This year, Washington State and much of the western United States faced severe drought conditions, water shortages, and rationing, which have had serious impacts on our agriculture, energy, and manufacturing sectors, as well as the many families and small businesses that rely on an adequate and stable supply of water. Many residents are confronting the worst drought they’ve seen in many years, and a growing number of communities across the West have been acutely impacted by these arid conditions. While this crisis has been caused by the drought, burdensome environmental laws, as well as misguided and outdated regulatory restrictions, have exacerbated the situation. As a third-generation farmer, I understand from personal experience that access to water is vital to the livelihoods and economic prosperity of Washingtonians, which is why one of my first actions in Congress was to introduce legislation aimed at developing new surface water storage projects in the west.
More on Water & Hydropower
Newhouse, McMorris Rodgers Introduce Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) reintroduced the Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act, a bill to expand clean, renewable, reliable, and affordable hydropower production in the United States and promote innovation of the next generation of hydropower technology.
COLUMN: Hydropower is Essential, Clean, and Renewable
Hydropower and hydroelectric dams have truly transformed our region into what it is today. Central Washington and much of the Pacific Northwest is naturally arid, but with the construction of federal water infrastructure, it has transformed into a productive agricultural region with a growing population and an increasingly successful, diverse business community.
Newhouse, McMorris Rodgers, Herrera Beutler, and Fulcher Reaffirm Support for Pacific Northwest Resources
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) joined his Pacific Northwest colleagues, Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), and Russ Fulcher (R-ID) to reaffirm their support for hydropower and emphasized the importance of protecting existing hydropower resources in the Pacific Northwest.
COLUMN: Take a Look in Your Own Backyard, Seattle
Last week, the West Point Treatment Plant in Seattle dumped 11 million gallons of raw sewage into Puget Sound. This wastewater is dangerous to families and communities, and it is also harmful to our species that inhabit the Puget Sound, including native salmon species and southern resident orcas.
Newhouse Announces Nearly $14 Million Reclamation Investment in Central Washington
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) announced significant investments by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) for Central Washington water infrastructure:
COLUMN: Representing Our Values in the 117th Congress
This week, we convened the 117th Congress, and it is my sincere honor to begin a fourth term as the Representative for Washington’s 4th Congressional District.
Newhouse-Led Effort to Modernize Water Supply Infrastructure Included in Year-End Spending Package
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The end-of-year spending package passed by both Chambers of Congress on December 21, included ground-breaking provisions Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced to maintain and update critical Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) water supply infrastructure projects across the rural West.
COLUMN: It is Time to Secure an Updated Columbia River Treaty
Without the systems and infrastructure we have built to harness the power of the mighty Columbia River, the Pacific Northwest as we know it would cease to exist. Dams along the Columbia provide countless benefits to our communities – from reliable, affordable electricity and flood control to irrigation, navigable waterways, and a clean energy grid second to none in the country.
Bipartisan NW Lawmakers to President Trump: Terminate Columbia River Treaty Power Provisions to Benefit U.S. Ratepayers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), and Greg Walden (R-OR) introduced a resolution to encourage the Trump Administration to immediately issue a notice of intent to terminate the commercial and power coordination provisions of the Columbia River Treaty.
What They Are Saying: Newhouse Elected Western Caucus Chairman
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On November 19, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) was unanimously elected as Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus for the 117th Congress.