rural Development California programs.
As a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Congressman Issa is able to address the issues facing our relationships with nations around the world.
In the 117th Congress, Congressman Issa is a member of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Global Human Rights and the Subcommittee on International Development, International Organizations, and Global Corporate Social Impact.
Congress’ number one priority should be putting Americans back to work and making our nation globally competitive again.
From 2009 to 2012, the nation suffered the worst unemployment rates since the Great Depression – with California’s unemployment rate exceeding 10% at times.
Job creators in America have had to overcome a regulatory tsunami that has forced them to absorb a regulatory compliance burden costing them $1.75 trillion each year. While small businesses are the backbone of a growing economy, more taxes and more regulations have suffocated their ability to grow and create the jobs we so desperately need.
Rather than address the real barriers to job creation, the government’s response has been to keep spending more money that we don’t have. In 2008, I voted against the so-called stimulus bill because instead of expanding job creation, it expanded the size and scope of the federal government resulting in billions and billions of taxpayer dollars being wasted on boondoggles like Solyndra. Instead, I have supported alternative proposals to encourage private-sector job creation and remove red tape which burdens small business.
You may view all House of Representatives jobs legislation here.
The federal government doesn’t create jobs, small businesses and entrepreneurs do. Let’s create an environment that fosters growth and job creation so America remains prosperous and free.
I believe that individuals possess certain Constitutional rights and that government exists to protect those rights. As lawmakers, we must codify that the rights you possess in the physical world must also apply in the digital world as well. By making Internet freedom part of the national dialogue, we can ensure that the government protects the rights of digital citizens and works to bring justice to those who violate them. In the 112th Congress, I launched a website to open up the legislative process to taxpayers, please click here. This website incorporated the crowdsourcing platform Madison, which allows the public to edit and comment on Legislation. To date, nearly 550,000 viewers have viewed and contributed to the site.
As a Member of the House Judiciary Intellectual Property Subcommittee, I am dedicated to expanding consumer choices, cutting costs and ensuring competition across all American industries. In these uncertain economic times, one thing that most people continue to rely upon is their automobile. When their car gets into an accident, Americans want to have access to the most affordable and highest-quality automotive repair parts. This is why I introduced the Promoting Automotive Repair Trade and Sales Act.
Under current law, a design patent lasts for 14 years from the date it is first issued. Relatively recently, auto manufacturers have begun to obtain design patents on exterior collision parts – such as hoods, fenders, and quarter panels – and have attempted to use these design patents to effectively eliminate any aftermarket or third-party ability to sell these parts for car repairs. The PARTS Act will effectively eliminate the monopoly auto manufacturers' have on design patents for auto-collision repair parts to 30 months - increasing market competition and ensuring that Americans will continue to have both access to, and choice of, a wide variety of competitively-priced exterior collision repair parts
Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base is at the heart of the 49th Congressional District. Approximately 42,000 Marines and sailors call Camp Pendleton home – with thousands of visitors each day.
Improving the quality of life for our Marines and servicemembers continues to be a top priority. Camp Pendleton has undergone significant housing improvements over the last decade. When I first toured the base as its Representative in 2001, the condition of on-base housing was appalling, with Marine families assigned to worn out housing with mold contamination and other health hazards.
Today, thanks to an innovative public-private partnership, Marines now enjoy state of the art Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQs) and new family homes have been built to replace dilapidated housing dating back to World War II. In 2010, the new Wounded Warrior Campus was completed to provide care to returning Marines in addition to a new 147,000 square foot PX. A new Naval Hospital broke ground in 2010 – set to be completed in the fall of 2014, and all five on-base public schools have been remodeled.
I am proud of the improvements at Camp Pendleton that support the quality of life for our Marines and the readiness of our force. As a veteran and representative of the base in Washington, I work diligently to ensure our servicemembers and their families receive the best care and benefits possible. Changes to healthcare and benefits will be approached cautiously and deliberately.
Energy independence and innovation are essential to America’s national and economic security. The best way to address America’s future energy needs is through a comprehensive approach that considers an “all-of-the-above” energy solution.
President Obama’s Administration has repeatedly blocked access to domestic natural resources through unnecessary regulations; and, instead has used taxpayer dollars to subsidize a political agenda resulting in the loss of billions of taxpayer dollars as we saw with Solyndra and countless other companies that received taxpayer dollars to promote “favored” technologies, only to declare bankruptcy. Additionally, after years of delay, the Obama Administration denied a permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline, which would have increased domestic energy supply, decreased our reliance on unstable foreign governments, and created thousands of American jobs. Click here to read more about the Administration’s efforts to block access to domestic energy resources.
An effective energy strategy will involve increasing our domestic supply of energy and private investment and research into new types of cleaner and more efficient fuels which will lower costs for Americans and protect our environment.
However, to effectively utilize all of our domestic resources, the federal government should not pick winners and losers in the marketplace. Risky investments by the federal government in politically prioritized industries leaves taxpayers on the hook for millions of dollars without alleviating high energy costs.
To combat rising energy prices, the federal government should support fair competition to drive prices down and efficiently utilize our resources while continuing to protect our environment for current and future generations
Americans should have access to quality, affordable health care that meets their individual needs. I support efforts to:
These efforts are consistent with what the American people have asked us to deliver - health care reform which reduces rising costs and protects, not erodes, doctor-patient relationships, and reforms that incentivize, not penalize through taxes, fees, and hyper regulation, small business employers.
I opposed President Obama’s health care bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that was passed on a partisan vote with the rationale that we would have to pass it to find out what was in it. Now that the bill is law, the American people are finding out that what’s in it is completely contrary to what they were promised by proponents of ObamaCare.
ObamaCare strips the American people of decision-making authority that should be exclusively theirs and puts it in the hands of unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats. It raises health care costs while increasing health care spending. It jeopardizes the future of Medicare and Medicaid adopting unsustainable cuts and raises taxes on small businesses and American manufacturers. Because the Affordable Care Act does not achieve those goals and takes us in the wrong direction for reform, I voted against the bill and remain committed to seeing its repeal and eventual replacement with policies that allow Americans to choose quality healthcare plans that are portable between jobs and states and best meet their needs
Our nation has a spending problem – not a taxing problem. At the beginning of the 20thcentury, federal taxes equated to 3% of our economic output (the Gross Domestic Product (GDP.) Today, federal taxes account for 18% of GDP and total more than 67,000 pages of regulations. The top federal tax rate is 35% for individuals; more than 1/3 of an individual's income.
State taxes have also grown at an alarming rate. According to the Tax Foundation, California ranks 48th for state business taxes – only the state of New York and New Jersey have less favorable business tax climates. As a former small business owner, I know firsthand the burden government regulations have on business growth and job creation. Add the local, state and federal tax burden together, and many Americans are paying more than half of their earnings to the government. It is clear our country is in need of comprehensive tax reform. The federal tax system is too intrusive, complicated, and sometimes counterproductive. We should simplify the system and create economic certainty so that private enterprises will begin investing again. Through meaningful tax reform, we can broaden the American dream to reach everyone who’s willing to work for it. The end result will be a prosperous economy and a globally competitive nation. Tax reform measures I have supported, include
There’s nothing more alluring than the promise of the American dream – the hope that in our country with a little hard work, everyone can have a fair shot to create a better life for themselves. It’s what’s attracted so many from all over the world to come and make America their home.
As such, Americans should embrace immigrants who come here legally. But our current immigration system is working for no one. We need to fix our broken immigration system with reforms that secure our borders, enforce the rule of law and encourages legal immigration.
Immigrants, from all walks of life, make significant contributions to our country but we have to have the right laws in place to ensure there’s a process that actually works and ensures that it happens through the appropriate legal channels.
If there’s one thing we all can agree on it’s that the criminal justice system in America needs reform. One one hand, too many Americans who’ve lost their way or made mistakes are denied the chance to make things right and live a better life, trapped in system that often creates a vicious repeating cycle of crime and recidivism. While on the other hand, our criminal justice system too often leaves the victims of crimes – like sexual assault – unable to achieve the justice they deserve.
As a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, I am working on bipartisan legislation to reform our federal criminal justice system in a way that operates with fairness and compassion, protects individual freedom, safeguards civil liberties, and ensures equal justice under law. This includes important and long-sought-after measures like reforming civil asset forfeiture, revising our sentencing laws, improving re-entry and rehabilitation programs, reforming sexual assault laws and developing criminal procedure best-practices.
Illegal immigration overburdens our schools, hospitals, court rooms and other public services and institutions at a tremendous cost to taxpayers. It is estimated that more than 11 million people reside in the United States illegally – an estimated 3 million of which reside in California alone. Furthermore, the escalation of violence on the border is spilling over into our communities and threatening the safety and well being of our citizens.
While I understand the desire to live in the United States and participate in the American dream, rewarding someone for breaking the law sends the wrong message, especially when the government enforces the law in some cases but not others.
To combat illegal immigration, a comprehensive approach must be taken. I have consistently called for the completion of the border fence, as well as increasing the number of border patrol agents. I have also been a strong supporter of the E-Verify program, to help employers determine employment eligibility of new hires.
In addition to addressing illegal immigration, our current legal immigration system must be reformed. We must take a balanced and practical approach. This includes making our country more accessible to those who can fill critical needs and also stiffening penalties for those who continue to violate our laws.
Our technology companies have a high demand for engineers and others with advanced skills. For years, foreign students have come to the United States seeking the benefits of the first-class, world-class higher-education systems we offer. They receive the skills they need to revolutionize industries, transform economies and create an untold number of jobs. Yet our broken worker visa system costs American jobs and puts us at a competitive disadvantage.
For that reason, I have been a long-time supporter of increasing the number of visas given to foreign students receiving advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to create jobs and support companies throughout California and the nation.
Since 1973, a security search at airport checkpoints has been deemed constitutional as long as the search is “limited in its intrusiveness as consistent with satisfaction of the administrative need that justifies it.” The public outcry against the newly implemented TSA procedures directly reflects the deepening distrust the American people have in their government.
If the TSA is going to be taken seriously and not as another dysfunctional federal agency, there needs to be a stronger effort by the Department of Homeland Security to organize and administer the agency to provide the American people security without conflicting with our basic constitutional protections.