February 14, 2023: After roundtable discussions with local leaders, Speaker of the House, Clovis Congressman Kevin McCarthy held a press conference in Clovis Veterans Memorial District’s front lobby.
At first speaking on topics directly related to the Tulare Ag Expo, McCarthy excluded politics in any form, calling his meetings that day a bipartisan “town hall meeting more focused on farming”.
McCarthy was then asked if he could give any “encouraging words” on the Chinese balloons that were shot down the past week.
“I think that the encouraging word first and foremost is now, that– I think the decision to wait and allow the balloon to fly over the continental U.S. was wrong. I think we should have made the decision to take that balloon down early.” He then stated that the U.S. is now retrieving data from the balloon and is trying to see “…what they have been doing”.
McCarthy was not confident that each balloon had come from China, but said the balloon that was had, “…the ability to go over our military defense locations,” was confirmed Chinese. “[The balloon was] as large as three buses: That was from China. China actually said it was from there.” As for the other balloons, Speaker McCarthy stated, “..we just don’t know yet.”
McCarthy was then asked how holding a higher title in the federal government, would assist in bringing “more money” to the Valley, specifically the Fresno/Clovis region.
“I think the first thing this area wants is a government that is efficient, effective and accountable. I don’t think their answer is just ‘Bring me money!’”
Regarding the debt ceiling, McCarthy replied, “It’s like giving your child a credit card, and they spend the credit card to the limit. You’re [the federal government] responsible to pay for it, so yes, we’re responsible for our debt, but do you automatically raise the limit above the credit card for your children or do you look at where you’re spending the money and change the behavior?”
McCarthy then echoed the problem isn’t a “revenue” problem, but rather a “spending” problem.
To finish McCarthy noted the basis of his conversations with Fresno and Clovis communities and stated they spoke on topics such as fentanyl, homelessness, and state versus federal intervention on topics such as water storage.
On water conservation McCarthy pointed to Governor Newsom for allowing water to “go out into oceans” instead of “banking” the water during the recent storms.
McCarthy also promised to look into federal grants to help address local police department personnel shortages.
McCarthy then ended the press conference saying, “Thank you all very much, I appreciate the opportunity and I look forward to continuing a relationship.”