News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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As the nation’s students head back to classes after the summer break, choosing whether and where to attend college is a major focus for many high schoolers. In 2017, 44 million Americans had student-loan debt, and with rising tuition costs, it is more important than ever to empower families with the facts so that financial literacy keeps them from pitfalls of a cycle of education-related debt. Knowing which questions to ask can be as important as finding the answers. Just ask any student or parent if they feel well equipped to make informed dec...
“My brother is an addict. I am raising his daughter.” That is one of the many responses I received when I asked constituents of the 4th Congressional District how opioids and heroin abuse have affected people in our community. The responses are eye-opening to the heartbreaking cost of the opioid crisis in Central Washington: “The opioid crisis is destroying my family’s life,” and “my adult child has battled addiction for 20 years after taking post-surgery opioids at 18” are two more responses that are truly a call to action. Families are strugg...
For months, my Pacific Northwest congressional colleagues and I have been raising our voices and working on legislation to prevent increasing forced spill at the lower Snake and Columbia River dams from raising electricity rates in our region by $40 million. That forced spill order, the result of a ruling of a single federal judge in Portland, took effect at the beginning of April. Last week, our work resulted in passing bipartisan legislation, H.R. 3144, introduced by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, myself, and members of Congress from the...
Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate, the late Elie Wiesel, once said of that horrific state-sponsored genocide that, “to forget the victims means to kill them a second time. So I couldn’t prevent the first death. I surely must be capable of saving them from a second death.” The world-renowned author sought to prevent victims from being forgotten through writing many books on the persecution through his experience and by helping establish the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Wiesel’s words underscore the gravity of the dut...
I recently traveled across Washington’s Fourth Congressional District to speak with farmers from each county and to hear their concerns about an upcoming Farm Bill. One of the largest concerns expressed by farmers had little to do with congressional action, however: Central Washington farmers expressed their anxiety about the impact of a potentially escalating trade war with global trading partners. President Trump recently announced new tariffs worth billions of dollars on products manufactured by China. The reasons he cited for tariffs are c...
One of the most urgent issues we face right now in Central Washington is the ongoing threat to dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Just this week, a 9th Circuit Court panel rejected arguments for an injunction to pause a forced spill order by an Oregon federal judge. The Oregon judge’s order requires an increase in spill for the eight lower Columbia and Snake River dams and now goes into effect as of April 3. Increasing spill comes with a $40 million price tag for ratepayers this year alone. That price is too high, and it is only a f...
Something that has been lacking in the current national debate on firearms is trust and good faith. Responsible gun owners mourn the innocent victims of mass shootings. Responsible gun owners want to keep our communities safe. Parents on both sides of this debate worry about our children’s safety. All of us agree that mentally unstable or dangerous individuals should not have access to firearms. We must ensure that laws are effectively enforced – especially considering that there were clear signs that the Parkland, Florida shooter had men...
What would life in the Mid-Columbia be like if dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers were removed? What would then be used to control flooding that devastated communities before the dams were put in place? How would we provide clean, reliable hydropower for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses? How would our region’s farmers and agriculture industry replace lost access to water that is currently stored behind the dams? This worst-case scenario is not as far-fetched as we would hope, unfortunately. For some interests—many from out...
Last week, the Trump administration released its proposal to modernize our nation’s infrastructure, a blueprint that gives hope for federal support and a positive path forward on projects across the country that are stalled due to bureaucratic red tape. America must address its aging infrastructure and streamline the process for projects that are needed to meet growing demand for water, especially in the West. President Trump’s infrastructure blueprint included a U.S. Department of Interior proposal to expedite the Bureau of Reclamation (BO...
The right to an individual’s life, liberty, and private property underpins any free society. It is a well-established principle enshrined in the Constitution’s 5th Amendment that under a limited government, no individual can be deprived of private property without just compensation. Back-door methods of federal regulation, without titles or deeds ever changing hands, effectively result in the seizure or “taking” of private lands and violate of the spirit of law protecting private property. President Obama’s 2015 Clean Water Rule, also called “W...
On Friday, January 19, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators joined together and walked along the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for the 45th annual March for Life. In full view of the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Capitol, and in the shadow of the Washington Monument, marchers raised their voices to show support for the cause of human life and dignity for every person, born or unborn. While marchers gathered outdoors, inside the House of Representatives work was being accomplished on pro-life legislation. The House was debating H.R....
For hard-working families and entrepreneurs in Central Washington, keeping more of your own paycheck was my goal in supporting historic legislation approved by Congress, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The last time the nation’s federal tax system was overhauled was in 1986, under President Ronald Reagan. But with the leadership of President Trump and Republicans in the Senate and House, and with my support, we succeeded in pushing major tax reform for American families and businesses across the finish line. Reducing the rate for American c...
Life on our eastern side of Washington’s so-called “Cascade divide” certainly offers many natural advantages: less rain, more time spent outdoors in the sunshine, and an ideal climate for apples, wine grapes and many other crops, just to name a few. Communities in Central Washington, and across the West at large, depend heavily on capturing water through surface-water infrastructure projects that support our way of life. Water projects such as dams and reservoirs are enormous undertakings that take years of planning and investment, but when com...
Much of the nation’s attention has rightly been focused on Congress’ current push for historic tax reform — the first major effort in more than 30 years. While pro-growth tax reform is a critical topic, I would like to share an update on recent legislative progress that is important for Central Washington but has not received as much focus. Just last week, Americans observed Veterans Day. I believe that the people’s representatives in Congress should honor veterans with our words as well as our actions. Every step we take to improve the car...
When President Trump’s administration announced that it would give six months to wind down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, many young people called “Dreamers,” immigrants who grew up in the U.S., were once again faced with uncertainty regarding their future here. In Washington State, there are about 17,000 Dreamers. I have sat down with some of these young people right here in Central Washington, and their stories are compelling. Many were brought here as young children without their say or knowledge, and have grown...
In the Fourth Congressional District, the August district work period has been a busy time for me traveling up and down Central Washington to meet with constituents and hear their concerns firsthand. Many communities in our area are dealing with dry weather and wildfires, which are a constant reminder of the vital need for federal land management reform. I held a Forest Service Advisory Panel in Omak with community members, and the feedback I received is that the U.S. Forest Service needs to improve forest health through active thinning and bur...
The Second Amendment is an individual right guaranteed to Americans in our Constitution. Especially after the fight for independence against the British, the Founders understood the importance of an armed citizenry. In Federalist Paper 46, James Madison pointed out that in Europe, “[T]he governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.” Not so in America, where our founding documents protect citizens’ freedom to keep and bear arms. Madison continued in Federalist 46 to argue in favor of Americans’ ability to defend themselves and their fre...
Last Wednesday, President Trump signed bipartisan legislation into law that Congress had passed overwhelmingly to sanction hostile regimes in North Korea, Russia, and Iran. I joined my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the House on a vote of 419 to 3 to pass the “Russia, Iran, and North Korea Sanctions Act.” After House passage, the Senate voted 98 to 2 to send the bill to the President’s desk. The unity in Congress’ action shows how seriously we are taking adversaries who work to oppose American interests and those of our allies around...
Delivering high quality health care in rural communities – including those in Central Washington – has long been a growing challenge. Access to primary care can be time-consuming and costly for medically-underserved rural residents. Less-populated areas are facing a devastating shortage of primary care physicians compared to urban areas. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, while 20 percent of the nation’s population lives in rural areas, only 10 percent of physicians practice in those same areas. I have heard from and spoke... Full story
Wealthy coastal cities versus the agrarian countryside. Supporters of big central government versus advocates of a limited government. Big states versus small states. Manufacturers versus traders. Debt hawks versus doves. Sound familiar? If you guessed that these conflicts refer to the contemporary United States, you might be surprised they were actually areas of fierce disagreement among Americans in the late 18th Century. While we may seem divided today, we have risen above more severe divisions in the past. One of the major sticking points... Full story
Fourteen months ago, the sudden passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia left a void on the nation’s highest court. Not only did the court lose an esteemed colleague, but the nation lost an eloquent advocate for constitutional limits on government and preserving the rule of law. In the intervening months, the question of who should replace Justice Scalia was put before the American people. Now, with Senate confirmation of U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Neil Gorsuch, a new voice advocating for judicial restraint and original i... Full story
Throughout my time representing the people of Central Washington in the U.S. Congress, constituents from across the 4th District have shared with me their deeply personal stories about the struggles and hardships they’ve faced under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare. In late 2016, a gentleman from Yakima wrote me in distress as his insurance provider was pulling out of his county: “My wife and I are losing our healthcare coverage. Our financial lives are about to radically change and a literal risk to our health is upon us. The cha... Full story
Repealing and replacing “Obamacare” is necessary to prevent Americans from suffering the consequences of this failed and unraveling law. Promises of affordability and lower premiums have turned into the reality of diminishing choices, rising prices, and less competition. Replacement must allow more affordable, more personalized health options. Replacing Obamacare has become a rescue mission to provide relief for American families. I recently had constituents reach out to me to explain that the situation they face because of this law is uns... Full story
In December, at the very end of the Obama administration, federal officials finalized a rule that could limit the ability of some seniors who receive Social Security benefits to exercise their Second Amendment rights. The federal rule, submitted by the Social Security Administration (SSA), deals with the implementation of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Improvement Amendments Act of 2007. The rule would require the SSA to submit to NICS the information of anyone who receives Social Security and requests assistance... Full story
As Washingtonians, all we have to do to enjoy some of the most beautiful natural scenery anywhere is to look out the window or take a short drive to one of our spectacular national parks or forests. We treasure our access to public lands, but we also demand accountability and transparency for the way those lands are managed. We keep in mind the legacy of President Theodore Roosevelt, who once said, “The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased and not impaired in v... Full story