Rick represents Washington state's Second Congressional District, which includes portions of Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties and all of Island and San Juan counties.
Rick serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Armed Services Committee. These committees enable Rick to focus on creating jobs and opportunity to meet the local needs of Northwest Washington.
As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rick is committed to investing in transportation to drive job growth and keep the economy moving. Rick will continue to fight for strong investments in roads, bridges, highways and transit to build a foundation for future economic growth. Rail safety is another priority issue for Rick, and he has worked hard to push for better safety standards for crude oil traveling by rail.
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.