Jobs and Our Economy

Here in Southwest Washington, the need to grow our economy and create jobs is as great as any other region in the country. From the Gifford Pinchot Forest to Long Beach, our region has a reputation for our tremendous resources – but the greatest resource of all is our people.

Congress needs to maintain employment and the economy as its number one focus. 

Small business and private enterprise act as America’s engine for job creation, but right now these job creators are struggling to survive. 

Here are samples of job-creating efforts I’ve led since serving as your representative in Congress:

• I’ve held 11 annual “Jobs Fairs” in Southwest Washington, where we’ve matched thousands of individuals with hiring employers – often leading to higher-paying jobs with better benefits.
• Hydroelectric dams provide the lowest-cost, most reliable, cleanest energy available. I have and will continue to champion bipartisan efforts to protect hydropower, and the affordable energy that has attracted manufacturing jobs to Southwest Washington.
• My bipartisan Small Business Opportunities Act was signed into law and expanded opportunities for more than 900 Southwest Washington small businesses who wish to compete for federal contracts.
• The U.S. House passed the permanent extension of the tri-state agreement that is imperative for the future success of the West Coast Dungeness crab fishery. Washington state’s Dungeness crab industry brings $61 million into the state’s economy annually. Crab fishermen in the state harvest an average of 9.5 million pounds of crab per year, supporting more than 60,000 maritime jobs.
• I have worked tirelessly to make sure resources are going toward protecting our local salmon habitats and hatcheries. Recreational fishing alone helps support more than 5,100 jobs and $247 million in income for Washington residents.  This industry has been a key piece of our state’s economy for over 100 years and I am committed to ensuring the same opportunities for future generations to enjoy.

Community Project Funding Requests
Below are the community project funding requests for 2022.

Recipient: Lewis County

Address: 351 NW. North St. Chehalis, WA 98532

Requested Amount: $2,500,000

Project Description: Funding for the Lewis County Public Safety Radio Communications project will improve countywide mobile and portable radio coverage, as well as ensure radio system reliability to improve public safety. Replacement of Lewis County Public Safety radio system infrastructure is essential to provide for reliable communications for all Lewis County law enforcement and first responders, 911-related communications, and all state agencies operating within the region

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Cowlitz Indian Tribe

Address: 1055 9th Avenue Suite B Longview, WA 98632

Requested Amount: $762,000

Project Description: The Cowlitz Indian Tribe (the Tribe) is requesting funding to provide renovations and improvements necessary to carry out and expand substance abuse treatment programs and services in the community. Cowlitz County is experiencing climbing overdose death rates, and the opioid epidemic has been exacerbated by the isolation imposed by the COVID epidemic and the influx of fentanyl. The Cowlitz Tribe recently secured a permanent facility for expansion of their substance use disorder and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program. The facility requires limited renovation to make it accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and to increase energy efficiency, allowing the Tribe to provide and expand their behavioral health services for more individuals.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Washougal Police Department

Address: 1320 A Street Washougal, WA 98671

Requested Amount: $131,135

Project Description: Federal funding will support the Washougal Police Department to establish a Police Body Worn Camera program to ensure high-quality service of its officers, increase transparency and openness, and strengthen trust in the community. Body worn cameras will enable the agency to document all encounters in the field and develop clearer understandings of events, which may assist in the criminal justice process.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: City of Battle Ground

Address: 109 SW 1st Street Battle Ground, WA 98604

Requested Amount: $413,000

Project Description: Strategic funding will help improve the city of Battle Ground’s safety and emergency response capabilities, which are currently constrained by out-of-date police technology, an inadequate number of outdoor cameras, and limited video storage capacity. Currently, all regional first responders are unable to communicate with each other or the 911 center inside the larger Battle Ground Public School District school locations. In addition, the Battle Ground Police Department relies on video surveillance to expand the department’s reach and capacity with constrained resources. Adequate video surveillance is critical to its ability to protect citizens and property for both immediate intervention of criminal activity and investigating criminal conduct after the fact. Also, installing radio repeaters inside schools ensures reliable communication capabilities in an emergency which increases student safety. Federal funding will help bolster overall community safety with comprehensive technology improvements intended to protect students and residents, as well as public and private property.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: City of Vancouver

Address: 415 West 6th Street Vancouver, WA 98860

Requested Amount: $500,000

Project Description: Federal funding will enable the Vancouver Police Department to make quick, accurate identifications that will drastically improve public safety. Rapid DNA machines have been effective in reducing property crime, which is a growing issue in the Vancouver community. Property crime reports show exponential increases in auto theft at 176%, vehicle prowls at 75%, theft at 51%, burglary at 48%, and robbery at 25% in just two years. Recent advances in Rapid DNA technology have produced a new generation of equipment designed specifically for 24/7 on-site use by local police, which is a cost-effective and time-saving solution for improving community safety.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Cowlitz 911 Public Authority

Address: 312 SW 1st Ave Kelso, WA 98626

Requested Amount: $2,179,000

Project Description: Funding would be used to replace the obsolete and failing public safety radio equipment. Cowlitz 911 provides emergency communication and dispatch services to six law enforcement and six Fire/EMS agencies serving more than 100,000 residents. The safety of both community members and the emergency responders who serve them is reliant on this mission-critical radio equipment. Without updates and maintenance to this equipment, responders will be unable to talk to each other or 911 dispatchers, leaving no way for dispatchers to effectively deploy and manage critical resources to emergency situations.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Wahkiakum County Sheriff’s Office

Address: 64 Main Street Cathlamet, WA 98612

Requested Amount: $1,800,000

Project Description: Funding for this project will upgrade the entire county radio system. Unfortunately, the current system is obsolete and inadequate for the population it serves. This system provides the communications for Law Enforcement, Fire, Ems, P.U.D, school district, public works, and the Town of Cathlamet. An upgrade to the emergency communication system will allow all emergency responders to provide better service to the residents of Wahkiakum County. An improved system will also benefit those who travel through the county, as the main route that connects the Long Beach Peninsula to communities inland passes through Wahkiakum County. The safety of both community members and the emergency responders who serve them is reliant on this mission critical radio equipment, and an upgrade will benefit their well-being.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: City of Long Beach      

Address: 115 Bolstad Ave W. Long Beach, WA 98631

Requested Amount: $95,000

Project Description: Funding for body cameras for the Long Beach Police Department will help keep citizens and officers safe. These devices help keep all parties accountable, provide documentation for public records requests and help protect police officers and citizens against false claims of misconduct or abuse. Body cameras have already been implemented at the request of both police officers and communities across the U.S. and have shown measurable benefits to public safety and accountability.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: City of Longview

Address: 1525 Broadway Street, Longview, WA 98632

Requested Amount: $215,000

Project Description: Southwest Washington communities continue to experience an increase in violent incidents often involving people with co-occurring substance use disorders and mental health conditions. Federal funds will support the acquisition of a simulator for Longview and Kelso officers to gain experience in a safe training environment that will reinforce good tactics and decision-making. Using an interactive training simulator is a cost-effective way to implement on-going training for officers, in turn allowing them to support the community more effectively and increase public safety.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Northwest Division USACE

Address: 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd Ste 400 Portland, OR 97232-1257

Requested Amount: $856,000

Project Description: Cowlitz County communities have had to live with the aftermath of the 1980 Mt. St. Helens eruption for over 40 years. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is mandated by Congress to manage flood risk associated with the continued flow of sediment monitoring through the Cowlitz and Toutle Rivers from Mt. St. Helens, and to establish safe flood protection levels for the cities of Castle Rock, Lexington, Kelso, and Longview. A key element of the Corps protection efforts is to collect data on an annual basis through bathymetric surveys, a LIDAR survey and USGS water level gauges and sediment transport monitoring.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Northwest Division USACE

Address: 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd Ste 400 Portland, OR 97232-1257

Requested Amount: $900,000

Project Description: The Columbia River Pilots have identified several channel-depth turning basins that are needed to continue to efficiently move and maneuver deep-draft vessels while maintaining a margin of safety, and that are logistically the most favorable and most cost-effective areas for the Corps to maintain. When water levels are low in the late summer to early fall, multiple deep draft vessels are awaiting a “window” to depart, and locations on the river system to anchor while they do so are difficult to find. Establishing turning basins are critical to meet this logistical challenge as they provide the second to last place on a vessel’s outbound transit where there is room to turn and wait before they commit to exiting the Columbia River.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: City of Longview

Address: 1525 Broadway Street, Longview, WA 98632.

Requested Amount: $5,500,000

Project Description: The funding is designated for improving an approximate one-mile section of Columbia Heights Road between Cascade Drive and Fishers Lane. The current roadway is narrow, has no pedestrian access and routinely requires repairs due to poor drainage. The road is serviced by Longview and Kelso School District buses multiple times per school day and the poor conditions create an unsafe climate with little or no room for pedestrians, disabled vehicles, or passing room for emergency vehicles.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: City of Washougal

Address: 1701 C Street, Washougal WA 98671.

Requested Amount: $1,000,000

Project Description: This effort will seek to support the installation of a new, required Anoxic Selector at the Washougal Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). Funding will bring support for needed water upgrades throughout the city, which in return, will contribute to stable rates for consumers into the future. In addition, added improvements will encourage economic development opportunities.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: City of Chehalis

Address: 1321 S Market Blvd. Chehalis, WA 98532

Requested Amount: $570,000

Project Description: Funding would address a major safety concern for families attending events. Due to a lack of parking, people are choosing to park in unsafe locations surrounding the park that do not have proper surfacing, sidewalks, or designated crossings. Another concern is children running across and darting into traffic of a busy roadway that sits parallel to the park. The addition of the parking lot will improve the safety of thousands of park visitors each year. The neighboring businesses and homes that surround the park would also benefit from the added parking, as park visitors regularly park in their business parking lots and private parking spaces.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Public Utility District No. 1 of Skamania County

Address: 1492 Wind River Highway Carson, WA 98610

Requested Amount: $3,000,000

Project Description: The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars because funding would allow construction of a new one-million-gallon per day water treatment plant. This project would allow the plant to provide reliable drinking water year-round for current and future needs and reduce staffing times required to safely operate. Without a federal investment the Skamania PUD will be unable to advance this project given its small size and limited ratepayer base to support these types of investments.

Member Certification Form

Community Project Funding Requests
Below are the community project funding requests for 2021.

Recipient: Battle Ground Healthcare

Address: 11117 NE 189th Street, Suite 216, Battle Ground WA 98604

Requested Amount: $320,000

Project Description: Battle Ground Healthcare’s free clinic expansion project is a valuable use of taxpayer funding because it will allow Battle Ground Healthcare to expand its services to its clients who are uninsured, underinsured, have chronic conditions, and are at or below three-hundred percent of the federal poverty level. Federal funding will support renovations and upgrades to equipment to support much needed expansion of services. BGHC is experiencing increased demands for the free medical, dental, physical rehabilitation services we offer, driven by the pandemic and high unemployment with the loss of health insurance by many families. BGHC will be expanding its facility by fifty-eight percent to meet the CDC guidelines for social distancing while providing free services.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Northwest Division United States Army Corps

Address:1 201 NE Lloyd Blvd Ste 400 Portland, OR 97232

Requested Amount: $148,000

Project Description: Lake River is recognized as navigable waters of the Columbia River system. A survey of the Lake River between Ridgefield and the Columbia River was conducted in 2014. The survey indicated the channel depth mouth of Lake River needs immediate attention. It has been 35 years since the river was last dredged. Dredging is not an annual project or need, but one that does require periodic maintenance. The mouth of Lake River, where it enters the Columbia approximately two (2) miles northwest of Ridgefield Washington, is unsafe. Sand moving along the Columbia is narrowing and shallowing the navigation channel of Lake River. Flood control measures on the Columbia no longer allow spring run-off to regularly flush the channel at the mouth of Lake River. As a result, access from the Columbia into Lake River by commercial and recreational boating is becoming increasingly difficult and will eventually be lost. Water quality, fish and wildlife habitat are also negatively impacted. Funding would be used for dredging to ensure all season access would be preserved for marine traffic entering or exiting Lake River from the Columbia River.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Camp Mariposa

Address: 1601 East Fourth Plain Blvd, Building 17, Ste. A212 Vancouver, WA 98661

Requested Amount: $49,870

Project Description: Camp Mariposa-Southwest Washington (CM-SW) is a year-round camping and mentoring experience for children impacted by the substance use disorder of a loved one. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funding because it benefits the community by preventing substance use disorders in children exposed to them in their home environments. Community Project Funding will help 40 kids ages 9-12 attend this innovative program proven to break the intergenerational cycle of addiction. CM-SW is a research-based national model developed by Eluna Network and staffed by trained mentors and behavioral health professionals. Funding for this project will assist children by preventing substance use disorder, responding to adverse childhood experiences, and breaking intergenerational cycles of addiction.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Northwest Division United States Army Corps

Address: 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd Ste 400 Portland, OR 97232

Requested Amount: $410,000

Project Description: Cowlitz County communities have had to live with the aftermath of the 1980 Mt. St. Helens eruption for over 40 years. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is mandated by Congress to manage flood risk associated with the continued flow of sediment through the Cowlitz and Toutle Rivers from Mt. St. Helens, and to establish safe flood protection levels for the cities of Castle Rock, Lexington, Kelso and Longview. A key element of the Corps’ protection efforts is to collect data on an annual basis through bathymetric surveys, a LIDAR survey and USGS water level gauges and sediment transport monitoring. Funding for these critical data points has been inconsistent and in recent years have required aggressive advocacy by stakeholders and officials at all levels of government on an annual basis. The data is used to ensure that the Corps is meeting federally mandated flood protection levels when dredging may be required and when the crest of the Sediment Retention Structure needs to be raised. Leaving years between these vital monitoring activities creates glaring omissions in the data and increases the risk of a devastating flood. Fiscal year 2022 funding would be used for managing the flood risk to downstream communities.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Northwest Division United States Army Corps

Address: 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd Ste 400 Portland, OR 97232

Requested Amount: $1,100,000

Project Description: The Columbia River Pilots have identified several channel-depth turning basins that are needed to continue to efficiently move and maneuver deep-draft vessels while maintaining a margin of safety, and that are logistically the most favorable and most cost-effective areas for the Corps to maintain. When water levels are low in the late summer to early fall, multiple deep draft vessels are awaiting a “window” to depart, and locations on the river system to anchor while they do so are difficult to find. Establishing turning basins are critical to meet this logistical challenge as they provide the second to last place on a vessel’s outbound transit where there is room to turn and wait before they commit to exiting the Columbia River. This funding would be used to study the Columbia River Turning Basin in the Corps’ Investigations account. This study would also benefit the Port of Kalama that is seeking authorization to construct a new turning basin, where the Port of Longview is seeking to have its basin deepened and widened. The study will put them both on the path to having these projects authorized.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: City of Vancouver

Address: 415 West 6th Street Vancouver, WA 98660

Requested Amount: $1,500,000

Project Description: The City of Vancouver plans to equip the Vancouver Police Department with cameras to enhance safety and transparency. Funding will be used to purchase 250 body-worn cameras for police officer use and equip 100 police patrol vehicles with in-car cameras.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife

Address: Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington Street SE, Olympia, WA

Amount Requested: $892,000

Project Description: Requesting funding equipment and capital needs to implement the Marine Mammal Protection Act Section 120(f) permit authorizing the intentional taking on the waters of the Columbia River and its tributaries of California Sea Lions and Steller Sea Lions.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: City of Ilwaco

Address: 120 1st Ave N Ilwaco, WA 98624

Amount Requested: $816,000

Project Description: City of Ilwaco, Washington intends to acquire the land and timber rights within the Indian Creek watershed for the purpose of protecting the drinking water source. In accordance with the established Forest Stewardship Plan, the city plans to manage the forest with the goal of supporting water quality.

Member Certification Form

Recipient: Washington Gorge Action Program

Address:115 West Steuben Bigen, WA 98605

Requested Amount: $460,000

Project Description: Washington Gorge Action Program (WAGAP), the only Community Action Program serving Klickitat County, is seeking funds to renovate or construct a facility in rural Goldendale, Washington to serve as a childcare and early learning center. Currently there are no licensed childcare providers operating in the region with the exception of a Head Start building that is at capacity.  A detailed feasibility study is underway. It is showing far more young children are in need of services and care then Head Start can provide, and the Goldendale School District does not offer any pre-school programs. There may be an opportunity to renovate an existing facility or construct a new one in Klickitat County owned facility for a childcare and early learning center, or purchase a parcel of land in the Goldendale city limits to use with a modular facility. Both options are being considered.  The intent is to either renovate an existing county owned building or construct a new facility to serve as a childcare and early learning facility that will serve approximately 70 low to middle-income families with children ages infant to 8.

Keeping our Communities Safe

The safety of our families, homes, schools, and businesses is vital, and I want to make sure we give law enforcement the support and tools they need to safely carry out their duties to protect our communities.

Here are a few ways I’m supporting our law enforcement and keeping Southwest Washington safe:

• Introducing legislation to increase federal funding for COPS Grants to hire, train, and retain police officers. 
• Introducing legislation to increase funding for smaller, local police departments. 
• Introducing legislation to incentivize states like Washington to reverse bad police laws. 
• Securing $1.5 million to equip Vancouver police force with body-worn and in-car cameras – requested and supported by the Vancouver Police Department and the City of Vancouver.
• Introducing legislation to expand schools’ access to school resource officers and the use of silent panic alarms to immediately alert law enforcement to respond more quickly to school incidents.
• Meeting with and hearing from local law enforcement from across our region to hear directly the issues they’re facing, including rising crime, training and recruitment concerns, budgetary challenges, and more.

I will also continue to actively oppose the dangerous notion of “defunding the police” that has been taken up by certain politicians, city councils and activists. While we should always strive to reform and improve policing to make sure all citizens are protected, we should abandon the notion that defunding and treating them like the enemy will make our communities safer.

Lowering Drug Costs

Health Care

I believe every single Southwest Washington resident deserves access to quality, affordable health care, regardless of a pre-existing condition or if they’ve hit hard times economically.

I’m a steady proponent of patient-centered solutions, which includes allowing the purchase of insurance across state lines, expanding Health Savings Accounts, and strengthening Medicare Advantage plans. I also support lowering the cost of prescription drugs and have introduced and supported multiple bipartisan solutions to slash drug prices for our seniors and others who rely on life-saving medications.

To really fix health care, we must get serious about implementing a plan that doesn't grow the government but gets at the root causes of rising health care costs in Southwest Washington and across the country.

Here are some patient-centered solutions I support: 

• No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act: I’ve introduced bipartisan legislation which would simply the process for enrolling newborns in health coverage. As parents in Southwest Washington welcome a newborn baby, many are unknowingly incurring thousands of dollars in surprise medical billing simply because the window to complete enrollment paperwork is so narrow during this hectic time. This kind of surprise billing is contributing to rising health care costs for families across our nation. This bill will help give parents peace of mind that they’ll have more flexibility to enroll their child in health insurance after birth without risking these exorbitant and unnecessary costs.

• Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act: This legislation I’ve helped lead in Congress would allow the safe, responsible importation of certain prescription drugs from Canada.

• Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services Act (MOMS Act): I introduced this legislation in Congress, which has now been signed into law, that aims to reduce and end America’s growing maternal mortality crisis. Nearly 70% of new moms will have at least one health complication within a year of giving birth, so the Helping MOMS Act would ensure moms can see a doctor and obtain treatment for that critical 12-month period.

• Living Donor Protection Act: I’ve introduced legislation to help protect living donors. A 2014 study in the American Journal of Transplantation as many as 27% of living organ donors experience difficulty securing or paying for insurance after their procedures because of discriminatory practices. The Living Donor Protection Act would protect living organ donors and promote organ donation by removing barriers to organ donation, provide certainty to donors and recipients, and protect living donors in the private and civil service sector.

• Legislation to expand Medigap insurance coverage for patients living with end-stage renal disease: Folks living with end stage renal disease should have access to life-saving medications, dialysis, and kidney transplants needed to treat their illness. However, thousands of Americans under the age of 65 living with ESRD are barred from obtaining a Medigap plan that could help cover the cost of these treatments. This legislation I’m helping lead would expand Medigap insurance coverage to all patients living with end-stage renal disease, regardless of age.

• Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act: This legislation I’ve championed, which passed the U.S. House in 2020, would increase access to health services for women in rural areas, expand telehealth grants to include maternal health providers, and improve the quality of care and training for maternal health providers to improve birth outcomes and save lives during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum.

• Advancing Care for Exceptional Kids Act (the ACE Kids Act): I’m proud to have led this bill through Congress, which has now been signed into law. Two out of the three million medically complex children across the country are enrolled in Medicaid, accounting for 40% of costs for all children on Medicaid. Prior to this bill’s passage, many kids were severely limited from accessing the medical care they needed simply because of their zip code. The ACE Kids Act helped provide these kids with better care which, in addition to saving Medicaid spending (and taxpayer dollars), provides parents with the flexibility to seek care at the hospital that can help their child -- even when that hospital is in another state.

There is much more to do to make sure residents have the health care coverage they need – and I’ll continue working on solutions that get us there.

Salmon

Columbia River salmon and steelhead have a historical significance to our region. Sportsmen, recreational and commercial fishing businesses, tribes, and our coastal communities depend on healthy fish runs. And I have been working hard in Congress to preserve and bolster our native fish populations.  

Removing sea lions

A growing sea lion population in the Columbia River poses one of the biggest threats to our wild salmon and steelhead runs. I successfully led passage of a bipartisan bill through Congress, the Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Prevention Act, which the president signed into law in December of 2018. This historic effort will improve the survival of endangered salmon, steelhead and other native fish species in the Columbia River system by protecting them from sea lion predation. My bill authorizes the lethal removal of some of the worst offending California and stellar sea lions from specific areas where they feast on endangered fish. We have already seen results of fish runs rebounding after the careful removal of sea lions in nearby Willamette Falls.

Increasing hatchery production

As I travel around Southwest Washington listening to folks talk about what fishing means to them, I consistently hear the same thing from sportsmen, commercial fishermen and tribes: We must increase the hatchery production of salmon on the Columbia River. After my sea lion bill became law, bolstering hatchery production is the next best step we can take for our salmon runs.

As a member of the Appropriations Committee that sets spending levels for the federal government, I have consistently fought to increase funding for hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest. I helped secure more than $35 million to implement the Pacific Salmon Treaty that protects and expands Pacific salmon stocks habitat, as well as increases hatchery production. Additionally, I successfully fought to secure $22 million – the largest amount in half a decade -- to boost hatchery production of salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin. This program that has produced millions of fish for harvest, along with 1.300 jobs and tens of millions of dollars in economic activity – and I hope to increase those results.

Immigration and Border Security

The federal government has a constitutional responsibility to defend our borders. As a Member of Congress, an important part of my job is ensuring the federal government lives up to this responsibility and helps put a stop to the chaos at the border which has led to the dangerous trafficking of human beings and deadly drugs. I saw this crisis first-hand when I traveled to our nation’s border to view the humanitarian and security crisis that’s affecting our communities. And while I believe our country should uphold its tradition of openness for those willing to follow the rules and work hard in America to make a better life for themselves and their families, it’s not a radical idea for the U.S. to control who enters and leaves its borders just like other sovereign nations do. I’m going to continue working in Congress to secure our borders and repair our broken immigration system.

Here are a few of my actions in Congress to help secure our borders, fix our immigration system, and stop the flow of illicit and deadly drugs into our communities:

Border security funding:

· As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I recently secured an 11% increase for the Department of Homeland Security. This includes an $800 million increase in Customs and Border Protection and a $400 million increase for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Border security legislation:

· I’m spearheading several pieces of legislation, like the Border Security for America Act, which requires border wall construction to resume immediately, deploys practical and effective border security technology, and hires and trains additional border patrol agents.

· I also championed a bill, passed by the U.S. House, to shut down illegal underground tunnels used by Mexican cartels to smuggle drugs and conduct human trafficking underneath our southern border.

Social Security

Millions of Americans who are retired or near retirement are counting on a promise made by the U.S. government that Social Security will be there for them. I will work to make sure Social Security is funded so that we can keep that promise. Privatizing Social Security is not an option and I do not support it.

The real threat to Social Security is overspending by politicians in Washington, D.C. For years, they have taken money from the Social Security trust fund and left nothing but I.O.U.’s.

It is my job to help stop the overspending in other areas of government, so that we can put Social Security back on steady financial ground and keep our promises to those who depend on this program.

Medicare

Medicare is a critical program seniors rely on for their health care, and I want to make sure it’s there not just for today’s seniors, but those who will retire tomorrow and 10 years from now.

Unfortunately, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) destabilized Medicare when it cut $ 700 billion from the program, including $156 Billion from the popular Medicare Advantage program. 

First, we need to stop the ACA’s raid on the Medicare trust fund so the program avoids insolvency within the next two decades. Whether it’s traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or a different form of Medicare coverage, I want seniors to have the choice of Medicare coverage that works best for them – and we must strengthen the program to make sure it’s on solid financial footing.  I’m committed to taking action that will ensure seniors have this important program for generations to come.

Maternity Care

Each year, approximately four million women give birth in the United States, and even though the U.S. spends significantly more on childbirth than any other industrialized nation, America continues to rank far behind almost all other developed countries in healthy births. We must do better.

As a mom of young children, I’m familiar with the information and services available to pregnant moms in this country -- and my goal is to use this experience to translate into real-life solutions to improve birth outcomes for mothers and children.

For this reason, I helped launch the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Maternity Care. Our focus is on finding common ground and moving forward on solutions that help save lives and lead to better health in mothers and babies. 

We have already achieved a number of successes, including:

Launching the first ever Maternal Mental Health Hotline to provide 24/7, free, confidential support before, during, and after pregnancy. National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS (1-833-943-5746)

Passing landmark legislation in Congress, now signed into law, to help prevent maternal deaths;

Successfully allowing the inclusion of a critical vitamin in corn masa, which will help prevent life-threatening birth defects among Hispanic communities;  

Requiring TSA to better assist parents traveling with breast milk;

Pushing for more research for safe medication for moms and babies;

Addressing education gaps for prenatal screenings;

Fighting for protection for moms and babies from the Zika virus.  

Child Care

Southwest Washington has been labeled a “child care desert” for its lack of quality, affordable child care facilities and providers.  I believe Congress can and should take action to confront this problem. That’s why I’m working on solutions that will help working families save money on their child care bills and more easily find quality child care services.

·         AVAILABILITY: As many families struggle to find access to available child care, states are continuing to experience a noticeable decline in the number of child care providers, leading to the expansion of “child care deserts.” So, I joined with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle, and both chambers of Congress, to write a bill to address the shortage. The Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act will focus on rural communities by providing competitive grants to states to support the education, training or retention of child care workers and build, renovate or expand child care facilities in areas with child care shortages.

·         AFFORDABILITY: Additionally, we must make child care more affordable for working families. I joined with my Democrat colleague Rep. Katie Porter, a single mom from California, to write the Family Savings for Kids and Seniors Act which would more than double the amount of money families can set aside pre-tax in Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) to help pay for preschool, summer day camp, before or after school programs and child care.

·         PAID FAMILY LEAVE: And most recently, I joined with colleagues in a bipartisan manner to introduce a bill to help provide financial relief to new parents. Our bill, the Advancing Support for Working Families Act, gives new parents the option of receiving up to $5,000 following the birth or adoption of a child through the Child Tax Credit (CTC). This money can help cover a parent’s leave from work or infant care costs. In exchange for this benefit, families would take a $500 reduction from their future annual CTC over the following 10 years.

Veterans

America’s support for our troops shouldn’t stop once active duty ends. After all of the sacrifices they have made, we owe our military veterans the best health services and resources available.

Taking care of our veterans has always been a priority of mine. When I began my career in public service as a state representative, my very first bill was a bipartisan proposal to give tax relief to business owners serving in the military. My commitment to those who have risked their lives to keep our country safe will not waver.

Unfortunately, backlogs in VA disability claims have kept too many veterans waiting for months and even years to gain access to health care or disability payments that they earned through their service to our country.

Tragically, some veterans have lost their lives while waiting to get the care they deserve.

Through my position on the Appropriations Committee, I have been working to fix the systemic problems that impact wait times, staffing shortages, and veterans falling through the cracks in the scheduling process. One report said that over 10% of Vancouver area veterans were waiting an average of 30 days just to get their first health care appointment.  Since I began demanding specific accountability for these facilities, wait times have dropped – but the VA has more work to do.

When I discovered that a VA-owned “mobile medical unit” was sitting largely idle in a parking lot, I worked diligently over multiple years to bring this taxpayer-funded resource to serve veterans living in our rural communities.  That mobile medical unit now makes quarterly, week-long visits to Pacific County to save veterans from 60-plus mile round trips to the nearest VA facility.   They offer basic services like blood draws, prescription fills, and immunizations.  One elderly veteran had a serious health issue detected during a routine exam, and it was treated before it cost him his life.

I won’t stop fighting in Congress to fulfill the promises made to our military heroes. Whether it’s consistently supporting cost of living increases in veteran benefits and disability, or helping pass a bill into law that allows veterans the choice of getting care outside of the VA system, my goal is to bring real improvements to the lives of those at home.

My staff is ready to assist Southwest Washington residents who are having issues with veterans’ benefits or the VA. If you need assistance, please contact us at (360) 695-6292.

Transportation

Businesses, families and individuals throughout Southwest Washington depend on a safe, efficient transportation system to keep our economy moving.  As a member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, I am committed to ensuring that tax dollars are being targeted to our region’s most pressing transportation needs.

From city centers to forest roads and trails, I’ve helped get results to make commutes faster, roads safer and destinations more accessible.  For example, in Ridgefield we secured a critical federal grant to fix the Ridgefield Pioneer Street Railroad Overpass -- one of the most dangerous rail crossings in Washington state.  I’ve also made sure federal policies and spending keep small towns and remote forests open and accessible to hikers, sportsmen, bicyclists, off-road enthusiasts and those who live and work in these rural areas.  The careful preservation of forest roads and trails will always be important here.

I-5 is a federal highway, and I will continue to ensure that federal resources are available for a safe, affordable I-5 bridge across the Columbia River that reduces congestion and helps our ports and businesses move freight more efficiently.  But any solution must earn the support of Southwest Washington citizens who will use and help pay for it through their hard earned tax dollars. Clark County residents have rejected light rail as a component of this bridge on multiple county-wide ballots, and I will respect the will of the voters.

We can get this right.  If we do, this key roadway and crossing will serve our growing region well for generations to come.

Education

I know first-hand that a good education involves parents, teachers and local schools. My door is open to all educators in Southwest Washington. We share the same goal: ensure our children receive a world class education so they are prepared to succeed in the global economy.

My priorities for education:

• Put students at the center of our decisions regarding education; students should be our focus, not the adults in the system.

• Increase local control over our education system. Parents, teachers, and local educators are the best equipped to address the needs of their children and students – not bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. 

• Equip our children to compete in the global 21st century economy, with a focus on S.T.E.M. education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). 

• Increase career and technical education opportunities. When children leave the K-12 system, we must also ensure they are ready and prepared to choose the best path for them, whether that’s technical/vocational training, a university or other forms of higher education.

• Require high standards and accountability from our education system, so Southwest Washington employers can hire from a qualified local workforce. 

• Alleviate the monetary burden student loan debt has on college graduates. As the cost of college tuition rises, a growing number of students from our community are struggling to pay off their loans in this difficult economic climate. 

• Ensure that students in rural communities are treated fairly in a system where federal land ownership reduces the resources available for rural schools.

Ending Government Overspending

After years of government overspending by both parties, America is perilously close to bankruptcy as a nation. The federal deficit threatens job creation today and the futures of our children and grandchildren tomorrow. Before I was elected, Congress went on a spending binge: trillions of dollars spent on bailouts, stimulus packages and massive new government programs. Now, we have spent the last several years trying to reign in government spending and give relief to families and small businesses.

It’s time to stop the excessive credit card spending and reverse course. It's time to make difficult decisions, and establish a framework for responsible budgeting. In doing so, we'll remove barriers to economic growth and help create new, family-wage jobs. 

From day one, I have worked to keep my pledge to stop the overspending. My first vote as a Member of Congress was to cut my own office budget, along with the budgets for every other congressional office. The $35 million we saved taxpayers didn't eliminate the deficit overnight, but it was a start.

I have also co-sponsored and voted for a U.S. Constitutional Amendment that would require Congress not to spend more than it receives in revenues each year. If families can carefully establish budgets that they must live within, why shouldn't the government? The very first bill that I introduced in Congress would cut the salaries of Members of Congress, the President and Vice President by 10%. I believe as elected leaders we need to do our share to reduce the debt.

Americans understand that we cannot stay on this path of overspending and achieve a full economic recovery. The nation’s staggering national debt is one of the greatest challenges our country faces today, but we can overcome it if we put a stop to the overspending and force the federal government to live within its means. Once we do, we will be much closer to sustained economic recovery, new jobs, and a more secure nation.

Energy

As our nation continues to grow its economy and get people back to work, we need an energy policy that provides Southwest Washington with affordable and reliable energy. Higher energy costs hurt families and make it harder for businesses to compete. Every time gas prices go up, our region loses jobs. Sound energy policies also allow us to sever our dependence on oil-rich nations that do not honor our values or have our best interests in mind.

We are well-situated in Southwest Washington to take full advantage of an “all of the above” approach to energy. Our region is home to clean and renewable hydropower, natural gas and a growing biomass industry. By pursuing these and other forms of energy, we can keep costs affordable and ensure our energy supply is stable. Reasonable energy prices will also help us both maintain the businesses we have and attract new businesses – and jobs – to Southwest Washington.

I share a desire for cleaner energy, and I don’t believe that it has to come at the cost of more jobs to our communities. Incentives, not punishment, should be the path to more renewable energy. Arbitrary “clean energy” mandates that value certain favored forms of clean energy over others at the expense of efficiency and cost, and backdoor attempts at cap-and-trade taxes on families and businesses, are not in the best interest of our recovering economy.

Forestry

Our National Forests are one of our country’s greatest sustainable resources. Properly managed, they are healthy and balanced ecosystems that provide abundant benefits for not just one species, but all of the wildlife that depend on a diverse, multi-staged forest.  They also give us clean water and air, provide a host of recreational opportunities, and support our rural communities with jobs and the revenues they need to support critical services such as schools, road maintenance, and emergency response. 

Unfortunately, because they have not been adequately managed for nearly three decades, our forests are no longer healthy and we are seeing unprecedented wildfires, disease outbreaks and insect infestations.   Millions of acres of our great forests across the west are either already dead or dying, threatening the very viability of the forests themselves.  We must restore management to our forests in a way that enhances the ecosystem and provides habitat across the spectrum for a broad array of species—from those that require young forests for their survival, to those that depend upon old growth. 

I am committed to restoring the vibrancy of our National Forests -- and the rural communities who depend upon them.   My efforts so far have included:

• Supporting legislation that provides $3.9 billion for wildfire suppression and firefighting, and increases hazardous fuel management by $30 million to $575 million.  This legislation encourages more active forest management to prevent wildfires by reducing fuel load and creating healthier forests and habitats for a variety of wildlife species. Wildfires have been increasing in severity over the past several years, damaging forests, threatening safety, and forcing the U.S. Forest Service to tap into its budget for other services and priorities.
• Protecting access for recreation through preserving forest roads and supporting the Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation program to fund road and trail repair and maintenance, and remove fish passage barriers on our National Forests.
• Supporting rural communities through reauthorization and funding for the Secure Rural Schools Act which reduces the financial burdens they face and increase the protection of those communities from wildfires.
• Coordinating with a diverse stakeholder group in the development of forest management legislation that will focus on providing habitats for a broad array of species while also benefitting our local communities with much needed forest products and jobs.

National Security

Providing for the defense of our country is the federal government’s primary constitutional responsibility. This is a duty I take very seriously.

In the current global climate, there are para-state entities and organizations with radical ideologies like ISIS that rely on terrorism to further their agenda. Whenever these groups pose a threat to America and her citizens, the U.S. must take action to eliminate the threat.

It’s important that our military has the resources to be well-trained, well-equipped, and well-protected in combat.  But we must also recognize that aggression in the 21st century from nation-states that don’t have our best interests in mind will come in the form of cyber-attacks meant to weaken our critical systems and sensitive institutions.  I support a robust and advanced U.S. strategy to deter any such attacks.

Natural Resources and the Environment

I’m honored and humbled to represent one of America’s most beautiful regions. Almost every corner of Southwest Washington affords a view of Mt. St. Helens’ jagged profile on clear days. We have beaches along the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Columbia River to the south, and the Gifford Pinchot Forest to the east. As a native of Southwest Washington, I grew up hiking, swimming and fishing here with my family.

I’ll work to protect these same opportunities for future generations. We must find a balance that respects our natural resources and environment, maintains recreational opportunities for residents of Southwest Washington, and allows responsible job creators to keep and create good paying jobs.

My policies will reflect a belief that we can all continue to share and enjoy our natural resources both now, and in the future.

To achieve this goal, I will continue to fight for legislation that preserves a strong and healthy fish population in Southwest Washington. As a senior U.S. House appropriator, I have secured the resources necessary to sustain wild salmon and steelhead habitats in the Pacific Northwest, restoring over 9,500 miles of stream for fish passage.

I’ve also pushed to allow wildlife managers and fishermen in our communities to distinguish between wild fish and hatchery fish. By providing more funding to reduce the administrative backlog inhibiting hatcheries from being in compliance with the Endangered Species Act, we’re saving taxpayer dollars and strengthening fish numbers in the long run. Additionally, I’ve championed legislation that will allow trained members of tribal communities and government fish managers to control – and remove -- sea lions that pose a threat to endangered fish populations.

We want fish to remain a wonderful resource with recreational, economic and cultural benefits that our children and grandchildren can enjoy.

Port Infrastructure

In Southwest Washington, we are surrounded by the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. They are part of what make our region so beautiful, and they are also working waterways that are critical to the livelihoods of people who live here. The federal ...
 

Sportsmen's Issues

Our national forests and many rivers are one of our country’s greatest sustainable resources. Properly managed, they provide abundant benefits for wildlife, give us clean water and air and provide a host of recreational opportunities. Whether you enj...