Today, Representative Mike Garcia (CA-25) secured funds to support health care improvements, workforce readiness programs, and language to encourage the prevention of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) fraud in California’s 25th District. The funding is included in the FY2022 Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations bill.
 
“I am pleased to have secured the allocation of funds for crucial medical research and equipment needs that would improve the quality of health care for Californians, as well as funds to improve workforce readiness and language to prevent PUA fraud,” said Garcia. “I am committed to assisting my constituents with their needs, while ensuring that taxpayer dollars are allocated properly.”
 
Garcia secured funds for the following Labor, Health, and Human Services requests: 

• $1.2M for City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Screening Mobile Van. This funding would support the purchase of a state-of-the-art mobile cancer screening unit to provide cancer screening services to the Antelope Valley. 
• $1M for College of the Canyons Advanced Technology Center Equipment. This funding would support the purchase of equipment for a state-of-art CNC production lab to prepare students for workforce readiness.
• $610K for Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Sheila R. Veloz Center for Breast Health Equipment Initiative in Santa Clarita. This funding would support the purchase of state-of-the-art Mammography Machine to improve health outcomes and address health disparities.
• $550K for Children's Hospital of Los Angeles Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Laboratory Equipment. This funding would support the purchase of state-of-the-art Flow-Cytometer, equipment, software, and an expanded capacity for the laboratory at CHLA. 

 
Garcia also secured language in the bill that would urge the Department of Labor to provide proper safeguards for PUA fraud prevention tools and procedures and directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on existing deficiencies in the Administration of Unemployment Compensation. Garcia recently cosponsored the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Fraud Protection Act, or H.R. 4190, that would require states to recover fraudulent benefits payments, prevent future fraud, and support the victims of unemployment benefit fraud and identity theft. Garcia’s efforts to prevent PUA fraud and support victims of such fraud come as it is now estimated that California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) has paid out up to $31 billion in PUA benefits to fraudulent entities or ineligible individuals.
 
The bill also includes funding to establish the Advanced Projects Research Agency for Health (ARPA–H), which would invest in large high-risk, high-reward research projects that have the potential to achieve breakthroughs in the treatment of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and ALS.