Bob Filner: “on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of California's admission to the Union, I rise to bring attention to the 50th…”

“on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of California's admission to the Union, I rise to bring attention to the 50th Congressional District of California--an urban district in southern San Diego County and the southernmost district in California, bordering Mexico. I am proud that it is one of the most ethnically diverse congressional districts in the nation. No racial or ethnic group is in the majority: we have 45 percent Latino residents, 25 percent Anglo, 15 percent African-American, and 15 percent Asian-American. Our residents include veterans, seniors, and working families. We are concerned that our children receive a quality education, that all our families have access to high-quality, affordable health care, that we invest our budget surplus to strengthen Social Security and Medicare, and that we fight to keep the promises that were made to our veterans. The southernmost neighborhood in my district, San Ysidro, California, is situated on the Mexican border and is the busiest border crossing between any two nations in the world! The proximity of Mexico provides both challenges and opportunities for my district--but we revel in the excitement of a truly binational community.”