Weekly Columns and Op-Eds

Our local, state, and federal governments are working together to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 and provide a bridge for our economy – and our society as a whole – to get to the other side of this outbreak.

Congress recently passed the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act to replenish the accounts established in the CARES Act for small businesses and healthcare providers.

Washington is not a one-size-fits-all state. That can be said of our recreational activities, our professions, our political leanings, and our way of life across the diverse regions of our great state. So, a stay-at-home order should not be one-size-fits-all.

When Congress was first considering coronavirus relief packages, I immediately recognized the needs of our rural hospitals. While Washington began as the epicenter of the outbreak, most of the focus was on the west side of the state in heavily populated Seattle, where healthcare providers are abundant and where experts were concerned hospital bed capacity constraints could threaten the availability of care.

Life has temporarily changed for many during this pandemic, and as we adjust our schedules, work environments, and daily activities to keep our communities safe and flatten the curve, we must ensure that our economy can recover and that families are able to provide for their loved ones.

We are in unprecedented times. The coronavirus outbreak has had a profound impact on the American people and our economy, but – together – we will make sure that impact is not a lasting one.

As many businesses temporarily transition operations online, essential employees continue to practice safe operations, and our healthcare providers and first responders continue to selflessly serve on the front lines, keeping our families, friends, and neighbors safe and healthy.

In the United States and in Washington, we are fortunate to have an abundance of agriculture. We are even more fortunate to have the hard-working men and women who work to keep food on our tables. Keeping our food supply chain stable – especially in times of crisis or distress – is critical to ensuring the health and safety of all Americans.

For generations, farmers and ranchers in Central Washington have understood that in order to continue their important job of feeding the world, we must work together to conserve one of our most precious assets: our land. Much of the land is rich with fertile soil, making it one of the most diverse and productive agricultural regions in the country, but our producers also understand that it is also rich with wildlife and natural resources that are worth protecting.

March is Women's History Month, and there are a number of extraordinary women from Central Washington to celebrate. Our state has a strong history of female leaders who have paved the way for future generations and exemplified the values we hold dear.