Weekly Columns and Op-Eds

The Pacific Northwest, and especially Central Washington, is rightfully famous for our abundance of natural beauty. The Methow Valley in the northwestern corner of Okanogan County is a spectacular example of the pristine Washington landscape that we have the privilege to enjoy.

*This Op-Ed appeared in the Tri-City Herald on March 3rd, 2018.

What would life in the Mid-Columbia be like if dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers were removed? What would then be used to control flooding that devastated communities before the dams were put in place? How would we provide clean, reliable hydropower for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses?

Last week, the Trump administration released its proposal to modernize our nation's infrastructure, a blueprint that gives hope for federal support and a positive path forward on projects across the country that are stalled due to bureaucratic red tape.

The right to an individual's life, liberty, and private property underpins any free society. It is a well-established principle enshrined in the Constitution's 5^th Amendment that under a limited government, no individual can be deprived of private property without just compensation.

Last Tuesday, I listened carefully as President Trump addressed the nation in his first State of the Union. The President's message aimed to unify Americans behind a common vision while sharing inspiring stories of service, heroism, and sacrifice.

On Friday, January 19^th, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators joined together and walked along the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for the 45^th annual March for Life. In full view of the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S.

As your representative in Congress, I take the responsibility to provide for the federal government's operations very seriously. Continuing Resolutions, or extensions of funding from previous fiscal years, are a terrible budgeting option for our country.