Weekly Columns and Op-Eds
If you have ever taken a job on a farm during harvest, you know it is hard work at mercy of the elements. Much of the work is done by hand, particularly growing and harvesting cherries and apples, which are major crops in Washington State. As a farmer myself, I have worked in fields and orchards in the Lower Yakima Valley since I was a kid, harvesting asparagus, hops, grapes, tree fruit, and more. Across our state, particularly on the east side, agriculture is the mainstay industry for many regional economies.
Hurry up and wait. That's a well-known phrase that can often apply to the way Congress operates: gradual starts followed by sudden momentum. Every matter before Congress is considered in a process driven by a series of discussions and debates. Because of the way our legislative calendar works, July is typically crunch time in both Houses of Congress to accomplish the people's legislative business. This year has been no different, and just last week, Congress made important progress on many critical federal issues for Central Washington.
In the Inland Northwest, it is difficult to overstate the benefits of water infrastructure and hydropower projects along the Columbia River and its tributaries. Harnessing the power of the rivers has been a central challenge in the Pacific Northwest, but it has been necessary to support our way of life. When the rivers overflow their banks, catastrophic floods have resulted in tragic loss of life and incredible amount of property damage.
Wealthy coastal cities versus the agrarian countryside. Supporters of big central government versus advocates of a limited government. Big states versus small states. Manufacturers versus traders. Debt hawks versus doves. Sound familiar? If you guessed that these conflicts refer to the contemporary United States, you might be surprised they were actually areas of fierce disagreement among Americans in the late 18th Century.
Like many Americans, I have been very concerned about the reports of scandals and incidents of mistreatment of our veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in recent years. I have heard stories firsthand from veterans in Central Washington about their negative experiences at VA facilities and their frustrations with the bureaucratic process. From secret wait lists for appointments and poor hospital conditions to the over-prescription of opioids, these practices have led to the abuse, and even deaths, of veterans across the country.
Last Wednesday, I was getting ready for a morning meeting in the nation's capital when I saw the terrible news that an individual had attacked the members of the GOP congressional baseball team while they practiced in a neighborhood field.
Instead of our regular weekly column, the Congressman would like to share the message below.
For millennia, humankind has harnessed the power of water. The ancient Romans developed the earliest water wheels to grind grain into flour. In modern times, hydropower emerged as an affordable, clean, and reliable source of renewable energy. Advancing the development of hydroelectricity generation as well as increasing water storage capacity should be a national priority in the interest of American energy independence and drought mitigation.
Americans rightfully expect for their private internet data to be protected from fraud or theft under a clear, transparent framework for all business conducted on the Internet. Rules that protect personal data online should be uniform, and I support a strong framework across federal agencies to enforce standards that protect personal data from inappropriate and deceptive business practices.
Republicans in Congress have long promised to repeal and replace President Obama's flawed health law. In spite of the individual mandate forcing Americans to purchase insurance plans as dictated by the federal government, declining choices, rising premiums, and increased out-of-pocket costs have rendered health care unaffordable for far too many American families. Simply having an insurance card does not equate access to affordable, quality health care services. We must transition to a post-Obamacare health system. Despite the disappointing setback last week in the U.S.