Congresswoman Kim Schrier represents Washington’s 8th Congressional District, which includes much of King, Pierce, Kittitas, and Chelan Counties, and portions of Douglas County.
Prior to being elected to Congress on November 6, 2018, Kim spent her career as a pediatrician in Issaquah, working with children across the Puget Sound region and helping families navigate the health care system. In Congress, Kim uses this expertise to inform her work on issues that improve the lives, health, and wellbeing of children.
As a pediatrician, I came to Congress to fight for quality, affordable healthcare because I saw attacks being made on our health care system and was hearing from too many patients who were worried about the future of their care. I believe that access to healthcare and life-saving treatments should not be partisan, and I am committed to guaranteeing affordable care for every American. As a co-chair of the Health Care Task Force for the New Democratic Coalition, I am working to build on the Affordable Care Act and expand access through a public option. And as someone with Type 1 Diabetes, I have seen first-hand how the cost of prescription medications continue to rise. I will continue to work to bring down the cost of prescription drugs, so families don’t have to choose between paying for medication or paying the bills.
I am the daughter of a public school teacher and the proud product of public schooling, from elementary through medical school. I believe that schools must receive proper funding and support because children should be guaranteed a good education regardless of their zip code. I understand the importance of quality early learning programs, educational equity and knows that when we support teachers, the next generation benefits too. As a member of the Committee on Education and Labor, I have the opportunity to work directly for Washington’s schools and ensure all children receive a quality, well-rounded education.
I really enjoy spending time outdoors with my family and the 8th district has some of the most beautiful parks and recreation areas our country has to offer, including Mt. Rainier National Park. I believe that preserving these spaces for generations to come is critical for the environment, the health of all families, and Washington’s economy. I am proud to support public land and water conservation funding for areas in the 8th District like the Issaquah Creek and the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.
Families across the country are struggling to make ends meet, and wage growth has been stagnant for decades. I understand the need to protect unions, boost rural economies, and increase opportunities for job training, registered apprenticeships, and local entrepreneurship. As our economy changes, we need to equip workers with the skills they need to succeed in 21st century jobs while making sure that regulations keep pace and don’t unduly burden local businesses with rules that don’t make sense. I also recognize the importance of protecting dignity and rights for all working Americans and I am proud to have co-sponsored a variety of legislation to protect workers’ rights.
The Social Security Act is a reflection of our American values, recognizing that seniors should never face financial insecurity or poverty after retirement. After a lifetime of work, seniors deserve a secure retirement. I understand the needs of seniors living on fixed incomes and will fight to protect the promise we’ve made to current and future retirees. I am a staunch supporter of strengthening Social Security and Medicare because these programs are an investment in all Americans’ futures. In order for seniors to retire with dignity and security, we need to ensure the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund and make sure the earned benefits seniors receive make sense with what they actually spend their money on.
Washington State is home to over 500,000 veterans, with roughly 50,000 in the 8th District. I believe that it is essential to honor the service and sacrifice of those who put their lives on the line to protect and serve the United States, and I consider this a vital part of my duties as a Member of Congress. If you dedicated your life to protecting our country, it’s our responsibility to make sure you receive the best service and care possible. I am proud to have supported a significant increase in funding to address many of the problems facing the Veterans Administration (VA) and investments to support mental health and suicide prevention programs, opioid treatment, housing, rural health care and caregiver support. Additionally, I am honored to be a Commemorative Partner for the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration to recognize and thank Vietnam Veterans and their families.
I am continuing to monitor the situation of the COVID-19 outbreak in Washington state. As we get more information, we will keep this webpage updated.
The best way to protect yourself and your family is to practice good hygiene habits. Wash your hands often, don't touch your face, cough into your elbow, give yourself distance from people who are sick, and if you think you are sick, CALL your doctor's office first.
My office has created a COVID-19 resource guide that hopefully you will find helpful. Aquí puede encontrar el enlace para mi guía de recursos comunitarios en español. Some of the information from the guide is also below. Find my state and local resources for farmers and farm workers here.
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Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community. I have heard from police chiefs, police officers, constituents and elected officials about concerns of rising crime rates and officer staffing shortages felt across our district. That is why I have championed investments into local police departments to ensure our communities stay safe and secure. Listening to the needs of our local officers, I am proud to have supported increases in law enforcement funding and public safety investments including grants for small departments to hire and retain new police officers, body worn cameras, and de-escalation and domestic violence response training. We must ensure that our police departments have the resources and training they need to keep themselves and families across their communities safe.
Our police officers stepped up to protect and serve, but many times the complex issues of mental health crises, drug overdoses, or homelessness require assistance beyond what is in law enforcement’s scope of practice.We need to get the right resources to police and move to models that ensure people get the help they need. With the right policies, we can strategically and safely deploy mental health workers with police officers where necessary and allow local police officers to focus more of their attention on fighting crime. Ultimately, we all want to do what’s right for our families and our communities. I will continue to work with my colleagues in both parties to ensure our police have the resources they need to keep everyone safe.
As the only Member from the Pacific Northwest on the House Agriculture Committee, I am honored to be a voice for our region and our proud farming heritage. Washington State’s climate, rich soils, and large-scale irrigation make it one of the most productive growing regions in the world, enabling farmers to produce over 300 different crops each year. We are the nation’s top producing state of apples, pears, and cherries – many of which are grown in Washington’s 8th Congressional District. Our growers produce top-quality fruits that are in high demand around the globe, with roughly one third of our crops exported each year.
I know that certainty in trade and access to new export markets is critically important to our farmers and growers in order to make strategic, on-the-ground investments. We also need fair and predictable rules that level the playing field between small farmers and big agribusinesses. Supporting local food production, such as family farms, farmers’ markets, institutional procurement of local food, and other local marketing channels, will help sustain agriculture in our communities and encourage healthy eating. Additionally, we need to increase investments in agriculture research that help our farmers lead the way as responsible stewards. Changing weather patterns and the associated impacts of climate change require mitigation and adaptation solutions. Whether it is preparing for a prolonged drought, changing growing seasons, or unexpected reductions in farm labor, we must ensure we are prepared for the future.