Weekly Columns and Op-Eds

2015 has been an eventful year for our nation and for the 4th District of Washington, which I have been honored to be given the responsibility by Central Washingtonians to represent you in Congress. My commitment has been to work hard on solutions, not just add to the partisan noise in D.C. I am committed to working for you, listening to you and responding to questions and comments you have.

Christmas time is a season of hope and a joy-filled time spent with family and friends. It’s a time to be generous as we take stock of our many blessings as Americans. It’s a time to trim the tree and take a drive around the neighborhood to see Christmas lights. It’s a time to sit together around a cozy fireplace. (For some—perhaps it’s a time of last-minute gift shopping.) Filled stockings hang over the fireplace, and wrapped presents lie under the tree.

Taking steps to improve forest management to prevent catastrophic wildfires from occurring is critical, and I have supported passage of legislation in the U.S. House like the Resilient Forests Act this year to make those improvements. For communities across the nation that have faced the recurring threat of natural disasters, it is also important to ensure that residents of small towns and rural areas are treated fairly when calculating federal disaster relief.

Constituents from across Central Washington regularly contact me with questions and comments on federal issues through phone calls and letters to my office, emails, and even Facebook. I recently held a telephone town hall to take calls because hearing firsthand from constituents is how I can best represent Central Washington in Congress. A single question may represent the views of many, so here is a sample summarizing recent questions and comments I have recently received:

American consumers and investors deserve certainty to plan ahead to make the best economic decisions for their families and their future. The U.S. Federal Reserve functions as the nation’s central bank and sets monetary policy that impacts every American and has enormous consequences for our economy. Since the 2008 financial crisis, the Federal Reserve has engaged in interventionist policies that have resulted in today’s sluggish recovery and public uncertainty regarding the Fed’s decision-making.

The world was horrified by the cowardly terror attacks in Paris that killed numerous innocent people and left many wounded at entertainment venues and restaurants, in what many now regard as France’s “September 11^th.” France is the United States’ oldest ally—the first nation to support our fight for independence. As France has been there when we have faced challenges, we must now be there for the French people. While we mourn together now, we must also unite and stand against global terrorism. Sadly, the incidents of terrorism only continue to grow.

Washingtonians have a monumental reason to celebrate an exciting new development for the Tri-Cities community, our state, and our nation: the opening of America’s newest national park. The anticipation has been building for years, and the Manhattan Project National Historic Park was officially dedicated with much-deserved fanfare last week. With the new park, the legacy of the people who spent their lives and labor at Hanford will be preserved for generations to come.

In a nation of lovers of freedom and liberty, one needs to look no further for examples of patriotism in action than to our veterans. Their service kept us safe and defended the freedoms we enjoy as citizens. As Americans, we do not take that service for granted. This Veteran’s Day, each one of us has the opportunity to express our gratitude for the sacrifices of the men and women who have served and continue to serve in the Armed Forces. They are our friends, neighbors, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, sons, and daughters.