Issues

Dan Newhouse agriculture swathing alfalfa

As a third-generation farmer, I understand how important agriculture is for families, jobs, and trade in Central Washington. Our district’s farmers and producers grow the highest quality hay, wheat and more than 300 specialty crops such as potatoes, cherries, hops, apples, mint, and wine grapes. Blessed with the conditions to produce such a diverse range of crops, Washington shares its natural abundance with the world, playing the role of “international supermarket.”

Education

Across the nation, we are seeing a concerning rise in parents being kept out of the loop when decisions are made about their own children. Our schools are empowered to teach based on personal biases and opinions, neglecting to notify parents when children are struggling with various crises, sidestepping parental choice.

Energy

Central Washington is home to a diverse and reliable energy portfolio with abundant natural resources at our doorstep. I am proud we play a leading role in the pursuit of obtaining energy independence. If the United States is to be at the forefront of energy production and innovation, our federal policy must take a page out of Central Washington’s book and aggressively pursue an “all-of-the-above” energy approach.

Fentanyl Crisis

Communities across Central Washington have been devastated by the epidemic of synthetic opioids like fentanyl—the leading cause of death for people ages 18-45 in the United States. Weak border policies and increased attempts at discussing the drug have made clear the urgent need for resources and policies that keep this fatal substance out of our communities.

Hanford

In Central Washington, we are aware of the important role Hanford played in bringing an end to World War II and winning the Cold War. The federal government now has a legal and moral obligation to clean up the legacy of nuclear waste.

Health Care

I was proud to vote to restore individual healthcare choices and government accountability by repealing Obamacare. I continue to hear personal stories from individuals in Central Washington about the uncertainty and dramatic cost increases Obamacare has created for their families and businesses. A top-down, mandate-centered, one-size-fits-all approach to healthcare does not work for families or businesses in Central Washington.

Hydropower and Water Rights

Hydropower is an energy source we should be encouraging not dismantling. We know the Lower Snake River Dams power hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses within their vast grid and are particularly helpful after major outages caused by extreme weather and cyberattacks. The evolution of hydropower has proven to be an affordable and reliable source of energy for rural and metropolitan communities across America allowing everyday citizens to heat their homes, operate their appliances, and access clean water. Yet rather than applauding this renewable source of clean energy, efforts to breach our dams persist.

Immigration and the Southern Border

America is a land of immigrants, but our current immigration system is broken. In the last three years there have been over seven and a half million illegal migrant encounters nationwide—six million at the southern border alone—in addition to the nearly two million known “getaways.” There have been almost 300 individuals whose names appear on the terrorist watch list encountered at the border—and those are just the ones we know about. Federal officials estimate they are only able capture five to ten percent of the fentanyl crossing from Mexico, but in fiscal year 2023 alone, agents seized enough to kill around six billion people.

Law Enforcement

The past few years have been brutal on our nation’s law enforcement. Violent crime is at a record high, local officials have defunded our police, violence towards public safety officers is through the roof, all at a time when first responders feel underpaid, under supported, and unappreciated.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Located in the Tri-Cities, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a storied institution and one of our nation's seventeen national labs. PNNL is one of the foremost national labs in the country and continues to make many great contributions to the scientific community, the Tri-Cities, the State of Washington, and in support of our great nation for over 50 years. The work being done at PNNL addresses some of our nation's most complex national security, energy, and environmental challenges.

Public Lands

As a farmer, I see that it is the men and women who are closest to our lands—our farmers and ranchers—who are the true conservationists and stewards of our resources, and I believe we have a responsibility to use our natural resources wisely and with care.

Second Amendment Rights

Like many Central Washingtonians, I grew up responsibly exercising my constitutional right to bear arms. In Congress I remain a staunch advocate for the Second Amendment and stay on watch for any efforts from across the nation to infringe on it.

Spending and Economy

Under one-party rule in Washington, D.C., the federal government spent tens of trillions of dollars on initiatives that both drive inflation up and punish small businesses through tax and interest rate hikes. In the meantime, unemployment payouts keep workers at home and out of the labor pipeline needed in our economy. Our tax code remains extensive and complex while continuously demanding more from hardworking Americans to feed outlandish spending habits.

The Chinese Communist Party

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is working around the clock to influence our institutions and change our way of life back home. In recent years there has been a tremendous increase in agricultural land being purchased by Chinese companies with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, much of which is located near sensitive sites and U.S. military installations. That is why I am working to implement strong, common-sense policies to prevent these foreign land grabs.

Trade

Washington state is home to one of the largest export economies in the country with over 40% of jobs being supported by international trade—that means a voice for strong and supportive trade policies is critical.

As a Yakima Valley farmer, I understand how important our products are to the supply chain and how critical it is that our agriculture, manufacturing, and retail producers are well-positioned in the global economy.

Veterans

The responsibility of keeping our great nation free and safe rests on the shoulders of the men and women bravely serving in our Armed Forces. The care we provide to our veterans reflects our gratitude to the courageous servicemen and women who have risked their lives in the pursuit of freedom and liberty.

Wildfires and Forest Management

The catastrophic wildfires facing our region are, unfortunately, something we have come to expect during the dry, summer months, and I am committed to working with local officials to ensure we have the resources we need to prepare, prevent, and recover when the time comes.

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