With the Tuesday, Nov. 4 elections less than a month away, U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo is campaigning for re-election as the incumbent for California’s 18th Congressional District.
Eshoo, a member of Congress for nearly 21 years, says that she maintains a healthy desire to serve the communities of her district, which includes much of San Mateo County, as well as parts of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties — including the Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley communities.
As a young adult, Eshoo was prominent in her community by participating in her children’s school, being active in the League of Women’s Voters, and by getting involved with different nonprofit organizations.
She had not planned a career in politics, but it seemed to just fall into place.
“I served for 10 years on the board of supervisors in San Mateo County, which I loved,” the Congresswoman said. “(W)hen I look over my shoulder, I think it was excellent preparation for the congress.”
A first-generation American, Eshoo attributes her political aspiration to her parents, who were both very active in the community.
“They had such a deep and profound love and respect for our country and they thought their responsibility was to always give something back,” she said.
Currently, Eshoo serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is the lead Democrat on the Technology and Communications subcommittee.
She said she is running for re-election because she likes the values of the district — environment and education — and believes that solid policy is good politics.
“I draw a great deal of satisfaction out of representing people and being effective on their behalf,” she said. “I love the communities that I represent.”
As her campaign enters its final month, Eshoo has built her platform on several issues.
The economy
Eshoo has co-sponsored legislation called the Jobs Act, which increases the amount of public capital that small businesses can raise.
Since overwhelming amounts of people are employed through small businesses, she said, it is important that those businesses are given the opportunity and the necessary ingredients for them to grow and be successful.
“There isn’t anything that affects the people more than the economy,” Eshoo said. “So I think that job creation has to be at the top of the list in all of our communities.”
Climate change
Eshoo said that she believes that climate change can be attributed to the current unprecedented drought in California, which has forced residents throughout the 18th District to take the required drought precautions.
“I have been a leader in issues relating to changing or moving beyond the denial that this (climate change) is actually taking place,” she stated. “And, I am going to stay on it as long as I am in Congress, because the United States of America is really the nation that needs to lead in this effort.”
Top scientists in the world have announced that humans are responsible for these environmental changes, Eshoo said, and added that she is working with the Energy and Commerce Committee to take necessary action.
“It is humans that are creating these effects, and it is humans that need to address them.”
Immigration reform
One of the biggest issues affecting our country is the need for comprehensive immigration reform, Eshoo said.
“There is so much to be won if comprehensive immigration reform were taken up,” she said, adding that businesses throughout the 18th District would benefit from the reform, resulting ultimately in a strengthened economy.
“There are so many demands that businesses have, and yet, our immigration system, and the laws, and the visa categories that are contained in them simply are not working any longer.”
Net neutrality
As the lead Democrat on the House Subcommittee for Technology and Communications, Eshoo said she is devoted to protecting consumers and businesses through net neutrality rules — ensuring that Internet service providers cannot charge companies for preferential speeds on their websites.
“If a small business has its content either blocked or discriminated against,” she said, “it will just put them out of business, and competition on this field needs to be deeply appreciated.”
Net neutrality is an issue that has many had Americans in an uproar since the Federal Communication Commission chairman came out with a proposed rule relative to blocking and discrimination. Since then, more than 3 million people contacted the FCC with comments, resulting in the crash of their system.
“I have been an unswerving supporter of net neutrality rules because they are going to ensure that consumers and businesses are protected from any kind of action by online gatekeepers that would threaten free speech, harm competition, or diminish continued openness of the Internet,” Eshoo said.
