Weekly Columns and Op-Eds

*The following column is adapted from Congressman Newhouse’s remarks for the Law Enforcement Memorial Service in the Tri-Cities on May 21^st.

In Washington, more than 280 officers have lost their lives in the line of duty. When we reflect on these officers we should remember the scripture that, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Those officers gave their all for a very high and noble cause: that of peace in their communities.

Our nation is facing a national epidemic. While many may know that substance abuse is a major crisis in our country, few may understand the exact scope. Drug abuse devastates communities, tears apart families and destroys lives. Tragically, 47,000 Americans now lose their lives each year due to drug overdoses—a total that is higher than the fatalities in car accidents, which were formerly the number one cause of accidental deaths.

Religious freedom is at the very core of our constitutional republic. It is one of the primary reasons that brave men and women of faith crossed the ocean to found our country. Last Thursday, May 5, we marked the National Day of Prayer, acknowledging that prayer has been a critical part of the fabric of American history.

The way Americans use technology to communicate has changed at an incredible pace since 1986. Thirty years ago, cellphones were gigantic, brick-like novelties. Few homes had personal computers. The term “social media” did not even exist. The Internet had existed for only a few years and was unknown to most Americans.

Last week, I was joined by 144 of my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives—one third of the entire House—to demand the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) cooperation with congressional and Inspector General investigations into a very serious matter. The issue under investigation is the grant funding that the EPA provided to promote an anti-farmer, anti-rancher advocacy campaign in Washington. Farmers and ranchers are the original conservationists because their livelihoods depend on taking care of the land, air, and water.

We live in an astounding time of technological progress, during the “Information Age.” Since the 1990s, the internet has flourished and created a digital marketplace, revolutionizing the world economy and the way commerce is conducted. Private enterprise has developed an incredible number of innovative services for millions of consumers. Keeping the internet free from government micromanagement and open to innovation for years to come must be a top priority.

It may be news to many Americans, but as individual land owners, ranchers, and farmers in Washington already know, the federal government is one of the largest property managers in the nation, and especially in the West. According to a 2014 government survey, federal agencies manage 640 million acres of land, or one million square miles nationwide. That number accounts for 28 percent of land in the country.

President Ronald Reagan once put it simply: “No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. So governments' programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth.” Sadly, Reagan’s comments on the lack of accountability for taxpayer dollars are no joke. Reagan points out the truth that the natural tendency of government is to grow, so it is up to the people and the people’s representatives in Congress to keep government accountable.