March 18, 2025 – According to Rep. Kevin Kiley, who was elected to his first term in Congress in November of 2022, his call-in town halls are a regular occurrence. “We’ve been doing these regularly since I took office a couple years ago, and at this point, we’ve actually had 53,698 constituents, to be exact, who have joined these calls.” On Monday night, 12,000 people were on the conference line with many more unsuccessfully attempting to join.
During the 90-minute call, Kiley answered a variety of questions about the federal budget, taxes, cuts to programs, border security, veterans services and more. Below are a few of the exchanges.
A caller from Brownsville stated, “the problem with regard to Medicare, Medicaid and maybe even ultimately Social Security, because the recent funding bill that was passed has cuts in it that really can’t be squared without taking money away from Medicare and Medicaid. And that leads me to a kind of follow up, which is if the funding that the Congress has allocated but the administration refuses to apply, what does Congress do? How does Congress enforce its own budgeting against an administration that doesn’t want to spend the money?”
Kiley’s response: “Well, thank you. I’m glad you brought up Social Security and Medicare because I’ve said from the moment I first took office that we absolutely have to protect Social Security. And in fact, when we passed the Fiscal responsibility Act in 2023, which actually will reduce the deficit significantly over the course of the next decade, we did so without cutting Social Security, without cutting Medicare, and we actually increased benefits for our veterans. Not only that, but I sponsored what’s called the Social Security Fairness act, which is going to go into effect this next month… What’s more, when we’re looking at how we can actually get some savings when it comes to Medicaid, the biggest opportunity is simply the waste, fraud and abuse that exists within the system. There was a finding by the General Accounting Office, which is a non partisan entity, that there’s $50 billion every year in improper Medicaid payments.”
The report referenced by the Congressman is here and reads, in part:
For fiscal year 2023, CMS estimated the national Medicaid improper payment rate to be 8.58 percent, or $50.3 billion. This is a considerable decline from 2020 and 2021 when estimated improper payments reached an estimated $86.5 billion and $98.7 billion, respectively.
A caller brought up Scott Dam, located on the Eel River and owned by PG&E. The dam is slated to be decommissioned and the caller asked Kiley if anything was done at the federal level to insure water supply for the affected communities. Kiley responded he was familiar with the issue and continued, “I would like to connect with you further to make sure that I have all the latest information and to see where we can be helpful. I will say more broadly, your point is absolutely correct, that in California we have failed to build the water infrastructure that we need.”
He then pivoted to the LA fires, stating “I mean, I think the world was shocked when we saw this tragedy unfold in Los Angeles. And we had, you know, an empty reservoir sitting there. We had fire hydrants that didn’t have water coming out of them.”
The Santa Ynez reservoir in the Palisades was empty while its cover was getting repaired. LADWP’s fire hydrant repair list was current and updated, and all reported fire hydrants were fully operational in the Pacific Palisades and in L.A.’s Westside communities prior to the fire. No power was lost to LADWP pump stations during the fire, and water supply remained strong to the area. Water pressure in the system was lost due to unprecedented and extreme water demand to fight the wildfire without aerial support. [source: LADPW]
An Auburn resident asked about declining consumer confidence and falling stock markets, and the current executive branch’s “flaunting of court orders and the continuation of illegal acts.”
Kiley responded, “I can’t say I agree with every characterization that you just made, but I do appreciate the feedback. And, you know, I think that there has been some volatility in the market lately, for sure. But when you look at the general tenor of things, there was a survey nationwide done over the weekend about whether folks think that we’re on the right track or the wrong track and it was right track was 20 points higher than it was just a few months ago. So I think there have been a lot of good changes.”
He then mentioned decreasing illegal border crossings and being independent voice for the district as evidenced by his co-sponsoring of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act under the Biden Administration. He continued, “And in the same vein, I’m going to work with President Trump in the areas where we have agreement and where I think that working together, we can do what’s best for our district. Where there are areas where I feel like something that’s being done is not going to have a positive impact in our district, then I’m going to make that known as well.”
A caller from Nevada City asked about wildfire mitigation projects, with congressionally approved funding, stating “But now that funding has is being held up pending review of language and contracts that are supposedly contain elements of DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion]. And so there’s great concern up here, especially in our very fire prone area, that the money isn’t going to get released in time to get these projects done before our fire season starts. What are you doing to make sure that the funds that have been allocated by Congress get released so that these projects can be completed?”
Kiley replied, “This is what I was referring to earlier as well, that I have raised complete concerns where I’ve heard from those who are executing these grants in actually several different counties in my district, certainly including Tahoe, about things getting held up. And the point that you make is absolutely valid that there’s a narrow time window in some of these areas that have weather to deal with. And so we need to get those projects moving forward. And so I’m doing everything I can to convey the sense of urgency to the administration. I will say that the overall level of funding that has come in, though, has increased dramatically in recent years when it comes to the funding that we’re getting for forest management and fire mitigation projects. And that’s allowed us to have more personnel and to do work at a scale that really has not been done before. And that is finally at least approaching the sort of magnitude that we need to really make a meaningful reduction in the risk of catastrophic wildfires in California. And so we’ve had unprecedented funding coming in. I’ve advocated for every form of that I can since getting to Congress. And of course, I’m going to do everything I can to protect that funding going forward.”
The increased funding was appropriated by the prior Congress and signed into law by President Biden.
Another caller stated “I live in a place called Bowman outside of Auburn. My daughter, one of my daughters, works for FEMA. She’s been fully remote for at least two years. The government, the Department of Government Efficiency is making my daughter drive two hours to a federal building so that she can talk to other colleagues around the nation who also have to drive to get to federal buildings. So this government efficiency is costing four hours of work a day for each person in my daughter’s cadre. What is your plan to stop these unelected people from ruining my daughter’s life this way and wasting our time and money?”
Kiley replied, “Well, I’m sorry to hear about that. For your daughter, I probably have to know a little bit more about the specific situation and the reasons that those decisions were made. But if you want to, you know, provide, stay on the line and we’ll get your information. I’d be happy to follow up with you and hear more.”
Anna, a Nevada County resident spoke about her work at Meals on Wheels and had a question for the Congressman. “Our Meals and Wheels program is going to turn 50 here in Nevada County this next year in 2026. We’re well established in our community. We serve the second most vulnerable population, which is seniors, particularly disabled house bound seniors in a very rural area. Considering this, the administration that is currently in power has done a federal funding freeze. Regardless whether or not that is found to be legal, it is currently being treated as though it is enforceable. And the Older Americans Act has not technically been renewed. Considering this because the fund that fund Meals on Wheels, the organization that I work for, we’ve gotten zero to little communication from any of our representations in government on what we should expect in terms of federal funding. So what should Meals on Wheels in Nevada County expect from our representative or from the federal government when it comes to long established federal funding to feed our housebound seniors, whom we are their only resource not to starve?”
Kiley offered this: “Thank you, Anna, for the work that you do. And you know, you have my assurance that if there is any threat to the funding or viability for Meals on Wheels, I’ll be the first to object and to fight back against that. Meals on Wheels is a vitally important program for the reasons that you cite. I’ve actually been out with the folks in Nevada County and helped to deliver meals to seniors there and I will absolutely do everything I can to protect the program.”
The next caller pressed Kiley on funding and separation of powers. “I want to reiterate a few questions that I heard earlier and also related to the one we just heard just now. In terms of federal funding that’s been allocated by Congress, do you understand and believe in a system of checks and balances and separation of powers? And when the executive branch withholds funding allocated by Congress, what can you do besides object? I heard you read the list of grants and funding that was on, you know, from the House floor, but I didn’t hear you actually say that there had to be something done to maintain that. What power do you, as my representative, have to pull that funding, pull the power back from the President who thinks that he can disregard the courts and disregard Congress?”
Kiley replied, in part,”Thanks for the question. Regardless of who the President is, I think that maintaining respect for the separation of powers is vitally important. And one of the tools that we have in Congress is oversight. So regardless of who the President is, it is incumbent on Congress to use the tools of oversight to assure that the will of Congress is being carried through.”
A caller was concerned about funding for the BEAD (Broadband Equity Access Deployment) program. “A lot of us depend on, or will depend on the dollars associated with that program to make sure we get high speed broadband in rural California at a reasonable price. And there is concern that it’s being looked at by Doge and that Elon Musk with his role in that, has a conflict of interest. I hope you will support the BEAD program to the best of our ability to get high speed broadband to all of our communities in rural California in your district.”
Kiley agreed, stating, “I appreciate the feedback and it’s certainly a very important issue in many parts of my district and I know that Nevada County in particular has been very good at securing funding and finding ways to get access to this, this early funding, which is really important to a lot of folks in the area… So I 100% agree with you on the importance of getting folks connected. I think that, you know, if there are ways that we can do that more efficiently and get more people connected sooner, I think that’s great. But the goal at the end of the day needs to be getting people connected.”
A volunteer for the Sunflower Society of Sacramento thanked the Congressman for his support of Ukraine and asked “I’m wondering what you are willing to do to assure that Ukraine has a just and lasting peace?”
Kiley’s response: “You know, I’ve had the chance to go to events and celebrations and festivals and a number of other functions with the Ukrainian community here in the Sacramento region for many years, you know, long before the current conflict. And you’re absolutely right. It’s an incredibly vibrant community here. It’s so important to the character of the entire region. And I’ve had many meetings with folks, as you know, under the incredibly challenging times of these last few years. And I did support, you know, the ongoing assistance that the US has provided while also insisting on reforms and accountability so that we’d have a better sense of where that funding was going. And so at this point, you know, the president has said that he his goal is to bring peace. To be honest, at this stage of things, you know, the foreign policy element is largely being conducted by the president, but there will certainly be a role for Congress and it relates to many of the things that you talked about. So I think that to the extent that there are really issues that will need to continue to be addressed, like the issue with the returned children, I’d love to have a conversation with you about ways that we can work on that going forward.”
The dismantling of NOAA and the National Weather Service came up next, with the caller mentioning the tornado warnings issued earlier in the day.
Kiley stated, “I guess I’m not entirely familiar with what you’re referring to, but I do think it’s important that we, the National Weather Service is important. And there’s obviously a lot of tools out there for monitoring climate change and a lot of folks working on this in many different sectors. And, you know, I said I do believe climate change is a factor in some of these extreme weather events. But when it comes to California, we don’t have quite as many tornadoes necessarily, but we have these catastrophic fires. But I don’t agree with the assessment that climate change is the only factor when it comes to these catastrophic fires. I believe that the way that we’ve allowed our forests to become overgrown is also a factor and probably the most significant factor in a lot of cases.”
He went on to talk about Grizzly Flats, a community destroyed during the Caldor Fire. Grizzly Flats is surrounded by federal lands, namely the US Forest Service.
Another caller said “I’m a small farmer in rural Yuba County, have been for about 40 years. and in a network of other really good small farmers. We’ve benefited greatly over the last little more than a year from a USDA program called LFPA, or Local Food Purchasing Assistance. It’s been tremendously beneficial to the community as a whole. Feeding folks, especially in food banks and schools, and the kids are big beneficiaries, the money stays in the community. But it’s also really made farming more possible for small farmers. So if you don’t know about the program, I’d love to talk to you more about it. And if you do, just to encourage you as you work with the USDA to keep programs like this, these are not big commodity funds funded programs, but to help the little guys as you have so many of them in your district.”
The Congressman appeared unfamiliar with the extent of the cuts, stating “Well, thank you, Stephen. Yeah, I have heard of it, but I could certainly learn more. And so if you want to hang on the line and, and make sure that our team gets your information, I’d love to have a further conversation about how it’s helped you and other folks in our community so that I can be better prepared to fight for it.”
YubaNet contacted the California Department of Social Services after the cancelation of a second round of funding for fiscal year 2025 was announced in early March. The department confirmed the termination of future funding by the USDA, “The Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program provides each state with funding to purchase regionally produced food. The program supports local food producers and helps feed families – through support from local food banks – across California. While federal funding to support the LFPA and LFPA Plus programs continue at this time, the Department was informed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that funding for a recent LFPA expansion was terminated. The Department remains committed to exploring opportunities to help fight hunger and support local food banks and food producers across California.
Truckee resident Sharon went back to funding for vegetation management projects and asked about the Alpenglow Sawmill project specifically, “Obviously, as you’ve already expressed Congressman, you know wildfire mitigation and defensible space is extremely important. However, we had through DOGE a number of federal funding freezes that are affecting wildfire mitigation projects. And specifically, I have a question about the Alpenglow Sawmill project. You know, again, this is a business that is a federally funded project that was on the verge of starting work to create it. It’s something we vitally need. Because right now what happens is we clear out, you know, defensible space. We have wood that we cannot get processed. It ends up being, you know, fallow because there’s no sawmill in the area. So I would love to hear specifically what you can do and will do to try to bring back these wildfire mitigation projects, specifically the money for the Alpenglow Sawmill project.”
Kiley promised to look into it, “Well, if you could, you know, pass on the information you have on that to us. I’m familiar with that project. I agree with you 100%. That’s a very important project. We really need to bring sawmills back. It’s a huge piece of the puzzle when it comes to effective forest management. And if that is in any way being negatively affected, I will absolutely advocate for it in every way that I can.”
Rep. Kiley info
Kiley introduced 20 bills and resolutions in the 118th Congress. One bill he introduced became law, H.R. 9124 (118th): To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Auburn, California, as the “Louis A. Conter VA Clinic”. The bill was signed into law by President Biden on Jan. 4, 2025.
He co-sponsored 165 bills in the 118th Congress.
In the 119th Congress he is assigned to the following committees and subcommittees:
Committee on Education and Workforce
- Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet
- Crime and Federal Government Surveillance
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
- Highways and Transit
- Water Resources and Environment
To sign up for future phone-in town halls, the Representative’s website has a form here.
March 18, 2025 at 9:13 AM Editor’s note: At the end of the phone call, Kiley stated 25,104 people had joined the call. People reported getting robocalls from the Congressman inviting them to join the meeting as it was underway.