Despite the “blue tsunami” in the midterm elections that flipped the U.S. House and Senate, Silicon Valley Congressman Sam Liccardo said he was hesitant to read the results as a mandate for the Democratic party. “It’s not a secret that the Democratic Party is not terribly popular, and we won despite that fact,” he said....
Silicon Valley lawmaker’s bill reimburses pre-K teachers for supplies
A new federal tax bill will expand help to more Santa Clara County teachers who dig deep into their pockets to pay for school supplies. Educators spend an average of $895 each year to cover classroom supplies and learning materials for their students. The Supporting Early-Childhood Educators’ Deductions (SEED) Act, recently signed into law, extends...
Santa Clara County sues Trump over sweeping green card changes
Santa Clara County and San Francisco are working to stop President Donald Trump from giving federal agents sweeping discretion on who can obtain a green card. A Sept. 14 lawsuit filed alongside New York City, Chicago, Seattle and King County, Washington alleges the Trump administration’s new criteria for barring immigrants from becoming lawful, permanent residents if they...
Silicon Valley immigrants to face stricter green card requirements
Federal rule changes taking effect later this month will make it harder for immigrants applying to live and work in the U.S. Starting Sept. 18, obtaining a green card will require a greater burden of proof that the applicant won’t become a “public charge” who is dependent on government benefits. As part of the process, green...
San Jose lawmaker’s bills critical to federal housing package
The largest federal housing bill in decades has the potential to increase the home supply in Silicon Valley, one of the most expensive regions in the U.S. The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, passed earlier this month, contains more than 40 provisions that include fast-tracking housing development by cutting red tape, increasing the...
San Jose lawmaker at center of AI regulation fight
San Jose’s former mayor turned congressman finds himself at the center of a national battle over who can regulate artificial intelligence: the states or the federal government under President Donald Trump. A coalition of online child safety and tech watchdog groups is calling on Rep. Sam Liccardo, along with several other lawmakers, to reject an...
Silicon Valley lawmakers want Trump removed under 25th Amendment
President Donald Trump reneged this week on public threats to wipe out “a whole civilization” after reaching an 11th hour ceasefire with Iran. But the bell has been rung in Silicon Valley. Santa Clara County’s congressional delegation isn’t backing down from calls to start Trump’s removal proceedings under the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution,...
Santa Clara County housing funds safe after federal court ruling
Efforts to upend federal grants for permanent housing to address homelessness have been blocked in court — marking a win for Santa Clara County in challenging President Donald Trump’s administration. A federal appeals court in Boston on Wednesday rejected an attempt by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to rewrite the rules...
Silicon Valley congressional race grapples with integrity
Integrity has become the theme of Silicon Valley’s hottest congressional race between Rep. Ro Khanna and his challenger, Ethan Agarwal, who’s ripped into Khanna over family ties to stock trading. Yet questions are emerging about Agarwal’s own past as a tech company founder — dogged by millions of dollars in legal debts, defaulted payments and...
Bay Area lawmakers author bills to deter immigration enforcement
State and federal lawmakers from Silicon Valley are gearing up to push back against immigration enforcement in their home districts and beyond. Several Bay Area lawmakers have introduced legislation this year to tamp down on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by imposing more taxes on immigrant detention centers, enforcing more oversight and ensuring people...