Pete Stark

U.S. Rep. Pete StarkFREMONT, Calif. -- After more than 30 years in Congress, nothing surprises Pete Stark anymore.

The left of left Democratic stalwart said in brief interview with PolitickerCA.com this week that he is preparing and looking forward to attending this month's Democratic National Convention in Denver.

That said, Stark said he believes the convention will be the stage allowing presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama to begin the process of "closing the deal" with the nation's voters.

Pete Stark, dean of the California Congressional Delegation, reached out to the nation's population of immigrant foster children this week, hopefully giving them a better chance to improve their lives by being allowed to legally stay in the U.S.

Stark (D-Fremont) and Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles) introduced House Resolution 6649, the "Foster Children Opportunity Act."

In what amounted to a legislative dog pile on a lame-duck president, a vast majority of Congress today voted to override a veto by President Bush of a proposal to cut services to Medicare patients and to fees paid to practicing Medicare physicians.

In the House, the veto override passed by a vote of 383 to 41. In the Senate, the vote was a bullet-proof 70 to 26. 

Many of the Golden State's congressional pols joined in the fun.

Bay Area Congressmen George Miller and Pete Stark are currently pushing legislation that proposes to join together seven local wildlife refuges.

The bill, HR 6479, would create the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex and would unite the Bay Area's seven separate national wildlife refuges into a single complex to leverage greater federal funding for these unique habitats. The refuges that would be brought together range from San Francisco to the Monterey Bay.

U.S. Rep. Pete Stark: File PhotoU.S. Rep. Pete Stark, a Democratic superdelegate who has occupied the 13th congressional district seat from Fremont for 12 terms, has thrown his support to Barack Obama.

“Barack Obama is the person we need as the next President of the United States of America. I’m excited to help him achieve that goal,” said Stark.

On Thursday Obama won the support of two more California superdelegates -- U.S. Reps. Howard Berman and Henry Waxman.