Weekly Columns and Op-Eds
Americans prosper and create prosperity for others when they are able to keep and spend more of what they earn. April is Tax Month, and it can be a reminder that nothing in life is ‘as certain as death and taxes,' to paraphrase Benjamin Franklin. The federal tax code should be consistent, encourage economic growth, and allow Americans to plan with certainty.
Washingtonians are familiar with the key role that the Hanford site played in the defense of our nation during World War II and the Cold War as a component of the Manhattan Project. The legacy of the federal government's work at Hanford left behind 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste in 177 underground tanks.
Today, the Middle East is a dangerous place where America's enemies seem to be expanding their reach as America's allies watch anxiously. From the growth of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the persecution of minority Christians, to a Shia rebellion in Yemen that recently toppled a government assisting the U.S.
The Pacific Northwest is true timber country, blessed with an abundance of forests that provide rich natural resources and recreation in Central Washington. The health and management of public forests like Okanogan and Gifford-Pinchot National Forests are closely tied to job growth and economic opportunity for neighboring rural communities.
An important part of serving in Congress is responding to questions from constituents on a range of topics, from Obamacare to national security and religious persecution abroad. I always look forward to hearing from constituents who contact my office by telephone, email, or letters.
As I begin my service in our nation's capital, I have been impressed by the many monuments, memorials and statues that recall the great conflicts that have defined our history, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War and those of the 20th Century. The burden of keeping our nation free and secure has largely fallen on the shoulders of the men and women of our Armed Forces.
After strong, bipartisan opposition from Congress and an outcry from the American public, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) backed down last week over proposed regulations that would restrict the use of popular ammunition for legal firearms.
Last Tuesday, you likely heard or watched as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech to a joint session of Congress. I think it was important for all Americans to hear what the Prime Minister had to say about the potential threat posed to Israel if Iran is allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
Imagine if someone used a credit card, but instead of their own name, your children's names were on the card.
It sounds absurd: no right thinking person would consign their children to pay debts they had no choice in incurring.
Yet that is how the federal government operates when it comes to borrowing money from your children and grandchildren to spend today.
Listening to local families, businesses, and farmers in the Mid-Columbia region, I've heard firsthand how the slowdown and partial shutdowns at our 29 ports along the West Coast have had a devastating economic impact on Central Washington's economy.