Media

Washington, DC – On Monday, August 13, the second ruling in the Private Danny Chen military hazing case was delivered. The defendant, Specialist Ryan J. Offutt, pleaded guilty to one count of hazing and two specifications of maltreatment, receiving a six-month prison sentence as well as a demotion in rank and a bad conduct discharge. Congresswoman Chu, who lost her own nephew, Lance Cpl Harry Lew, to military hazing in April of 2011, released the following statement:

Washington, DC – Today, Reps. Judy Chu (D-El Monte) and Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) joined their congressional colleagues in sending a letter addressed to over 5,800 college and university presidents across the country. In the letter, Chu and Schiff urge institutions of higher education to provide voter registration information and voting guides for first year students during their registration or orientation, as well as educate students on requirements for voting.

El Monte, CA – On Wednesday, August 1, Marine Lance Cpl. Curtis Duarte of Covina, California, died while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-32) released the following statement in response to the tragic news:

El Monte, CA – Following the successful landing of the Mars Curiosity rover early this morning, Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-32) released the following statement in praise of this watershed achievement:

Washington, DC – Today, just one and a half months before California’s AB 155 is set to take effect on September 15, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Marketplace Equity Act which would supersede the state-level initiative. AB 155 was passed to require large, out-of-state retailers, including, Amazon.com, to collect sales taxes on Internet purchases by California customers which would help fund California’s state government. The Marketplace Equity Act would enable all 50 states to require online retailers to collect sales tax, protecting funding for state governments and ensuring local businesses don’t operate at a competitive disadvantage by charging a sales tax. Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-32), a cosponsor of the Marketplace Equity Act, released the following statement:

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-32) introduced the bipartisan Student Veterans Academic Counseling Enhancement Act of 2012 – the Student Veterans ACE Act – to support student veterans pursuing their college degree. Veterans face many challenges to their academic success, from struggling to readjust to civilian life, to navigating academic requirements, finding community among new peers, to properly budgeting their GI Bill benefits. The Student Veterans ACE Act will help ensure student veterans’ academic success by requiring the VA to provide regular, individualized, one-on-one educational counseling on an opt-out basis to all veterans using the GI Bill, regardless of where they go to school. The bill also requires the VA to track veteran graduation rates, for the first time, and helps protect veterans from predatory schools. Rep. Chu released the following statement as her legislation was introduced:

Washington, DC – Yesterday, Representatives Judy Chu (CA-32), Grace Napolitano (CA-38) and Adam Schiff (CA-29) held a press conference at Pasadena City Hall to urge U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe to reconsider his decision to close Pasadena’s Mack Robinson Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) and the City of Industry P&DC. The three Congressional leaders were joined by Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, local leaders of the National Association for Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), union representatives from American Postal Workers Union (APWU) and the Letter Carriers Union, as well as postal employees and local business owners who will be adversely impacted by the closings. The three Congressional leaders released the following statements: