News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
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Last week, news outlets around the country had wall-to-wall coverage of a spy balloon sent by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) transiting across America. While a balloon itself does not sound very dangerous, it’s the intent behind it that’s concerning—the CCP is testing us to see how President Biden responds, which should raise alarm bells for every American. We simply cannot take this threat lightly and must respond with tough policies to protect our sovereignty from the CCP. As more information arises about this situation, it’s becomin...
Last year, over 100,000 people in the United States died from a drug overdose, largely driven by the rampant spread of illicit fentanyl. In Washington state, drug overdoses have been increasing at shocking rates in the past few years, and communities across Central Washington have been devastated by the fentanyl crisis, which is now the leading cause of death for people ages 18-45. The hard truth is, no corner of our communities has been left untouched by this growing crisis. We need to classify all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I...
If someone asked you what the single worst, most egregious example of government overreach was, what would you say? The death tax? Emissions standards on cars? Livestock trucking rules? Excessive workplace safety requirements? While those are all good examples, they pale in comparison to the Biden administration’s most recent actions on “waters of the United States” or WOTUS. For those who don’t know, WOTUS dictates which waters are federally regulated under the Clean Water Act. During the Obama administration, a definition was release...
Christmastime is the season of hope and joy — hope that even when times are dark, we can find the light and joy that follows. The greatest gift the world has received is the birth of Christ and his salvation of humanity. The Christmas season is a time to reflect, to prepare, to spend time with family, and to celebrate. During this time, we must also be grateful and remember the contributions and sacrifices our forefathers and military service members endured to ensure our freedoms. We are blessed to have the freedom to celebrate the season o...
As we near the end of 2022, I want to take a moment to look back on some of the work I’ve done in Congress for our district. From passing landmark legislation to securing critical funds for projects in our communities, we’ve accomplished a lot. And as we enter into the new Congress, I’m committed to building off these successes and continuing to fight for Central Washington’s priorities. As a member on the Appropriations Committee, I work to secure funding for much-needed projects in Central Washington while ensuring our taxpayer dollars are be...
To help prepare students for future careers in fields from chemistry and earth sciences to computer engineering and physics, schools in Central Washington and across the country are emphasizing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education programs. And as the home to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Hanford Site, Energy Northwest, and numerous other science and technology startups, Central Washington’s students have prime examples of the many rewarding careers in computer science, technology, research, or e...
Last week, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that distillate inventories (which include diesel) were at their lowest levels since 1951—currently we only have a 27-day supply remaining. That means if all production is halted and we maintain our current usage, we will run out of diesel fuel in 27 days. And while this shortage impacts folks in rural communities the most, every single community will feel the effects. Farmers rely on diesel to fuel the equipment to harvest your food. We rely on diesel trucks to transport the f...
In Central Washington, we have so much to be thankful for. This Thanksgiving, as we come together with our friends and family, don’t forget to take a moment to give thanks to our hard-working farmers, processors, and food bank workers throughout Central Washington who work to provide the food on our plates. From the turkey to the stuffing, our farmers probably played a part in your Thanksgiving dinners. Many of the potatoes, onions, winegrapes and other Thanksgiving favorites you consume were grown right here in Central Washington, making up a...
For decades, Central Washingtonians have had to fight to make our voices heard over the noise of outside interest groups and government bureaucrats who think they know what is best for our communities. Unfortunately, last week’s decision by the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reopen discussions on introducing grizzly bears, an apex predator, into the North Cascades Ecosystem proves that, once again, our voices are being ignored. The debate over grizzly bear introduction in Washington state is nothing new. In 1995, W...
Central Washington is lucky to be home to over 33,000 veterans. As our nation observes this upcoming Veterans Day, we reaffirm a solemn promise to remember and honor the men and women of the United States Armed Forces — past and present. Although Veterans Day was established to remember and revere the sacrifices of so many, our veterans deserve to know their country is looking after them and their families each and every day. I have spent much of my time in Congress meeting with veterans across Central Washington and learning about the i...
Over the past few years, there has been an uptick in crime across the nation. Unfortunately, Central Washington has been no exception to this trend. Indeed, the total number of homicides in Tri-Cities for 2022 is already at a record high compared to recent years, according to the Coroner's Office. In Yakima, drive-by shootings are becoming a regular occurrence. And that's on top of the exponential increase in carjackings and fentanyl overdoses. Much of this uptick is a direct result of "defund...
From September 26 to September 30, we are recognizing National Clean Energy Week, an opportunity to celebrate the clean energy advancements taking place across the country. In Central Washington, we have extra cause to celebrate because we have not only embraced clean energy as a critical part of an all-of-the-above energy portfolio, but we’re leading the country in the use of these technologies. We are home to our state’s largest wind and solar farms, emerging hydrogen technologies, the Pacific Northwest’s only nuclear power plant, and our n...
We must fix our broken immigration system and combat the rising food costs every single American across the country is facing right now, and we must do it now. Agriculture producers across the country have been facing a labor shortage crisis for years, and recently, it’s only gotten worse. When I served as the Washington State Director of Agriculture, our governor made the decision to deploy prisoners to help pick apples—because there weren’t enough workers to do the job, domestic or foreign. And we’re no better off now than we were then. Curre...
President Biden’s student-loan debt forgiveness plan is one of the worst decisions I’ve seen this president make. This debt “forgiveness” would have Robin Hood rolling in his grave—it takes from the poor to give to the rich while making things worse for American taxpayers across the country. Let me be clear: there is no such thing as canceling or “forgiving” student loan debt. This debt will be transferred to hardworking American taxpayers—many of whom did not take out student loans—and will only worsen inflation while rewarding overpriced coll...
Tensions have steadily risen between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for years now. From the pandemic-era trade wars to military drills around Taiwan, it’s clear the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which controls the PRC, is pursuing its goal of creating a new world order relentlessly. What many aren’t aware of, however, is China has already begun making moves within our own borders. For over a decade, China has continued to expand its global reach with its Belts and Roads Initiative, now with new energy and infra...
Inflation has soared from 1.4% in January 2021 to 8.5% in July of this year, and parents are bearing the brunt of these increased costs as they face their annual back-to-school shopping trips — on top of the mounting costs for just about everything else they buy. Retailers are being faced with increased wholesale costs, which they’re forced to pass on to consumers. For instance, at a local grocery chain in Richland, hamburger meat is $12.99 a pound and milk is $3.29 a gallon — on sale. And as parents try to manage these price increases, they...
It’s no secret the situation at our southern border is out of control. Indeed, recent figures from U.S. Customs and Border Protection show record levels of border crossings are continuing, including a record-setting number of terrorist sightings and an increased number of illegal drugs found at the U.S.-Mexico border. But why should we in Central Washington worry about something happening thousands of miles away? Because it’s affecting every single one of our communities. With three months left in the fiscal year, southern border encounters hav...
This week marked the conclusion of the public comment period for Governor Inslee and Senator Murray’s recently released draft Lower Snake River Dams Benefit Replacement Report. I have read the Inslee-Murray report, and while I could comment on the missing data points or perspectives that are found on every single page, it is also clear this draft report has come to the same conclusion that I, along with federal scientists, engineers, and fish biologists, have understood for many years now: Our communities cannot afford to breach and remove t...
This Fourth of July, Americans in Central Washington and across the country are contending with a host of financial worries. Red-hot inflation has contributed to a skyrocketing cost of living and continues to wreak havoc on financial markets, the American supply chain, and Americans’ pocketbooks. As the country deals with record-high gas prices and sparse shelves at the grocery store, it is more important than ever to call to mind what it is that makes our country great—and how we can return to greatness once more. Independence Day gives us...
The Biden Administration must be held accountable for failing to serve Central Washington’s veterans. This weekend, details on a draft report from the VA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) broke news headlines, outlining that not only did the new Electronic Health Record (EHR) system rolled out at Spokane (and now Walla Walla’s) VA hospitals cause harm to at least 148 veterans, but that Cerner Corporation, which owns the contract for this system, knew their system was flawed and withheld that information from the Department of Veter...
A year and a half ago, when President Biden was sworn into office, gas prices were $2.39 a gallon. Today, gas prices have more than doubled, averaging $5.01 per gallon. The Labor Department reported Friday that inflation rose to 8.6% in the 12 months ending in May, its highest level since December 1981. Virtually no sector of the economy was left untouched. Electricity is up 12% from a year ago, groceries 11.9%, and rent 5.9%. It’s not rocket science; the policy decisions being made by this Administration have directly impacted the state of o...
China has been buying up American farmland, and, for some reason, people aren’t worried about it. Maybe they’re unaware that China’s American agricultural land holdings have increased over tenfold in the last decade. Maybe they’re unaware that at the beginning of 2020, investments from China held $2 billion of American agricultural land. Maybe they’re unaware that 2021 was the 10th straight year America’s trade deficit with the Chinese eclipsed $300 billion. Maybe they’re unaware that China owns 50% of the global reserves of corn. But I’m...
Over the past year and a half — under the Democrats’ one-party rule — rural communities like ours in Central Washington have been harmed by the failed, anti-energy policies coming out of our nation’s capital. Gas prices have hit all-time highs, and American families are facing high inflation and supply chain interruptions thata threaten our way of life. It is more critical than ever that our nation establishes a strong, reliable, all-of-the-above domestic energy portfolio. Fortunately for us in Central Washington, we have a prime example...
This week, as Native American tribes and communities gather to honor the women and girls who have been murdered or gone missing at alarming rates here in Central Washington and across the country, the glaring question remains: When will this end? For decades, indigenous women have faced a murder rate 10 times higher than the national average, and in Washington state, native women account for 7% of all reported missing women. The lack of a streamlined reporting apparatus and accurate data combined with jurisdictional challenges have left tribes...
Currently, a little over 1.3 million people are serving on active duty in our nation’s military—that is less than half of one percent of the U.S. population. Securing our national defense and protecting our interests is a heavy burden to rest on these men and women, and that is why continuing to care for our servicemembers and veterans is such a solemn duty for the federal government. I’m honored to represent over 39,000 veterans in Central Washington and consider it one of my highest priorities to ensure they receive the high-quality care and...