Weekly Columns and Op-Eds
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.
On February 16 of this year, our country celebrates ‘Presidents' Day' almost 240 years after the beginning of the American Revolution and 154 years since the start of the Civil War.
As a third-generation Yakima Valley farmer, I am proud to call Central Washington my home; it's where my wife, Carol, and I raised our children and where our family runs its business. I was humbled to be sworn in as your new Congressman last week. To be entrusted with the responsibility of representing the 4th District is a distinct honor.