Weekly Columns and Op-Eds
August is when Congress adjourns during the hottest part of the summer, and it was a busy time for me traveling Central Washington, meeting with constituents and participating in local business and community visits.
These are difficult times for many Washingtonians as the battle against wild fires continues on multiple fronts. The spirit of sacrifice and generosity of fellow citizens, near and far, gives a reason for hope amid great adversity.
Many local families, farmers, and businesses in Central Washington are still dealing with the ripple effects and devastating economic impact caused by the months-long slowdown at 29 West Coast ports during contract negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA).
Our Founding Fathers possessed the wisdom and foresight to create a constitutional republic that limited the power of the federal government through the principle of the separation of powers and by holding lawmakers accountable to the consent of the governed. They would likely be shocked and alarmed by the massive burden of regulations imposed by today’s unelected federal bureaucracies.
What is a human life worth? The way a society responds to that question effectively describes the values held by that society. A just and healthy society should view innocent life as worth dignity and protection. The prospect of profiting off of another human’s life is repulsive because each person possesses an intrinsic moral value, not a commercial value.
No one should ever hang up on a veteran seeking medical assistance. Every veteran deserves to be treated with respect and dignity—and especially with urgency in an emergency medical situation. Proper treatment for our veterans reflects the honor our nation accords for their service in uniform. Anything less is simply unacceptable, and even shameful.
Earlier this year, I joined 366 of my colleagues in Congress to express grave concern about the Obama administration’s negotiations with Iran on a possible nuclear deal. My concerns included constraining Iran’s research and development capabilities as well as nuclear infrastructure.
I recently read a news story of an outstanding teenager in Prosser named Walker Orr. Since he was 8-years old, Walker has found innovative ways to offer a service or product in exchange for a reasonable price, from selling varieties of seeds to running a lawn mowing business.
The threat posed by wildfire has been on the forefront of Washingtonians’ concerns this year for good reason, and Congress is moving forward with legislation to help prevent catastrophic wildfires. This week is the one-year anniversary of the start of the tragic Carlton Complex Fire in Okanogan County.
The responsibility “to provide for the common defense” is one of the fundamental roles of the federal government—the duty is explicitly mentioned in the preamble of the Constitution. With the importance of preserving national security in mind, few provisions are more critical than the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).