Agriculture

Education

Washington students are no longer competing with students from around the neighborhood, but with students from around the world. Congress needs to be telling its young people we will invest in them. That is why I am making sure students have access to more skills training and more opportunity through high-quality K-12 education, access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in early childhood education and affordable higher education.

I have introduced legislation to create a clear pathway for students from their junior year in high school through community college and into a STEM-based apprenticeship. I want to give Washington state students the tools they need to succeed in the futures and keep the U.S. globally innovative and competitive.

In Northwest Washington, students have access to many great colleges, including Western Washington University, Whatcom Community College, Skagit Valley Community College, Everett Community College, Edmonds Community College, Bellingham Technical College, Columbia College, Northwest Indian College and Trinity Lutheran, as well as branches for Central Washington University and Washington State University. I have long fought for access to qualityhigher education by keeping interest rates affordable and protecting students from aggressive lender tactics.

Accomplishments

• Successfully increased funding for Impact Aid, which supports school districts where federal activity limits the funding available through property taxes. This includes the La Conner, Marysville and Oak Harbor communities. I successfully secured $40 million to aid these efforts in the Fiscal Year 2019 NDAA.

• Helped pass an education reform bill to replace the flawed standards of No Child Left Behind. The Every Student Succeeds Act, which became law in December 2015, gives states more flexibility to craft education solutions that meet the local community needs. The bill also maintains funding for low-income schools and districts, and requires higher standards to improve outcomes for all students, including those with learning challenges.

• Introduced legislation improve access to STEM skills training. The Youth Access to American Jobs Act would create ten pilot pathways to engage students in STEM-related fields from their junior year in high school through community college and into an apprenticeship.

• Introduced legislation to fill a critical gap in workforce training opportunities through the Online Job Training Act to complement existing workforce training options and allow folks who may not otherwise have the opportunity to access training resources, like working parents and those with limited transportation access, to reenter the workforce.

• Introduced legislation to support low-income students by expanding access to summer meal programs.

• Launched the School Safety Caucus with Rep. Susan Brooks to focus on best practices for schools safety and investments to help schools meet their unique safety needs.

• Support efforts to keep students safe at school. I introduced legislation to reauthorize the Secure Our Schools program to provide matching grants to local, state and tribal governments to meet schools’ individual security needs.

• Working to expand access to Pell Grants by making them available year-round and ensuring the maximum Pell Grant award keeps pace with inflation. 

Energy & Environment

The Second District is also home to parts of the Puget Sound, the nation’s largest estuary by water volume, and its connecting rivers and streams, diverse wildlife and marine ecosystems. I will continue to lead efforts to restore critical habitats and secure the federal funding, through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, necessary to preserve Washington state’s public lands and waters. I will continue to protect important species like orcas and salmon and oppose rollbacks of vital conservation laws like the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act.

A healthy environment is vital to Washingtonians’ way of life and the regional economy. Outdoor recreation is responsible for an estimated 7.6 million jobs in the U.S. and plays a significant role in the rural economies and for local businesses in the Second District. Fishermen, hunters, boaters, hikers, snowboarders and tourists spend billions of dollars in Northwest Washington. I will continue to encourage tourism and recreation in the Northwest, and work to protect Washington’s environmental heritage for the future.

I will also continue to advocate for a comprehensive federal energy policy to create and keep clean energy jobs in the U.S. Northwest Washington is a leader in renewable energy and I am working to strengthen the region’s role as a hub for sustainable energy. I am also committed to promoting environmental sustainability and strengthening investments in renewable energy and solar technology.

Scientific evidence leaves no doubt that the global climate is changing as a result of greenhouse gas emissions produced by human activity. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s leading organization in assessing climate change, has found that greenhouse gas emissions have risen to unprecedented levels. I am committed to protecting Washington state’s environment and mitigating the devastating effects of climate change. 

Accomplishments

Washington's Public Lands & Waters

• Reauthorized and increased funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has helped preserve open spaces for 50 years, including Ebey’s Reserve, Chuckanut Bay and the Wild Sky Wilderness.
• Led the passage of the bipartisan America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, which doubled per-project funding for the Puget Sound Adjacent Waters Restoration program to restore the Puget Sound’s tributaries, waters and shorelines.
• Cosponsored legislation to support the 51 national monuments established between January 1996 and April 2017.
• As Co-Chair of the Congressional Estuary Caucus, led a bipartisan effort to reauthorize the National Estuary Program to fund local efforts to restore and protect sensitive estuaries and their wildlife.
• Successfully designated the San Juan Islands a National Monument.
• Successfully designated Illabot Creek in Skagit County as Wild and Scenic, protecting Illabot Creek’s habitat for endangered salmon and trout and maintaining access for fisherman and hunters.
• Successfully protected Ebey's Landing, the nation’s first historical reserve to protect farms and farming communities.
• Successfully passed legislation to create the Wild Sky Wilderness Area and preserve 106,000 acres of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Preserving Key Environmental Standards

• Strongly opposed President Trump’s decision to remove the United States from the Paris Climate Accord, an agreement between 195 countries to slow the impacts of global climate change.
• Urged the administration to recognize climate change as a national security threat.
• Opposed the administration’s decision to rollback clean vehicle emissions and fuel economy standards.
• Opposed the EPA’s proposal to replace the Clean Power Plan with a rule that could result in fewer carbon reductions and may lead to adverse health outcomes for folks in Northwest Washington.
• Fought against the EPA’s proposed rule to selectively and arbitrarily bar the use of scientific evidence in environmental rulemaking.

Investing in Green Jobs

• Fought for assistance for state and local governments to become more energy efficient. For example, Whatcom County is using federal funds to weatherize thousands of homes, creating good jobs and saving families money on energy bills.
• Cosponsored legislation to promote manufacturing of clean energy technology to create green jobs.
• Supported legislation to promote emerging careers and jobs in clean and renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate change mitigation.

Supporting Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

• Led the passage of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2018, which protects funding to develop new aircraft technologies to reduce noise and carbon emissions impacts on local communities.
• Joined a resolution to establish a national goal of 50 percent clean and carbon-free electricity by 2030, and to enact legislation to accelerate the transition to clean energy.
• Supported establishing the WSU Center for Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and the Environment, which seeks to develop cleaner fuel to reduce carbon emissions.
• Cosponsored legislation to promote public-private research partnerships on energy efficiency, energy storage, carbon capture, climate resiliency and other key issues.
• Secured significant funding for key transit agencies in the Second District to reduce carbon emissions from current bus fleets.
• Supported the Navy’s ongoing efforts to reduce energy use. Naval Air Station Everett is a national leader and is home to one of the most sustainable barracks buildings in the Navy as rated by the U.S. Green Building Council.
• Cosponsored legislation to grant full investment tax credit eligibility for all homes and businesses with solar energy storage through 2021.
• Voted for tax credits for renewable energy to allow wind and solar projects in Washington state to move forward.

Salmon Restoration and Fisheries

• Secured $65 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) in the Fiscal Year 2018 spending package to support salmon habitat restoration and recovery projects. Since 2000, over 275 projects in the Second District have collectively received $22.65 million from the PCSRF.
• Called on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to address the impacts of hundreds of thousands of escaped farmed Atlantic salmon in Washington state waters.

Health Care

Ensuring access to high quality, affordable health care is essential for people in Northwest Washington and across the country. Throughout my time in Congress, I have advocated for health care that fits Northwest Washington’s specific needs, including funding for critical access hospitals, better health services for veterans and Medicare beneficiaries and health care that fits families’ budgets.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has helped thousands of families in Washington state. The law is an important step toward shifting the focus of health care from volume to value, improving the quality of care instead of just growing the quantity of care. Washington state is a nationwide leader in expanding people’s access to health care. Washington state has seen its uninsured population drop from 13.9 percent at the end of 2012 to 5.8 percent. This translates into nearly 65,000 individuals gaining coverage in Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties. Additionally, because of the ACA, almost three million Washingtonians with preexisting conditions can access health coverage.

The ACA has benefited people in Northwest Washington in many ways. Under the law, people of all ages can no longer be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions, and many preventive services like cancer screenings and check ups are available to people without copays, coinsurance or deductibles. This means that individuals in Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island and San Juan counties can now receive this important preventive care at no cost to them. Additionally, young adults in the Second District can stay covered through their parents’ insurance through their 26th birthday. For more information about how the ACA affects you, click here.

Improving Medicare for Seniors

Tens of thousands of seniors in Northwest Washington depend on Medicare as their only source of health coverage. I believe Medicare beneficiaries deserve the best treatments possible. To that end, I supported measures in the ACA that strengthen Medicare and improve its long-term viability, like closing the Medicare prescription drug donut hole. Medicare beneficiaries in Washington state have saved $95 million on prescription drugs since the ACA was enacted. I also support cracking down on Medicare fraud, which helps keep Medicare sustainable and returns taxpayer dollars to their rightful purpose.

I am working hard to ensure that Medicare and Medicaid are protected for future generations.

Accomplishments

• Cosponsored legislation to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and undo some of the negative actions by the Trump Administration.
• Voted against the American Health Care Act because it would lower quality care, less coverage and higher costs for Washington’s seniors, middle class families and individuals with disabilities
• Supported the Medicare fraud task force, which gets a 610 percent return on taxpayers’ investment, returning $6.10 for every $1 invested in fraud prevention and recovery.
• Advocated for funding for medical research to provide better care and treatments to patients with diseases and conditions such as cancer, Down syndrome and multiple sclerosis.
• Supported legislation to provide more stable funding to Community Health Centers, which provide access to care for anyone who needs it in Northwest Washington. In Washington state, there are 27 Community Health Centers. More than one million patients rely on these centers, including more than 80,000 homeless patients and nearly 20,000 veterans.
• Supported the 21st Century Cures Act, which significantly increased funding to the National Institute of Health, and modernized the processes through which we get cutting-edge drugs and medical devices to those that need them.
• Shared constituent feedback about the rollout of the health care law with state officials and Washington Healthplanfinder and worked to ensure a more effective response for consumer concerns.
• Voted to keep Medicare a guaranteed benefit, fighting against the Republican proposal to turn Medicare into a voucher system.
• Supported the expansion of health care access for 11 million young people.

Immigration Reform

The United States is a nation of immigrants. Whether coming from Norway, like my ancestors, Mexico, Korea or Iran, immigrants are all looking for the same thing: a good education and the opportunity to provide for their families. Immigration is a very complex issue, which is why I support comprehensive immigration reform.

As a country, we must resist zero tolerance, reunite families and remember the values of the United States. We need to replace deterrence with compassion, callousness with humanity and any talk of a border wall with more talk about the Statue of Liberty and the freedom she represents to people around the world.

The president has repeatedly threatened to veto immigration bills that don’t fund a border wall. I have long supported northern and southern border security; however, a wall between the United States and Mexico will do nothing to discourage people who enter the country legally but wind up overstaying visas. Instead of arguing over a wall, Congress and the administration need to work together for a better bipartisan solution on immigration.

The complex problems of the immigration system impact nearly every person in our country and every part of our economy. When families face the pain of separation, each person’s contributions are limited. Profits are lost when businesses cannot find employees with the right skills. Congress must address this challenge.

Accomplishments

• Cosponsored the Keep Families Together Act to halt separation of immigrant families.
• Cosponsored legislation to protect children whose parents are involved in immigration enforcement actions and keep children out of the child welfare system.
• Cosponsored legislation to reform the immigration detention system by ending use of private facilities, repealing mandatory detention and increasing oversight, accountability and transparency of the immigration detention system.
• Consistently supported the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to protect young undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and have lived by the law while here from deportation.
• Cosponsored a bill to improve standards and conditions at immigration detention centers across the country.
• Cosponsored the DREAM Act, which would have allowed students that have grown up in the U.S. to have an opportunity to contribute to our society by attaining a college education or serving in the military.

Jobs & the Economy

My number one priority in Congress is to invest in long-term economic growth that creates jobs and opportunity in the Pacific Northwest by increasing at-home manufacturing, innovation and investments in our infrastructure. I am working to make sure people have access to more good-paying jobs and more skills training to succeed in the workforce. I am a champion of bills to l improve our country’s transportation infrastructure and make sure businesses can get their goods to market. I also advocate for investments in education so the next generation of workers is prepared to succeed in the jobs of the future.

Supporting small businesses is a key way I am working to grow our state’s economy, as well as helping our businesses find new markets for their goods overseas. Exports from Northwest Washington create jobs and connect us to the rest of the world. About 40 percent of jobs in Washington are tied to trade, and the pay for these jobs is between 13 percent and 18 percent higher than average. I am a champion of the State Trade and Export Promotion program to help our small businesses create jobs here at home by selling their goods overseas.

I also support efforts to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour and tie future adjustments to the median hourly wage. Families with parents working full-time should not be living below the poverty line. And our economy will be stronger when women get equal pay for equal work, which is why I support a bill to make pay disparities based on gender illegal.

Accomplishments

Helping Businesses Expand to New Markets

• Championed the State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) program to help small businesses create jobs here at home by selling their goods overseas.
• The trade enforcement bill Congress passed in 2016 included $30 million annually for STEP for five years.
• Introduced a bill to make the STEP program permanent.
• Successfully reauthorized the Export-Import Bank. The bank provides critical financing to help businesses of all sizes sell their goods overseas. Since 2007, the bank has supported more than $78 billion in exports in Washington’s Second District.
• Passed a bill to help small- and medium-sized businesses grow by equipping them with tools to compete for federal, state and local government contracts through Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs). I continue to push for increased funding for the program.
• Supported funding for National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). The program works with small and mid-sized U.S. manufacturers to help them create and retain jobs, increase profits and save time and money.

Supporting Skills Training for Workers

• Introduced the Online Job Training Act to fill a critical gap in workforce training opportunities through online workforce training grants. This bill complements existing workforce training options and will allow folks who may otherwise not have the opportunity to access in person training resources to re-enter the workforce.
• Introduced the Youth Access to American Jobs Act to create a pilot program to connect students to hands-on training in STEM skills that will prepare them for high-demand jobs in high-growth manufacturing fields. This bill creates a 2-2-2 pathway for students from their junior year in high school through community college and into an apprenticeship.
• Supported local programs such as the Regional Innovation Program, Job Corps and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, connecting businesses and workers with the funding and training they need to succeed.
• Cosponsored the Manufacturing Jobs for Veterans Act to accelerate skills training for veterans seeking to work in the manufacturing industry.
• Pushed for increased funding for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, which is the main federal funding source for Career & Technical Education (CTE). This program provides education and training to more than 14 million students and displaced workers and addresses the skills gap by providing the retraining adults need to access the jobs that are available in today’s market.

Fighting Income Inequality and Workplace Discrimination

• Cosponsored the Raise the Wage Act, to raise the federal minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2020 and tie future increases to the median hourly wage.
• Cosponsored legislation to make the workplace more fair, including the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Fair Employee Protection Act.
• Cosponsored Schedules that Work Act, which allows low-wage workers to request for predictability and flexibility of their schedules without retaliation.
• Cosponsored the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to help end discrimination against pregnant women and mothers in the workplace.

Seniors

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Seniors worked hard to raise the younger generations, and I am adamant about supporting their needs. I am working hard to strengthen Medicare, protect Social Security, and advocate for other critical resources like nutrition assistance for seniors in Northwest Washington and across the country.

Strengthening Social Security

Social Security must remain a safety net that covers all our seniors. Washington state seniors have spent a lifetime contributing to Social Security. They are entitled to the benefits they have earned. For that reason, I oppose the privatization of Social Security. While Social Security is fiscally sound for the near future, the retirement of the baby boom generation will strain it. We owe it to future generations to keep Social Security solvent and not take unnecessary risks with it. That is why I support a proposal to make the benefit formula more generous, use a cost-of-living formula that considers the expense of seniors’ purchases, and preserve Social Security for the future by scrapping the cap on income subject to Social Security taxes.

Improving Medicare for Seniors

Tens of thousands of seniors in Northwest Washington depend on Medicare as their only source of health coverage. I believe that Medicare beneficiaries deserve the best treatments possible. To that end, I supported measures in the ACA that strengthen Medicare and improve its long-term viability, like closing the Medicare prescription drug donut hole. Medicare beneficiaries in Washington state have saved $95 million on prescription drugs since the ACA was enacted. I also support cracking down on Medicare fraud, which helps keep Medicare sustainable and returns taxpayer dollars to their rightful purpose.

I am working hard to ensure that Medicare and Medicaid are protected for future generations.

Accomplishments

• Voted to repeal the flawed Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, which caused uncertainty for seniors and their doctors.
• Voted to keep Medicare a guaranteed benefit,  fighting against the Republican proposal to turn Medicare into a voucher system.
• Supported the Medicare fraud task force, which gets a 610 percent return on taxpayer investment, returning $6.10 for every $1 invested in fraud prevention and recovery.
• Supported deficit reduction that limits government spending growth, protects our social safety net for seniors, and expands revenue collection, particularly from the richest Americans and large corporations.
• Fighting against proposals to privatize Social Security.
• Supported Social Security benefits for same-sex couples, ensuring all Americans have access to the benefits they have earned.
• Supported funding for senior nutrition and employment programs to address the rapidly growing aging population.

Transportation & Infrastructure

In Washington state, transportation means jobs. We cannot have a big league economy with a little league infrastructure. As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I am working hard to make investments in our roads, bridges, highways and transit to relieve congestion, improve safety and spur economic growth in local communities. Businesses need to be able to trust in reliable access to markets and Washingtonians need to be assured of their safety during daily travel.

Federal investment in Washington’s infrastructure is critical to sustaining and building on the state’s economic growth and putting folks in the Pacific Northwest to work. In 2015, Congress passed a five-year transportation bill, and I pushed to make sure the bill included Northwest Washington’s transportation priorities, like robust federal funding for ferryboats, transit, bike and pedestrian infrastructure.

I am honored to have been selected by my colleagues to serve as Chair of the Aviation Subcommittee. The Subcommittee’s oversight work is critical to jobs and the economy in Washington state and the Second District. The Pacific Northwest is the aerospace capital of the world, and I am committed to ensuring the United States invests in our aviation future. Aviation manufacturing and maintenance are powerful economic engines, and mean jobs in Northwest Washington. I will continue to support the growth and safety of our country’s aviation industry.

Accomplishments

Roads, Bridges, Highways and Transit

Introduced the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery for Cities Underfunded Because of Size (TIGER CUBS) Act of 2017 to set-aside 20 percent of the federal funds for smaller and medium-sized cities made available through the TIGER grant program (now known as the BUILD program). This bill would allow cities like Oak Harbor, Mountlake Terrace, Sedro-Woolley and Lynden to compete for federal transportation funding on a level playing field.

Secured a $43.2 million Department of Transportation grant for Community Transit’s Swift Green Line. This expanded service will provide 10-minute bus route between Paine Field and Canyon Park in Bothell.

Following the tragic Amtrak Cascades 501 derailment in December 2017, I introduced the Positive Train Control Implementation and Financing Act of 2018 to encourage higher rail safety standards and provide the necessary federal resources to help railroad companies implement these life-saving communications and signaling safety mechanisms.

Pushed for Northwest Washington’s transportation priorities in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST Act), a five-year transportation bill that President Obama signed into law in December 2015. Successes for Northwest Washington include:

• Increased funding for Washington state’s ferries, which are an extension of our highway system.
• Directed funds to improve at-grade crossings and other critical freight mobility projects, because keeping the economy moving depends on safe, reliable movement of goods.
• Increased funding for bike trails and paths for pedestrians.

Streamlined a popular transportation loan program to help mid-sized cities like Mountlake Terrace and Anacortes access the big-time funds they need.

Supported efforts that spanned a decade to rehabilitate the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal, leading to quicker ferry loading times, better links to light rail and increased safety for pedestrians. Wrote a letter in support of the successful application for a $10 million TIGER grant.

Following the Skagit River Bridge collapse in 2013, I worked with officials at all levels of government to cut through red tape and speed up bridge repairs to keep people and commerce moving along the I-5 corridor.

Supported several Department of Transportation grant applications by local transit agencies to expand service, modernize facilities and improve the safety of the Pacific Northwest corridor.

Aviation

Led the House passage of a five-year Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill to provide predictable funding for the agency, improve aviation safety, address workforce needs and advance vital research in the aviation field. Accomplishments include:

• Creating a Youth Access to American Jobs in Aviation Task Force to work with aviation trade schools and community colleges, airline carriers and industry, labor unions and other relevant stakeholders to develop recommendations to encourage high school students to enroll in aviation manufacturing, maintenance and engineering apprenticeships.
• Improving the federal Contract Tower Program to allow airports, like Bellingham International Airport, to make investments in their critical infrastructure.
• Enhancing the interagency coordination process on counter-unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to ensure this technology is safely integrated into the national airspace.
• Helping prevent drastic cuts to the FAA’s environmental research and development funding, which support the development of new aircraft technologies that reduce the noise and carbon emission impacts on local communities.
• Strengthening the FAA's current voluntary safety reporting program for pilots so that critical safety enhancements are not needlessly delayed.

Pushed to secure the 777X facility in Snohomish County, protecting thousands of jobs and creating thousands more in the district.

Championed new pilot safety training rules to make sure that travelers are safe and pilots are trained to the highest level before getting in the cockpit.

Championed the bipartisan provisions on certification and UAS in the Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act of 2016, a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration.

Worked on a bipartisan basis to improve the FAA’s implementation of NextGen air traffic management, which will result in increased efficiency, shorter flights, and decreased emissions and fuel usage.

Ports and Maritime

Led the House passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2018 to make robust investments in the nation’s ports, channels, waterways and other critical infrastructure to keep the U.S. maritime system competitive. Successes for Northwest Washington include:

• Improving available resources for the Puget Sound Adjacent Waters Restoration program (PSAW). Specifically, doubling the PSAW per-project funding cap to $10 million and raising the overall authorization level by $20 million.
• Encouraging better coordination between the Army Corps of Engineers and local municipalities to encourage consideration of locally developed plans for stormwater management, water quality improvement, aquifer recharge, or water reuse.
• Expediting the feasibility study for the Port of Tacoma Harbor navigation project to assist with pre-construction planning, design and engineering phases.
• Supports a five-year pilot program for research that will identify and improve strategies for early detection, prevention, management techniques and procedures to reduce harmful algal blooms in the nation’s water resources.

Helped secure federal funding to support small shipyards like Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes and Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland by championing grants to help increase productivity and create jobs.

Worked on a bipartisan basis to pass the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2012. Worked with Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) to pass a bipartisan bill to fund and authorize the activities of the United States Coast Guard. This bill also includes marine debris cleanup, and protections for the Coast Guard’s icebreaker fleet. Shipbuilding authorizations in the bill have supported jobs at shipyards in Washington state.

Cosponsored legislation to make maritime training programs affordable for all students by allowing students at maritime training institutions to take out student loans and creating maritime training institution scholarships.

Energy Transportation

Championed a provision in the PIPES Act of 2016 to renew technical assistance grants that Washington state stakeholders rely on to improve pipeline planning and development, emergency response, and information sharing. President Obama signed the bill into law in June 2016.

Pushed to include higher standards for oil tankers in the FAST Act of 2015. Specifically, the bill requires improvements to the caps on older tank cars to reduce pressure and the potential for explosion in case of an accident.

Led the Washington state delegation in pushing for new rules to improve the safety standards for rail cars carrying crude oil.

Helped lead passage of a bill to strengthen pipeline safety regulations after a deadly pipeline explosion occurred in Bellingham in 1999, and passed updates to strengthen the 2002 Pipeline Safety Improvement Act, in 2006 and the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011.

Women's Issues

While the U.S. has made great strides toward women’s equality, I believe there is still more to be done. Women make up half of the population, yet they are not getting an equal share and full opportunity to participate in the economy. I will continue to work to expand women’s rights, especially when it comes to guaranteeing a woman’s ability to make her own health care decisions, ensuring women get equal pay for equal work and pushing for stronger economic opportunity.  

Accomplishments

Women’s Health and Wellbeing

• Supported funding for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) funding and legislation to reauthorize VAWA.

• Championed provisions to end the ban on allowing veterans with reproductive issues due to service related injuries to have access to IVF and adoption.

• Voted repeatedly to protect women’s health care by standing with Planned Parenthood and the women who rely on the organization for their health care. Decisions about health care should remain between a woman and her doctor.

• Supported increased funding to expand women’s healthcare, including maternal health and ovarian cancer research.

• Supported the Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights (HER) Act, to permanently repeal the harmful global gag rule which bans federal funds for foreign non-governmental organizations that provide abortion services or provide information about abortion as part of comprehensive family planning services.

• Supported the Protect Access to Birth Control Act, to repeal the final rules issued by the administration that threaten to curtail access to affordable birth control for thousands of women.

Equal Pay for Equal Work

• Cosponsored the Raise the Wage Act, to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour and tie future increases to the median hourly wage. Nearly six in ten minimum wage workers are women. Women, who make up 49 percent of the workforce, account for 56 percent of low-wage earners.

• Cosponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act, to ensure women are paid based on their skills and experience, not their gender.

• Cosponsored the Schedules That Work Act, which allows low-wage workers to request for flexibility of their schedules without retaliation.

• Cosponsored the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to help end discrimination against pregnant women and mothers in the workplace

Budget

Our country’s budget should reflect our shared value of opportunity for all. The path to a budget that works for all Americans requires a bold and balanced approach that includes spending cuts, new revenues and entitlement reforms. I am working to implement a forward-thinking plan that invests in our economic growth to create jobs and opportunity in Northwest Washington.

I believe we can cut the deficit by reducing our spending on agriculture and oil subsidies and accelerating the drawdown in Afghanistan. Increased revenue can come through closing tax loopholes for massively profitable companies and restoring tax rates on the highest earners. We should build the middle class by easing their tax burden and making sure the wealthy pay their fair share. Controlling entitlement costs should come from cutting fraud and abuse, not health coverage for seniors. For every $1 spent on recovering taxpayer dollars from Medicare fraud between 2010 and 2013, taxpayers got back $8.10.

Congress returned to a rational budgeting process for 2014 by passing a spending bill that included several job-creating investments. I hope this process serves as a model for bipartisan cooperation to break the cycle of manufactured crises and shutdown politics moving forward. 

Climate Change

Scientific evidence leaves no doubt that our global climate is changing as a result of greenhouse gases produced by human activity. The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which won a Nobel Prize in 2007 and is the world’s leading organization in assessing climate change, has found that greenhouse gas emissions have risen to unprecedented levels.

I am working to protect Washington state’s environment and mitigate the devastating effects of greenhouse gas emissions. Preserving the wildlife, lands and waters that make the Pacific Northwest unique is important to maintaining a healthy economy and a high quality of life now and for future generations.

Our country needs a rational, national energy policy that creates and keeps clean energy jobs within the U.S. Northwest Washington is already a leader when it comes to renewable energy, and I am working to strengthen our region’s role as a hub for sustainable energy. I am a strong supporter of research funding, technology development and tax credits to grow our investment in clean energy and create new jobs in the private sector. Following the historic climate change agreement in Paris, our country and our region must take action to lead the way on renewable energy.

Equality & Opportunity

One of my priorities in Congress is to break down barriers for all people to fully participate in our economy and democracy. The Second Congressional District is an increasingly diverse place, and I am working to make sure people from all over the district can access education, exercise their right to vote and participate fairly in elections, and contribute to our communities. I strongly support marriage equality, equal pay for equal work, and other efforts that make our communities and our country places where people have the opportunity to succeed.

Some in our communities are struggling with homelessness, addiction and mental health issues. I am working to improve access to affordable housing and substance abuse treatment to help members of our communities get healthy and on the path to independence.

Fighting for Workers

A strong economic foundation for our workers requires fair and secure workplaces. Congressman Larsen has a long history of fighting for workers and their families in support of jobs, safety, higher wages and benefits.

Jobs

• FY 17 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):

o Commissaries: Supported an amendment to prevent privatization and protect    commissary workers and benefits for servicemembers.

o Preventing outsourcing: Sponsored amendment requiring services to adopt checklist of relevant acquisition policy prior to entering into a contract for services.

o Worker protections: Voted against amendment to exempt Department of Defense contractors from Executive Order on worker protections.

o Cap on service contracting: Cosponsored amendment to extend the cap on service contracts by one year.

o Aerospace manufacturing jobs: Supported $1.54 B additional funding for 14 additional F/A-18 Super Hornets.

• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization: Support striking ATC privatization and make targeted reforms to FAA procurement and personnel.

• Surface Reauthorization (FAST Act):

o Highway Trust Fund Expiration: Passed a long-term transportation bill, preventing the Highway Trust Fund from expiring. Cosponsoring a bill to raise the gas tax by 15 cents.

o Amtrak Reauthorization: Voted no on McClintock amendment (amendment failed). Opposed zeroing out passenger rail funding.

• Oppose Norwegian Air International (NAI) application for foreign carrier service:

• Export-Import Bank:

o Supported reauthorizing it before the June 30th deadline.

o Signed a petition to force a vote on a reauthorization bill.

o Supported reauthorizing the Bank in the transportation bill.

• Protect U.S. cargo preference in food aid: Oppose the President’s proposal to reform food aid away from commodity distribution via U.S. ships to cash payments.

Supporting Our Naval Bases

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, it is my duty to work to improve services for our women and men in uniform and our veterans. Over the last several years I have worked with my colleagues in Congress to increase military pay, improve benefits and enhance the readiness of our military, which is strained by our ongoing involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. To that end, I strongly support Naval Station Everett and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, the two military bases in the Second Congressional District.

Naval bases in Northwest Washington play a crucial role in keeping our country safe and protecting our interests worldwide. The Asia-Pacific region will continue to be vital to our economy and national security, and Naval Station Everett and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island must have sufficient resources to support sailors there and protect our nation.

Naval Station Everett

Naval Station Everett, aptly nicknamed “The Sailor’s Choice,” is home to more than 6,000 sailors and their families. Two destroyers and two Coast Guard cutters are currently homeported at the base, which is also a carrier homeport, although the carrier is presently undergoing multiple maintenance periods. I have consistently pushed the Navy to bring more missions to the base. When the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln left for a multi-year overhaul, I successfully advocated for basing another carrier, the USS Nimitz, at Everett. And as the Navy retires its fleet of frigates, more modern destroyers will come to Everett. The base is the most modern in the Navy and a leader in the Navy’s efforts to reduce energy use – NS Everett is the newest and most energy efficient base in the Navy and includes two LEED Gold and 29 energy star buildings as rated by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, located in Oak Harbor, has been a critical part of our nation's defense for nearly 70 years. The base is home to the Navy's Electronic Attack Squadrons of the new EA-18G Growlers, as well as a squadron of C-40 logistics aircraft. And big changes are coming to Whidbey Island. In June 2014, the Navy announced that six squadrons of P-8 Poseidons will be based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island by 2019. These planes, built just south of us in Renton, will replace the P-3 and conduct the vital maritime surveillance mission. Poseidon crews will work hand in hand with MQ-4C Triton UAS operators to perform critical missions. There are over 7,800 active duty sailors and Marines based at NAS Whidbey, and more than 10,000 military retirees in the community. 

I remain steadfast in my commitment to upholding NAS Whidbey Island’s role as one of the country’s premier Navy installations. I also support the Growlers being stationed at the base, and the necessary training such as field carrier landing practice to make sure our servicewomen and men are prepared. I understand there are some in our community who are concerned about jet noise impacts on health and quality of life. As a member of Congress, it is my responsibility to strengthen the base while working to address the impact of noise in our community. I have met several times with people who have expressed their concerns about aircraft noise at NAS Whidbey Island and at Outlying Field Coupeville. I have discussed these issues with senior NAS Whidbey Island leadership and encouraged the base to improve its communications with community members. As a result, the base conducts semiannual Community Leaders meetings to allow local community leaders to discuss issues they receive from residents.  Additionally, the base now publishes a schedule for operations at Coupeville, so community members can know when they may experience aviation noise. 

Veterans

The Second Congressional District is home to nearly 60,000 veterans, including many veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am committed to ensuring that the women and men who have served our country in uniform get the resources and services they need. I strongly support programs to help smooth the transition to civilian life through education, job training, housing and health care.

Veterans looking for assistance with their benefits may be able to get help from my office. My staff in Everett and Bellingham work one-on-one with veterans to assist them with their benefits claims. My office also established a veterans skills-to-jobs initiative that works with veterans, local colleges and employers to translate veterans’ military experience to skills demanded by the private sector.

Click here for more useful phone numbers for veterans seeking information about local resources and the VA Choice program.

Supporting Northwest Washington’s Naval Bases

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I consider it my duty to work to improve services for our women and men in uniform. Over the last several years I have worked with my colleagues in Congress to increase military pay, improve benefits and enhance the readiness of the military, which is strained by our ongoing involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. To that end, I strongly support Naval Station Everett and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, the two military bases in the Second Congressional District.

Naval bases in Northwest Washington play a crucial role in keeping the U.S. safe and protecting national interests worldwide. The Asia-Pacific region will continue to be vital to economic strength and national security, and Naval Station Everett and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island must have sufficient resources to defend U.S. interests in this critical region.

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, located in Oak Harbor, has played a vital role in national security for nearly 70 years. The base is home to the Navy's Electronic Attack squadrons of the new EA-18G Growlers, as well as a squadron of C-40 logistics aircraft. NAS Whidbey Island is also important for the Navy’s maritime surveillance missions, hosting P-3 squadrons, P-8 squadrons, and will soon be operating missions for unmanned Triton aircraft. The base is also home to the Navy’s premier Search and Rescue team. There are over 7,000 active duty sailors and Marines based at NAS Whidbey, and more than 14,000 military retirees in the community.

I remain steadfast in my commitment to upholding NAS Whidbey Island’s role as one of the country’s premier Navy installations. I also support the Growlers being stationed at the base, and the necessary training such as field carrier landing practice to make sure our servicewomen and men are prepared. I understand there are some in our community who are concerned about jet noise impacts on health and quality of life.