Emphasizing the need for equal rights for all minority groups and stronger leadership in the White House, 47th District California Congressmember Alan Lowenthal hosted a community townhall Wednesday, May 29, at the Sato Academy of Mathematics and Science, 1100 Iroquois Ave., to answers questions about statewide and legislative issues from Long Beach residents.
Before answering questions from the audience– which were written on comment cards– Lowenthal took the opportunity to discuss some of the reforms and issues he has respectively championed and addressed in Congress.
The congressmember discussed the introduction of the For the People Act, or H.R.1, earlier this year that serves to expand voting rights for citizens and limit gerrymandering and unethical political methods.
“It really was to kind of reform and make sure everybody had access to voting,” Lowenthal said. “You’ve seen voter suppression throughout the country, we’ve seen the role of money in government and how people don’t have their elected officials accountable to them.”
The bill passed in the House of Representatives in March.
Pairing it along with human rights, climate change is another issue that Lowenthal said he was adamant about addressing, claiming that the changing conditions of the planet will have significant impacts on future generations.
“It’s critically important that the United States make its position as the champion of human rights around the world, as we know we do,” he said. “Nobody is doing it these days. Also, as co-chair of the Safe Climate Caucus, […] I believe that there is nothing as critically important as climate change that the country has to face. […] I think our infrastructure package has to promote zero-emission programs and move toward zero-emission transmission transportation systems.Those are the kinds of things I’m working on.”
The Mueller Report is the official documented findings and conclusions of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election by American lawyer and government official Robert Mueller. Lowenthal said there was “tremendous amount of involvement” between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, but there was no defineable evidence that the interactions led to credible cyber sabotage on the 2016 election, per the Mueller Report.
“I’m going to tell you, I have never been through something like what we’re going through right now,” said Lowenthal, who added that legitimate president impeachment processes are rare. “You know, we have rarely in this country ever indicted anyone for it. It’s only happened three times– Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon […]. Mueller has said he’s not really going to do anything more– if you want to know what’s in the report, read the report. […] I think impeachment is very divisive, [but] I also think it is time for us to start impeachment inquiries. […] There is not going to be any winners or losers in this. The American public is going to be dragged through this.”
Fourty-seventh District Congressmember Alan Lowenthal is pictured addressing a Long Beach crowd at the Sato Academy of Mathematics and Science Wednesday, May 29, at a townhall meeting.
“We have not understood that the greatest number of people that are coming to the border are escaping oppression or seeking asylum,” he said. “They are not criminals. They are not people who are trying to sneak across the border. They’re trying to say, ‘I am living under tremendous fear for my life.’ The largest number of people are coming now across the border from Central America, and not from Mexico, seeking refuge from intolerable situations. […] I think the crisis is that we’re not addressing the tremendous oppression that’s taking place and the drug dealing and the loss of governmental control driving people out of their homes.”
On that note, Lowenthal also mentioned there is a deportation problem, arguing that the Trump Administration is targeting refugees.
“I think that’s just terrible,” he said. “I’ve been in federal courts defending people, I’ve been at the border helping people. […] We’ve had sweeps here in Long Beach against Cambodian young people. I am now working with our ambassadors to free Americans or to free people who would be deported.”
Added Lowenthal in regard to unjust deportations: “I think the country has lost its soul.”
When it comes to background checks for weapons, Lowenthal exclaimed, “Thank God we live in California,” praising the state’s strict rules. However, the congressmember said he is eager to close loopholes nationwide that allow individuals to purchase deadly automatic weapons and ammunition without federal involvement.
“There’s no reason we should be selling military-grade weapons to civilians,” he said. “[We also must] track purchases of ammunition.”
Lowenthal also noted the lack of youth present at the townhall. He encouraged those in attendance to motivate young generations to vote and involve themselves in politics to make a difference in the United States.
“Every generation has to stand up and protect Democracy,” he said.