Local Congressman and House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, held a forum in downtown Bakersfield Saturday morning to help high school students in our community find a future serving the country. We also spoke to him about pressing issues impacting our residents.
Every year, members of congress have the opportunity to nominate qualified high schoolers to academies, so McCarthy hosted this event to talk to interested families about how they can apply, here in his district.
“This is an opportunity for those in high school to see if this is something that’s for them.” McCarthy said.
There were presentations about 4 service academies: The US military academy at WestPoint, the Naval academy, the Air Force academy, and the merchant marine academy. The deadline to apply for his nomination into one of the academies for the current cycle is Oct 20, 2022. After that, there is an interview process with members of the community, and after that, McCarthy can nominate one student and nine alternates. The congressman added that only students who met the requirements to get into the academy would make them eligible to secure the nomination.
We also spoke with the minority leader about surging gas prices across the country and his plans for the upcoming midterm election this November.
Coming to Ukraine, Congressman McCarthy called the crisis there “an atrocity.” He added that he hopes Russia will soon leave the area.
“There is no reason for Russia to invade Ukraine. To me, it’s murder and genocide that is going on right now. I continue not just to pray for the Ukrainian people, but to vote to supply them the weapons to be able to defend themselves,” McCarthy said.
With the surging pain at the pump, we asked the minority leader what he believes should be done to help bring down these rising gas prices impacting people all over.
“I think it would be better to create California jobs, American oil to make America safer, and the world stronger at the same time.” He added that that would have a “real effect right here in kern county, as one of our largest industries as well,” and that it could help relieve some of the strain on consumers.
Looking ahead to the midterm elections, McCarthy says he does think the Republicans will be the majority in the house. He believes it will help bring a system of checks and balances in the government.
“To stand up and bring that accountability to this Biden administration, and also to Gavin Newsom and the liberal things that he’s doing in Sacramento.”
