News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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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
America is not the norm. As citizens of one of the world’s oldest constitutional republics, every American, myself included, sometimes needs reminding about the extent to which our freedoms and traditions are the exception rather than the rule in human history. The rule of law and constitutional limits on government power should not be taken for granted. The orderly transition of power from one presidential administration to the next is one of the fundamental principles that ensure stability for our system of self-government. For most of h... Full story
The great philosopher Bob Hope once said, “My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?” He has a point. This time of year, Christians celebrate the birth of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the true ‘reason for the season,’ as we say, and the Christmas season reminds us to serve our neighbors. Part of what makes this season so special, beyond families traveling long distance to gather together, or the music of Bing Crosby... Full story
As the 114th Congress comes to an end, it is worth looking back on my first term in Congress and highlight the important accomplishments and the change that Americans should expect before the 115th Congress convenes next year. While there has been much disagreement between Republicans and Democrats in the nation’s capital, progress on issues that earned bipartisan support should not be overlooked. During the 114th Congress, Medicare was put on stronger footing by the “Doc Fix.” This improvement was signed into law to permanently repeal the p... Full story
Hundreds of local residents showed up last week in Pasco for a debate that many thought had long been settled. We again find ourselves making the case that proposals to breach the Columbia and lower Snake River dams would hurt our local community, and that negative impacts would far outweigh any benefit. I attended the meeting in Pasco to add my voice in strong opposition to proposals to remove the four dams. I was one voice among many, seeing firsthand the passionate feelings on the matter. Last week’s meeting was a glaring example of the i... Full story
Washington my home; Where ever I may roam; This is my land, my native land, Washington, my home. Our verdant forest green, Caressed by silvery stream; From mountain peak to fields of wheat. Washington, my home. This verse of “Washington My Home,” adopted as our state song in 1959, illustrates what so many Washingtonians picture about our home in the northwest corner of America. For those of us in the Okanogan Highlands, thinking of the “verdant forest green” is certainly true. For those of us in the Mid-Columbia south, though, we think of larg... Full story
The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten – President Calvin Coolidge said it well almost 100 ago. Friday is Veterans Day, when we as a nation honor those who have answered the call to defend our way of life. We exercise and enjoy our freedoms every day, and we owe special recognition of every American man and woman who has served in uniform. On November 11, Veterans Day ceremonies will take place across the country. Citizens will gather in assembly to pay tribute to the memory and service of our warriors by singing the w... Full story
Anyone who has spent time in Central Washington knows the Columbia River is the defining natural feature of our region. As the largest river in the Western Hemisphere that flows into the Pacific Ocean, it has long guided the way of life for people living in the Pacific Northwest. From water storage and transportation to recreation, flood control, energy production, and wildlife habitat, our management of the Columbia River will continue to determine the economic future of our region. We share this magnificent resource with our neighbor to the... Full story
Theodore Roosevelt, who championed the cause of conservation during his presidency, once said, “Conservation means development as much as it does protection. I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful means, the generations that come after us.” We have a responsibility, not simply to preserve the natural world around us, but to improve the economic condition of the communities that depend on natural resources and... Full story
Ask someone to recite our national motto, and you might just get a couple different responses. Such has been the confusion about our national motto that in a speech President Obama delivered in 2010, the President even said, “In the United States, our motto is ‘E pluribus unum’ — out of many, one.” Actually, “E pluribus unum” is the phrase on the official Seal of the United States. In fact, our official national motto has been “In God We Trust” for decades. This July will mark the 60th anniversary of its official adoption, but sadly the mot... Full story
To face a threat, we must begin by calling it exactly what it is. Our nation has once again been attacked by radical Islamists. Early Sunday, Americans woke up to the horror that 49 innocent individuals had been killed and dozens wounded in an insidious terrorist attack on a “soft target,” an Orlando nightclub. The attack in Orlando was an attack on all Americans. We mourn the victims, and we cannot comprehend the pain that their families and loved ones are now facing. They will need our prayers in the days ahead. The federal investigation in l... Full story
From our founding to the present, American history is filled with reminders of the sacrifices of patriots who took up arms when the call went out to defend their country and the principles that we hold dear. We just observed Memorial Day, when we recognize the high price paid by more than one million men and women in the Armed Forces. This week, we commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy. We are reminded that when the call comes for the common defense, the men and women of our Armed Forces continue to fulfill their d... Full story
We live in an astounding time of technological progress, during the “Information Age.” Since the 1990s, the Internet has flourished and created a digital marketplace, revolutionizing the world economy and the way commerce is conducted. Private enterprise has developed an incredible number of innovative services for millions of consumers. Keeping the Internet free from government micromanagement and open to innovation for years to come must be a top priority. Turn back the clock for a moment to 1934, which is the year the Federal Com... Full story
It may be news to many Americans, but as individual land owners, ranchers, and farmers in Washington already know, the federal government is one of the largest property managers in the nation, and especially in the West. According to a 2014 government survey, federal agencies manage 640 million acres of land, or one million square miles nationwide. That number accounts for 28 percent of land in the country. To put that enormous number in further perspective, it is just a bit smaller than the size of the land area of the three largest states,... Full story
What do you call it when the federal government targets legitimate businesses and causes them to be shut down, not for illegal activity, but because they are deemed undesirable by the Administration? Answer: federal regulatory intimidation. Last week, I voted to effectively stop one such effort: “Operation Choke Point.” We must ensure federal regulators are held accountable to stay on the right side of the line between enforcement of the law and regulatory intimidation. Operation Choke Point was a secret U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) ant... Full story
