{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"House\", state = \"WA\" and year = 2013 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221213512/http://adamsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365089", "Congressman Smith Urges Extension of Unemployment Benefits", "2013-12-24", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Adam Smith", "S000510", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Smith released the following statement on unemployment insurance:  \u201cDespite consecutive months of job growth, our economy is still recovering from one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression. Through no fault of their own, millions of hardworking Americans continue to struggle to find employment.\u00a0 Yet, even with rates of long-term unemployed Americans near historic highs, federal unemployment insurance is set to expire three days after Christmas for 24,400 Washingtonians and for 40,000 more in the first half of 2014 if Congress does not act. That is unacceptable.   \n\u00a0  \n\u201cUnemployment insurance benefits provide essential support for individuals and families while they are searching for work. Congress should extend unemployment benefits for hardworking Americans, not stand idly by as they expire.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/larsen-seeks-answers-customs-facility-friday-harbor", "Larsen Seeks Answers on Customs Facility in Friday Harbor", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, is seeking answers to questions that constituents have raised regarding the proposed location for a new Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) facility in Friday Harbor. In a letter to General Services Administration and CBP facilities, Larsen asked about the site-selection process and possible alternatives.\n\u201cA number of San Juan Island residents have raised concerns that the new CBP facility is in the heart of downtown Friday Harbor\u2019s commercial waterfront,\u201d Larsen wrote. \u201cThe community has worked to create a welcoming culture for residents and visitors, and some community members are concerned that the CBP facility will adversely affect the climate. They have also told me they are concerned that they did not have sufficient opportunity to provide input on the location and its potential impact on tourism.\u201d\nThe full text of the letter follows.\nDecember 19, 2013\nGeorge Northcroft  \n\tRegional Administrator  \n\tU.S. General Services Administration, Region 10  \n\t400 15th Street SW  \n\tAuburn, WA 98001\nMichael Yeager  \n\tAssistant Commissioner  \n\tOffice of Congressional Affairs  \n\tU.S. Customs and Border Protection  \n\t1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 5.4A  \n\tWashington, DC 20229\nDear Regional Administrator Northcroft and Assistant Commissioner Yeager:\nI am writing regarding the new U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) lease in Friday Harbor, WA, and the General Services Administration\u2019s (GSA) process to execute the lease. I have heard from constituents who are concerned about the new location. On their behalf, I would like to ask for clarification on some of the questions they have raised.\nI respect the work that CBP does to secure our borders and facilitate legal trade and travel. I want to ensure that there is an open dialogue between community members and your agencies, and that all concerns are addressed and mitigated when possible.\nA number of San Juan Island residents have raised concerns that the new CBP facility is in the heart of downtown Friday Harbor\u2019s commercial waterfront. The community has worked to create a welcoming culture for residents and visitors, and some community members are concerned that the CBP facility will adversely affect the climate. They have also told me they are concerned that they did not have sufficient opportunity to provide input on the location and its potential impact on tourism.\nI appreciate that GSA and CBP representatives held a public hearing in late November in Friday Harbor to hear concerns and answer many of the questions about the new facility. There are still some outstanding questions, and I request that you provide written responses to them:\n What was the process and timeline for executing the lease at the new location?\n\tWhat are the guidelines for public input as part of the search process for a lease of this kind?\n\tWhat did CBP require in terms of size and facilities for its new location? How flexible were those requirements when looking for a suitable location?\n\tWas this search a competitive process with the consideration of multiple locations? If so, how was the final determination made?\n\tSome community members have suggested alternative waterfront locations including a reconstructed Port of Friday Harbor building (following repairs from a recent fire) and the Cannery Landing building immediately adjacent to the ferry terminal. Were these locations considered? If not, why not?\n\tAfter hearing concerns from the public in Friday Harbor, what actions will CBP and GSA take in designing the new facility to fit with the town image and minimize the impact on the downtown commercial corridor if the selected site is the final site?\n I appreciate your attention to my inquiry and look forward to your timely response.\nSincerely,\nRick Larsen  \n\tMember of Congress  \n\tWashington State, 2nd District", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://reichert.house.gov/press-release/reichert-congratulates-teachers-national-board-certifications", "Reichert Congratulates Teachers on National Board Certifications", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Dave Reichert", "R000578", "reichert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Issaquah, WA \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Representative Dave Reichert sent out letters congratulating the 55 new National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT) in Washington\u2019s 8th Congressional District.\u00a0\n\u201cIt is an honor to represent a District that has such a large amount of National Board Certified Teachers in the state,\u201d Reichert wrote. \u201cIt demonstrates the inspiration that you bring to our community, striving to be the best educator for our students.\u201d\nWashington State is ranked first this year in the number of new NBCTs and ranks fourth nationally in the overall total number of NBCTs.\u00a0 The National Board Certification process is a stringent assessment by a national panel to ensure the highest quality of teaching across America.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221124605/http://kilmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/end-of-year-report", "End of Year Report", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Derek Kilmer", "K000381", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Since taking office in January, Representative Derek Kilmer has been active both at home and in Washington, DC to work for his constituents. The following report presents Representative Kilmer\u2019s accessibility in the region, a snapshot of benefits secured for his constituents, and a summary of his legislative efforts and accomplishments in his first year in office.\n\u201cWhile Congress itself continues to be something of a \u2018fixer-upper,\u2019 I\u2019m proud of the work we\u2019ve accomplished for the people of the 6th District this year and I\u2019m excited about how much more we can do in the coming year,\u201d said Representative Derek Kilmer. \u201cI\u2019ll continue to work in a bipartisan way to get Congress back to work, to build on the recent budget agreement and move toward a long-term fiscal plan, to help our neighbors cut through red tape, and to continue producing results on the issues that matter the most to our region.\u201d\n\u00a0\nAccessible to His Constituents\n\u00b7\u00a0Rep. Kilmer has made it a priority to be accessible to his constituents so he can hear what\u2019s on their minds and help them with their problems.\u00a0 To that end, he has held or been accessible at the following events:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 First and foremost, as a former economic developer, Rep. Kilmer has held 53 \u201cKilmer at Your Company\u201d visits. During these events, he typically receives a tour or speaks briefly with the heads of businesses, and is accessible to employees so he can hear what\u2019s on their minds.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 10 Public Town Halls \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 4 Telephone Town Halls\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 3 Open Office Hours\n\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 2 Derek on Your Docks where he visited with commuters at the Kingston and Bainbridge island ferry docks\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 4 Farmers Markets visits\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 15 Rotary Meetings\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 15 Chamber Meetings\n\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 Over 60 festivals, county fairs, and annual community events\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 Reached out to every mayor in the 6th District\n\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 Visited with leaders of all nine tribes located in the 6th District\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 Visited every major military command and facility\n\u00a0\nHelping Constituents Cut Through Red Tape\n\u00b7\u00a0Representative Kilmer\u2019s office has been active in helping over 500 constituents cut through red tape and resolve problems. To date, the total casework savings returned to constituents by Rep. Kilmer\u2019s office is over half a million dollars. \n\u00b7\u00a0Total Casework Savings for Constituents: $615,440.00\n\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 Medicare \u00e0 $166,252\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 Department of Veterans Affairs/Defense Finance Accounting Service \u00e0 $161,387\n\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 Social Security Administration \u00e0 $105,928\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 Office of Personnel Management \u00e0 $21,373\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 o\u00a0\u00a0 IRS \u00e0 $160,500\n\u00a0\nWorking in a Bipartisan Manner\n\u00b7\u00a0In his first year in office, Rep. Kilmer has established himself as a Member of Congress who will work across the aisle to solve problems for Washington\u2019s families. Rep. Kilmer is a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus and a part of the \u201cBipartisan Working Group\u201d which meets every week to discuss how to move past partisanship to create progress.\n\u00b7 Rep. Kilmer is a cosponsor of the Problems Solvers Government Reform Agenda which includes provisions such as No Budget No Pay, procurement reform, and other ideas to save taxpayers money.\n\u00a0\nFighting Against Sequestration and Shutdown\n\u00b7\u00a0On March 1, when the across-the-board cuts caused by sequestration went into place, Rep. Kilmer stood outside the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard gate to greet workers as they arrived.\n\u00b7\u00a0When sequestration led to Department of Defense (DoD) furloughs, the Department wrongly furloughed employees at Working Capital Fund sites. Those workers are legally protected from furloughs and aren\u2019t directly funded by taxpayer dollars. In response, Rep. Kilmer led a bipartisan letter and passed an amendment on the floor of the House to exempt those employees from future sequestration-related furloughs. \n\u00b7\u00a0In response to concerns he heard from shipyard workers, Rep. Kilmer passed another amendment to ensure that civilian workers wouldn\u2019t lose their security clearances just because they\u2019ve been furloughed as a result of sequestration. Rep. Kilmer also introduced legislation to ease the financial hardship on those civilian employees who needed to make emergency withdrawals from their retirement accounts.\n\u00b7\u00a0Thousands of civilian workers were furloughed because Congress failed to do its job and replace sequestration. Just as Congress came together to provide backpay to federal workers who lost pay as a result of the government shutdown, Rep. Kilmer introduced the bipartisan Federal Employee Pay Restoration Act to ensure that we continue to support our federal workforce.\n\u00b7\u00a0When Congress could not reach a compromise to keep federal agencies funded Rep. Kilmer voluntarily gave up his own pay for the duration of the government shutdown.\n\u00b7\u00a0When Congress finally passed a bipartisan budget, Rep. Kilmer voted to help avert a government shutdown, and halt most of the damaging across-the-board cuts that have hurt our region. Rep. Kilmer continues to call on Congress to put together a plan to deal with our long-term fiscal health and get folks back to work.\n\u00a0\nSupporting Economic Growth, Financial Stability and Investments in our Future\n\u00b7\u00a0Given the strong role of the military in our region, Rep. Kilmer passed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to reauthorize a program known as the IT Exchange Program to provide for workforce exchanges between the DoD and private employers.\n\u00b7\u00a0As a member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Rep. Kilmer has been active in the effort to reauthorize the America COMPETES Act, a bill focused on strengthening national research policy and STEM education efforts to improve American competitiveness. \u00a0Specifically, he led an effort of the New Democratic Coalition to develop a list of strong legislative principles for the reauthorization effort.\n\u00b7\u00a0Rep. Kilmer introduced the bipartisan Transfer Act to support early commercialization of research efforts and expand economic development from early research. The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee voted in December to move the legislation forward.\n\u00b7\u00a0Recognizing the need to invest in our workforce, Rep. Kilmer introduced the Skills Investment Act, which would help workers save for education and job training through the establishment of worker-owned, employer-matched savings plans called Lifelong Learning Accounts.\n\u00b7\u00a0Rep. Kilmer introduced the bipartisan American Savings Promotion Act, a bill to make it easier for financial institutions to offer products that incentivize individuals to build their savings. This bill was recently featured on PBS Newshour.\n\u00b7 As our military installations face encroachment challenges, Rep. Kilmer led a delegation letter to Gov. Inslee and successfully pushed for funding key investments to ensure the long-term viability of these national assets.\n\u00b7\u00a0As Congress considers final passage of the Farm Bill, Rep. Kilmer is pushing for strong funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.\n\u00b7\u00a0Our communities are made stronger when loving families open their hearts and homes to needy children and become adoptive parents. Rep. Kilmer introduced the Adoption Tax Credit Tribal Parity Act, which would ensure that parents who adopt Native American children with special needs get the tax relief that Congress intended for them to have.\n\u00a0\nPreserving Natural Resources\n\u00b7\u00a0Rep. Kilmer worked closely with Rep. Heck to create the Puget Sound Recovery Caucus devoted exclusively to promoting Puget Sound cleanup efforts.\n\u00b7\u00a0Rep. Kilmer is working on legislation to help strengthen our ability to monitor ocean acidification to protect our natural resources and local economic engines.\n\u00b7\u00a0Rep. Kilmer established a collaborative that will bring together a wide range of stakeholders looking to move past the timber wars of the past and instead focus on what steps we can take to promote forest health and support economic growth in our region.\n\u00a0\nSupporting Servicemembers, Veterans, and their Families\n\u00b7\u00a0After hearing from servicemembers and veterans who have experienced discrimination, Rep. Kilmer introduced legislation that would prohibit discrimination against veterans and servicemembers seeking employment or housing opportunities.\n\u00b7\u00a0Rep. Kilmer\u2019s Veterans Advisory Group has kicked off several initiatives to ensure that those who have served get the resources they need.\n\u00b7\u00a0Native American veterans face obstacles in receiving federal assistance to help fight homelessness. Rep. Kilmer introduced the Housing Native Heroes Act to ensure that the successful HUD-VASH voucher program can help reduce homelessness among our Native American veterans.\n\u00a0\nProtecting National Security\n\u00b7\u00a0The threat of cyber attacks represents one of our nation\u2019s largest national security challenges, but cybersecurity technologies are also an emerging industry within our region.\u00a0 Rep. Kilmer is pursuing ways to connect local institutions of higher learning with federal agencies and the private sector to provide valuable on-the-job training in the cyber field.\u00a0\n\u00b7\u00a0Our intelligence and law enforcement officials must have the resources they need to keep us safe but there must also be clear and firm rules to guide their work so Americans\u2019 civil liberties are protected.\u00a0 Rep. Kilmer was active in the effort to pass the Cyber Intelligence Sharing & Protection Act.\n\u00b7\u00a0Rep. Kilmer is working with his colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee to refine the way that the government spends taxpayer money, pursuing opportunities for procurement reform.\n\u00a0\nInvesting in Local Infrastructure\n\u00b7\u00a0Ports are essential engines of economic growth throughout our region. As the House considers final passage of the Water Resources Development Act, Rep. Kilmer is pushing to maintain provisions that support our small ports and harbors and help address the \u201cdonor port\u201d status that creates competitiveness issues for the Ports of Tacoma and Seattle.\n\u00b7\u00a0After reaching out to a number of stakeholders, Rep. Kilmer helped stand up an infrastructure working group focused on addressing the needs of the South Kitsap Industrial Area.\n\u00b7\u00a0Communities throughout our region are today vulnerable due to the threat posed by a tsunami. Rep. Kilmer is working at both the state and federal level to enhance coastal resiliency.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://dennyheck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/military-retirement-restoration-act-introduced", "Military Retirement Restoration Act Introduced", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Denny Heck", "H001064", "dennyheck.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Denny Heck (WA-10) introduced the Servicemembers Opportunity Act today. The legislation ensures all servicemembers can utilize the financial protections they\u2019ve earned under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2003.\n\u201cI have the honor of representing more than 15,000 active duty servicemembers. I believe all of them deserve the opportunity to afford college, own a home, and serve our country without worrying about runaway interest rates on their loans and mortgages,\u201d Congressman Heck said.\nCongressman Heck represents Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the surrounding communities.\nThe Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2003 caps interest rates at 6% for obligations servicemembers entered into before beginning their service. Servicemembers currently must submit a copy of their military orders to the lender to qualify for the capped interest rate.\nNot all servicemembers have been able to utilize their financial protections under the law. Some servicemembers, such as active duty military officers, receive formal military orders without a set duration of service that includes an end date. Some lenders have resisted lowering interest rates for these servicemembers.\nAdditionally, some servicemembers have encountered issues with institutions inaccurately interpreting military orders. Other servicemembers have had difficulty obtaining the capped rate because their military orders are physically difficult to access from where they are stationed.\u00a0\nThe Servicemembers Opportunity Act amends the law to make sure servicemembers are able to invoke the crucial financial protections they\u2019ve earned. It also resolves the issues lenders have had with the 2003 law. Under the Servicemembers Opportunity Act, servicemembers without formal military orders can prove their military service and invoke their rights through other means, including a letter from their commanding officer or a certificate from the Department of Defense\u2019s own website documenting their active duty status. Allowing these commonsense alternatives to military orders will help ensure all servicemembers can utilize their financial protections.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/key-committee-advances-bill-save-green-mountain-lookout", "Key Committee Advances Bill to Save Green Mountain Lookout", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee voted to advance a bill from Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) to preserve the historic Green Mountain Lookout in the Glacier Peak Wilderness near Darrington, Washington. Senator Cantwell, a member of the ENR Committee, voted in support of the bill \u2013 which passed the committee by a voice vote.\nThe Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act (S. 404) now heads to the full Senate for consideration.\nSenators Murray and Cantwell introduced the Green Mountain bill on February 28, 2013. U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) introduced companion legislation (H.R. 908) in the House.\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to have voted today to advance this\u00a0bill to allow future generations to enjoy the historic Green Mountain Lookout,\u201d Cantwell said. \u201cFor 80 years, this scenic lookout has stood atop Green Mountain. Our bill would keep the Green Mountain Lookout where it belongs, for Northwest hikers, historians and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. I will keep working with Senator Murray and Representatives DelBene and Larsen to pass this bill into law.\u201d\n\u201cGreen Mountain Lookout is an important part of our state\u2019s history, and it\u2019s cherished by the local community,\u201d Murray said. \u201cI am so pleased this legislation is moving to the full Senate for a vote, and I will continue working to preserve the lookout for future generations.\u201d\n\u201cThanks to the leadership of Senators Cantwell and Murray, today we are one step closer to saving the historic Green Mountain Lookout,\u201d DelBene said. \u201cIt\u2019s time for the House to move forward on the companion legislation and allow a floor vote so we can protect this iconic landmark once and for all.\u201d\n\u201cThe Green Mountain Lookout belongs in one spot: on Green Mountain,\u201d Larsen said. \u201cI applaud Sen. Cantwell\u2019s work to advance this important bill in the Senate, and I look forward to working with Rep. DelBene to get this law passed in 2014.\u201d\nThe need for the legislation arose after a Montana-based group sued the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for using a helicopter and machinery to repair the Green Mountain Lookout. Subsequently in 2012, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington ordered that the USFS needed to move forward with the lookout\u2019s removal.\nDuring World War II the Green Mountain Lookout, located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness within the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, served as an early warning station to detect enemy aircraft. Today it is one of only 16 remaining fire lookouts originally managed by the USFS in Northwest Washington.\nThe introduction of the bill followed an unsuccessful legal challenge to the District Court\u2019s decision.\u00a0 Senators and Representatives from Washington had sent a letter in May 2012 to Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, urging the department to use all legal means necessary to preserve the Green Mountain Lookout\u2019s location in the Glacier Peak Wilderness.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/washington-democrats-ask-state-and-local-sales-tax-deduction-extension", "Washington Democrats Ask for State and Local Sales Tax Deduction Extension", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Reps. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., Rick Larsen, D-Wash., Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., Denny Heck, D-Wash., and Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., sent a letter to Ways and Means Chair David Camp and Ranking Member Sander Levin asking for an extension of the state and local sales tax deduction that is set to expire January 1.\n\u201cExtending the sales tax deduction is critical to ensuring equal tax treatment for residents of states that do not assess an income tax,\u201d wrote the members. \u201cIf the deduction is not extended, millions of taxpayers living in states without an income tax will shoulder a larger share of the federal tax burden since they cannot claim the dedication.\u201d\nWithout an income tax, Washington state residents pay a higher sales tax, which can disproportionately hurt families and individuals with lower incomes. Nearly one third of Washington taxpayers use the deduction, the highest rate in the nation. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, allowing the sales tax deduction to expire could cost the average Washington state taxpayer who itemizes $600. By extending the sales tax deduction, Washingtonians, and others in states\u2019 without income taxes, will pay a fairer share of taxes.\nRead the full letter here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=25ed0789-8dab-4bfa-8956-f5d038522c78", "On Floor, Cantwell Calls for Senate to Pass Extension of Key Tax Credits", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.19.13\n    \t\t\t On Floor, Cantwell Calls for Senate to Pass Extension of Key Tax Credits  \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t On Jan 1, state sales tax deduction, transit benefit, veterans hiring tax credit will expire\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In a Senate floor speech today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) called for Congress to\u00a0 extend key tax provisions that help create jobs and provide certainty for businesses in Washington state and across the country. Cantwell joined a number of her colleagues to urge the Senate to take up and pass the Tax Extenders Act of 2013, which would extend tax provisions that expire at the end of 2013.\r\n\u201cAt New Year\u2019s, as the ball drops in Times Square, a number of tax provisions are going to expire,\u201d Cantwell said. \u201cThe lapse of these important tax provisions makes it harder for Americans to invest in clean energy, to hire veterans, to pay for public transportation, and to build low-income housing.\u201d\r\nAmong the tax provisions expiring on December 31 is the state and local sales tax deduction, which enables Washingtonians to deduct their state sales tax on their federal tax returns.\r\nA recent Pew Charitable Trusts report found that Washington was the state that used the deduction the most with the average filer receiving a $604 deduction. For 2010, the most recent year of published Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data, more than 950,000 Washingtonians utilized the state and local sales tax deduction and reduced their taxable income subject to federal income tax by more than $2 billion.\r\nOn January 1, 2013, with Cantwell\u2019s leadership, Congress reached an agreement to extend the state sales tax deduction as part of the deal to avert the fiscal cliff. Due to this agreement, Washington state taxpayers can deduct sales tax for their 2013 taxes, to be filed by April 2014.\r\nHowever, the deduction will expire for tax year 2014, unless Congress acts. Cantwell has been a leader in extending the sales tax deduction, and has introduced a bill this year to make the deduction permanent.\r\n\u201cEvery year millions of Washingtonians have to wait to find out whether the sales tax deduction is going to be extended,\u201d Cantwell said today. \u201cI want to make it permanent and I hope that when we do tax reform we will be able to do this. But in the meantime we\u2019ve got to give the certainty to taxpayers in Washington state.\u201d\r\nCantwell was joined on the floor by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).\r\nA number of other provisions crucial to Washington state are set to end as well. These include the tax rate for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, the Veterans Opportunity Tax Credit that has helped Washington veterans find work and the New Markets Tax Credit used to invest in key projects supporting job growth.\r\n\u201cAcross Washington state, we\u2019ve seen first-hand how the other tax extenders help actually create an environment of certainty and predictability for jobs and job creation. These are bipartisan principles that we can all get behind,\u201d Cantwell said. \u201cThe time to act is now.\u201d\r\nIn her speech Cantwell cited the commuter transit benefit used by more than 1,600 employers in King County to get workers to and from their jobs. On January 1, the tax benefit for King County employees who use public transportation will drop in half \u2013 from $245 to $130 per month.\r\n\u201cTransportation is the second-largest expense in American households,\u201d Cantwell said. \u201cAmerican families should be able to choose whether to drive or take public transit \u2013 and they shouldn\u2019t be punished because they are taking a bus, or ferry or train.\u201d \r\nWatch a video of Senator Cantwell\u2019s floor speech here.\r\nSenator Cantwell\u2019s remarks as delivered follows.\r\nMr. President, I want to thank Leader Reid, Chairman Baucus, Senator Schumer, Senator Stabenow, Senator Wyden, Senator Brown and Senator Menendez all for coming to the floor to talk about this important issue of tax extenders \u2013 and why we need to get them done now.\r\nIn the state of Washington, taxpayers are opening the morning newspaper to find the Seattle Times editorial: 'Congress should extend the sales-tax deduction.'\r\nThe Seattle Times has been following this issue for years and knows that taxpayers are waiting to find out if we can continue to deduct our sales tax from our federal income tax obligation. Being a state that doesn\u2019t have an income tax, we want parity with other states and we want to be able to deduct our sales tax from our federal tax obligations.\r\nEvery year millions of Washingtonians have to wait to find out whether that particular tax provision is going to be extended. I want to make it permanent and I hope that when we do tax reform we will be able to do this. But in the meantime we\u2019ve got to give the certainty to taxpayers in Washington state on these important tax policies, that Congress can act and get things done. \r\nI\u2019d like to submit for the record that particular editorial. \r\nAt New Year\u2019s, as the ball drops in Times Square, a number of other tax provisions are going to expire. And the lapse of these important tax provisions make it harder for Americans to invest in clean energy, to hire veterans, to pay for public transportation, and to build low-income housing.\r\nLike my colleague Senator Brown was discussing, the Tax Extenders Act of 2013 is about providing predictability and certainty to citizens and to American businesses about our tax benefits and investments. On January 1st, the Commuter Tax Benefit will expire. That means an increase in household expenses for 2.7 million public transit commuters.\r\nIn King County, the county that Seattle is in, more than 1,600 employers use the Commuter Tax Benefit to enable employees to get to and from work. If you\u2019ve ever been in the Puget Sound area, you know that transportation and traffic are big issues for us. Obviously, trying to defer some of that traffic and congestion by getting people into public transportation is a key part of our strategy. \r\nBut if we are taking away the certainty and predictability of tax deductions on public trasnsit \u2013 we are just going to make our transportation problems worse. On New Year\u2019s Day, the tax benefit for those employees who take public transit will be nearly cut in half \u2013 from $245 to $130 per month. We need to extend this benefit as a matter of tax fairness.\u00a0 \r\nTransportation is the second-largest expense in American households. American families should be able to choose whether to drive or take public transit \u2013 and they shouldn\u2019t be punished because they are taking a bus, or ferry or train.\u00a0 \r\nAcross Washington state, we\u2019ve seen first-hand how the other tax extenders help create an environment of certainty and predictability for jobs and job creation. These are bipartisan principles that we can all get behind. \r\nOf particular importance to me \u2013 as I said \u2013 is the state and local sales tax deduction, which affects many people in our state.\u00a0 Individuals living in other states without a state income tax do not face these same challenges. But Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming are all in the same boat.\r\nI\u2019m sure that these citizens would want to have the sales tax deduction certainty and predictability. As a result of that, an average of $604 in tax deduction is real money back into people\u2019s pockets when they itemize those various tax benefits. So we hope that this won\u2019t continue to be uncertain in Washington state. We need these tax extenders now. \r\nThere are other provisions like the: \r\n \r\nNew Markets Tax Credit - a great program for encouraging investment into challenging areas of our country. \r\nThe Biodiesel Tax Credit \r\nThe Veterans Work Opportunity Tax Credit \u2013 a tax credit to employers to encourage them to hire veterans; we have had many of these events around Washington state talking to employers who have successfully used this tax credit. \r\nThe Low-Income Housing Tax Credit \u2013 I know the President of the Senate probably has projects all over his state that have benefitted from the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, a great incentive to get more affordable housing built in hard-to-serve areas and challenging areas because of high-cost. \r\nAnd, as I mentioned, the Commuter Tax Benefit \u2013 all of which are tied to job creation.\u00a0 \r\n \r\nSo instead of giving predictability and certainty on tax credits, Congress is not getting our job done. And we should get our job done as soon as possible. It\u2019s time for Congress to extend these important provisions and for people to make plans accordingly. I hope that the IRS can be given the predictability and certainty too in the New Year about these provisions so that we are not delaying the tax season at the end of next year.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The time to act is now. I hope my colleagues will help us get these measures which usually are renewed in a bipartisan fashion done so as soon as possible.\u00a0\u00a0 \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=ec2ac9f3-df81-4e26-abc0-40d887137151", "Key Committee Advances Bill to Save Green Mountain Lookout", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.19.13\n    \t\t\t Key Committee Advances Bill to Save Green Mountain Lookout  \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t Bill backed by Northwest Washington delegation would preserve historic lookout for hikers and visitors\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee voted to advance a bill from Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) to preserve the historic Green Mountain Lookout in the Glacier Peak Wilderness near Darrington, Washington. Senator Cantwell, a member of the ENR Committee, voted in support of the bill \u2013 which passed the committee by a voice vote.\r\nThe Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act (S. 404) now heads to the full Senate for consideration.\r\nSenators Murray and Cantwell introduced the Green Mountain bill on February 28, 2013. U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) introduced companion legislation (H.R. 908) in the House.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to have voted today to advance this\u00a0bill to allow future generations to enjoy the historic Green Mountain Lookout,\u201d Cantwell said. \u201cFor 80 years, this scenic lookout has stood atop Green Mountain. Our bill would keep the Green Mountain Lookout where it belongs, for Northwest hikers, historians and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. I will keep working with Senator Murray and Representatives DelBene and Larsen to pass this bill into law.\u201d\r\n\u201cGreen Mountain Lookout is an important part of our state\u2019s history, and it\u2019s cherished by the local community,\u201d Murray said. \u201cI am so pleased this legislation is moving to the full Senate for a vote, and I will continue working to preserve the lookout for future generations.\u201d\r\n\u201cThanks to the leadership of Senators Cantwell and Murray, today we are one step closer to saving the historic Green Mountain Lookout,\u201d DelBene said. \u201cIt\u2019s time for the House to move forward on the companion legislation and allow a floor vote so we can protect this iconic landmark once and for all.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Green Mountain Lookout belongs in one spot: on Green Mountain,\u201d Larsen said. \u201cI applaud Sen. Cantwell\u2019s work to advance this important bill in the Senate, and I look forward to working with Rep. DelBene to get this law passed in 2014.\u201d\r\nThe need for the legislation arose after a Montana-based group sued the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for using a helicopter and machinery to repair the Green Mountain Lookout. Subsequently in 2012, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington ordered that the USFS needed to move forward with the lookout\u2019s removal.\r\nDuring World War II the Green Mountain Lookout, located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness within the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, served as an early warning station to detect enemy aircraft. Today it is one of only 16 remaining fire lookouts originally managed by the USFS in Northwest Washington.\r\nThe introduction of the bill followed an unsuccessful legal challenge to the District Court\u2019s decision.\u00a0 Senators and Representatives from Washington had sent a letter in May 2012 to Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, urging the department to use all legal means necessary to preserve the Green Mountain Lookout\u2019s location in the Glacier Peak Wilderness.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140223220039/http://delbene.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-delbene-leads-bipartisan-letter-to-fcc-chairman-wheeler", "Congresswoman DelBene Leads Bipartisan Letter to FCC Chairman Wheeler Urging Action to Improve Internet Access in Schools", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan DelBene", "D000617", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman DelBene Leads Bipartisan Letter to FCC Chairman Wheeler Urging Action to Improve Internet Access in Schools\nBOTHELL \u2013 Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01), along with 25 other members of Congress, sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging action to improve and modernize the federal E-rate program, which has provided critical discounts for schools and libraries for telecommunications and Internet services since its enactment in 1997.\nIn addition to Congresswoman DelBene, signatories on the letter include Representatives Jared Polis (CO-02), Chris Gibson (NY-19), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Don Young (AK), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Derek Kilmer (WA-06), Denny Heck (WA-10), and 18 other members of the House.\n\u201cClosing the education gap means ensuring that our schools and libraries have access to digital learning opportunities that require high-speed broadband. However, too many of our children are currently trying to learn skills for tomorrow with outdated infrastructure from the past,\u201d the members wrote. They go on to urge the FCC commissioners to \u201csupport swift action to modernize and expand the E-rate program to bring transformative learning opportunities to every school in America.\u201d\nThe letter calls on the FCC to update E-rate by focusing the program on high-speed broadband connectivity and long-term infrastructure investments, creating an upgrade fund to connect every school and library across the U.S. to high-speed Internet, increasing the program\u2019s accountability and transparency, and streamlining its onerous paperwork requirements to ensure more funding is focused on delivering direct investments into schools and classrooms.\n\u201cWe recognize the great value of the E-rate program to K-12 schools in Washington, and strongly support modernization of the program to improve broadband access to all schools in our state,\u201d said Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn in his support of the congressional letter to the FCC.\n\u201cWe have several schools in rural areas of our district that do not have adequate high-speed Internet access, which I am sure is also true of many other districts in our state,\u201d said Darrell Heisler, the Sedro-Woolley School District Executive Director of Technology. \u201cExpanding access to high-speed broadband across our state should be a top priority.\u201d\nThe average American school has about the same bandwidth as the average American home, but with 200 times as many users. In total, an estimated 40 million of America\u2019s students in K-12 schools do not have the Internet access they need to succeed in the global economy.\nThe E-rate program was established by Congress in 1996 to connect every school and library in the nation to the Internet. Today, it remains the federal government\u2019s largest source of funding for technology in education. Administered through the Universal Service Fund, E-rate provides vital funding to school districts across the country based on the poverty level of the population and the local cost of telecommunications and Internet services. During the 2012-13 school year, $42.38 million in E-rate funds were committed to schools and libraries in Washington state.\nA PDF copy of the signed letter is available HERE. The full text of the letter is below:\n\u00a0\nFederal Communications Commission\n445 12th Street, SW\nWashington, DC 20554\n\u00a0\nDear Chairman Wheeler, Commissioner Clyburn, Commissioner O\u2019Rielly, Commissioner Rosenworcel, and Commissioner Pai:\nAs Members of Congress concerned with improving our education system and preparing students for the jobs of the future, we are writing to urge swift action to improve and modernize the E-rate program in order to help connect our nation\u2019s schools with high-speed broadband over the next five years. This critical update will ensure every school has the ability to accelerate next-generation education reforms, support teachers, and enhance student learning. We believe this is an important step we can take to provide our children with high-quality digital learning opportunities in order to improve student outcomes and prepare them to succeed in a 21st century economy.\u00a0\nImproving our children\u2019s ability to take advantage of learning technologies has always been a bipartisan endeavor, as has been the E-rate program itself. We are proud to support the bipartisan recommendations to update E-rate and we call for those across the education, government, and business communities to recognize the opportunity we have to improve and modernize our schools. Therefore, we ask the Commission for swift action to bring high-speed broadband to our students on an expedited basis.\nClosing the education gap means ensuring that our schools and libraries have access to digital learning opportunities that require high-speed broadband. However, too many of our children are currently trying to learn skills for tomorrow with outdated infrastructure from the past. While the E-rate program was enormously successful in bringing basic telephone and broadband to schools and classrooms, the connectivity provided is no longer sufficient. The average American school has about the same bandwidth as the average American home, but with 200 times as many users. Therefore, 72% of our schools do not have the Internet infrastructure they need to take advantage of digital learning opportunities today, and fewer than 1% have the infrastructure they will need in the future.\nIn an age when high-speed broadband is transforming almost every aspect of our lives, we must extend digital opportunities to every classroom. This is particularly crucial in rural areas, where students are less likely to have the speeds and infrastructure they need to take advantage of new technologies and high-quality educational content. Forty million of our nation\u2019s students\u2014the next generation of talent in the United States\u2014are being left behind without the speeds they need to succeed. As Commissioner Ajit Pai has noted, \u201cToday, too many kids walk off the school bus, only to walk decades into the past. This is unacceptable. \u2026 Parents are right to expect that schools will help prepare their children for the America of tomorrow, and they know that can\u2019t happen in the classroom of yesterday.\u201d\nExperts agree that to enable students to take full advantage of digital learning, America\u2019s schools should aim for 100 Mbps of bandwidth or more for every 1,000 students and staff members today, and 1 Gbps by 2017. In today\u2019s global economy, these high speeds aren\u2019t just an educational imperative, but a competitive necessity. Test results released this month show that American students still lag far behind countries like China, South Korea, Japan, Switzerland, and the Netherlands in math, reading, and science. It\u2019s no longer enough just to compete for jobs; we have to compete for higher educational outcomes enabled by higher broadband speeds.\nThis means we need to: (1) Focus E-rate on broadband connectivity and infrastructure to ensure that we maximize the impact of the program on learning by limiting support for yesterday\u2019s outdated dial-up era technologies; (2) Create an upgrade fund within the E-rate program to connect every school and library, particularly those in rural areas, to high-speed broadband; (3) Increase transparency and accountability for the program in order to reduce costs, research effective practices, and ensure that all students have access to the connectivity they need; and (4) Simplify and streamline onerous paperwork requirements to improve program efficiency. These reforms will make possible strategic investments to deploy high-speed broadband to schools and classrooms across the country.\nWe simply cannot prepare our kids to compete for 21st century jobs by leaving them stranded with age-old technologies. Therefore, we ask you to support swift action to modernize and expand the E-rate program to bring transformative learning opportunities to every school in America.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/key-committee-advances-bill-to-save-green-mountain-lookout", "Key Committee Advances Bill to Save Green Mountain Lookout", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.19.13\n    \t\t\t Key Committee Advances Bill to Save Green Mountain Lookout  \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t Bill backed by Northwest Washington delegation would preserve historic lookout for hikers and visitors\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee voted to advance a bill from Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) to preserve the historic Green Mountain Lookout in the Glacier Peak Wilderness near Darrington, Washington. Senator Cantwell, a member of the ENR Committee, voted in support of the bill  which passed the committee by a voice vote.\r\nThe Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act (S. 404) now heads to the full Senate for consideration.\r\nSenators Murray and Cantwell introduced the Green Mountain bill on February 28, 2013. U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) introduced companion legislation (H.R. 908) in the House.\r\nI'm proud to have voted today to advance thisbill to allow future generations to enjoy the historic Green Mountain Lookout, Cantwell said. For 80 years, this scenic lookout has stood atop Green Mountain. Our bill would keep the Green Mountain Lookout where it belongs, for Northwest hikers, historians and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. I will keep working with Senator Murray and Representatives DelBene and Larsen to pass this bill into law.\r\nGreen Mountain Lookout is an important part of our state's history, and it's cherished by the local community, Murray said. I am so pleased this legislation is moving to the full Senate for a vote, and I will continue working to preserve the lookout for future generations.\r\nThanks to the leadership of Senators Cantwell and Murray, today we are one step closer to saving the historic Green Mountain Lookout, DelBene said. It's time for the House to move forward on the companion legislation and allow a floor vote so we can protect this iconic landmark once and for all.\r\nThe Green Mountain Lookout belongs in one spot: on Green Mountain, Larsen said. I applaud Sen. Cantwell's work to advance this important bill in the Senate, and I look forward to working with Rep. DelBene to get this law passed in 2014.\r\nThe need for the legislation arose after a Montana-based group sued the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for using a helicopter and machinery to repair the Green Mountain Lookout. Subsequently in 2012, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington ordered that the USFS needed to move forward with the lookout's removal.\r\nDuring World War II the Green Mountain Lookout, located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness within the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, served as an early warning station to detect enemy aircraft. Today it is one of only 16 remaining fire lookouts originally managed by the USFS in Northwest Washington.\r\nThe introduction of the bill followed an unsuccessful legal challenge to the District Court's decision. Senators and Representatives from Washington had sent a letter in May 2012 to Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, urging the department to use all legal means necessary to preserve the Green Mountain Lookout's location in the Glacier Peak Wilderness.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/on-floor-cantwell-calls-for-senate-to-pass-extension-of-key-tax-credits", "On Floor, Cantwell Calls for Senate to Pass Extension of Key Tax Credits", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.19.13\n    \t\t\t On Floor, Cantwell Calls for Senate to Pass Extension of Key Tax Credits  \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t On Jan 1, state sales tax deduction, transit benefit, veterans hiring tax credit will expire\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C.  In a Senate floor speech today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) called for Congress to extend key tax provisions that help create jobs and provide certainty for businesses in Washington state and across the country. Cantwell joined a number of her colleagues to urge the Senate to take up and pass the Tax Extenders Act of 2013, which would extend tax provisions that expire at the end of 2013.\r\nAt New Year's, as the ball drops in Times Square, a number of tax provisions are going to expire, Cantwell said. The lapse of these important tax provisions makes it harder for Americans to invest in clean energy, to hire veterans, to pay for public transportation, and to build low-income housing.\r\nAmong the tax provisions expiring on December 31 is the state and local sales tax deduction, which enables Washingtonians to deduct their state sales tax on their federal tax returns.\r\nA recent Pew Charitable Trusts report found that Washington was the state that used the deduction the most with the average filer receiving a $604 deduction. For 2010, the most recent year of published Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data, more than 950,000 Washingtonians utilized the state and local sales tax deduction and reduced their taxable income subject to federal income tax by more than $2 billion.\r\nOn January 1, 2013, with Cantwell's leadership, Congress reached an agreement to extend the state sales tax deduction as part of the deal to avert the fiscal cliff. Due to this agreement, Washington state taxpayers can deduct sales tax for their 2013 taxes, to be filed by April 2014.\r\nHowever, the deduction will expire for tax year 2014, unless Congress acts. Cantwell has been a leader in extending the sales tax deduction, and has introduced a bill this year to make the deduction permanent.\r\nEvery year millions of Washingtonians have to wait to find out whether the sales tax deduction is going to be extended, Cantwell said today. I want to make it permanent and I hope that when we do tax reform we will be able to do this. But in the meantime we've got to give the certainty to taxpayers in Washington state.\r\nCantwell was joined on the floor by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).\r\nA number of other provisions crucial to Washington state are set to end as well. These include the tax rate for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, the Veterans Opportunity Tax Credit that has helped Washington veterans find work and the New Markets Tax Credit used to invest in key projects supporting job growth.\r\nAcross Washington state, we've seen first-hand how the other tax extenders help actually create an environment of certainty and predictability for jobs and job creation. These are bipartisan principles that we can all get behind, Cantwell said. The time to act is now.\r\nIn her speech Cantwell cited the commuter transit benefit used by more than 1,600 employers in King County to get workers to and from their jobs. On January 1, the tax benefit for King County employees who use public transportation will drop in half  from $245 to $130 per month.\r\nTransportation is the second-largest expense in American households, Cantwell said. American families should be able to choose whether to drive or take public transit  and they shouldn't be punished because they are taking a bus, or ferry or train. \r\nWatch a video of Senator Cantwell's floor speech here.\r\nSenator Cantwell's remarks as delivered follows.\r\nMr. President, I want to thank Leader Reid, Chairman Baucus, Senator Schumer, Senator Stabenow, Senator Wyden, Senator Brown and Senator Menendez all for coming to the floor to talk about this important issue of tax extenders  and why we need to get them done now.\r\nIn the state of Washington, taxpayers are opening the morning newspaper to find the Seattle Times editorial: 'Congress should extend the sales-tax deduction.'\r\nThe Seattle Times has been following this issue for years and knows that taxpayers are waiting to find out if we can continue to deduct our sales tax from our federal income tax obligation. Being a state that doesn't have an income tax, we want parity with other states and we want to be able to deduct our sales tax from our federal tax obligations.\r\nEvery year millions of Washingtonians have to wait to find out whether that particular tax provision is going to be extended. I want to make it permanent and I hope that when we do tax reform we will be able to do this. But in the meantime we've got to give the certainty to taxpayers in Washington state on these important tax policies, that Congress can act and get things done. \r\nI'd like to submit for the record that particular editorial. \r\nAt New Year's, as the ball drops in Times Square, a number of other tax provisions are going to expire. And the lapse of these important tax provisions make it harder for Americans to invest in clean energy, to hire veterans, to pay for public transportation, and to build low-income housing.\r\nLike my colleague Senator Brown was discussing, the Tax Extenders Act of 2013 is about providing predictability and certainty to citizens and to American businesses about our tax benefits and investments. On January 1st, the Commuter Tax Benefit will expire. That means an increase in household expenses for 2.7 million public transit commuters.\r\nIn King County, the county that Seattle is in, more than 1,600 employers use the Commuter Tax Benefit to enable employees to get to and from work. If you've ever been in the Puget Sound area, you know that transportation and traffic are big issues for us. Obviously, trying to defer some of that traffic and congestion by getting people into public transportation is a key part of our strategy. \r\nBut if we are taking away the certainty and predictability of tax deductions on public trasnsit  we are just going to make our transportation problems worse. On New Year's Day, the tax benefit for those employees who take public transit will be nearly cut in half  from $245 to $130 per month. We need to extend this benefit as a matter of tax fairness. \r\nTransportation is the second-largest expense in American households. American families should be able to choose whether to drive or take public transit  and they shouldn't be punished because they are taking a bus, or ferry or train. \r\nAcross Washington state, we've seen first-hand how the other tax extenders help create an environment of certainty and predictability for jobs and job creation. These are bipartisan principles that we can all get behind. \r\nOf particular importance to me  as I said  is the state and local sales tax deduction, which affects many people in our state. Individuals living in other states without a state income tax do not face these same challenges. But Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming are all in the same boat.\r\nI'm sure that these citizens would want to have the sales tax deduction certainty and predictability. As a result of that, an average of $604 in tax deduction is real money back into people's pockets when they itemize those various tax benefits. So we hope that this won't continue to be uncertain in Washington state. We need these tax extenders now. \r\nThere are other provisions like the: \r\n \r\nNew Markets Tax Credit - a great program for encouraging investment into challenging areas of our country. \r\nThe Biodiesel Tax Credit \r\nThe Veterans Work Opportunity Tax Credit  a tax credit to employers to encourage them to hire veterans; we have had many of these events around Washington state talking to employers who have successfully used this tax credit. \r\nThe Low-Income Housing Tax Credit  I know the President of the Senate probably has projects all over his state that have benefitted from the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, a great incentive to get more affordable housing built in hard-to-serve areas and challenging areas because of high-cost. \r\nAnd, as I mentioned, the Commuter Tax Benefit  all of which are tied to job creation. \r\n \r\nSo instead of giving predictability and certainty on tax credits, Congress is not getting our job done. And we should get our job done as soon as possible. It's time for Congress to extend these important provisions and for people to make plans accordingly. I hope that the IRS can be given the predictability and certainty too in the New Year about these provisions so that we are not delaying the tax season at the end of next year.\r\n The time to act is now. I hope my colleagues will help us get these measures which usually are renewed in a bipartisan fashion done so as soon as possible. \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/larsen-praises-federal-decision-limit-coal-dust-trains", "Larsen Praises Federal Decision to Limit Coal Dust From Trains", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today praised the U.S. Surface Transportation Board\u2019s decision to continue allowing train operators to take measures to limit coal dust escaping into the environment. Larsen called on the Surface Transportation Board to make this decision last year.\n\u201cWe should make sure that coal producers and transporters use commonsense precautions to protect communities from coal dust,\u201d Larsen said. \u201cI am pleased that the Surface Transportation Board took this step that will help protect the well-being of residents and the environment along train routes.\u201d\nIn a July 2012 letter, Larsen wrote, \u201c(I)t seems common sense that rail operators carrying coal should be permitted to take all measures necessary to ensure the safety of that cargo and the public health of the communities they travel through \u2026 I have heard from many of my constituents who are concerned about potential health effects from current coal train traffic.\u00a0 Any steps that can help alleviate these concerns are positive ones.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-energy-committee-advance-doe-nominee-who-committed-to-bpas-autonomy", "Cantwell, Energy Committee Advance DOE Nominee Who Committed to BPAs Autonomy", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.18.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell, Energy Committee Advance DOE Nominee Who Committed to BPA's Autonomy \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t Energy Department top lawyer nominee moves to full Senate for a vote, previously affirmed to Cantwell that he will respect regional control of BPA\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) helped secure key committee approval of the Obama Administration's nominee for the Department of Energy (DOE) General Counsel, who committed to Cantwell last month that he will respect the Bonneville Power Administration's (BPA) Pacific Northwest autonomy.\r\nThe General Counsel nominee, Dr. Steven Croley, cleared the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee on a voice vote this morning. His nomination will now be considered by the full Senate.\r\nUnder questioning from Cantwell at a November 14 ENR hearing on Croley's nomination, Croley agreed to respect the regional control of BPA and not to micromanage the general counsel at the BPA.\r\nPacific Northwest ratepayers deserve a Department of Energy that respects regional control of the Bonneville Power Administration, Cantwell said. Today's vote moves Dr. Croley one step closer to becoming the next top lawyer at the DOE. I appreciate his commitments to restore BPA's traditional autonomy and to work on a separate plan for defense nuclear waste  and I intend to hold him to these commitments.\r\nDOE is examining BPA's legal and hiring decisions after the DOE's Office of Inspector General found that hundreds of applicants to BPA jobs, including veterans, were discriminated against. On November 8, 2013, Cantwell along with every Senator and Representative from Oregon, Washington and Idaho sent a letter to Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz urging him to ensure that BPA remains independent.\r\nDr. Croley was nominated to the position of DOE's General Counsel by the Obama Administration on August 1, 2013. The General Counsel oversees DOE's legal affairs and manages more than 100 attorneys at the department.\r\nI fully appreciate BPA's autonomy, Croley said to Cantwell on November 14. It's my understanding that the department has no interest in affecting adversely that autonomy. But rather simply to provide a kind of support to the extent that is necessary and to the extent that may be necessary in the future and may not be.\r\nAt the November 14 hearing, Croley also pledged to work with Cantwell to move forward on a plan to separate military and defense nuclear waste. As defense waste at Hanford moves closer to being processed, Cantwell stressed the need for a unique plan for the permanent disposal of defense nuclear waste. \r\nCantwell asked at the November 14 hearing: We are on a trajectory where we are going to have defense waste ready to go somewhere and we don't want to have that be nowhere because we have to come up with a solution. So will you commit to working with me and the DOE and the chairman on separating defense from civilian waste?\r\nCroley responded: Senator, I would be happy, if confirmed, to work with you on that issue and any other issue.\r\nCantwell has been a leader in demanding the Department of Energy (DOE) stick to established deadlines and develop a comprehensive strategy to deal with the unique challenge defense nuclear waste presents. At an ENR hearing on July 30, 2013, Cantwell called for a new nuclear waste bill to include a specific plan for disposing defense nuclear waste.\r\nDuring Dr. Ernest Moniz's confirmation hearing to be Energy Secretary earlier this year in April, Cantwell asked Dr. Moniz if defense nuclear waste should be addressed separately from commercial waste in any disposal plan, to which he said he would push for that evaluation and relook at the issue if confirmed. Dr. Moniz noted that the issue was discussed extensively when he served on the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, but that the final report failed to address defense-related waste.\r\nToday, the ENR committee  with Cantwell's support -- also approved the nominations of: Christopher A. Smith to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (for Fossil Energy); and Esther P. Kia'aina to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior (for Insular Areas).\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=d26a049f-8049-45a7-9519-4d6b597dc96c", "MURRAY \u2013 RYAN BUDGET AGREEMENT PASSES SENATE", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Murray on Bipartisan Budget Act: \u201cputs jobs and economic growth first,\u201d \u201cbreaks through partisanship and gridlock,\u201d \u201ca dramatic improvement over the status quo\u201d\r\n--------------------------------------------------\r\n(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 Today, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, the bipartisan compromise reached by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI), passed the Senate by a vote of 64 -36. The bill, which passed through the House of Representatives last week by a 332-94 majority, now heads to the President\u2019s desk for signature.\r\n \r\nPrior to Senate passage, Senator Murray spoke on the Senate floor, urging colleagues to support the bill. Murray said the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, \u201c\u2026breaks through the partisanship and gridlock, and shows that Congress can function when Democrats and Republicans work together to make some compromises for the good of the country.\u201d Murray also expressed optimism that this compromise, \u201ccan be a foundation for continued bipartisan work, because we have so many big challenges we need to tackle for the families and communities we represent.\u201d\r\n \r\nSince the Senate budget passed in March, Senator Murray has fought to begin a budget conference, and has called on Democrats and Republicans to work together to end the constant cycle governing by crisis.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nDetails of the bill follow:\r\n\r\n\u00a0Key Excerpts From Senator Murray\u2019s Speech:\r\n\u201c\u2026the American people are sick and tired of the constant crises we\u2019ve seen here in D.C. over the past few years. They want us to work together, solve some problems, and focus on jobs, families, and broad-based economic growth. That\u2019s why I am so glad that we are headed to a final vote on the budget agreement Chairman Ryan and I reached, that breaks through the partisanship and gridlock, and shows that Congress can function when Democrats and Republicans work together to make some compromises for the good of the country.\r\n\u201cIf we didn\u2019t get a deal, we would have faced another continuing resolution that would have locked in the automatic cuts or worse, a potential government shutdown in just a few short weeks.\u201d\r\n\u201cMr. President, this bill isn\u2019t exactly what I would have written on my own, and I\u2019m pretty sure it\u2019s not what Chairman Ryan would have written on his own. It\u2019s a compromise\u2014and that means neither side got everything they wanted, and both sides had to give a bit.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\u201c\u2026I am hopeful this deal can be a foundation for continued bipartisan work, because we have so many big challenges we need to tackle for the families and communities we represent.\u201d\r\nFull Text of Senator Murray\u2019s Speech:\r\n\u201cMr. President, the American people are sick and tired of the constant crises we\u2019ve seen here in D.C. over the past few years.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThey want us to work together, solve some problems, and focus on jobs, families, and broad-based economic growth.\r\n\u201cThat\u2019s why I am so glad that we are headed to a final vote on the budget agreement Chairman Ryan and I reached, that breaks through the partisanship and gridlock, and shows that Congress can function when Democrats and Republicans work together to make some compromises for the good of the country.\u00a0\r\n\u201cMr. President, the Bipartisan Budget Act puts jobs and economic growth first by rolling back automatic and harmful cuts to education, medical research, infrastructure investments, and defense jobs for the next two years\r\n\u201cIf we didn\u2019t get a deal, we would have faced another continuing resolution that would have locked in the automatic cuts or worse, a potential government shutdown in just a few short weeks.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis bill replaces almost two-thirds of this year\u2019s cuts to domestic discretionary investments, and prevents the next round of defense cuts scheduled to hit in January.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIt won\u2019t solve every problem the automatic cuts have caused, but it is a step in the right direction and a dramatic improvement over the status quo.\r\n\u201cThis bill also builds on the $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction we\u2019ve done since 2011 with an additional $23 billion in responsible savings across the federal budget.\r\n\u201cAnd crucially, we protected the fragile economic recovery by spreading the savings out responsibly over the next ten years, and maintained the key precedent that sequestration can\u2019t be replaced with spending cuts alone.\r\n\u201cMr. President, this bill isn\u2019t exactly what I would have written on my own, and I\u2019m pretty sure it\u2019s not what Chairman Ryan would have written on his own.\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a compromise\u2014and that means neither side got everything they wanted, and both sides had to give a bit.\r\n\u201cBut I am hopeful this deal can be a foundation for continued bipartisan work, because we have so many big challenges we need to tackle for the families and communities we represent.\r\n\u201cI want to thank my colleague from across the Capitol, Chairman Ryan for his work on this with me over the past two months. He stood up with courage, he was an honest broker, a tough negotiator, but in the end we were able to come up with an agreement and I really want to commend him for that.\r\n\u201cI want to thank our Ranking Member Chris Van Hollen, who worked steadfastly with us.\r\n\u201cI want to thank Leader Reid, and all of our leadership for their support throughout the budget process as we worked to negotiate this deal and move it through the Senate.\r\n\u201cI also want to thank the members of the Senate Budget Committee who worked so hard to pass a budget, start a conference, and reach this bipartisan deal.\r\n\u201cSenators Ron Wyden, Bill Nelson, Debbie Stabenow, Bernie Sanders. Sheldon Whitehouse, Mark Warner, Jeff Merkley, Chris Coons, Tammy Baldwin, Tim Kaine, and Angus King\r\n\u201cAs well as all of the Republicans who worked with us this year.\r\n\u201cI also want to thank the members of our staffs who worked so hard with us on this.\r\n\u201cFrom my office, Budget Committee Staff Director Evan Schatz, Deputy Staff Director John Righter, Budget Committee Communications Director Eli Zupnick, my Chief of Staff Mike Spahn, and many other staff members who we could not be successful without \u2014 whose names I\u2019ll insert into the record.\r\n\u201cAnd from Chairman Ryan\u2019s office, Budget Committee Staff Director Austin Smythe, Policy Director Jonathan Burks, and many more who helped us be successful.\r\n\u201cI also want to thank David Krone from Leader Reid\u2019s office, Kris Sarri with Office of Management and Budget. As well as Director Doug Elmendorf, Bob Sunshine, Pete Fontaine and the staff at the Congressional Budget Office for their hard work and support.\r\n\u201cMr. President, I urge my colleagues to vote to support the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 to put jobs and economic growth first and give the American people the certainty they deserve\r\n\u201cThank you, Mr. President\u2014I yield the floor.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=74a110f3-caca-438f-bffc-999151c7e024", "Cantwell, Energy Committee Advance DOE Nominee Who Committed to BPA\u2019s Autonomy", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.18.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell, Energy Committee Advance DOE Nominee Who Committed to BPA\u2019s Autonomy \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t Energy Department top lawyer nominee moves to full Senate for a vote, previously affirmed to Cantwell that he will respect regional control of BPA\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) helped secure key committee approval of the Obama Administration\u2019s nominee for the Department of Energy (DOE) General Counsel, who committed to Cantwell last month that he will respect the Bonneville Power Administration\u2019s (BPA) Pacific Northwest autonomy.\r\nThe General Counsel nominee, Dr. Steven Croley, cleared the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee on a voice vote this morning. His nomination will now be considered by the full Senate.\r\nUnder questioning from Cantwell at a November 14 ENR hearing on Croley\u2019s nomination, Croley agreed to \u201crespect the regional control of BPA\u201d and not to \u201cmicromanage\u201d the general counsel at the BPA.\r\n\u201cPacific Northwest ratepayers deserve a Department of Energy that respects regional control of the Bonneville Power Administration,\u201d Cantwell said. \u201cToday\u2019s vote moves Dr. Croley one step closer to becoming the next top lawyer at the DOE. I appreciate his commitments to restore BPA\u2019s traditional autonomy and to work on a separate plan for defense nuclear waste \u2013 and I intend to hold him to these commitments.\u201d\r\nDOE is examining BPA\u2019s legal and hiring decisions after the DOE\u2019s Office of Inspector General found that hundreds of applicants to BPA jobs, including veterans, were discriminated against. On November 8, 2013, Cantwell along with every Senator and Representative from Oregon, Washington and Idaho sent a letter to Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz urging him to ensure that BPA remains independent.\r\nDr. Croley was nominated to the position of DOE\u2019s General Counsel by the Obama Administration on August 1, 2013. The General Counsel oversees DOE\u2019s legal affairs and manages more than 100 attorneys at the department.\r\n\u201cI fully appreciate BPA\u2019s autonomy,\u201d Croley said to Cantwell on November 14. \u201cIt\u2019s my understanding that the department has no interest in affecting adversely that autonomy. But rather simply to provide a kind of support to the extent that is necessary and to the extent that may be necessary in the future and may not be.\u201d\r\nAt the November 14 hearing, Croley also pledged to work with Cantwell to move forward on a plan to separate military and defense nuclear waste. As defense waste at Hanford moves closer to being processed, Cantwell stressed the need for a unique plan for the permanent disposal of defense nuclear waste.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \r\nCantwell asked at the November 14 hearing: \u201cWe are on a trajectory where we are going to have defense waste ready to go somewhere and we don\u2019t want to have that be nowhere because we have to come up with a solution. So will you commit to working with me and the DOE and the chairman on separating defense from civilian waste?\u201d\u00a0\r\nCroley responded: \u201cSenator, I would be happy, if confirmed, to work with you on that issue and any other issue.\u201d\r\nCantwell has been a leader in demanding the Department of Energy (DOE) stick to established deadlines and develop a comprehensive strategy to deal with the unique challenge defense nuclear waste presents. At an ENR hearing on July 30, 2013, Cantwell called for a new nuclear waste bill to include a specific plan for disposing defense nuclear waste.\u00a0\r\nDuring Dr. Ernest Moniz\u2019s confirmation hearing to be Energy Secretary earlier this year in April, Cantwell asked Dr. Moniz if defense nuclear waste should be addressed separately from commercial waste in any disposal plan, to which he said he would \u201cpush for that evaluation\u201d and \u201crelook\u201d at the issue if confirmed. Dr. Moniz noted that the issue was discussed extensively when he served on the Blue Ribbon Commission on America\u2019s Nuclear Future, but that the final report failed to address defense-related waste.\r\nToday, the ENR committee \u2013 with Cantwell\u2019s support -- also approved the nominations of:\u00a0 Christopher A. Smith to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (for Fossil Energy); and Esther P. Kia\u2019aina to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior (for Insular Areas).\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=071c4053-dc1a-47ff-b266-e9968c3ce9ad", "AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: Murray, Treasury Dept Announce ACA Improvement For WA Small Businesses", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 Today, after working closely with U.S. Senator Patty Murray, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced a critical improvement to the Affordable Care Act designed specifically to ensure Washington state small businesses and their employees can access critical small business tax credits for affordable, comprehensive health care plans.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cWashington state has been a national leader in implementing the Affordable Care Act, and today\u2019s announcement ensures that small businesses and their employees will have the same access to quality, affordable health plans as those on the individual market,\u201d said Senator Murray.\u00a0 \u201cSince the exchanges first opened in October, I\u2019ve been working closely with local families and businesses to ensure their health care needs are met, and I\u2019m thrilled the Treasury Department has responded to our concerns to help make the ACA work for everyone in our state.\u201d \r\nCurrently, small businesses in most states are able to significantly reduce the cost of providing health care for their employees through subsidized plans on the federal Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP), however, in Washington state, that option is only available in Clark and Cowlitz counties. Today\u2019s announcement from the Treasury Department means that Washington state small businesses in all counties will receive the same, significant small business tax credit to provide their employees a choice of quality, Affordable Care Act-compliant health plans.\u00a0 \r\nThis new policy will benefit small businesses in the following counties:\u00a0 \r\nAdams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, and Yakima. \r\nThe Washington Exchange, Washington Healthplanfinder, has already enrolled over 179,000 people for coverage from Oct. 1 thru Nov. 30., which includes coverage of over 30,000 kids.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=755bf696-00cf-4665-b89b-bc23c8e2ea43", "MURRAY-RYAN BUDGET AGREEMENT: Senate Passes Key Procedural Hurdle to Sign Budget Agreement Into Law", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 Today, Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Senate voted 67-33 to clear a procedural hurdle and move to a final vote to pass the federal budget agreement Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) reached with Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) last Tuesday.\u00a0 \r\nDemocrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly last week to pass the budget agreement.\u00a0 To become law, the agreement still must pass a final, simple majority vote in the Senate tomorrow.\u00a0 Once passed, it will only require President Obama\u2019s signature to become law. \r\nBefore the vote, Senator Murray spoke on the Senate floor to urge her colleagues to support the budget agreement. \r\nKey excerpts from Murray\u2019s speech: \r\n\u201cSo when the government was finally reopened and the debt limit crisis averted, people across the country were hoping Democrats and Republicans could finally get in a room, make some compromises, and take a step away from the constant crises. That\u2019s why I was so glad that part of that crisis-ending deal was creating the budget conference that many of us here, on both sides of the aisle, had been trying to start since the Senate and House passed our budgets seven months earlier.\u201d \r\n\u201cMr. President, the Bipartisan Budget Act puts jobs and economic growth first by rolling back sequestration\u2019s harmful cuts to education, medical research, infrastructure investments, and defense jobs for the next two years. If we didn\u2019t get a deal, we would have faced another continuing resolution that would have locked in the automatic cuts\u2014or worse, a potential government shutdown in just a few short weeks.\u201d\u00a0 \r\n\u201cMr. President, this bill isn\u2019t exactly what I would have written on my own, and I\u2019m pretty sure it\u2019s not what Chairman Ryan would have written on his own. It\u2019s a compromise\u2014and that means neither side got everything they wanted, and both sides had to give a bit.\u201d \r\n\u201cThis bipartisan bill takes the first steps toward rebuilding our broken budget process.\u00a0 And hopefully, toward rebuilding our broken Congress. We\u2019ve spent far too long here scrambling to fix artificial crises instead of working together to solve the big problems we all know we need to address.\u201d \r\n\u201cThere is so much more we need to do to create jobs, boost the economy, replace the remaining years of sequestration, and tackle our long-term fiscal challenges fairly and responsibly. So I am hopeful this deal can be just the first of many bipartisan deals. That it can help rebuild some trust, bring Democrats and Republicans together, and demonstrate that government can work for the people we represent.\u201d \r\n\u201cWhen we come back next year, I am ready to get to work with Chairman Ryan or anyone else, from either side of the aisle, who wants to build on this bipartisan foundation to continue addressing our nation\u2019s challenges fairly and responsibly. It won\u2019t be easy\u2014but the American people are expecting nothing less.\u201d \r\nFull text of Murray\u2019s speech: \r\n\u201cMr. President, for the past few years here in Congress we\u2019ve lurched from one budget crisis to another and from one fiscal cliff to the next. \r\n\u201cWhen one countdown clock stopped\u2014it wasn\u2019t too long before the next one got started again.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cThe uncertainty was devastating to our fragile economic recovery.\u00a0 The constant crises cost us billions of dollars in lost growth and jobs. And the continued across-the-board cuts from sequestration were hurting our families and communities, and cutting off critical investments in economic growth and national security programs. \r\n\u201cMr. President, after the completely unnecessary government shutdown and debt limit crisis two months ago, the American people were more disgusted than ever at the gridlock and dysfunction. \r\n\u201cThey were sick of the partisanship\u2014sick of the showboating and saber-rattling.\u00a0 They were tired of turning on their televisions at night and seeing elected officials saying \u2018it\u2019s my way or the highway.\u2019 And they had no more patience for politicians holding the economy and the federal government hostage to extract concessions or score political points. \r\n\u201cSo when the government was finally reopened and the debt limit crisis averted, people across the country were hoping Democrats and Republicans could finally get in a room, make some compromises, and take a step away from the constant crises. \r\n\u201cThat\u2019s why I was so glad that part of that crisis-ending deal was creating the budget conference that many of us here, on both sides of the aisle, had been trying to start since the Senate and House passed our budgets seven months earlier. \r\n\u201cMr. President, the budget conference began at a time when distrust between Democrats and Republicans couldn\u2019t have been higher. We had just two months to get a deal to avoid lurching toward another crisis\u2014and most people assumed there was no way the divide could be bridged. \r\n\u201cBut Chairman Ryan and I got together, we started talking\u2014and we decided that instead of trying to solve everything at once, the most important thing we could do for the families we represented was to end the uncertainty, and start rebuilding\u00a0 some trust. \r\n\u201cWe weren\u2019t going to spend the next eight weeks sniping at each other from our partisan corners. We weren\u2019t going to use what was said in the room to launch political attacks on the other. And we weren\u2019t going to try to tackle the larger challenges we both knew were critical\u2014but weren\u2019t going to be solved right now. \r\n\u201cSo we focused on what was attainable, worked together to find common ground, and looked for ways we could compromise and take some steps toward the other. \r\n\u201cWe both thought the least we should be able to do was find a way to replace some of the across-the-board cuts from sequestration, and agree on a spending level for the short-term so we could avoid another crisis. \r\n\u201cI know some of our colleagues wanted to keep the sequester caps\u2014but Democrats and many Republicans believe it makes sense to replace these meat-ax cuts with smarter and more balanced savings. \r\n\u201cMr. President\u2014we spent seven weeks working on this. I worked closely with House Budget Committee Ranking Member Van Hollen, as well as my colleagues here in the Senate on and off the Budget Committee. \r\n\u201cAnd I am very proud that late last week, Chairman Ryan and I reached an agreement on the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013. \r\n\u201cThis bill passed the House of Representatives on Thursday on a vote of 332-94, with overwhelming support from both Democrats and Republicans. \r\n\u201cAnd I come to the floor today to urge my colleagues to support this bill here in the Senate, and send it to the President so it can be signed into law. \r\n\u201cMr. President, the Bipartisan Budget Act puts jobs and economic growth first by rolling back sequestration\u2019s harmful cuts to education, medical research, infrastructure investments, and defense jobs for the next two years. \r\n\u201cIf we didn\u2019t get a deal, we would have faced another continuing resolution that would have locked in the automatic cuts\u2014or worse, a potential government shutdown in just a few short weeks.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cOver the past year I\u2019ve heard from so many people across my home state of Washington who have told me how sequestration has hurt their families, businesses, and communities. From the parents of children whose Head Start programs were shut down or cutting slots, to the seniors wondering if their Meals on Wheels would continue, the scientist and doctors whose investments in cutting-edge research and medical cures were cut off or threatened, the construction workers who lost their jobs when projects were put on hold, the small business owners whose revenues were declining due to the cuts and uncertainty, and so many more. \r\n\u201cFor them, the cuts from sequestration were senseless, they were real, they were hurting, and they were only going to get worse. \r\n\u201cSo I am very proud that our bill replaces almost two-thirds of this year\u2019s sequester cuts to domestic discretionary investments. This won\u2019t solve every problem sequestration has caused, but it is a step in the right direction, and a dramatic improvement over the status quo. \r\n\u201cMr. President, over the past year I\u2019ve also talked to workers at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Fairchild Air Force Base, and elsewhere who had been impacted by sequestration, and who were very worried about how another round of cuts would affect their jobs and families. \r\n\u201cI\u2019d heard from military leaders who told me sequestration would impact our national security if it continued. And from companies that do business with the Defense Department that the uncertainty and cuts were hurting their ability to hire workers and invest in future growth. \r\n\u201cSo I am very glad this bill would prevent the upcoming round of defense sequestration and provide some certainty to the Pentagon for the upcoming years. \r\n\u201cSecretary of Defense Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dempsey have both expressed support for this bill\u2014as have a number of my colleagues here in Congress who have spent the last few years highlighting the impact of continued sequestration on our national security and defense workers. \r\n\u201cMr. President, the increased investments we get from rolling back sequestration over the next\u00a0 two years are fully replaced with a smarter, balanced mix of new revenue and more responsible spending cuts. \r\n\u201cExperts and economists have said the responsible thing to do is increase investments now, while our economic recovery remains fragile and workers are still fighting to get back on the job, while tackling our deficit and debt over the long-run. \r\n\u201cAnd this bill moves us in the direction of exactly that. \r\n\u201cWe\u2019ve cut our deficit in half over the past few years, and this bill adds to the $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction done since 2011, with an additional $23 billion in savings over the next ten years. \r\n\u201cMr. President, this bill isn\u2019t exactly what I would have written on my own, and I\u2019m pretty sure it\u2019s not what Chairman Ryan would have written on his own. \r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a compromise\u2014and that means neither side got everything they wanted, and both sides had to give a bit. \r\n\u201cFor example, I was very disappointed we weren\u2019t able to close even a single wasteful tax loophole that benefits the wealthiest Americans or biggest corporations. \r\n\u201cI had also hoped that we could extend critical support for workers fighting to get back on the job, and I was very disappointed that Republicans refused to allow that to be a part of this deal. \r\n\u201cWhile I certainly would have liked to replace more of sequestration, I know it was difficult for many Republicans to accept any increases in the BCA caps at all. \r\n\u201cAnd I also know many Republicans had hoped this would be an opportunity to make the kind of Medicare and Social Security benefit cuts they\u2019ve advocated for in the past, but I fought hard to keep them out. \r\n\u201cMr. President, this deal is a compromise, and it doesn\u2019t tackle every one of the challenges we face as a nation But that was never our goal. \r\n\u201cThis bipartisan bill takes the first steps toward rebuilding our broken budget process.\u00a0 And hopefully, toward rebuilding our broken Congress. \r\n\u201cWe\u2019ve spent far too long here scrambling to fix artificial crises instead of working together to solve the big problems we all know we need to address. \r\n\u201cWe have budget deficits that have improved but haven\u2019t disappeared\u2014and we have deficits in education, innovation, and infrastructure that continue to widen. \r\n\u201cThere is so much more we need to do to create jobs, boost the economy, replace the remaining years of sequestration, and tackle our long-term fiscal challenges fairly and responsibly. \r\n\u201cSo I am hopeful this deal can be just the first of many bipartisan deals. \r\n\u201cThat it can help rebuild some trust, bring Democrats and Republicans together, and demonstrate that government can work for the people we represent. \r\n\u201cMr. President, I urge my colleagues to support the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013. \r\n\u201cI want to thank Chairman Ryan for his work on this with me over the past two months. \r\n\u201cAs well as Ranking Member Van Hollen, and every member of the Budget Committee here in the Senate who worked so hard to pass a budget, start a conference, and get a bipartisan deal. \r\n\u201cWhen we come back next year, I am ready to get to work with Chairman Ryan or anyone else, from either side of the aisle, who wants to build on this bipartisan foundation to continue addressing our nation\u2019s challenges fairly and responsibly. \r\n\u201cIt won\u2019t be easy\u2014but the American people are expecting nothing less. \r\n\u201cThank you, Mr. President\u2014I yield the floor.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=c70700c4-e9fb-43aa-a0cd-c63eba9a9dfd", "JBLM: DOL Awards $5.5 Million for Transitioning Servicemembers at JBLM", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) applauded the announcement by the U.S. Department of Labor of a $5,586,385 National Emergency Grant (NEG) to assist approximately 900 transitioning military personnel at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM). The grant, awarded under Senator Murray\u2019s \u201cVOW to Hire Heroes Act\u201d (VOW), will be awarded to the Pacific Mountain Workforce Consortium and operated by the Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council. Of the total award, $2,888,266 will initially be released with further funding up to the approved amount being made available as Washington state demonstrates a need for ongoing assistance.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cToday\u2019s news serves as a shining example of what happens when we establish strong partnerships between the public and private sector in order to support our nation\u2019s heroes,\u201d said Senator Murray. \u00a0\u201cFor too long we\u2019ve been patting our veterans on the back to thank them for their service and sending them out into the job market alone without the basic help they need. I\u2019m grateful for the work being done by JBLM and the Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council to implement the VOW to Hire Heroes Act and provide our men and women in uniform with the tools and resources necessary to not only make it in the workforce, but to succeed.\u201d \r\nThe grant will support separating servicemembers from one year before and up to six months after transitioning from service.\u00a0With the four current tracks available at JBLM for transitioning servicemembers, the grant will primarily serve those who want to transition directly to employment.\r\nApproximately 300,000 active duty servicemembers and more than 100,000 National Guardsmen and reservists transition back into to civilian life each year. About 13,000 of those men and women plan to re-enter civilian life in Washington state and over 50% of those 13,000 transition through JBLM. \r\nThe \u201cVOW to Hire Heroes Act\u201d was signed into law by President Obama in 2011. Double-digit unemployment rates for veterans used to be the norm \u2013 but since VOW became law, the unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans is on par with non-veterans. And while recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics prove that these programs work, VOW aims to continue lowering the rate of unemployment among our nation\u2019s heroes by:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \r\n \r\nImproving the Transition Assistance Program (TAP): The VOW to Hire Heroes Act makes TAP mandatory for most separating servicemembers, upgrades the program\u2019s career and employment counseling services, and tailors TAP for the 21st Century job market.\r\nFacilitating Seamless Transition: \u00a0This law allows servicemembers to begin the federal employment process prior to separation in order to facilitate a truly seamless transition from the military to jobs at VA, Homeland Security, and many other federal agencies in need of our veterans.\r\nExpanding Education & Training: VOW provides nearly 100,000 unemployed veterans of earlier eras with up to 1-year of additional Montgomery GI Bill benefits to qualify for jobs in high-demand sectors ranging from trucking to technology.\u00a0 VOW also provides disabled veterans up to 1-year of additional Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Benefits.\r\nTranslating Military Skills and Training:\u00a0 This law also requires the Department of Labor to take a hard look at how the skills and experiences veterans gain through service can be better translated into a civilian context and to make it easier for qualified veterans to obtain the licenses and certifications they need to launch a range of well-paying, productive civilian careers. \u00a0\r\nVeterans Tax Credits: \u00a0The VOW to Hire Heroes Act provides tax incentives of up to $5,600 for hiring veterans, and up to $9,600 for hiring disabled veterans, if the veteran has been looking for work for six months or longer.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/larsen-machinists-should-be-allowed-vote-latest-offer-boeing", "Larsen: Machinists Should Be Allowed to Vote on Latest Offer from Boeing", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, issued the following statement following the breakdown in negotiations between Boeing and IAM 751.\n\u201cI was highly encouraged when Boeing and the Machinists restarted talks this week, and I am deeply disappointed that they appear to have fallen apart.\n\u201cI have spent a lot of time speaking with, and listening to Boeing and Machinists leaders and members. I know that members want Boeing to stay in the Puget Sound and I know they want to protect their hard-fought benefits and wages. As someone who grew up in a labor household in Snohomish County, I understand and respect the difficult choice the Machinists must make.\n\u201cIt is my assessment that Boeing needs to control its costs so it can continue to lead in an increasingly competitive environment. I think that future production at the Everett factory is imperiled without a labor agreement. If Boeing moves production of the 777X away from Everett, the future of all large-scale aerospace manufacturing in Washington state would be in doubt.\n\u201cTo date, I have avoided telling Machinists how and when they should vote, so I hope I have the credibility to make this statement: the time to vote is now.\n\u201cI urge IAM 751 leaders to let their members vote on the contract offer from Boeing.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221155008/http://kilmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kilmer-statement-on-budget-vote", "Kilmer Statement on Budget Vote", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Derek Kilmer", "K000381", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Representative Derek Kilmer released the following statement after voting for the bipartisan budget. This budget agreement, drafted in the House by Representative Paul Ryan and in the Senate by Senator Patty Murray would help avert a government shutdown and provide relief from the across-the-board cuts over two years for defense and non-defense programs.\nWhile this bill lacks an extension of unemployment insurance, Representative Kilmer is pressing for an extension to happen in a separate measure.\n\u201cWhile there are parts of this budget I don\u2019t like, I have spent the last year calling on my colleagues to set aside their partisan differences and pass a budget.  I\u2019m encouraged that Democrats and Republicans have found a way to work together, help avert a government shutdown, and halt most of the damaging across-the-board cuts that have hurt our region. Congress must now continue to work together on a plan that deals with our long-term fiscal health and grows our economy so we can get folks back to work.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=a5060ed0-d0ad-4b60-bcfb-a094838d897f", "Senator Murray\u2019s Statement on the Columbia River Treaty Recommendations", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) \u2013\u00a0Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Entity Regional Recommendation for the Future of the Columbia River Treaty after 2024, which was delivered to the U.S. Department of State and the Administration, today, December 13, 2013. \r\n\u201cI am encouraged that regional stakeholders have reached a consensus on recommendations to modernize the Columbia River Treaty.\u00a0 After a multi-year process, it is clear the Treaty in its current form needs to be updated to meet the modern-day issues facing the Columbia River Basin, the greater Northwest region, and the nation. \r\n\u201cAs this process shifts to the Administration, I will work closely with the State Department to ensure all regional stakeholders can offer their expertise and input.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://dennyheck.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/statement-on-house-passage-of-murray-ryan-budget-deal", "Statement on House Passage of Murray-Ryan Budget Deal", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Denny Heck", "H001064", "dennyheck.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Denny Heck (D-WA) has released the following statement on House passage of the Murray-Ryan budget deal:\n\u201cThe bipartisan budget deal passed by the U.S. House today is not perfect. However, it will provide needed stability for the U.S. economy and the federal government for at least the next two years. It will finally take us off the hamster wheel of economic crisis after economic crisis. That\u2019s something that must happen if we want to boost job growth and get our economy growing again.\nI like that the Murray-Ryan deal includes significant relief from sequestration. That\u2019s important for Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the thousands of civilian workers who were furloughed earlier this year due to sequestration cuts. It\u2019s also important for vulnerable people and families who utilize services like Meals on Wheels and Head Start, both of which were scaled back due to sequestration. I also like that the deal reformed the cap on the salaries that can be paid by federal contractors to employees working on government contracts. That\u2019s a commonsense provision that will save taxpayers money.\nI don\u2019t like the modifications that were made to federal civilian and military retirement benefits. Our service members, military families and civilian workers serve our country admirably and deserve to have financial security when they end their public service.\nI want to commend our state\u2019s senior U.S. Senator, Patty Murray, for her hard work putting this bipartisan compromise together. Our state has relied on her steady, solid leadership for more than twenty years. Her willingness to negotiate and compromise in good faith should serve as a model for all Members of Congress next year and into the future.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://dennyheck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-on-house-passage-of-murray-ryan-budget-deal", "Statement on House Passage of Murray-Ryan Budget Deal", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Denny Heck", "H001064", "dennyheck.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Denny Heck (D-WA) has released the following statement on House passage of the Murray-Ryan budget deal:\n\u201cThe bipartisan budget deal passed by the U.S. House today is not perfect. However, it will provide needed stability for the U.S. economy and the federal government for at least the next two years. It will finally take us off the hamster wheel of economic crisis after economic crisis. That\u2019s something that must happen if we want to boost job growth and get our economy growing again.\nI like that the Murray-Ryan deal includes significant relief from sequestration. That\u2019s important for Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the thousands of civilian workers who were furloughed earlier this year due to sequestration cuts. It\u2019s also important for vulnerable people and families who utilize services like Meals on Wheels and Head Start, both of which were scaled back due to sequestration. I also like that the deal reformed the cap on the salaries that can be paid by federal contractors to employees working on government contracts. That\u2019s a commonsense provision that will save taxpayers money.\nI don\u2019t like the modifications that were made to federal civilian and military retirement benefits. Our service members, military families and civilian workers serve our country admirably and deserve to have financial security when they end their public service.\nI want to commend our state\u2019s senior U.S. Senator, Patty Murray, for her hard work putting this bipartisan compromise together. Our state has relied on her steady, solid leadership for more than twenty years. Her willingness to negotiate and compromise in good faith should serve as a model for all Members of Congress next year and into the future.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/larsen-budget-agreement-sets-path-congress-move-past-brinkmanship-get-work-immigration", "Larsen: Budget Agreement Sets Path for Congress to Move Past Brinkmanship, Get to Work on Immigration Reform and Job Creation", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, issued the following statement regarding the compromise budget deal.\n\u201cPeople in Northwest Washington have been asking for Democrats and Republicans to work together. This budget is a product of that collaboration. After too many years of brinkmanship and political games, this budget sets a path forward to get Congress back to work on real issues we need to address. The deal is not perfect, but compromises rarely are.\n\u201cI am pleased the budget undoes a large part of the automatic across-the-board spending cuts, known as sequestration. These indiscriminate cuts were always a bad idea, kicking kids out of Head Start in Everett and Skagit County, sending hundreds of thousands of military civilian personnel on unpaid furloughs, and halting life-saving research at hospitals in the Puget Sound.\n\u201cThe budget takes a balanced approach, cutting spending and increasing revenue to cut the deficit. I have long pursued such an approach because it is the only reasonable and fair way to set a budget and tackle our deficit.\n\u201cIf Congress passes this budget and then follows through with spending bills by the middle of January, we will avoid the threat of more government shutdowns and fiscal cliffs. Breaking this cycle of shutdown politics will give Congress time to debate other issues that have been put on the backburner. At the top of that list is reforming our broken immigration system in a way that treats people fairly and helps grow our economy. And Congress needs to get serious about investing in our roads, bridges and highways and creating jobs by seeking new markets for American-made products.\n\u201cI am disappointed that this budget does not extend unemployment insurance that is due to expire for 25,000 people in Washington state at the end of the month. These benefits are a lifeline that keep people in their homes as they look for jobs. Congress should work on coming to an agreement to extend these benefits early next year.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/larsen-opening-statement-%E2%80%9Cstate-american-aviation%E2%80%9D", "Larsen Opening Statement: \u201cState of American Aviation\u201d", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, the ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee, delivered the following statement at the subcommittee\u2019s hearing on the \u201cState of American Aviation.\u201d The remarks are as prepared for delivery.\nThank you, Chairman LoBiondo, for calling today\u2019s hearing on the State of American Aviation.\nMr. Chairman, this hearing provides us with an excellent opportunity to look back on 2013, and the challenges and successes we have had in our first year as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee.\nWithout a doubt, 2013 has been a tough year for aviation here in Washington, DC. We started the year at odds over sequestration, with our aviation system caught in the middle. In April, air traffic controller furloughs caused by sequestration led to a rash of flight delays, and Congress raided the airport capital improvement grant program to put controllers back to work. Then again in October, the FAA was partially shut down for sixteen days, and 12,000 FAA employees were furloughed. FAA employees wasted countless hours planning the 2013 furloughs, the sequester budget and the shutdown.\nMr. Chairman, we called this hearing to explore the state of American aviation. Simply put, American aviation cannot afford the American government to keep doing business the way it did in 2013. We need balanced and responsible solutions for our fiscal and budgetary issues.\nYet, Mr. Chairman, while we started this year under difficult circumstances, you and I have continued to work in the bipartisan way we have always worked. And we are ending this year with bipartisan accomplishments that we should be proud of, and that bode well for the work we will be doing together during the next FAA reauthorization.\nLooking forward, the force of globalization and the growth of emerging international markets present both opportunities and challenges for American aviation. We simply can\u2019t write a reauthorization bill for 2015 without taking a look at what\u2019s happening elsewhere in the world.\nAccording to the International Monetary Fund, GDP in emerging economies is growing at approximately 6 percent per year, while in advanced economies, such as the United States, GDP is only growing at approximately 2 percent.\nEarlier this year, Governor Inslee asked me to attend the Paris Air Show in his stead. That event made it crystal clear: the aviation industry is global, it is competitive, and there are new entrants in the market every day. What happens in Shanghai, Dubai, New Delhi, Moscow, and Bueno Aires matters here in the United States.\nThe Chinese national aviation authority indicated that traffic to, from, and within China increased 10.6 percent in 2012 alone. Over the next twenty years, Boeing predicts China will need nearly 6,000 new airplanes.\nThe emergence of new international markets is already having an impact on U.S. aviation. U.S. manufacturers are adjusting their strategies to target new customers in emerging international markets.\nIn my home state of Washington, the aerospace industry is the largest exporting sector by dollar value, accounting for $27 billion of the state\u2019s total $64.6 billion in exports in 2011.\nSimilarly, U.S. airlines are drawing an increasing amount of their revenue from international flights. In the year 2000, U.S. legacy airlines earned an average of 25 percent of their system-wide revenue from international services. Today, international services constitute almost 40 percent of their system-wide revenue.\nCongress and the administration must ensure that American aviation can compete effectively in a global marketplace, while protecting and preserving a strong middle class aviation workforce here at home.\nAnd, Mr. Chairman, together we took important steps this year to enhance the American aviation industry\u2019s global competitiveness.\nFor example, the Aviation Subcommittee led the effort this year to enact H.R. 1848, the bipartisan \u201cSmall Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013\u201d. This new law requires the FAA to update its small airplane certification regulations, enabling U.S. manufacturers to more quickly bring new technologies to market both in the U.S. and internationally.\nLikewise, Mr. Chairman, the Aviation Subcommittee conducted important oversight hearings this year examining the FAA\u2019s certification process. Based on issues raised at these hearings, yesterday you and I requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) undertake a comparative study of U.S. certification processes relative to our international trading partners.\nIf we can glean lessons from international regulatory agencies which lead to a more efficient U.S. certification process, then we should apply those lessons. But always, we must maintain the highest level of safety in our process.\nMr. Chairman, you and I also asked the GAO to examine challenges faced by U.S. aircraft manufacturers when navigating foreign certification processes.\nFAA certification is the gold standard for safety. Therefore, the U.S. government must \u201cstand behind its brand\u201d when U.S. manufactures receive FAA certifications, but encounter red tape doing business in foreign markets.\nI appreciate the Chairman\u2019s focus on safety. Safety is the FAA\u2019s top priority and it is mine as well. The need to maintain our focus on aviation safety was made clear with the crash of Asiana Flight 214 in July. We must learn from this tragedy and do everything we can to prevent it in the future.\nOne way that we moved forward on safety was with the finalization of rules for pilot training and experience. These represent significant safety improvements from lessons we learned from the fatal Colgan Air crash. I am proud that we worked together with the families from that tragedy to put stronger safety rules in place.\nBut as always, there will continue to be work to be done to make sure the skies are safe.\nWhere the aviation industry faces global challenges, like climate change, these challenges should be addressed through international cooperation. That is why, last month, the bipartisan leadership of this Committee sent a letter urging Secretary Foxx to hold U.S. carriers harmless from a proposed unilateral European Union Emissions Trading Scheme.\nThe United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization has set forth a multilateral process for developing a global approach to aviation emissions. The international community has spoken on this issue through the United Nations, and the European Union should be discouraged from \u201cgoing it alone.\u201d\nAdditionally, while the American aviation industry must benefit from the growth of global markets, we must also ensure that globalization does not harm the American aviation workforce.\nEarlier this year, the administration announced that the United States Trade Representative (USTR) will attempt to negotiate a comprehensive Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union. Historically, international air transport services agreements have been negotiated bilaterally by the Department of State and the Department of Transportation, under the oversight of this Subcommittee.\nIssues such as foreign ownership and control of U.S. airlines have serious implications for American workers and U.S. national security. The Departments of State and Transportation possess the necessary expertise to negotiate on behalf of the U.S. aviation industry and its employees on a bilateral basis. Therefore, I do not believe that air transport service agreements should be considered in the context a comprehensive trade agreement negotiated by the USTR.\nThank you, and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about these issues and others that are important to address during the upcoming FAA reauthorization.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/larsen-secures-job-creating-and-security-enhancing-measures-defense-bill", "Larsen Secures Job-Creating and Security-Enhancing Measures in Defense Bill", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, successfully included several provisions in a bill passed today setting policy for the Department of Defense. Larsen, a member of the House Armed Services Committee which wrote the bill, included measures that support the Northwest economy and improve the national defense.\n\u201cThis defense bill meets the needs of our sailors and aviators in Northwest Washington and our troops around the world,\u201d Larsen said. \u201cThe provisions I included in this bill will strengthen the economy in Northwest Washington and make our nation stronger.\u201d\nThe bill includes language that Larsen introduced to help small- and medium-sized businesses secure government contracts. The language will lower costs and increase funding for Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) which help businesses meet requirements for government contracts. The PTAC in Washington state has helped more than 2,200 businesses secure $222 million in government contracts and subcontracts since 2011, creating or retaining thousands of jobs.\n\u201cSmall- and medium-sized businesses often provide the best products at the lowest costs,\u201d Larsen said. \u201cBecause of complex contracting requirements, these businesses often need assistance to compete for government projects. My language in this bill will help more businesses compete for government contracts. It will help companies grow and create jobs, and it will get the best products at the lowest costs to federal, state and local agencies.\u201d\nThe defense bill also includes funding for several defense programs in Northwest Washington, including:\n full funding ($3.2 billion) for the P-8A Poseidon program (all seven Pacific squadrons of the Boeing-built Poseidons are slated to be based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island);\n\tfull funding ($1.6 billion) for the KC-46 refueling tanker which is being constructed at Boeing\u2019s Everett Factory; and\n\tfull funding for three construction projects at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, including $32.482 million for EA-18G facility improvements, $85.176 million for P-8A facilities and $10 million to replace the fuel pier breakwater.\n The bill also includes two amendments that Larsen authored which will:\n designate a senior official within the Department of Defense to facilitate the transfer of prisoners detained at Guantanamo Bay; and\n\trestore funding to research and development in the nuclear nonproliferation budgets at the Department of Energy and Department of Defense.\n The defense bill includes 30 provisions to reduce sexual assaults in the military which will strip commanders of their ability to dismiss findings of court martials, prohibit commanders from reducing sentences, allow victims to apply for permanent changes of station and provide victims access to special counsels.\n\u201cSexual assault is not acceptable in any circumstances,\u201d Larsen said. \u201cI am pleased Congress is taking some important steps to counter the scourge of sexual violence in our military, but we have much more to do. The armed services need to aggressively combat sexual assault at all levels. From the lowest enlistee to the top brass, every member of the military must embrace a zero-tolerance policy for any form of sexual assault. Congress must take greater action if the Pentagon\u2019s efforts fall short.\u201d\nThe defense bill, which the House passed today, must be approved by the Senate before being signed into law by the President.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://reichert.house.gov/press-release/reichert-statement-budget-passage", "Reichert Statement on Budget Passage", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Dave Reichert", "R000578", "reichert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, the House passed H.J. Res. 59 \u2013 the bipartisan budget deal announced Tuesday evening.\u00a0 After its passage, U.S. Congressman Dave Reichert (WA-8) issued the following statement:\n\u201cI am proud to join my colleagues today in passing legislation that will give Americans the first government budget passed by both houses of Congress since 2009.\u00a0 While there is still much work to be done to truly get our financial situation in order, the bill is a positive step in the right direction.\u00a0\n\u201cThe agreement takes decisive action to reduce the deficit, eases the impact of the sequester, and places no new tax burdens on the American people.\u00a0 Instead of the indiscriminate, across-the-board cuts of the sequester, the bill eliminates waste, fraud, and abuse in current government programs.\u00a0 For example, the bill includes provisions from the Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee, which I chair, that would improve the collection of unemployment insurance overpayments and take steps to make sure that inmates aren\u2019t receiving government benefits while in jail.\u00a0\n\u201cAdditionally, it gives stability to the budget and appropriations process by removing the threat of a government shutdown on the horizon.\u00a0 This will allow us to move forward and address other critical issues such as the need for comprehensive tax reform and immigration reform, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on those issues.\u201d\nThe budget passed the House by a vote of 332 to 94 and will reduce the national deficit by $23 billion and provide $63 billion in sequester relief.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://reichert.house.gov/press-release/reichert-statement-sgr-provision-budget", "Reichert Statement on SGR Provision in Budget", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Dave Reichert", "R000578", "reichert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Included in today\u2019s vote on the bipartisan budget deal was legislation to temporarily prevent Medicare physician payment cuts and extend important Medicare provisions that are set to expire.\u00a0\n\u201cToday, my colleagues and I voted to protect seniors\u2019 access to their doctors by preventing a nearly 24% cut to physician payments scheduled for January 1st,\u201d said U.S. Congressman Dave Reichert.\u00a0 \u201cI have heard repeatedly from my constituents that the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula used to update Medicare physician payments each year is flawed and must be repealed.\u00a0 Today\u2019s vote averts the SGR pay cut for three months, allowing time for bipartisan work on a permanent solution that began in the Ways and Means Committee this morning to continue.\u00a0 I look forward to working with my colleagues on providing necessary stability to doctors and patients and also ensuring that the system\u2019s primary focus is on the quality of care those patients receive.\u201d\nBackground\nThe Sustainable Growth Rate formula (SGR), was established in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and determines the amount by which Medicare payments to physicians are updated each year.\u00a0 SGR limits growth in spending on physician services to the rate of growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).\u00a0 As the rate of growth in physician spending has consistently exceeded GDP in recent years, the SGR formula has called for a cut in physician payments in each of the last 10 years.\u00a0 Congress has been forced to intervene to avert these cuts each year. \u00a0For 2014, the SGR formula calls for a 23.7% cut to take effect on January 1st.\u00a0\nIn addition to passing today\u2019s temporary measure to avert the Medicare physician pay cut, the Ways and Means Committee held a full committee mark-up on legislation (H.R. 2810) to permanently repeal and replace the SGR.\u00a0 The bill will move away from the current fee for service model that pays based on the volume of services, to a system focused on improving the quality of care and outcomes for patients.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://herrerabeutler.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364360", "Jaime Herrera Beutler Statement on Budget Vote", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Jaime Herrera Beutler", "H001056", "herrerabeutler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Jaime Herrera Beutler released the following statement following her vote in support of the bipartisan, bicameral budget proposal: \"During the shutdown in October I said we needed to stop governing from crisis to crisis in Congress. The first step to moving beyond this destructive pattern is to pass a budget, and so today I supported this budget proposal that maintains cost savings and cuts the federal deficit without new taxes. \u201cBy passing this legislation, we also will return to a more normal form of budgeting.\u00a0 Instead of jumping to each crisis with short term budgets which hand too much control over to the executive branch, Congress now will be able to work together on rational long-term decisions about where and how American\u2019s tax dollars are best saved and spent. \u201cWhile this deal does not include everything I would have liked, in a divided government, working together to solve our country\u2019s problems is a necessity.\u00a0 Congressman Ryan and Senator Murray were able to find common ground without sacrificing core principles.\u00a0 In fact, this deal is the first bipartisan budget reached in a divided Congress since 1986.\u00a0 I am hopeful that this deal will provide momentum to take on bigger issues going forward.\u201d The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 332-94 and will now move to the Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221214043/http://adamsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364356", "Ranking Member Smith\u2019s Statement on NDAA Passage", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Adam Smith", "S000510", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, made the following statement after the House passed the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act: \u201cI want to thank Chairman McKeon, all members of the House of Representatives and staff for their hard work on this important piece of legislation.  \u201cWhile this bill is not perfect, it makes progress in several key areas and it prioritizes our troops deployed in Afghanistan, and around the world, by ensuring that they have the tools and resources they need to do their job and ensure national security.  \u201cNow that the House has acted, I urge my Senate colleagues to follow suit. This is a must-pass piece of legislation.\u00a0 Currently, sequestration is wreaking havoc on our military. Employees have been furloughed. The department continues to be forced to function under a continuing resolution, which severely hinders its ability to plan and budget. If we don\u2019t pass an authorization bill, the strain on our military will be taken to a new and unnecessary level. \u201cWithout this bill, our troops will lose the incentive pay we provide them for developing the specialized skills that make our men and women in uniform the most effective military the world has ever known.\u00a0 Without this bill, our efforts in Afghanistan will be harmed, making it difficult to draw down our presence and hand responsibility for security to the Afghan government. Not passing the bill would disrupt acquisition and shipbuilding programs, wasting vital taxpayer dollars. At a crucial time, not passing the bill would also restrict our ability to destroy Syria\u2019s chemical weapons, and prevent changes in law that would help combat sexual assault in the military.\u00a0 These are just some of the negative effects of not passing the National Defense Authorization Act this year. \u201cThe bill took a difficult course this year, and we must get back to a normal process, but I believe that all members have had the opportunity to shape the outcome. Given the firm dedication of all parties involved, I believe that we have found a way to get this bill to the President\u2019s desk and I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to move quickly on this important piece of legislation.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221222856/http://adamsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364355", "Congressman Smith Statement on Bipartisan Budget Deal", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Adam Smith", "S000510", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adam Smith, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following the budget agreement passed the House of Representatives:\u201cThis budget deal, while not perfect, is a small step forward. It provides two years of relief from sequestration for the Department of Defense as well as other vitally important portions of the discretionary budget, such as education, technology, housing, transportation and Head Start.\u00a0 Sequestration has been wreaking havoc on these critical programs, and this deal provides some relief.  \u201cThe deal also provides some space for Congress to begin to function normally again.\u00a0 It will help to avert political standoffs that threaten to shut the government down and it will offer some much-needed support for our government and economy.\u00a0 I am hopeful that greater certainty will allow us to focus on what is important for the American people, such as policies that support the middle class and grow our economy.  \u201cToday\u2019s budget deal marks a beginning, not an end.\u00a0 There is much more work to be done. Our debt and deficit are still unsustainable in the long-term, and we desperately need forward thinking policies that continue to address our budget issues in a comprehensive way that raises revenue and reduces spending.\u00a0 I thank Senator Patty Murray and Representative Paul Ryan for working in a bipartisan way, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to find long-term solutions that reflect our priorities of making a stronger middle class and expanding economic opportunity.\u201d ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140223215347/http://delbene.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delbene-statement-on-bipartisan-budget-vote", "DelBene Statement on Bipartisan Budget Vote", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan DelBene", "D000617", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass a bipartisan two-year budget agreement that helps avoid another unnecessary government shutdown in January, provides sequester relief to domestic and defense spending and reduces the deficit. Rep. DelBene has long called for Congress to enact a common-sense, long-term budget that provides families and businesses certainty, and following her vote in support of this budget agreement, DelBene issued the following statement:\n\u201cI came to Congress to get results and work towards compromises that will allow us to make progress on the biggest challenges facing our nation.\u00a0 The bipartisan two-year budget agreement approved by the House today, while not perfect, is a positive first step in that direction. It lifts the damaging spending caps caused by sequestration, allowing us to make investments in projects like basic research and education that will help us create jobs and grow our economy. Senator Patty Murray deserves an immense amount of credit for her successful efforts to broker this agreement. I hope it will serve as the foundation for future and continued bipartisan work.\n\u201cAt the same time, I\u2019m also deeply disappointed that we have not been allowed to vote on a measure to extend unemployment benefits that are set to expire on December 28th. House Leadership\u2019s unwillingness to take up this issue will hurt millions of unemployed jobseekers and their families \u2013 25,000 of which are from Washington state.\n\u00a0\u201cAs the budget agreement is now considered by the Senate, it\u2019s important to note that Congress\u2019 work is by no means done, and I\u2019m disappointed that we are being sent home with so much unfinished business. We still must pass a Farm Bill that many of Washington state\u2019s farmers and families are counting on. When Congress returns next year, I will work to urge my colleagues on the Farm Bill Conference Committee to act as quickly as possible to approve a Farm Bill.\u00a0\n\u201cI am committed to continue working to make sure that this budget agreement is the first, not the last, of more bipartisan efforts to deliver results for Washington\u2019s working families and grow our economy.\u201d\n\u00a0\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140912195717/http://delbene.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswomen-delbene-and-matsui-lead-letter-to-fcc-chairman-wheeler", "Congresswomen DelBene and Matsui Lead Letter to FCC Chairman Wheeler Expressing Support For Rule Update Allowing Data Use on Airplanes, Opposition to In-Flight Voice Calls", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan DelBene", "D000617", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congresswomen Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) led a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler expressing support for the FCC process to modernize the outdated rule and give consumers access to text, email and data applications in-flight, but opposing the use of voice services.\nIn addition to Congresswomen DelBene and Matsui, signatories include Representatives: Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Mike Doyle (D-PA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Peter Welch (D-VT), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), and Mike Honda (D-CA).\nA PDF copy of the signed letter is available HERE. The full text of the letter is below:\nDecember 12, 2013\nThe Honorable Tom Wheeler\n\tFederal Communications Commission\n\t445 12th Street, S.W.\n\tWashington, D.C. 20554\n\t\u00a0\n\tDear Chairman Wheeler,\nWe understand that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is set to consider updates to its rules in order to allow passengers to use their cell phones onboard aircraft.\u00a0 Like many Americans, we have significant concerns about whether the use of cellular voice services during flights is a good idea.\u00a0 In fact, we oppose the use of voice services during flights. However, as Members of Congress who are concerned about making sure that our laws and regulations keep up with the pace of modern technologies, we support this process, and believe that appropriate actions can be taken to modernize an outdated technological rule and enhance passenger connectivity while in flight.\u00a0 \nIn-flight technology has been transformed over the past several years as U.S. airline passengers have been able to use their laptops and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices to remain connected onboard aircraft, as a result of the FCC\u2019s efforts to facilitate in-flight connectivity technologies.\u00a0 According to a study by IHS, the percentage of global air carriers offering this technology (in-flight Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity) has risen to 21 % of the global fleet, up from 15 percent in 2012 and 12 percent in 2011, and is projected to reach 50% by 2022.\nWe understand that passenger use of mobile devices will allow access to a wide range of in-flight communications applications, including text, e-mail, and data applications.\u00a0 We also understand that the FCC appropriately seeks to provide airlines with a choice as to what applications their passengers will be able to access, rather than mandate specific requirements for U.S. airlines.\u00a0 Of course, the FCC should remain sensitive to the valid concerns raised by interested parties, including those related to possible in-flight use of voice applications.\nUltimately, however, it will be up to each individual airline to decide the best course of action for their customers.\u00a0 It is our understanding that the technology itself offers the airlines the flexibility to deploy a system that can allow data only. We would support that goal and encourage the FCC to explore fully this capability in its proceeding.\nWe look forward to the FCC developing a record that will enable in-flight connectivity options that are available elsewhere in the world to be available in the United States.\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141005012553/http://mcmorris.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=96&itemid=2247", "McMorris Rodgers Promotes Economic Security for Eastern Washington", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Cathy McMorris Rodgers", "M001159", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u00a0Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Chair of the House Republican Conference, released the following statement today after the House passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2014 (NDAA), and a one-month extension of the farm bill.\n\n\t\u201cToday we acted to put our country on a path toward economic security. While the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 isn\u2019t perfect, it reflects the ability of a divided government to reduce the deficit without raising taxes.\u00a0 \n\n\t\u201cApproving the NDAA\u00a0is vital to our Department of Defense operations to keep us safe at home and abroad. This bill allows us to enhance our national security and modernize our armed forces, including making critical investments in key programs like the Air Force\u2019s KC-46A refueling tanker. It will promote readiness at Fairchild Air Force Base and at all bases across the globe.\n\n\t\u201cThe House also passed a one-month extension of the farm bill. This will give Congress additional time to tailor the bill \u2013 ensuring that our farmers get the certainty they need. I remain committed to passing a five-year farm bill for the protection and security of Eastern Washington\u2019s farmers and growers. \n\n\t\u201cIn the year ahead, I will continue to pursue policies that will bring greater financial and economic certainty to moms, dads, young people and seniors in Eastern Washington.\u00a0 We will do everything we can to get people back to work and make life easier for Americans in every corner of this country.\u201d\u00a0\n\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://reichert.house.gov/press-release/tpp-caucus-chairmen-joint-statement-latest-round-negotiations-singapore", "TPP Caucus Chairmen Joint Statement on Latest Round of Negotiations in Singapore", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Dave Reichert", "R000578", "reichert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Congressman Dave Reichert (R-WA) and colleagues, Congressmen Ron Kind (D-WI), Congressman Charles Boustany, M.D. (R-LA), and Gregory Meeks (D-NY), of the newly formed Friends of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Caucus, issued the following statement after the latest round of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) concluded in Singapore earlier this week:\u00a0\nCongressman Dave Reichert said, \u201cI welcome the news out of Singapore of the advancement of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. This critical agreement encompasses almost 40% of world GDP and current TPP countries comprise a large and increasing percentage of our goods and services exports.\u00a0We must make sure that the final outcome of the negotiations is high-standard as well as comprehensive, because that is what is necessary to truly benefit Washington farmers, workers and businesses and our trading partners. This is not an easy task, but in order to grow the over 326,000 jobs in Washington currently supported by trade with TPP countries, we need an ambitious outcome. I look forward to continued engagement with the Administration as we press ahead to meet these goals.\u201d \u201cI am pleased to see that progress is being made with our partner countries as we move closer to finalizing this groundbreaking, market-opening trade agreement,\u201d said Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI). \u201cA comprehensive agreement will allow our farmers, workers and businesses to maximize economic opportunities in these key markets while elevating standards for workers and strengthening our economy in Wisconsin.\u201d\nCongressman Boustany (R-LA) stated, \u201cWith the conclusion of the latest rounds of TPP negotiations in Singapore, I remain optimistic in reaching a comprehensive, 21st century trade agreement. The TPP will expand existing trade ties between the United States and six current free trade agreement (FTA) partners supporting economic growth and jobs in America.\u00a0 In addition, the TPP will also open new markets for U.S. producers in five non-FTA partner countries in the Asia-Pacific region. As a co-chair of the Friends of TPP Caucus, I recognize there is still much work to complete. I look forward to continue to work with our Congressional colleagues and the Administration to further discussions on promoting the single largest engine of economic growth for America: trade.\u201d\u00a0\nCongressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY) added, \u201cAs the latest round of TPP Ministerial talks in Singapore conclude, there is substantial progress towards a final negotiation. Important work still needs to be done, and I am encouraged by the dedication and commitment of all 12 TPP nations to reach a comprehensive, high-standard agreement.\u00a0 I look forward to meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Froman to discuss next steps, and how Congress can work in partnership with the Administration to build a deal that increases U.S. exports and supports American jobs.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=594f77a4-67db-466a-bfc2-3a0270beba5f", "Senator Murray Presses VA Officials on Claims Backlog", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WATCH hearing. \r\n(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 Today, during a hearing examining the Department of Veterans Affairs claims processing system, senior Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee member Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) expressed her frustration with the progress in reducing the claims backlog and stressed the importance of passing her budget agreement with Chairman Paul Ryan. \r\n\u201cEnding the claims backlog and building a timely, accurate claims processing system is one of the absolute top priorities for our veterans,\u201d said Senator Murray during the hearing. \u201cSo as VA continues to work to bring down the backlog, we can\u2019t prevent them from doing their jobs.\u00a0 That means keeping the government open.\u00a0 As you know, Chairman Ryan and I announced our budget agreement last night. I cannot stress enough how important it is for everyone to support this agreement so that we can get away from governing by crisis, prevent another government shutdown in January, and protect our veterans from the serious harm that we saw in October.\u201d \r\nAccording to VA testimony, the government shutdown in October forced VA to furlough 7,800 VBA employees, ended mandatory overtime for claims processors, and decreased claims production by an average of 1,400 claims per day. \r\nSen. Murray has been a vocal critic of the claims backlog issues facing Seattle Regional Office over the years and continues to hear from veterans frustrated with the timeliness and accuracy problems with their claims. While the latest information seems to be improving, Sen. Murray will continue to push VA to address the underlying issues with staffing and processing at the regional office so Washington state veterans can count on long-term improvement. \r\nSenator Murray\u2019s full remarks: \r\n\u201cThank you very much, Mr. Chairman, I appreciate you holding this hearing.\u00a0 Ending the claims backlog and building a timely, accurate claims processing system is one of the absolute top priorities for our veterans.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cAnd I continue to hear frequently from veterans in my home state of Washington that they are still waiting far too long for their claims to be completed. \r\n\u201cI know getting this right is a top priority for the Department.\u00a0 And I understand this is a complex problem that has no single easy solution.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cSo I am encouraged by the steps VA has taken so far, but we still have a long way to go. \r\n\u201cFor example, VA\u2019s initiative to expedite the oldest claims was a good step.\u00a0 However, I have heard repeatedly from veterans that they were confused and frustrated with the provisional rating process.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cSome believed their claims had been flat-out rejected and others did understand they have a year to submit additional evidence.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cSecretary Hickey, we need to hear more from you today about how VA will improve outreach and communication with veterans so that future initiatives do not cause more confusion. \r\n\u201cAnd while the numbers are moving in the right direction, we need to know the necessary structural changes are being made as well.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cThis is especially important in handling the more complex claims.\u00a0 The recent testimony by the Office of Inspector General shows some examples of these problems.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cThough it is not surprising these claims take longer to rate, these are also claims for veterans who need their benefits the most.\u00a0 \r\n\u00a0\u201cSo as VA continues to work to bring down the backlog, we can\u2019t prevent them from doing their jobs.\u00a0 That means keeping the government open.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cThe entirely unnecessary shutdown a handful of Republican Members forced us into earlier this year: forced VA to furlough 7,800 V.B.A. employees, ended mandatory overtime for claims processors, and as Secretary Shinseki testified, it decreased claims production by an average of 1,400 claims per day. \r\n\u201cAs you know, Chairman Ryan and I announced our budget agreement last night. I cannot stress enough how important it is for everyone to support this agreement so that we can get away from governing by crisis, prevent another government shutdown in January, and protect our veterans from the serious harm that we saw in October. \r\n\u201cSo I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and with you, Secretary Hickey, towards meeting these challenges and seeing that each and every veteran receives the benefits that they have earned.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pattyinnews?ContentRecord_id=9f61314e-c078-4fd0-9fac-9b880866c2f2", "Sen. Murray On Budget Deal: A 'Compromise' With 'Smarter Cuts'", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:\r\nAnd let's talk next with Senator Patty Murray of Washington, who led the Democrats in this bipartisan budget deal. She's on the line. Senator, welcome to the program.\r\nSENATOR PATTY MURRAY: Well, good morning, nice to talk to you this morning.\r\nINSKEEP: So are you comfortable with everything that you did not get into this deal, that you did not take a big swing at, like the deficit, entitlements, tax rates?\r\nMURRAY: Well, look. We, Chairman Paul Ryan and I, agreed from the start that it was important for us to put together certainty for this country. We worked hard to get a two year deal, which I think is a great step forward. But neither one of us got everything we wanted and we were able to keep the other person from getting some of the big things they wanted. And that's called compromise. It's called working within a divided government in the best way you can to make sure that our country is managed in a responsible way.\r\nINSKEEP: Okay, so it calms the waters for a little while. What does that mean that you have the room to focus on in Congess now, if anything?\r\nMURRAY: If we can get this through in a bipartisan way, it means that the budget wars will be off the table and we can focus on the bigger issues that we didn't do in this agreement. There is everything from immigration reform to a very important farm bill that deals with nutrition, farm supports in this country. There are issues that were not within this budget that I think are important - tax reform, looking at how we can make sure that we deal with the equity issues in this country in terms of income disparity. There's a lot on our plate.\r\nI think what we wanted to do was to bring some certainty to the budget process and to show that you can compromise and still move this country forward and that's part of the process that's so important in a democracy.\r\nINSKEEP: Do you have reason to think that Congress is now in a position where lawmakers actually could make some agreements on some of those issues you just laid out?\r\nMURRAY: Not only could we, we should. It's really important that this country work right. It's one of the things that I think we have a responsibility as leaders in this world to show, that this country, this democracy that we have is a divided government but we know how to sit down in a room and talk to each other, find common ground and move things forward. That is what this country was established on and I think it's important that we reinvigorate that thought.\r\nINSKEEP: Let me just ask, though, Senator, about something that may bother some Democrats about this deal. It locks in the sequester, and I'll just remind people that a couple of years ago there was an agreement to restrain spending, to actually cut spending over a period of years. Many people have hated that effect on a lot of government agencies. You do make some adjustments. You do make some changes here - a little more on the defense side than the other side. But most of the sequester cuts are locked in place. Is that good?\r\nMURRAY: What we do is we don't say we're not going to continue down the path of reducing our deficit through cutting government spending, but we replace a significant amount of that sequestration for the first two years in smarter spending cuts and in revenue, which was an important point that I think we need to make, that this has to be a balanced and fair approach, was that the revenue I was pushing hard for in terms of corporate - closing corporate tax loopholes that many people agree we should - no, that got taken off the table because it wasn't agreed to by the Republicans.\r\nBut what we - what we do know is that we have a deficit problem in this country. We do need to address it. But I believe strongly we have a deficit in education and in investment and research and transportation. We have to address those simultaneously. Replacing those sequester cuts that hit those areas so hard with smarter cuts in revenue was a critical component to me.\r\nINSKEEP: And you say smarter cuts. I mean the sequestration has been described as dumb. Even its proponents called it dumb, dumb cuts. Most of it stays in place. They're a little less dumb.\r\nMURRAY: Well, for the first two years we replace a significant portion of the sequestration, which brings us some certainty. You know, I was - I've talked to some of the top researchers at NIH whose grants were being cut. Those - that will bring some stability back to that agency, to FBI agents, to some of our Head Start programs, to a lot of our civilian employees who are being furloughed. These replacements of those kinds of cuts will mean a much more secure future for us.\r\nINSKEEP: I'd like to know - President Obama's unpopularity at the moment, the problems with Obamacare. In about 10 seconds, how much damage has been done to your party for the 2014 elections?\r\nMURRAY: Well, we moved forward healthcare in order to address one of the major challenges of our country. There are a lot of people who were not able to access healthcare who now are. Despite the flaws in the system, in getting access as it begins, this over time is going to show that we can address a major problem.\r\nINSKEEP: Senator Patty Murray of Washington, who led the Democrats in this bipartisan budget deal. It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News.\r\n- NPR", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/federal-delegation-boeing-washington-best-place-777x", "Federal Delegation to Boeing: Washington is the Best Place for the 777X", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Citing \u201cmiles wide and miles deep\u201d support for aerospace manufacturing, Washington\u2019s federal delegation today made their case in a letter to The Boeing Company to base 777X production in Washington state. The state\u2019s delegation of two senators and 10 representatives told Boeing that when it comes to aerospace, \u201cno state\u2019s federal delegation can compare to our enthusiasm and commitment.\u201d\n\u201cOur state\u2019s history of aviation excellence, our experienced workforce, our delegation\u2019s track record of supporting the aerospace industry in the state, and our leaders\u2019 unwavering commitment to supporting growth in aviation make Washington the right place to bring the production of the 777X and its composite wing,\u201d the members wrote.\nThe letter is signed by Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Reps. Rick Larsen, WA-02, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, WA-05, Suzan DelBene, WA-01, Jaime Herrera Beutler, WA-03, Doc Hastings, WA-04, Derek Kilmer, WA-06, Jim McDermott, WA-07, Dave Reichert, WA-08, Adam Smith, WA-09, and Denny Heck, WA-10.\nThe text of the letter follows. A PDF copy of the letter is available here.\nDecember 10, 2013\nJim McNerney, Jr.  \n\tChairman, President and CEO  \n\tThe Boeing Company  \n\t100 North Riverside  \n\tChicago, Illinois 60606\nRay Conner  \n\tPresident and CEO  \n\tBoeing Commercial Airplanes  \n\t100 North Riverside  \n\tChicago, Illinois 60606\nDear Mr. McNerney and Mr. Conner:\nAs The Boeing Company considers where to base production of the 777X, we want you to know that our delegation supports state and local leaders who are working to keep and bring production to Washington state.\nWashington is the aerospace capital of the world, and our delegation is committed to ensuring that the aerospace industry can continue to grow in Washington state. For the last century, Boeing and Washington state have been true partners. Thanks to this successful partnership, the women and men at Boeing and its suppliers in Washington state make the best airplanes in the world.\nWhile we recognize that the Boeing Company faces an increasingly competitive environment and must undertake a thorough process to determine where to place production, we are confident that a full analysis of options will show that Washington state stands apart from the competition.\nRegarding aerospace, no state\u2019s federal delegation can compare to our enthusiasm and commitment. The Washington delegation voted unanimously to extend authority for the Export-Import Bank. We fought hard to make the KC-46A refueling tanker a reality. We are focused on opening new markets through trade, on investing in our skilled workforce, on building and maintaining a strong transportation infrastructure, and on prioritizing defense dollars on American products.\u00a0We are the aerospace industry\u2019s strongest allies and loudest advocates in Congress.\nThat is why we have been focused on promoting policies that serve the aerospace industry and its workers. Our delegation leads when it matters most. We:\n Led the fight to land the Air Force\u2019s KC-46A Refueling Tanker contract for Boeing;\n\tLed the successful 2012 reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank;\n\tVoted unanimously for the Korea and Panama trade agreements;\n\tHelped secure the creation of a national Center of Excellence for jet biofuel research in Washington state; and\n\tLanded a $20 million federal workforce training grant to train more than 2,600 workers in advanced manufacturing/composites, electronics/avionics, aircraft assembly and aircraft maintenance.\n We are tackling the major policy challenges facing the aerospace industry in the decades to come. We are focused on:\n Reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank;\n\tInvesting in STEM education and higher education programs to educate the next generation of Washington aerospace workers;\n\tCompleting the Next Generation Air Transportation System;\n\tMoving FAA\u2019s certification reforms forward to ensure timely manufacturing to market;\n\tLocating an Unmanned Aircraft Systems test facility in Washington state;\n\tReforming the Harbor Maintenance Tax so transporting parts is efficient and affordable; and\n\tMeeting federal responsibilities to invest in roads, bridges, highways, and runways to make business more accessible.\n Our state\u2019s history of aviation excellence, our experienced workforce, our delegation\u2019s track record of supporting the aerospace industry in the state, and our leaders\u2019 unwavering commitment to supporting growth in aviation make Washington the right place to bring the production of the 777X and its composite wing.\nWe are committed to continue investing in the foundation of long-term economic growth that creates jobs and opportunity in the Pacific Northwest.\nWe accomplish this by supporting local initiatives with particular emphasis on innovation, transportation, trade, exports and manufacturing. We will continue to look for ways to expand higher education, job skills and training opportunities. Working in concert with local governments and regional economic development organizations, we identify long-range growth opportunities and provide support where appropriate.\nAs our delegation\u2019s support illustrates, support for aerospace manufacturing in Washington is not just statewide, it is miles wide and miles deep. Aerospace manufacturing creates jobs in every corner of the state.\nWith senior positions on key Congressional committees, including Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, Financial Services, Appropriations, Budget, Ways and Means, Veteran\u2019s Affairs, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), Finance, Energy and Natural Resources, Commerce and Science, Space and Technology, we are uniquely positioned to work with key stakeholders to further the aerospace industry in Washington state.\nWe look forward to working with you and our state\u2019s leaders to bring the 777X to Washington.\nSincerely,\n  \n\tPatty Murray  \n\tU.S. Senator Maria Cantwell  \n\tU.S. Senator Rick Larsen  \n\tMember of Congress Cathy McMorris Rodgers  \n\tMember of Congress Suzan DelBene  \n\tMember of Congress Jaime Herrera Beutler  \n\tMember of Congress Doc Hastings  \n\tMember of Congress Derek Kilmer  \n\tMember of Congress Jim McDermott  \n\tMember of Congress Dave Reichert  \n\tMember of Congress Adam Smith  \n\tMember of Congress Denny Heck  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131217000018/http://adamsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364073", "Congressman Adam Smith\u2019s Statement on Budget Agreement", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Adam Smith", "S000510", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adam Smith released the following statement on the budget agreement:  \u201cIt is critical that Congress\u00a0 functions more effectively.\u00a0 We have a tremendous amount of work to do to grow our economy, create jobs, get our deficit under control, and strengthen our middle class, but we cannot do so moving from one crisis to another. This deal is far from perfect, but it provides relief from sequestration for critical education, housing, and transportation programs. It is a step in the right direction to get Congress back on track and focused on what is important to the American people.\u00a0 I thank Senator Patty Murray and Representative Paul Ryan for their hard work and willingness to compromise. This is only the beginning. Far more work remains to be done.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141005032704/http://mcmorris.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=96&itemid=2246", "Budget Agreement is a Step in the Right Direction", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Cathy McMorris Rodgers", "M001159", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u00a0Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Chair of the House Republican Conference, issued the following statement about the agreement reached between House and Senate Budget Committee Chairmen Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Patty Murray (D-WA):\n\n\t\u201cToday\u2019s budget agreement between Chairmen Paul Ryan and Patty Murray is a step in the right direction on the path toward economic security for hardworking Americans. While this deal includes modest budgetary reforms, it is another positive sign that deficit reduction can be achieved by making real spending cuts and reforms without raising taxes. I will continue to fight for fiscal responsibility so that people in Eastern Washington can have greater financial certainty and economic security for themselves, their families, and their futures.\u201d\n\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=75a3e663-8984-47f8-8c14-d1089e573fd3", "Senator Murray, Paul Ryan Announce Bipartisan Budget-Conference Agreement", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bipartisan agreement would provide sequester relief for defense and domestic priorities\u2014fully offset by concrete savings and reforms\u2014and further reduce the deficit \r\nShort-term agreement breaks through partisan gridlock and can serve as foundation for continued bipartisan work\r\n-------------------------------------------------------\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Today, Senate Budget Committee chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced that they have reached a two-year budget agreement in advance of the budget conference\u2019s December 13th deadline.\r\n\u201cThis agreement breaks through the recent dysfunction to prevent another government shutdown and roll back sequestration\u2019s cuts to defense and domestic investments in a balanced way,\u201d said Chairman Murray. \u201cIt\u2019s a good step in the right direction that can hopefully rebuild some trust and serve as a foundation for continued bipartisan work.\u201d \r\n\u201cI\u2019m proud of this agreement,\u201d said Chairman Ryan. \u201cIt reduces the deficit\u2014without raising taxes. And it cuts spending in a smarter way. It\u2019s a firm step in the right direction, and I ask all my colleagues in the House to support it.\u201d\u00a0\r\nThe Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 would set overall discretionary spending for the current fiscal year at $1.012 trillion\u2014about halfway between the Senate budget level of $1.058 trillion and the House budget level of $967 billion. The agreement would provide $63 billion in sequester relief over two years, split evenly between defense and non-defense programs. In fiscal year 2014, defense discretionary spending would be set at $520.5 billion, and non-defense discretionary spending would be set at $491.8 billion.\r\nThe sequester relief is fully offset by savings elsewhere in the budget. The agreement includes dozens of specific deficit-reduction provisions, with mandatory savings and non-tax revenue totaling approximately $85 billion. The agreement would reduce the deficit by between $20 and $23 billion.\r\nThe House of Representatives is expected to take up the Bipartisan Budget Act first, followed by the Senate. If this bill is signed into law, the appropriations committees will then be able to work on spending bills at an agreed-upon level in advance of the January 15th deadline.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pattyinnews?ContentRecord_id=07f1e939-8f79-45a8-8518-52d7a8599678", "Sen. Patty Murray: Budget deal will restore public trust in Congress", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Sen. Patty Murray says the budget deal she and Republican Rep. Paul Ryan announced Tuesday will \u201crestore trust that had been lost by people across the country that we could function as a Congress and as a democracy.\u201d\r\nIn an interview with The Seattle Times shortly after a news conference announcing the deal, Murray, the Senate\u2019s Democratic budget chair, said while the deal is far from perfect, it will ease some of the effects of the automatic spending cuts known as sequestration and avert the threat of a government shutdown for the next two years.\r\nThe budget framework sketched by Murray and Ryan would relieve $63 billion in sequester cuts, avoiding a new round of reductions that were scheduled to hit defense and non-defense programs alike in January.\r\nThe agreement amounts to small measure of progress toward compromise in an ideologically divided Congress that has earned record-low public approval ratings. Murray had been involved in previous efforts, including co-chairing the 2011 \u201csuper committee\u201d that failed to reach agreement on long term deficit reduction, and last year\u2019s failure to halt automatic spending under sequestration.\r\nWhile the Murray-Ryan deal would avoid a government shutdown, it did not address long-term deficit reduction or tax reforms. Murray said she\u2019d insisted that closing corporate tax loopholes be part of the deal, but had to drop that to win agreement from Ryan. Democrats also dropped a late push to make extended unemployment benefits part of the deal. For his part, Ryan backed off of cuts he wanted to make to entitlement programs.\r\nMurray said if Congress can take the baby step of passing this short-term agreement, it could lead to progress on those larger issues in the future \u2014 despite partisan differences.\r\n\u201cI think one of our goals is to reestablish the trust of the American people that a Congress that is governed by two parties can find a way to find compromise and put a bill forward,\u201d Murray said. \u201cIf we can get this done\u2026 we\u2019ll show a pathway.\u201d\r\nPresident Obama called Murray from Air Force One on his way home from the Nelson Mandela memorial service to congratulate her on the agreement, the senator\u2019s spokesman said.\r\nThe sight of the political odd couple of Murray and Ryan jointly announcing the deal Tuesday seemed unlikely given the rancor of the past few years.\r\nIn Seattle last month, Murray said she believed Republicans would be motivated to avoid another government shutdown. But she questioned whether Ryan would be willing to compromise. \u201cThere is in my mind a curiosity about whether Paul Ryan can come to the table and be a negotiator or whether Paul Ryan is going to be the guy who wants to go to his caucus and say, \u2018I can be as conservative as everybody else here,\u2019\u2009\u201d she said at the time.\r\nBut on Tuesday, Murray was singing Ryan\u2019s praises. \u201cThe Paul Ryan that showed up was the adult in the room who knew that our country needed certainty,\u201d she said.\r\nRyan already is facing blow back from conservative Republicans angry that the budget deal would increase overall discretionary spending for the next year to $1.012 trillion \u2014 higher than the proposed House budget level of $967 billion (but lower than the Senate budget proposal of $1.058 trillion).\r\nIn Washington state, some conservative groups were already mobilizing against the budget pact.\r\nNansen Malin, director of the state chapter of Americans For Prosperity released a statement urging the state congressional delegation to vote down the plan. \u201cWashington State cannot afford another trillion-dollar backroom deal, and Americans for Properity activists will be letting our delegation know that a deal with yet more spending and more revenue is unacceptable,\u201d she said.\r\nBut some Republican leaders have indicated a willingness to stiff-arm the GOP\u2019s most-conservative wing and back the deal.\r\nRep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, R-Spokane, called the proposal \u201ca step in the right direction on the path toward economic security for hardworking Americans\u201d in a statement released Tuesday afternoon. \u201cWhile this deal includes modest budgetary reforms, it is another positive sign that deficit reduction can be achieved by making real spending cuts and reforms without raising taxes.\u201d\r\n- Seattle Times", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pattyinnews?ContentRecord_id=47d59e4f-fb86-44b8-8eb8-8fd37bfb17cc", "Murray, Ryan: New budget deal brings stability, will restore credibility", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A new bipartisan budget agreement, hammered out with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., as a lead negotiator, promises to end nearly three years of fiscal crises that have paralyzed Washington, D.C., provide relief from the budget sequester and avoid another federal government shutdown.\r\n\u201cWe have brought certainty and stability,\u201d Murray said in an interview.\u00a0 \u201cAgencies will again be able to plan their budgets. We won\u2019t have more furloughs of employees.\u00a0 Stability will bring back confidence, and the country can get on with celebrating the Christmas holiday.\u201d\r\nMurray is chair of the Senate Budget Committee.\u00a0 She worked with Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., chairman of the House Budget Committee and the 2012 Republican vice presidential nominee.\r\nThey struck a deal capping spending at $1.015 trillion for the current fiscal year, going up to 1.04 trillion in FY 2015.\u00a0 This is higher than the $967 billion had there been another round of sequestration cuts.\u00a0 The additional money will come from higher airline passenger fees and higher contributions by federal employees to their pensions.\r\nThe agreement eliminated $65 billion in across-the-board cuts, to both domestic and defense spending, set to take effect over the next two years.\u00a0 It provides for an additional $25 billion in deficit relief.\r\nThe Republicans did not get sweeping reforms (and cuts) they sought in Medicare and Social Security, two landmark Democratic social programs of the 20th century.\r\nThe Democrats had to leave one key issue on the table.\u00a0 An estimated 1.3 million Americans will lose their unemployment benefits on Dec. 28.\u00a0 \u201cThe House Speaker\u2019s office, the Senate majority leader and the White House are still working on that. It is important to get an extension,\u201d Murray said.\r\nEx-Labor Secretary Robert Reich, a voice of the Democratic left, criticized the agreement for not helping those about to lose benefits, saying:\u00a0 \u201cBad for them, bad for the economy.\u201d\r\nBut President Obama argued in a statement that the agreement avoids harmful cuts, protects core social spending and prevents a government shutdown.\u00a0 The agreement, said Obama, demonstrates that cool heads in both parties were \u201cable to come together and break the cycle of short-sighted, crisis-driven decision making to get this done.\u201d\r\nMurray said she and Ryan talked about the dysfunction and growing public disgust with Congress.\u00a0 \u201cNot only did I set out to get the best deal for my constituents, but I also felt we needed to rebuild trust and confidence that divided government can work.\u00a0 Both of us wanted government to work.\u201d\r\nThe Murray-Ryan plan, while limited, breaks through the partisan gridlock and recent dysfunction in Washington, D.C., underscored by the federal government shutdown and near default in October.\r\nThe deal must now be sold to Congress.\u00a0 It was announced at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time.\u00a0 Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., an ambitious Tea Party Republican, was out with a statement denouncing it at 6:33 p.m. Such right-wing groups as Americans for Prosperity and Heritage Action vowed to fight it.\r\nA populist Northwest Democrat, Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon, tweeted:\u00a0 \u201cThe Republicans forced a weenie budget deal.\u00a0 This plan won\u2019t create jobs, get the economy back on track, or meaningfully cut the deficit.\u201d\r\nBut party leaders were moving to back the plan.\u00a0 The deal is \u201ca step in the right direction on the path toward economic security,\u201d Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., a member of the House Republican leadership, tweeted as the agreement was announced.\r\n\u201cIn divided government you don\u2019t always get what you want,\u201d Ryan told a capital news conference.\u00a0 \u201cI think conservatives should vote for this.\u00a0 I think we will pass it through the House.\u00a0 I have every reason to expect great support from our caucus.\u201d\r\nMurray argued that dysfunction in Washington, D.C., was being felt on Main Street in Washington state.\r\n\u201cI talk to a lot of businesses,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve spoken with pizza parlors in Kitsap County. Families were not going out on Friday nights because breadwinners had been furloughed. I talked to large businesses that depend on defense contracts, which have not been hiring and have not been able to plan. The certainty is very, very important.\u201d\r\nHouse Speaker John Boehner tweeted:\u00a0 \u201cBudget agreement reduces deficit without raising taxes, makes smarter spending cuts, protects national security.\u201d\r\nThe House wants to adjourn for Christmas break by Friday, meaning right-wing groups have little time to stop the budget agreement.\u00a0 (Congress\u2019 lower chamber is scheduled to meet only 113 days all of next year.)\u00a0 A vote is likely on Thursday.\u00a0 The Senate is slated to meet into next week.\r\nOnce the \u201cmom in tennis shoes\u201d from Shoreline, Murray is in her fourth term and a major power in the \u201cother\u201d Washington.\u00a0 The onetime preschool teacher has repeatedly been tasked to do the heavy lifting for Senate Democrats.\u00a0 She co-chaired the 2011 \u201csuper committee\u201d that sought and failed to reach a budget accord.\u00a0 She chaired the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, which had a spectacularly successful 2012 election.\r\nMurray offered kudos to Ryan, saying:\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s had the courage to stand up\u201d and work out a compromise.\u00a0 As for herself, \u201cI can go home and do my Christmas shopping.\u201d\r\n- Seattle PI", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pattyinnews?ContentRecord_id=76d3a4ad-9896-4529-b4c6-709515a009ad", "Patty Murray emerges as bipartisan figure after budget deal", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\"We have broken through the partisanship and the gridlock,\" Sen. Patty Murray, one of two chief budget negotiators, said of Tuesday's deal to avoid another government shutdown.\r\nMurray, a Democrat from Washington state serving her fourth term, is considered a steady hand in the Senate who shuns grandstanding and garners respect from both sides of the aisle.\r\nShe is a liberal, but can be pragmatic and has some conservative thoughts on budget issues.\r\nAs Senate Budget Committee chairman, she is concerned about the deficit, and the deal she struck with her more flashy House Republican counterpart, Wisconsin Republican Paul Ryan, on Tuesday makes up some ground for the failure of bipartisan talks she helped lead two years ago to reach a grander fiscal bargain.\r\nShe said the new agreement was one she would not have put forth alone. It was a compromise, she said at a news conference.\r\n\"We need to acknowledge that our nation has serious long-term fiscal challenges\" that the proposal \"does not address,\" Murray said.\r\nMurray and Ryan have spent the last two months working on an agreement that would set government spending levels and replace the next round of deep automatic cuts to avoid another government shutdown, known as the sequester.\r\nMurray assumed the Democratic chairmanship of the budget committee this year, replacing retiring Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota.\r\nShe won re-election in 2010 by a slim margin, defeating Republican Dino Rossi, 52% to 48%.\r\nFirst elected in 1992 after serving four years in the Washington State Senate, Murray has become a powerful player in the upper chamber as chairwoman of the budget committee -- leading her party's voice in fiscal talks -- as well as helping Democrats maintain the Senate majority in her role as chairwoman of the campaign committee.\r\nMurray's father, who was awarded a Purple Heart in World War II, suffered from multiple sclerosis and was disabled. Her family was on food stamps for a time. She points out on her website how the federal government helped her and her brothers and sisters; her mother went back to school under a government program to find a better paying job. She and her siblings attended college on federal grants and student loans.\r\nLike her negotiating partner, Murray loves the outdoors and fishing, something she alluded to as they announced the deal and their ability to find a compromise.\r\n\"We do have some major differences,\" she said. \"We cheer for a different football team, clearly. We catch different fish. We have some differences on policy, but we agree our country needs some certainty.\"\r\n- CNN", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/larsen-columbia-river-treaty-should-be-renewed-protect-northwest-washington", "Larsen: Columbia River Treaty Should Be Renewed, Protect Northwest Washington Electricity Consumers", "2013-12-09", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, told a Congressional committee today that the renewal of the Columbia River Treaty should benefit Northwest Washington residents.\nIn statement submitted to the House Natural Resources Committee for their field hearing on the treaty in Pasco, Larsen wrote, \u201cThe Columbia River does not reach my district, but it has far-reaching effects on my constituents. It provides affordable, clean hydropower to ratepayers in Everett, it provides salmon for fishers in Anacortes, and it provides the power that supports aluminum manufacturing jobs in Whatcom County. For all these reasons, it is critical to continue mutually beneficial management with Canada of the Columbia River.\u201d\nLarsen\u2019s full statement follows:\nStatement by Congressman Rick Larsen  Congressman, Washington 2nd District  House Natural Resources Committee Field Hearing  December 9, 2013  Pasco, WA\nChairman Hastings and Ranking Member DeFazio,\nThank you for the opportunity to provide a statement for the House Natural Resources Committee\u2019s field hearing on the Columbia River Treaty (CRT). While I could not be with the Committee today, renewal of the CRT is very important to many groups in my district and I appreciate the Committee\u2019s attention to this issue.\nThe Columbia River does not reach my district, but it has far-reaching effects on my constituents. It provides affordable, clean hydropower to ratepayers in Everett, it provides salmon for fishers in Anacortes, and it provides the power that supports aluminum manufacturing jobs in Whatcom County. For all these reasons, it is critical to continue mutually beneficial management with Canada of the Columbia River.\nI appreciate the work the U.S. Entity has done in creating a public process to make a consensus recommendation to the Department of State regarding the CRT. The Entity\u2019s draft recommendation makes it clear that there are improvements that can be made, most importantly noting that U.S. ratepayers are paying more than their fair share for the incremental power benefit from the coordinated U.S.-Canada management of the river. Any changes to the Treaty should benefit these ratepayers and should not increase their costs.\nI am hopeful that in their final recommendation, the U.S. Entity fully reflects the diverse interests and priorities of rights holders, as well as other beneficiaries and users of the Columbia River \u2013 including Native American tribes, ratepayers, businesses, water users, ports, recreational users, navigation interests and downriver residents. It is vital that future management decisions surrounding the Columbia River are made in a consensus way by the communities in the Pacific Northwest, not by officials 3,000 miles away in Washington, DC. The Northwest delegation has repeatedly made it clear that the complicated issues around the Columbia River are best settled by our constituents who live and work here. I believe the administration understands this, and I know this emphasis will remain a key priority for both the Chairman and Ranking Member.\nConsidering the Columbia River Treaty was written at a time when color TV was a thing of the future, it certainly can be modernized. The addition of ecosystem benefits as a key part of the treaty has potential to provide new benefits for fish habitats and meeting tribal treaty responsibilities. However, we should not overlook the decades of effort and billions of dollars that have already been invested in salmon restoration. That money comes from folks who pay their electricity bill every month and have a number of other bills to pay for. As a result, this year\u2019s salmon returns to the Columbia River are at record levels. Any new ecosystem improvements being suggested should be clearly defined, and the costs and funding sources for any of these improvements should be closely detailed.\nWe should also know who is paying for those improvements. I do not believe that we should pass additional costs for ecosystem benefits on to everyday folks who are already paying $700 million each year through BPA for similar efforts. We should not offer a blank check to ill-defined \u201cecosystem\u201d measures without being completely clear about the specific goals, legal responsibilities and scientific backing for such measures.\nThank you again for your leadership on this issue. I look forward to working with you to ensure a regional approach to ensure the Columbia River Treaty is a continued success.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221155044/http://kilmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kilmer-innovation-bill-passes-out-of-committee", "Kilmer Innovation Bill Passes Out of Committee", "2013-12-09", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Derek Kilmer", "K000381", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Yesterday, the Science, Space, and Technology Committee passed the TRANSFER Act, a bi-partisan piece of legislation co-sponsored by Representative Derek Kilmer that would help spur America\u2019s competitiveness and create new jobs by helping innovators and entrepreneurs commercialize their ideas.\nRepresentative Kilmer, along with Representative Chris Collins (R-NY) championed this legislation through the Science, Space, and Technology Committee with the support of Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) and Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) for a final, unanimous passage.\u00a0\u00a0\nThe TRANSFER Act builds on an existing grant program for institutions of higher education, nonprofits, and Federal laboratories to help identify commercially-viable federally-funded research and to facilitate and accelerate their transfer into the marketplace.\n\u201cTo remain competitive in the 21st century, we need to step up our game and look for ways to facilitate innovation by giving our universities, entrepreneurs, and small businesses the tools to grow ideas into commercial products,\u201d said Representative Derek Kilmer. \u201cPassing the TRANSFER Act will help stimulate the growth of new ideas, new investments, and new small businesses.\u201d\u00a0\n\"We are pleased to see Representatives Kilmer and Collins come together on this important issue and introduce the TRANSFER Act,\" said Linden Rhoads, Vice Provost for the Center for Commercialization at the University of Washington. \"The funding provided through this bill will help universities like UW address major challenges presented by the funding gap - or \u2018valley of death' - as our researchers attempt to move early stage technologies and discoveries from the lab to the marketplace.\"\nAnson Fatland, Associate Vice President of Economic Development and External Affairs, WSU said, \u201cWe, at Washington State University, are very appreciative of the efforts of Congressman Kilmer to support the commercialization of innovative research and development done at WSU, which ultimately translates into economic benefit when done right. The proof-of-concept and technology maturation funding programs proposed by the TRANSFER Act are just what institutions of higher education, federal laboratories, and other non-profit entities, as well as the small business community, need for partnering and leveraging their limited resources to bring innovations into market place.\u201d\nThe bill has received letters of support of the American Council on Education, the American Energy Innovation Council, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Association of American Universities, the Association of Independent Research Institutes, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the Association of University Technology Managers, Battelle, SRI International, SSTI, the University City Science Center, and Ben Franklin Technology Partners.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141005012754/http://mcmorris.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=96&itemid=2245", "McMorris Rodgers: The Columbia River Treaty Must Reflect the Needs of Eastern Washington", "2013-12-09", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Cathy McMorris Rodgers", "M001159", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Chair of the House Republican Conference, today submitted a statement for the record at the Natural Resources Committee Field Hearing in Pasco, Washington. The hearing examined the future of the US-Canada Columbia River Treaty. The treaty has been an important priority for McMorris Rodgers during her time in Congress.  Here is an excerpt from the statement:  \u201cFor the last sixty years, the Columbia River Treaty has provided a framework for the United States and Canada to promote the production of clean, renewable, and affordable hydropower. Hydropower is not only vital to Eastern Washington but Washington State gets over 75% of its power from this clean and renewable source of energy. In Central and Eastern Washington, the Columbia and Snake River system through irrigation, transformed a dry, barren desert with sagebrush to one of the most productive agriculture regions in the world. The low price of hydropower brought high tech companies like Google and Yahoo to relocate their servers here and brought manufacturing facilities like the BMW plant in Moses Lake. In addition, the Columbia River Treaty has provided greater protection for the Pacific Northwest against severe flooding.  \u201c\u2026 As the United States continues to work through the future of the Columbia River Treaty with Canada, I want to ensure that the treaty reflects the true needs of the Pacific Northwest and Eastern Washington.\u201d  See the Congresswoman\u2019s full statement below.  ###  \u00a0  House Natural Resources Committee  Oversight Field Hearing on: \u201cThe future of the US-Canada Columbia River Treaty-Building on  60 years of Coordinated Power Generation and Flood Control\u201d  Monday, December 9, 2013  Pasco, Washington  Statement for the Record by Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers  I appreciate the opportunity to submit a statement before the House Natural Resources Committee regarding the importance of the United States-Canada Columbia River Treaty and its effect on Eastern Washington.  Eastern Washington and the Pacific Northwest depend on a healthy Columbia River system to provide national energy independence, promote public safety, and protect infrastructure. In addition, the Columbia River plays a vital role in the economy of the Pacific Northwest, promoting increased economic growth and development by providing low-cost energy, specifically hydropower, and dependable irrigation and navigation channels.  For the last sixty years, the Columbia River Treaty has provided a framework for the United States and Canada to promote the production of clean, renewable, and affordable hydropower. Hydropower is not only vital to Eastern Washington but Washington State gets over 75% of its power from this clean and renewable source of energy. In Central and Eastern Washington, the Columbia and Snake River system through irrigation, transformed a dry, barren desert with sagebrush to one of the most productive agriculture regions in the world. The low price of hydropower brought high tech companies like Google and Yahoo to relocate their servers here and brought manufacturing facilities like the BMW plant in Moses Lake. In addition, the Columbia River Treaty has provided greater protection for the Pacific Northwest against severe flooding.  For the past few years, Bonneville Power Administration and the U.S. Corps of Engineers, along with key stakeholders including representatives from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, representatives from 10 federal agencies and 15 Native American Tribes have been reviewing the provisions contained in the Columbia River Treaty. I applaud the time and effort they have given to this process. As the United States continues to work through the future of the Columbia River Treaty with Canada, I want to ensure that the treaty reflects the true needs of the Pacific Northwest and Eastern Washington.  Specifically, as we consider updating the Columbia River Treaty, we need to modernize the original goals to make power generation, flood control, and overall water management more efficient. It is important that neither the United States nor Canada insert additional domestic goals independent of the original purpose of the Treaty. Moving forward, it is also important that the Columbia River Treaty addresses the need to rebalance the payments to Canada for downstream power generation benefits and long-term flood control operations. With assured flood control set to expire in 2024, it is important that the United States and Canada agree to a framework for how future flood control needs will be addressed.  Eastern Washington depends on a healthy Columbia River system to provide low-cost energy, irrigation, and navigation. As such, I want to ensure that as we consider modernizing the Columbia River Treaty, it promotes a more cost-effective, sustainable hydropower system, in addition to providing reliable flood risk management plan.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/larsen-reiterates-call-kenneth-bae%E2%80%99s-release-north-korea", "Larsen Reiterates Call for Kenneth Bae\u2019s Release from North Korea", "2013-12-07", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Larsen Reiterates Call for Kenneth Bae\u2019s Release from North Korea                                           \n              Dec 6, 2013      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, issued the following statement following the news that North Korea released Merrill Newman, one of two American citizens it was detaining. The second, Lynnwood-resident Kenneth Bae, has been held in the country for more than a year.\n\u201cI share in the happiness of Mr. Newman\u2019s family over North Korea\u2019s decision to release him,\u201d Larsen said. \u201cI remain deeply disappointed that North Korea is continuing to detain Kenneth Bae after more than a year.\n\u201cI join the State Department in renewing our call for North Korea to grant a pardon and special amnesty for Kenneth and to immediately release him so he can come home to his family. I pledge my continuing support to Kenneth\u2019s family and will continue working with them and the State Department to ensure his safe return home.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=8b62d5ed-361f-4294-b6ce-4bf14cd51365", "UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE: Murray Joins Colleagues Urging Reauthorization of Key Unemployment Insurance Program", "2013-12-06", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) \u2013\u00a0In an effort to prevent more than 1.3 million long-term unemployed workers from losing their unemployment insurance at the end of December -- and millions more from having no benefits after their initial 26 weeks of unemployment insurance (UI) are exhausted during the course of 2014 -- Senator Patty Murray joined a group of 32 U.S. Senators in sending a letter urging Congress to preserve federal unemployment insurance for another year. \r\nWith just 23 days before federal UI benefits are set to expire, the Senators wrote: \u201cWe are writing to urge the continuation of federal support for unemployment insurance, a critical component of our ongoing recovery and a lifeline to millions of Americans as they search for work in this challenging economy.\u00a0 As it stands now, a few days after the holiday season ends, unemployment insurance will abruptly terminate, cutting off support for 1.3 million Americans.\u201d \r\nThe unemployment insurance system is a partnership between the federal government and state governments that provides a temporary weekly benefit to qualified workers who lose their job and are seeking work. The amount of that benefit is based in part on a worker\u2019s past earnings.\u00a0 \r\nThe extended federal UI program was signed into law in June 2008 by President George W. Bush, when the national unemployment rate was 5.6% and the average duration of jobless insurance was 17.1 weeks.\u00a0 It has been reauthorized by Congress a number of times since as America seeks to emerge from the greatest economic recession since the Great Depression.\u00a0 Today, the national unemployment rate is 7% and the average duration of UI benefits is 36.1 weeks, which is much longer than the 26 weeks of unemployment coverage that most states provide.\u00a0 \r\nAccording to the non-partisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), the long-term unemployment rate is falling, but it's still at 2.6%, which is twice as high as in any prior month when extended UI benefits were allowed to expire.\u00a0 CBPP economists note that in each of the previous three recessions, federal unemployment assistance didn't end until the long-term unemployment rate had dropped to around 1.3%. \r\nOver the years, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has found that preserving UI benefits during periods of historically high unemployment is among the most cost-effective programs for reducing joblessness and stimulating the economy.\u00a0 Earlier this week CBO reported: \u201cExtending emergency unemployment benefits would raise gross domestic product (GDP) and employment in 2014 relative to what would occur under current law. \u00a0Recipients of the additional benefits would increase their spending on consumer goods and services. That increase in aggregate demand would encourage businesses to boost production and hire more workers than they otherwise would, particularly given the expected slack in the capital and labor markets.\u201d\r\nThe full text of the letter follows: \r\nDear Majority Leader Reid, Republican Leader McConnell, Chairman Baucus, and Ranking Member Hatch: \r\nWe are writing to urge the continuation of federal support for unemployment insurance, a critical component of our ongoing recovery and a lifeline to millions of Americans as they search for work in this challenging economy.\u00a0 As it stands now, a few days after the holiday season ends, unemployment insurance will abruptly terminate, cutting off support for 1.3 million Americans. \r\nDespite the tremendous uncertainty caused by the brinksmanship over funding the government and near-default, the economy has had 45 straight months of private sector job growth and created a total of 8.1 million jobs over that period.\u00a0 However, we are still far from regaining the ground lost during the Great Recession.\u00a0 The national unemployment rate has hovered around and over 7 percent and 10.9 million Americans are out of work and looking for a job.\u00a0 Unemployed workers continue to face a daunting labor market, where for every one job opening, there are approximately 3 unemployed workers.\u00a0 That\u2019s why it\u2019s imperative that we pass legislation that will get Americans back to work and that we don\u2019t let unemployment insurance terminate at the end of the year.\u00a0 \r\nFederal support for unemployment insurance has been a major boon to millions of Americans that have been laid off through no fault of their own.\u00a0 Since July 2008 unemployment insurance has provided over $255 billion in direct support.\u00a0 Over that period of time, we have made significant reforms, like those that avert layoffs and help people find work faster.\u00a0 Our constituents and the economy still need the support; the Economic Policy Institute estimates that the expiration of unemployment insurance will cost the economy 310,000 jobs and slow growth by 0.2 percent over the course of next year. \r\nContinuation of unemployment insurance has traditionally passed on a bipartisan basis because of the tremendous support it provides to the unemployed, their families, and the economy.\u00a0 We urge you to ensure that unemployment insurance is continued before its expiration at the end of the year. \r\nSincerely, \r\nJack Reed (D-RI)Tom Harkin (D-IA)Tim Kaine (D-VA)Ed Markey (D-MA)Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)Robert Menendez (D-NJ)Carl Levin (D-MI)Barbara Boxer (D-CA)Chris Coons (D-DE)Mazie Hirono (D-HI)Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)Jeff Merkley (D-OR)Bob Casey (D-PA)Al Franken (D-MN)Sherrod Brown (D-OH)Ron Wyden (D-OR)Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)Brian Schatz (D-HI)Patty Murray (D-WA)Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)Bernie Sanders (I-VT)Dick Durbin (D-IL)Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)Patrick Leahy (D-VT)Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)Christopher Murphy (D-CT)Tom Udall (D-NM)Bill Nelson (D-FL)Cory Booker (D-NJ)", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/larsen-votes-protect-small-businesses%E2%80%99-job-creating-innovation", "Larsen Votes to Protect Small Businesses\u2019 Job-Creating Innovation", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today voted to pass the Innovation Act, a bill that would crack down on entities that abuse the patent system to make money from other people\u2019s innovations. These patent assertion entities\u2014often referred to as patent trolls\u2014cost American businesses an estimated $29 billion a year.\n\u201cSmall businesses are a key engine of job growth and innovation for our economy,\u201d Larsen said. \u201cToo often small businesses are slammed with false patent infringement claims, which cost millions to litigate in court. Many small businesses feel they have no choice but to pay licensing fees for their own innovations because they cannot afford to defend themselves in court.\n\u201cI voted for the Innovation Act because it will increase transparency in patent infringement cases and let the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office help small businesses protect their property. This bill will help small businesses continue to innovate, creating new products and new jobs.\u201d\nTo learn more about the Innovation Act, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=3efd5109-fd2d-4434-9f7f-27897c6a18b1", "Cantwell, Begich Hear from Local Fisherman on Need to Modernize Fishing Fleets", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.05.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell, Begich Hear from Local Fisherman on Need to Modernize Fishing Fleets  \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t Upgraded vessels essential for better safety and more sustainable fishing\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t Seattle, WA \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Mark Begich (D-AK) visited Seattle and heard from local fishing leaders on the challenges and solutions to building a next generation fishing fleet.\r\nThe senators toured a freezer longliner under maintenance at Fishermen\u2019s Terminal before holding a listening session at the Port of Seattle headquarters with Pacific Northwest fishing and shipbuilding industry leaders on the future competitiveness of the maritime economy.\r\nCantwell and Begich \u2013 both members of the Senate Oceans Subcommittee -- heard from fishing and shipbuilding leaders about the challenges they face in getting access to financing from banks to build and renovate fishing vessels. The ideas and testimony heard at today\u2019s session will be discussed at an upcoming maritime economy hearing in the Senate Oceans Subcommittee. The ideas will also help to shape the upcoming Coast Guard Reauthorization bill expected to be introduced in 2014.\r\n\u201cIn Washington and Alaska the fishing industry is a critical part of our economy,\u201d said Cantwell, the former chair of the Oceans Subcommittee. \u201cOne of the challenges the industry faces is that many are using vessels from World War II as we saw today. The demands of fishing efficiency and modernization mean that they need to build new vessels. That kind of shipbuilding helps produce jobs, and it helps grow our economies in Washington and Alaska.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \r\n\u201cOur ports and shipyards are economic drivers for coastal communities throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska,\u201d said Begich, chair of the Senate subcommittee on Oceans and Fisheries.\u00a0 \u201cThe purpose of this listening session was to hear directly from shipbuilders, fishermen, shippers, port directors and labor about their needs. I look forward to taking what Sen. Cantwell and I have learned today back to Washington to encourage new vessel construction and boost jobs and economic development in our ports to address maritime industry needs.\u201d\r\nToday\u2019s listening session comes on the heels of a new report compiled for the Economic Development Council of Seattle and King County and the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County. The November 2013 study found that the maritime industry has a $30 billion economic impact in Washington state. Some 60 percent of the maritime revenue comes from the fishing industry. The maritime industry also directly and indirectly supports 148,000 jobs, including nearly 33,500 in the fishing industry.\u00a0\r\nThe report also found that shipbuilding, maintenance and repair supported nearly 30,000 jobs in 2012. From 2004 to 2009, direct shipbuilding and repair jobs across America grew by 12 percent. There are eight major shipyards and over 20 smaller yards in the Greater Seattle area alone. Across the state there are 2,090 maritime businesses \u2013 including 139 businesses employing 2,200 workers in Eastern Washington.\r\nThe senators were joined at today\u2019s listening by:\r\n \r\nTom Albro, Port of Seattle Commission President\r\nStephen Sewell, Washington State Department of Commerce\r\nKenny Down, Blue North Fisheries\r\nKristian Uri, Fishermen\u2019s Finest\r\nFrank Foti, Vigor Shipyard\r\nDoug Dixon, Pacific Fishermen Shipyard\r\nBerit Eriksson, Sailors\u2019 Union of the Pacific\r\nJohn Parrott, Totem Ocean Trailer Express\r\n \r\nAs members of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Cantwell and Begich have worked to pass legislation that supports the growth of the Pacific Northwest\u2019s maritime economy. The senators helped pass the Shark Conservation Act and the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2010 that created vessel replacement policies for the Groundfish Forum and the American Fisheries Act fleet.\r\nCantwell and Begich have also been leaders in highlighting the need for multiple icebreakers to increase the nation\u2019s ability to maintain a presence in the fast-changing Arctic. They introduced a bipartisan amendment last month that would pave the way for construction of new Coast Guard heavy polar icebreakers. Language they inserted into the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2012 prevents the decommissioning and scrapping of the Polar Star\u2019s currently inactive sister ship Polar Sea until a business case analysis is completed.\u00a0\r\nCantwell wrote legislation (S. 1609) signed into law in December 2010 that created a cooperative for the freezer longline fishery that eliminates the race for fish and enables companies to harvest more value from each catch. This helped spur investment in new state of the art fishing vessels designed for modern fishing industry needs like greater processing and storage capacity.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221215159/http://adamsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363616", "Congressman Smith\u2019s Statement on Passing of Nelson Mandela", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Adam Smith", "S000510", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith released the following statement on the passing of Nelson Mandela: \u201cToday, the world lost one of its most cherished leaders. While Nelson Mandela, the man, is now gone, his legacy will endure. He will forever be a source of inspiration for those who struggle against racial oppression and injustice around the world. He was a pioneer for freedom and equality and had the bravery to love his opponents as much as his supporters.  \u201cMandela spent his entire life fighting against the shackles of oppression and after 27 years of imprisonment, he won freedom for his country and set a lasting example that the world will never forget. Mandela\u2019s life shows how one man can truly change the world. May he rest in peace.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140912195740/http://delbene.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delbene-floor-statement-in-support-of-patent-reform-legislation", "DelBene Floor Statement In Support of Patent Reform Legislation", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan DelBene", "D000617", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Suzan DelBene gave the following remarks today on the floor of the House of Representatives to voice her support of H.R. 3309, the Innovation Act, legislation to curb abusive patent litigation, support innovators and strengthen the nation\u2019s patent system. The Innovation Act passed the House today by a vote of 329-91.\nThe full text of DelBene\u2019s speech, as prepared for delivery, is below:\n\u201cThank you Mr. Chairman. \n\u201cFrom the Judiciary Committee\u2019s examination of abusive patent litigation this year, it\u2019s clear that there is a need for legislative action, and this issue has harmed companies large and small, from big tech companies to small retailers, restaurants, and credit unions.\u00a0 And in recent years, even our public transit agencies have been targeted by these so-called patent trolls.\u00a0 \n\u201cIn my home state of Washington, King County Metro was hit with a lawsuit in 2011 from Arrival Star, a company that claimed infringement of a patent that was so broad that it could potentially cover any system that tracks a vehicle.\u00a0 \n\u201cWith this lawsuit, King County\u2019s innovative bus-tracking technology and a popular mobile application, called OneBusAway, which relies on Metro\u2019s data, was threatened.\n\u201cAnd even though if there was a strong case to be made for challenging the patent\u2019s validity, fighting a suit like this can be run into the millions of dollars, and at taxpayer expense.\n\u201cSo King County had to settle with ArrivalStar, costing taxpayers $80,000. \n\u201cAnd King County was not alone - at least 11 transit systems settled with ArrivalStar in response to lawsuits over bus-tracking systems, rather than undertake expensive and time-consuming litigation.\u00a0 \n\u201cAnd this kind of litigation abuse does a disservice to the U.S. patent system and our innovation economy, and in the case of ArrivalStar, harmed taxpayers in King County and many other agencies across the country.\u00a0 \n\u201cBecause of the widespread impact of abusive litigation like this, there is broad support across industry and among public interest groups for measures that reduce the financial incentive for bad actors to bring predatory patent suits \u2014 measures such as curbing the excessive cost of litigation and discovery abuse, making patent cases more efficient, and requiring plaintiffs to be precise in their claims of infringement. \n\u201cThe Innovation Act would do all of these things, and it does so by targeting abusive behaviors rather than singling out any particular type of patent holder or business model.\u00a0\u00a0 \n\u201cI am pleased to support this bill today, but I also believe we must continue to make improvements to the bill as it moves forward in the legislative process, and I\u2019ll be supporting several amendments on the floor today, and continue to work with my colleagues in both chambers to get legislation passed that strikes the right balance in protecting and strengthening our patent system.\u00a0\u00a0 \n\u201cThank you, I yield back my time.\u201d\nVideo of DelBene\u2019s speech can be viewed HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-begich-hear-from-local-fisherman-on-need-to-modernize-fishing-fleets", "Cantwell, Begich Hear from Local Fisherman on Need to Modernize Fishing Fleets", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.05.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell, Begich Hear from Local Fisherman on Need to Modernize Fishing Fleets  \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t Upgraded vessels essential for better safety and more sustainable fishing\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t Seattle, WA  Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Mark Begich (D-AK) visited Seattle and heard from local fishing leaders on the challenges and solutions to building a next generation fishing fleet.\r\nThe senators toured a freezer longliner under maintenance at Fishermen's Terminal before holding a listening session at the Port of Seattle headquarters with Pacific Northwest fishing and shipbuilding industry leaders on the future competitiveness of the maritime economy.\r\nCantwell and Begich  both members of the Senate Oceans Subcommittee -- heard from fishing and shipbuilding leaders about the challenges they face in getting access to financing from banks to build and renovate fishing vessels. The ideas and testimony heard at today's session will be discussed at an upcoming maritime economy hearing in the Senate Oceans Subcommittee. The ideas will also help to shape the upcoming Coast Guard Reauthorization bill expected to be introduced in 2014.\r\nIn Washington and Alaska the fishing industry is a critical part of our economy, said Cantwell, the former chair of the Oceans Subcommittee. One of the challenges the industry faces is that many are using vessels from World War II as we saw today. The demands of fishing efficiency and modernization mean that they need to build new vessels. That kind of shipbuilding helps produce jobs, and it helps grow our economies in Washington and Alaska. \r\nOur ports and shipyards are economic drivers for coastal communities throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, said Begich, chair of the Senate subcommittee on Oceans and Fisheries. The purpose of this listening session was to hear directly from shipbuilders, fishermen, shippers, port directors and labor about their needs. I look forward to taking what Sen. Cantwell and I have learned today back to Washington to encourage new vessel construction and boost jobs and economic development in our ports to address maritime industry needs.\r\nToday's listening session comes on the heels of a new report compiled for the Economic Development Council of Seattle and King County and the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County. The November 2013 study found that the maritime industry has a $30 billion economic impact in Washington state. Some 60 percent of the maritime revenue comes from the fishing industry. The maritime industry also directly and indirectly supports 148,000 jobs, including nearly 33,500 in the fishing industry.\r\nThe report also found that shipbuilding, maintenance and repair supported nearly 30,000 jobs in 2012. From 2004 to 2009, direct shipbuilding and repair jobs across America grew by 12 percent. There are eight major shipyards and over 20 smaller yards in the Greater Seattle area alone. Across the state there are 2,090 maritime businesses  including 139 businesses employing 2,200 workers in Eastern Washington.\r\nThe senators were joined at today's listening by:\r\n \r\nTom Albro, Port of Seattle Commission President\r\nStephen Sewell, Washington State Department of Commerce\r\nKenny Down, Blue North Fisheries\r\nKristian Uri, Fishermen's Finest\r\nFrank Foti, Vigor Shipyard\r\nDoug Dixon, Pacific Fishermen Shipyard\r\nBerit Eriksson, Sailors' Union of the Pacific\r\nJohn Parrott, Totem Ocean Trailer Express\r\n \r\nAs members of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Cantwell and Begich have worked to pass legislation that supports the growth of the Pacific Northwest's maritime economy. The senators helped pass the Shark Conservation Act and the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2010 that created vessel replacement policies for the Groundfish Forum and the American Fisheries Act fleet.\r\nCantwell and Begich have also been leaders in highlighting the need for multiple icebreakers to increase the nation's ability to maintain a presence in the fast-changing Arctic. They introduced a bipartisan amendment last month that would pave the way for construction of new Coast Guard heavy polar icebreakers. Language they inserted into the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2012 prevents the decommissioning and scrapping of the Polar Star's currently inactive sister ship Polar Sea until a business case analysis is completed.\r\nCantwell wrote legislation (S. 1609) signed into law in December 2010 that created a cooperative for the freezer longline fishery that eliminates the race for fish and enables companies to harvest more value from each catch. This helped spur investment in new state of the art fishing vessels designed for modern fishing industry needs like greater processing and storage capacity.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://dennyheck.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rep-denny-heck-signs-on-to-federal-minimum-wage-indexing-bil", "Rep. Denny Heck Signs On to Federal Minimum Wage Indexing Bill", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Denny Heck", "H001064", "dennyheck.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Denny Heck (WA-10) has signed on to a bill that would index the federal minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index, just like Washington state\u2019s minimum wage law. The bill, H.R. 1010, would also initially increase the federal minimum wage to $10.10 over two years before indexed increases begin.\n\u201cBy indexing the federal minimum wage like we do our state\u2019s minimum wage, we eliminate the possibility Congressional gridlock will block future minimum wage increases,\u201d Congressman Heck said.\n\u201cNo one who works a full-time job should live in poverty. This bill will help families and individuals working to get into the middle class. As a small businessman, I know this bill will allow Washington businesses to compete on a more level playing field with the rest of the nation. Congress should make the holiday season brighter for millions of working families by moving this bill forward before adjourning for the year.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://dennyheck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-denny-heck-signs-on-to-federal-minimum-wage-indexing-bil", "Rep. Denny Heck Signs On to Federal Minimum Wage Indexing Bill", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Denny Heck", "H001064", "dennyheck.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Denny Heck (WA-10) has signed on to a bill that would index the federal minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index, just like Washington state\u2019s minimum wage law. The bill, H.R. 1010, would also initially increase the federal minimum wage to $10.10 over two years before indexed increases begin.\n\u201cBy indexing the federal minimum wage like we do our state\u2019s minimum wage, we eliminate the possibility Congressional gridlock will block future minimum wage increases,\u201d Congressman Heck said.\n\u201cNo one who works a full-time job should live in poverty. This bill will help families and individuals working to get into the middle class. As a small businessman, I know this bill will allow Washington businesses to compete on a more level playing field with the rest of the nation. Congress should make the holiday season brighter for millions of working families by moving this bill forward before adjourning for the year.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-larsen-applaud-committee-passage-their-sleep-apnea-legislation-ensure-safety", "LoBiondo, Larsen Applaud Committee Passage of Their Sleep Apnea Legislation to Ensure Safety of the Skies", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Lawmakers Seek to Ensure FAA Conducts Open Rulemaking Process, Not Arbitrary Dictation of New Standards for Pilots Affected by Sleep Disorders\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 House Subcommittee on Aviation Chairman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (WA-02) today applauded committee passage of their bipartisan legislation (H.R. 3578) to ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducts an open rulemaking process before making changes to medical certification requirements for pilots with sleep disorders.\n\u201cSafety remains my and the subcommittee\u2019s top priority. While sleep apnea has never been identified as a primary cause or contributing factor of an aviation accident, health issues can arise unexpectedly which is why I have always supported reasonable, effective, and proactive efforts to improve aviation safety,\u201d said Chairman LoBiondo.\u00a0\u201cShould a revision to existing policies on sleep disorders be warranted, then the FAA should engage in an open rulemaking process to ensure all viewpoints, including those of medical experts, are heard and carefully considered.\u201d\n\u201cWhen it comes to flying, safety is my top priority,\u201d Ranking Member Larsen said. \u201cThe FAA needs to address the issue of sleep apnea in an open and transparent way that lets all stakeholders and safety experts provide input. I thank Chairman LoBiondo for his leadership on this issue and I look forward to working with the FAA, pilots, airlines and others to continue making flying safer.\u201d\nCurrent FAA requirements dictate a pilot or air traffic controller diagnosed with sleep apnea to report their condition and seek treatment. The Aviation Medical Examiners Guide\u00a0 \u2013 a comprehensive document detailing the FAA\u2019s medical certification regulations, dispositions, and protocols \u2013 includes an established process that provides the FAA with the authority to issue or re-issue an airman medical certificate to an applicant that is diagnosed with sleep apnea.\u00a0After a review process, the FAA ultimately decides whether or not to issue a medical certificate.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nIn November, FAA officials announced their intent to subject all pilots with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more - who might be at risk of having a sleep disorder even in the absence of any clinical evidence - to potentially expensive testing and evaluation.\u00a0The FAA also indicated their intention to eventually broaden this policy to apply to air traffic controllers and possibly to pilots with a lower BMI.\u00a0The LoBiondo-Larsen legislation approved today does not prohibit the FAA from implementing new medical certification requirements for sleep apnea.\u00a0It does, however, require the agency to conduct an open rulemaking process if they choose to propose new sleep disorder requirements.\nModeled after similar legislation (H.R. 3095) signed into law on October 15th affecting commercial truck drivers, H.R. 3578, introduced by LoBiondo and Larsen with Representatives Larry Bucshon (IN-08), Daniel Lipinski (IL-03) and Sam Graves (MO-06) as original cosponsors, was marked up and approved by the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure today. It now heads to the full House for consideration.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/northwest-washington-residents-call-affordable-care-act-%E2%80%9Clife-saver%E2%80%9D-share-their", "Northwest Washington Residents Call Affordable Care Act a \u201cLife Saver,\u201d Share Their Stories of Getting Covered", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Calling it \u201ca life saver,\u201d residents across Northwest Washington are finding quality affordable health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act. With more than 175,000 people already signed up for new coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder, many residents are finding they qualify for quality health care for the first time in years.\nConstituents have sent messages to Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, asking him to fight against efforts to repeal the law and sharing their personal stories of enrolling in health care coverage. Some of those stories are summarized below. Larsen highlighted these successes in a video message to constituents.\n\u201cI know there have been problems with this rollout, but the crisis in health care in this country is not a website that doesn\u2019t work. The crisis is that 48 million people are uninsured,\u201d Larsen said.\n\u201cA constituent named Liz, from Bellingham, Washington, told me she was angry when she found out her insurance company was cancelling her plan,\u201d Larsen continued. \u201cShe was angry. Until she logged on to Washington\u2019s health insurance marketplace and found better coverage at a better price. Now, she tells me, she\u2019s \u2018a happy camper.\u2019\n\u201cSharon in Friday Harbor was another person who received a cancellation notice from her insurer. She\u2019s not upset though. She found insurance that will save her $3,000 a year. She told me, \u2018I hope there\u2019s no backtracking.\u2019 I hope so too.\u201d\nA sampling of Northwest Washington residents\u2019 stories is available here and below:\n Bob (Bellingham): \u201cI am on Medicare, but my wife signed up, we are very happy with the coverage, she is a newspaper carrier and hasn't had health insurance for years, finally we have coverage for her, thank you for your support of the ACA, it is a life saver.\u201d (11/19/13 via Facebook)\n\tLeslie (Marysville): \u201cI know the new healthcare plans are causing stress and confusion but for someone who hasn't had health insurance for over 3 years a start is better than no start. People need to relax and give it a chance. I am sure it will need tweaking but change often does.\u201d (11/15/13 via Facebook)\n\tSharon (Friday Harbor): \u201cI am one of those who received a cancellation notice. I found a much better, more affordable plan on the WA Healthplanfinder plan website. $2,500 deductible instead of $5,000 and better prescription coverage. Less total out of pocket. I'll be saving more than $3,000 per year. The WA health exchange website is very well done. I hope there is no backtracking.\u201d (11/15/13 via e-mail)\n\tLiz (Bellingham): \u201cI was one of those people that were angry that I was going to lose my existing coverage and then I logged onto Washington's site and found I was going to get better coverage at a better price. Now I am a happy camper!\u201d (11/15/13 via Facebook)\n\tKristi (Anacortes): \u201cI've had a bad policy as long as I've been on the individual insurance market; at one time it was affordable, but after tripling in the last 8 years, the premiums were gobbling up 20-25% of our AGI. So when I first checked the exchange plans I was horrified to see premiums 57% higher, at best. Then hugely relieved to learn that at my income level I qualify for a tax credit. I will be paying just slightly less for better coverage.\u201d (11/15/13 via Facebook)\n\tBetsy (Clinton): \u201cIt is easy to see that this alone would greatly benefit our family moving forward and I'm sure I can speak for many other Americans.\u201d (10/15/13 via e-mail)\n\tSusan (Lopez Island): \u201cPlease fight for the Affordable Care Act - My husband has just been diagnosed with cancer. His current insurance provider is making this a very difficult experience for us. We will be changing his insurance effective Jan. 1, but without the Affordable Healthcare Act we could not do this because he now has a preexisting condition. We need this protection.\u201d (9/17/13 via e-mail)\n\tLee (Lynnwood): Lee told our office that he hasn\u2019t been fully insured since 2010. He\u2019s diabetic and had a heart attack last year, but hasn\u2019t been able to find affordable health insurance. He and his wife are employed part time and don\u2019t have insurance through their employers. Through Washington Healthplanfinder, Lee and his wife have signed up for full coverage starting in January and feel that the Affordable Care Act is the best thing that has happened in the country for years. (10/30/13 via phone call)\n\tRod (Bellingham): \u201cHe and his wife will pay $457 a month for a plan that will cover both of them, thanks to a tax credit. That's better than the $533 monthly premium he now pays just to cover himself, while the deductibles will be about the same. \u2018It's a much better plan than either of us had had before,\u2019 the 63-year-old Burton said, adding that his new plan will have needed prescription coverage, unlike his old plan. \u2018I'm thrilled.\u2019 (11/17/13 via Bellingham Herald)\n\tMary (Snohomish): \u201cMary Chonzena left smiling. \u2018This is wonderful,\u2019 she said. Chonzena had just stepped out of a mobile van parked at Everett Plaza Thursday afternoon, part of a statewide effort to help people who don\u2019t have health insurance sign up. Chonzena, 53, of Snohomish, said it's been five years since she's had health insurance. \u2018My husband retired and is done working,\u2019 she said. He's gotten health care through the Veterans Administration. \u2018I had no insurance,\u2019 she said. Chonzena came to Thursday's event to get more information on buying health insurance and said she'll do a little more shopping before making her choice. \u2018It went so smoothly,\u2019 she said.\u201d (11/8/13 via Everett Herald)\n\tSandra (Skagit County): \u201cI was able to sign up without much problem. I'm thrilled that I will be able to get the subsidized Premera Silver plan for $150 a month with a $300 deductible. I was laid off 12/31/2013 due to budget cuts and the COBRA plan I was on with a $1,500 deductible was going up to $490/month 1/1/2014, and COBRA coverage would have run out 12/31/2014. Thank you for helping ensure that people like me will be able to have health coverage through the ACA!\u201d (11/20/13 via Facebook)", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221155113/http://kilmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/new-partnership-aims-to-improve-environmental-quality-and-economic", "New Partnership Aims to Improve Environmental Quality and Economic Vitality of Olympic National Forest", "2013-12-03", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Derek Kilmer", "K000381", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Representative Derek Kilmer and a group of conservation, timber and local government stakeholders today announced the formation of new partnership called the Olympic Peninsula Collaborative. Members of the partnership approved the following statement to explain its purpose and goals:\nThe Olympic Peninsula Collaborative will bring together stakeholders from the environmental community, the timber industry, and representatives from federal and local government around shared goals of increasing timber harvest from the Olympic National Forest while benefitting the environmental quality of our forests and watersheds. The Collaborative will work together and with federal officials to address issues that stand in the way of achieving the stated goals. Ultimately, the purpose is to show we can simultaneously create a more environmentally sound forest, provide for increased, sustainable timber harvests on the Olympic National Forest, and provide economic benefits to timber communities on the Peninsula.\nGoals include:\n Increasing the amount of acres treated and total harvest volume produced in forest restoration projects under the Northwest Forest Plan and increasing the number and footprint of aquatic and other non-thinning related restoration projects.\n  Creating a framework of agreement on the type and locations of forest restoration treatments that benefit the ecosystem and provide for increased harvest levels under the Northwest Forest Plan.\n  Improving treatment effectiveness and working to reduce the time and cost required to plan and prepare projects through increased efficiencies for the Forest Service.\n  Creating a framework of agreement around innovative forest practices, treatments and techniques that integrate ecological, social, and economic goals, and exploring whether the Adaptive Management Area (AMA) established under the Northwest Forest Plan provides an opportunity to test these alternative approaches.\n  Collaborating on specific projects, as needed, to create an environment that reduces conflict and seeks to achieve a common vision about the future of the Olympic National Forest.\u00a0\n  Creating a forum for addressing any problems that stand in the way of accomplishing our stated goals with the active involvement of federal elected and agency officials.\n Organizations and representatives supporting the Olympic Peninsula Collaborative include:\nAmerican Forest Resource Council\nAmerican Whitewater\nCosmo Specialty Fibers\nGreen Creek Wood Products\nInterfor\nMerrill & Ring\nThe Mountaineers\nMurphy Company\nOlympic Park Associates\nOlympic Forest Coalition\nOlympic Peninsula Audubon Society\nPew Charitable Trusts\nSierra Pacific Industries\nSimpson Lumber Company\nWashington Wild\nWild Olympics Campaign\nThe Olympic Peninsula Collaborative, modeled on similar partnerships elsewhere in Washington state and around the country, is a grassroots, stakeholder driven partnership and the first of its kind to be solely devoted to building greater consensus around public lands on the Olympic Peninsula.\u00a0 Since early this year, Representative Kilmer has convened discussions with a wide variety of stakeholders on solutions to problems facing the Olympic National Forest including a field hearing in August in Port Angeles dealing with collaborative forest harvest agreements.\u00a0\n\u201cI have always said that we don\u2019t have to choose between economic development and environmental protection. This is the beginning of a long-term partnership that I hope will help prove that\u2019s true,\u201d said Representative Derek Kilmer. \u201cThe Olympic Peninsula Collaborative will show we can build consensus and can bring folks together to simultaneously create a more environmentally healthy forest, provide for increased, sustainable timber harvests on the Olympic National Forest, and provide economic benefits to timber communities on the Peninsula.\u201d\n\u201cWe thank Congressman Kilmer for bringing all parties to the table to focus on areas where we agree rather than disagree.\u201d said Olympic Forest Coalition President Connie Gallant and Olympic Park Associates Vice President Tim McNulty in a joint statement. \u201cThis collaborative process will improve habitat conditions in the forests and streams on the Olympic Peninsula for a range of species. Currently, there are thousands of acres of dense and structurally simple forest on the ONF that provide poor habitat. Increasing the amount of carefully designed, habitat restoration thinning treatments in these types of forests will improve diversity and encourage the development of more complex, older forest conditions. Combining thinning with holistic watershed restoration projects will improve water quality and fish & wildlife habitat. OFCO and OPA will be helping to craft and monitor these projects to ensure they follow the best available science and the Northwest Forest Plan.\u201d\n\u201cThe current approach to managing the Olympic National Forest is not meeting the economic, social, and ecological needs of the forest or communities on the Peninsula.\u00a0 Common sense solutions to create jobs through increased active, sustainable timber management on the Olympic National Forest is urgently needed to address chronic local unemployment and poverty rates that are among the highest in the state and nearly double those of the Seattle area,\u201d said Matt Comisky, Washington Manager of the American Forest Resource Council.\u00a0 \u201cThe volume of timber currently harvested from the Olympic National Forest is less than 10 percent of historic levels, only 13 percent of the volume of timber that dies each year, and a mere 3 percent of the annual forest growth.\u00a0 Our industry looks forward to working with Congressman Kilmer and other partners to promote more balanced, innovative approaches to timber management that provide a sustainable future for our industry and the local communities as part of continued discussions about the future of the Olympic National Forest.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://dennyheck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-denny-heck-encourages-participation-in-holiday-mail-for-heroes", "Rep. Denny Heck Encourages Participation In \u201cHoliday Mail For Heroes\u201d Program", "2013-12-02", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Denny Heck", "H001064", "dennyheck.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Denny Heck (WA-10) is encouraging South Sound residents to participate in the \u201cHoliday Mail for Heroes\u201d program sponsored by the American Red Cross. The program, which began in 2006, provides Americans with the opportunity to send holiday cards to service members, veterans, and their families across the United States and around the world.\nCards should be sent to the American Red Cross by Friday, December 6, 2013. Rep. Heck will also be collecting cards at both of his district office locations until December 4. \u00a0\n\u201cThe South Sound knows the value of our service members, veterans and military families better than anyone,\u201d said Rep. Heck. \u201cLet\u2019s show our heroes at home and abroad our support this the holiday season by sending them a message of gratitude.\u201d\nThe Red Cross has distributed more than 6.5 million cards for members of the U.S. military, veterans and their families since the \u201cHoliday Mail for Heroes\u201d program began seven years ago. Participants are asked to follow these guidelines:\n Make sure that your card is signed\n\tUse generic salutations such as \u201cDear Service Member\u201d\n\tOnly cards are being accepted. Please do not send or include letters.\n\tPlease do not include email or home addresses on the cards.\n\tPlease do not include photos or other inserts.\n\tPlease do not send cards with glitter as it can aggravate health issues of ill and injured warriors.\n Cards can be mailed to:\nHoliday Mail for Heroes  \n\tP.O. Box 5456  \n\tCapitol Heights, MD 20791-5456\nSouth Sound residents may drop off their cards at either of Rep. Heck\u2019s district office locations through December 4, 2013. The district office addresses are listed below:\nPierce County office\nLakewood City Hall\n6000 Main Street SW, Suite 3B\nLakewood, WA 98499\nPH: 253-208-6172\n\u00a0\nThurston and Mason County office\nLacey City Hall\n420 College Street SE, Suite 3000\nLacey, WA 98503\nPH: 360-459-8514\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=19f03a38-f842-49c3-aea9-34246957b2a1", "JBLM: Murray Keynotes Ceremony for Military Grads of Microsoft Training Program", "2013-12-02", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) \u2013\u00a0Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray, a senior member of the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee, delivered the keynote speech at a graduation ceremony to honor the first graduating class of military students from Microsoft\u2019s Software & Systems Academy pilot program at Saint Martin\u2019s University in Lacey, WA.\u00a0 The 22 graduates, currently active duty service members from JBLM, will be hired into entry-level roles as software testers at Microsoft or Launch Consulting.\u00a0 The Microsoft Academy was inspired by Senator Murray\u2019s \u201cVOW to Hire Heroes Act.\u201d\u00a0\r\nKey excerpts from Senator Murray\u2019s speech: \r\n\u201cAs we stand here today unemployment among recent veterans is way down - on par with the rest of the country, post-9/11 veterans are being hired at a faster rate than non-veterans, and at JBLM, where 45% of service members once participated in transition assistance programs - 90% of the men and women transitioning to civilian life are getting the help they deserve.\u201d \r\n\u201cNow, these programs have been a huge success - but they\u2019re only part of the puzzle. Because no matter how much we do to prepare our veterans for the workplace - we can\u2019t succeed in fully transitioning them to civilian life without strong, lasting partnerships with businesses, labor organizations, \u00a0colleges, and universities. \r\n\u201cAnd that\u2019s why this program and this ceremony today are so special - because right here, we have top-ranking military leaders from JBLM, executives from Microsoft - one of our nation\u2019s most successful businesses, and educators from Saint Martin\u2019s University all working together to create a seamless, successful transition for men and women who\u2019ve worn the uniform. I can tell you - when I wrote the VOW Act, this is exactly what I hoped and envisioned for all our nation\u2019s veterans...and let\u2019s also give credit where it\u2019s due: because the transition program at JBLM is setting the standard for military bases around the country. That\u2019s something for Col. Hodges to be proud of, but it\u2019s also something that Saint Martin\u2019s, Microsoft, and all of us in the Puget Sound\u00a0can be proud of.\u201d \r\n\u201cLet\u2019s take a good look at the accomplishments of the men and women here today and replicate it, not\u00a0only for every transitioning service member at JBLM, but for all of those in Kitsap, Everett, Spokane, and across the country.\u201d \r\nFull text of Senator Murray\u2019s remarks below: \r\n\u201cThank you so much, Dr. Heynderickx, for that introduction, and thank you for hosting us here at Saint Martin\u2019s. \r\n\u201cI\u2019d like to first thank Colonel Hodges, the Base Commander at JBLM - he has been so instrumental in making today a reality. \r\n\u201cI\u2019d also like to thank our partners from Microsoft and Launch Consulting who are here today. \r\n\u201cAnd most importantly, I\u2019d like to thank the friends, family, and colleagues who are all here to support the service men and women we\u2019re honoring today. \r\n\u201cAll of us - whether we\u2019re business owners, educators, or elected officials - are working hard to support your sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and moms and dads who serve in the military, but there is no greater support structure for veterans and members of the military than their families and loved ones\u2026.so before we honor these graduates - I also want to thank all of you: for supporting them \u00a0and for the sacrifices you\u2019ve made, too, to make today possible. \r\n\u201cAnd you know, speaking with all of you here today is really a special moment for me. I\u2019ve been in the US Senate for more than 20 years now. I\u2019ve lived around military families here in Washington state for my entire life, and I\u2019m the daughter of a World War II veteran, so, speaking with veterans, service members, and their families is something I\u2019m used to. \r\n\u201cBut throughout my career, and really, throughout my entire life...I\u2019ve mostly seen what veterans and their families go through when they don\u2019t have access to the care they need after serving, when they don\u2019t have support and opportunities to start new lives as a civilians, and when they don\u2019t have support from the communities and institutions that make up the places they call home. \r\n\u201cSo today - really - is one of the very few opportunities I\u2019ve had to stand with members of our military, veterans, and their families, to celebrate something we\u2019re doing right. \r\n\u201cNow - everyone here knows well - probably many of you know firsthand - that military service is tough. It\u2019s not for the faint of heart\u2026but transitioning from military to civilian life isn\u2019t easy, either. \r\n\u201cAnd I really believe that right now, we\u2019re living in a defining moment when it comes to the treatment of our nation\u2019s veterans and helping current service members transition out. It\u2019s a time when our older veterans population \u2013 including so many of our Vietnam veterans \u2013 are increasingly relying on VA care. \r\n\u201cBut we\u2019re also at a pivotal point - an opportunity we cannot afford to miss - \u00a0to properly care for an entire generation of post-9/11 veterans, who have endured a decade of repeated deployments, unbelievable stress on their families, \u00a0and the visible and invisible wounds of war.\r\n\u201cThat challenge - to meet the needs of these brave men and women not decades down the road, but from the moment they begin the process of transitioning to civilian life - is truly one of our nation\u2019s great tasks at hand. \r\n\u201cAnd right here, in the backyard of our country\u2019s most important military bases - all of you know that better than most. \r\n\u201cSince 9/11, nearly 3 million Americans have served in the military, and every year 6,000 men and women from JBLM transition to civilian life, and combined with others from across the country, 13,000 veterans begin their civilian lives here in Washington state each year...and each one them faces a job market that is uncertain and highly-competitive. \r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a problem that they face along with millions of other Americans...but for veterans, many of the barriers to employment are unique. \r\n\u201cMost of these men and women have spent the last decade being shuttled back and forth to war-zones half a world away\u2026 \r\n\u201cAnd when it\u2019s time to make big changes and start new careers the road home isn\u2019t always smooth, the red tape is often long, and the transition from the battlefield to the workplace is never easy. \r\n\u201cSo for too long, veterans have often been left behind by their peers who didn\u2019t make the same sacrifices for their nation at a critical time in their lives. \r\n\u201cFor too long, many veterans haven\u2019t realized the skills they possess and their value in the workplace. \r\n\u201cAnd for too long, they\u2019ve been discouraged by a job market that is unfamiliar to them after their service. \r\n\u201cBut all of us here know that\u2019s not right. \r\n\u201cWe know the men and women here today and all our veterans have the leadership ability, discipline, and technical skills to not only find work, but excel in growing industries and jobs of the future. \r\n\u201cYou know, a few years ago, I became the Chair of the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee, and one of the first things I did was criss-cross Washington state to different worker retraining programs, VA facilities, and veterans halls to hear first hand from veterans what challenges they were facing. \r\n\u201cAnd over a few months, I had some heartbreaking and frustrating conversations. \r\n\u201cI heard from veterans who said they no longer wrote that they\u2019re a veteran on their resume because of the stigma they believed employers attach to the invisible wounds of war. \r\n\u201cI heard from medics who returned home from treating battlefield wounds and couldn\u2019t get certifications to be an EMT or to drive an ambulance. \r\n\u201cI talked to veterans who told me that the military spent countless hours getting them the skills to do their job in the field, but little time teaching them how to translate those skills into the workplace. \r\n\u201cSometimes - the problems were very complicated. Other times - they were simple issues. \r\n\u201cBut what struck me the most was that more often than not - these issues were preventable. \r\n\u201cWe were patting our veterans on the back to thank them for their service, but then we just sent them out into the job market alone - without the basic help they needed. \r\n\u201cAnd it showed. \r\n\u201cDouble-digit unemployment for veterans was the norm, the status quo. In 2011, the average unemployment rate for returning veterans was over 12 percent. And one out of every four veterans between the ages of 20 and 24 was without a job. \r\n\u201cSo I got started working with members of both parties - Republicans and Democrats - to write the VOW to Hire Heroes Act - which, I\u2019m proud to say, became the law of the land just a few months later. \r\n\u201cThe VOW Act, as we call it, created ways to ease the transition from the battlefield to the working world. \r\n\u201cFor the first time, it required broad job skills training for every service member as they leave the military as part of the military\u2019s Transition Assistance Program. \r\n\u201cIt allowed service members to begin the federal employment process prior to separation and have a truly seamless transition from the military to jobs in government. \r\n\u201cAnd it required the Department of Labor to take a hard look at what military skills and training should be translatable into the civilian sector in order to make it simpler for our veterans to get the licenses and certifications they need. \r\n\u201cMost importantly - it helped military bases across the country, like JBLM, start their own programs to help service men and women transition. \r\n\u201cAnd as we stand here today unemployment among recent veterans is way down - on par with the rest of the country, post-9/11 veterans are being hired at a faster rate than non-veterans, and at JBLM, where 45% of service members once participated in transition assistance programs - 90% of the men and women transitioning to civilian life are getting the help they deserve. \r\n\u201cNow, these programs have been a huge success - but they\u2019re only part of the puzzle. \r\n\u201cBecause no matter how much we do to prepare our veterans for the workplace - we can\u2019t succeed in fully transitioning them to civilian life without strong, lasting partnerships with businesses, labor organizations, \u00a0colleges, and universities. \r\n\u201cAnd that\u2019s why this program and this ceremony today are so special - because right here, we have top-ranking military leaders from JBLM, executives from Microsoft - one of our nation\u2019s most successful businesses, and educators from Saint Martin\u2019s University all working together to create a seamless, successful transition for men and women who\u2019ve worn the uniform. \r\n\u201cI can tell you - when I wrote the VOW Act, this is exactly what I hoped and envisioned for all our nation\u2019s veterans... \r\n...and let\u2019s also give credit where it\u2019s due: because the transition program at JBLM is setting the standard for military bases around the country.\r\n\u201cThat\u2019s something for Col. Hodges to be proud of, but it\u2019s also something that Saint Martin\u2019s, Microsoft, and all of us in the Puget Sound \u00a0can be proud of. \r\n\u201cTrust me - I\u2019m going to brag about this to my colleagues back in Washington, DC. \r\n\u201cSo, to the twenty-two graduates here today and to your families - congratulations - you deserve all the opportunities and successes that lay ahead of you. \r\n\u201cAnd for the rest of us - let\u2019s take a good look at the accomplishments of the men and women here today and replicate it , not\u00a0only for every transitioning service member at JBLM, but for all of those in Kitsap, Everett, \u00a0Spokane, \u00a0and across the country. \r\n\u201cSo thank you again - I\u2019m thrilled to be here as the first class graduates from this program, but I\u2019m even more thrilled that this is only the beginning. \r\n\u201cThank you.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=db46a9ad-3b46-4f28-b5c4-995d707af0cd", "Cantwell Statement on Small Business Saturday", "2013-11-29", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.29.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell Statement on Small Business Saturday  \n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, released the following statement to mark Small Business Saturday on November 30.\r\nThis is the fourth year of the national initiative encouraging consumers to support local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods across the country.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cSmall businesses are the foundation of America\u2019s economy,\u201d said Cantwell. \u201cAcross the country small businesses on Main Streets are the key drivers of job creation. I encourage all Washingtonians to spend some time today visiting the small, independent businesses that are critical to the growth of our state and the nation. Visiting small businesses today helps invest in jobs and the success of our communities tomorrow.\u201d\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-statement-on-small-business-saturday", "Cantwell Statement on Small Business Saturday", "2013-11-29", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.29.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell Statement on Small Business Saturday  \n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, released the following statement to mark Small Business Saturday on November 30.\r\nThis is the fourth year of the national initiative encouraging consumers to support local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods across the country.\r\nSmall businesses are the foundation of America's economy, said Cantwell. Across the country small businesses on Main Streets are the key drivers of job creation. I encourage all Washingtonians to spend some time today visiting the small, independent businesses that are critical to the growth of our state and the nation. Visiting small businesses today helps invest in jobs and the success of our communities tomorrow.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://reichert.house.gov/2013-thanksgiving-day-statement", "2013 Thanksgiving Day Statement", "2013-11-28", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Dave Reichert", "R000578", "reichert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "2013 Thanksgiving Day Statement                                           \n              Nov 28, 2013      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    On Thanksgiving Day, 2013 Congressman Dave Reichert issued the following statement:\n\"When President Lincoln issued his original Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863, there was much to be ungrateful for.\u00a0 Civil War was raging and many people were suffering severe hardship.\u00a0 But even amidst all of that turmoil, the nation paused and remembered just how much there was to be thankful for.\u00a0 Today, on this Thanksgiving, I urge you to do the same.\u00a0 Our country stands 150 years after that proclamation as one of the most successful, most free nations this world has ever seen.\u00a0 In each of our lives, we have been blessed in both large and small ways.\u00a0 Remember those today and have a very happy Thanksgiving.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pattyinnews?ContentRecord_id=4d659f95-2a9c-4c51-b715-2eb97351a86e", "Sen. Murray seeks expansion of behavioral therapy for military families", "2013-11-27", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Adam Ashton \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tTwo of Miranda Fort\u2019s three children have different developmental disabilities that affect the way they relate to the world.\r\nTo help them, doctors recommended both try behavioral therapy that would teach them social and coping skills.\r\nYet that treatment, known as applied behavioral analysis, is covered for only one of the two children under the Navy family\u2019s Tricare health insurance. The other daughter, Josie, can\u2019t get the therapy because she has not been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, the condition for which Tricare offers the treatment.\r\n\u201cWe wait until all children that need the therapy have access to it,\u201d said Fort, of Silverdale.\r\nHer family is working to make that goal happen as fast as possible by getting behind a proposal from U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., that would compel the insurance agency to expand its offerings for behavioral therapy. The Forts joined Murray on Tuesday at a Seattle press conference to promote the effort.\r\nMurray has submitted an amendment to the annual defense budget that would force the change, costing about $60 million a year.\r\n\u201cThat\u2019s a drop in the bucket\u201d for the Pentagon\u2019s $527 billion spending plan,\u201d the senator argues.\r\nHer proposal is moving forward at a moment when the Defense Department is trying to stay on top of a rapidly changing budget picture. It stands to lose about $50 billion next year if Congress fails to stop the forced federal spending cuts known as sequestration.\r\nAgainst that backdrop, the White House last week urged Congress to raise certain Tricare fees for military retirees and to rein in the system\u2019s costs over the next five years. Health care spending last year cost the Pentagon more than $50 billion.\r\nYet Murray is gathering considerable support for the benefits expansion from families who say it\u2019s an important incentive to retain capable service members.\r\n\u201cWhen we recruit people, we recruit individuals, but we retain families,\u201d said retired Army Col. Dave Slotwinski, president of the Military Officers Association of America\u2019s Washington state chapter. The organization is backing Murray\u2019s proposal.\r\nIn recent years, Murray has used the annual defense spending bill to advance reforms that usually focus on the health of troops and their families.\r\nIn 2010 and 2012, she put forward successful amendments to the defense spending bill that expanded military mental health resources. In 2011, the final defense spending bill carried a Murray proposal that nudged the Pentagon to use more biofuels.\r\nThis year, she\u2019s working on other amendments to the defense bill that would allow sex assault victims advocates to appear before military courts and require the Defense Department to conduct a study on the advancement of women in the ranks.\r\nThe Senate last week debated the overall spending bill, but left for a holiday recess without passing it.\r\nMurray said her colleagues should pass the Tricare reforms because deployed military service members deserve to know their families are being taken care of while they\u2019re overseas.\r\n\u201cDenying these kids this kind of care is absolutely unacceptable,\u201d she said.\r\nMiranda Fort has a busy house when her husband, Petty Officer 1st Class Quinten Fort, deploys on Puget Sound-based submarines. Her house is full with daughters Hailey, 7, and Josie, 5, as well as son Teagan, 3.\r\nTeagan has about 18 hours of therapy each week for his autism. It works, Miranda says. For example, he used to have trouble in the grocery store when sprinklers turned on in the produce section. The sound startled him, and the family had to leave the store.\r\nWith therapy, Teagan has learned to cope with the sprinklers by cupping his ears. His mom has seen other positive changes, too.\r\nJosie has a different condition in which her brain tissue stretches down into her spinal cord. It makes her impulsive, and she struggles with her memory.\r\n\u201cDaily tasks become impossible,\u201d Miranda Fort said.\r\nJosie gets about one hour of therapy a week. Doing more would require the family to pay out-of-pocket expenses they can\u2019t afford on an enlisted sailor\u2019s salary.\r\nMom wants behavioral therapy for Josie, in accordance with her doctor\u2019s recommendation.\r\n\u201cThey could help her create a system\u201d to live with her disability, Miranda Fort said.\r\n- The News Tribune\r\n  Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/11/27/2916795/murray-seeks-expansion-of-behavorial.html#storylink=cpy", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://reichert.house.gov/press-release/reichert-welcomes-2013-2014-youth-advisory-board", "Reichert Welcomes 2013-2014 Youth Advisory Board", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Dave Reichert", "R000578", "reichert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Issaquah, WA \u2013 Today, Congressman Dave Reichert welcomed his 2013-2014 Youth Advisory Board with a reception at his District Office.\u00a0 The Youth Advisory Board was first formed in 2011 to get input from the young men and women who will be the future leaders of our country.\u00a0\n\u201cI am honored to be joined by this group of bright young men and women,\u201d said Reichert.\u00a0 \u201cToday\u2019s youth are very informed and understand that federal policy affects us all, no matter how young or old. \u00a0Therefore, it is especially important to hear everyone\u2019s opinion.\u00a0 These young people will also one day be in charge of leading this nation, so I believe that encouraging them to get involved now can only be a benefit to this state and this country.\u201d\nThe members of the 2013-2014 Youth Advisory Board are listed below:\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jackson Bandow (Sammamish)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Katie Christensen (Enumclaw)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Catrina Crittenden (Sammamish)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tinuola Dada (Sammamish)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sean Fearon (Sammamish)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Andrew Franke (Sammamish)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Claire Garrett (Sammamish)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hadley Garrett (Sammamish)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Trevor Hart (Sammamish)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matthew Hurley (Bonney Lake)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scott Hutchins (Auburn)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tristana Leist (Sammamish)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thiemo Loos (Issaquah)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Peyton McCulley (North Bend)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Riley Miller (Lake Tapps)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jack Morgan (Issaquah)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jayaram Ravi (Black Diamond)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Katherine Riveness (Sammamish)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Daniel Simmons (Renton)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Alyssa Stallings (Maple Valley)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sarah Strickler (Bonney Lake)\n-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Maggie Uceny (Ellensburg)", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-about-maria?ContentRecord_id=a35577ba-0c49-4028-aafe-f821b6d4a11b", "CFTC Needs Nominee to Battle Wall Street Lobbying, Democrats Say", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "01.22.14\n    \t\t\t CFTC Needs Nominee to Battle Wall Street Lobbying, Democrats Say  \n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\tPresident\u00a0Barack Obama\u00a0must name a Commodity Futures Trading Commission member with the experience needed to ward off Wall Street lobbying over the Volcker rule and speculation limits, nine Democratic senators said.\r\nThe nominee needs demonstrated expertise in derivatives markets -- including futures, options and swaps -- to ensure the Dodd-Frank Act rules are completed \u201ceven in the face of extremely stiff industry lobbying,\u201d Senators Dianne Feinstein of California, Carl Levin of\u00a0Michigan\u00a0and Elizabeth Warren of\u00a0Massachusetts\u00a0said in the letter signed by six other colleagues.\r\nObama will have to replace CFTC Commissioner\u00a0Bart Chilton, a Democrat who has said he plans to step down, after naming the Treasury Department\u2019s Timothy Massad to succeed Chairman Gary Gensler, whose term is expiring. The changes come at a crucial moment as the five-member commission works to finish rules for swap trading by banks including\u00a0JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)\u00a0and Goldman Sachs Group Inc.\r\n\u201cWe are deeply concerned that some industry interests may view the Gensler and Chilton departures as opportunities to roll back or slow down essential reforms,\u201d the lawmakers said in the letter to Obama dated yesterday.\r\nThe CFTC, which is designed to have five members, could have only one Democrat and one Republican early next year as the Senate weighs nominees to replace Chilton and Gensler, who was a Goldman Sachs partner before entering government work. The White House may nominate Sharon Y. Bowen, a securities lawyer at Latham & Watkins LLP in New York, to replace Chilton, according to four people with knowledge of the deliberations.\r\n Overseas Reach \r\nThe agency needs a commissioner who will oppose likely efforts to weaken the overseas reach of Dodd-Frank rules, delay the Volcker rule ban on banks\u2019 proprietary trading and loosen limits on how big a position traders can have in oil, natural gas and other commodities, the senators wrote in the letter that was also signed by Democrats Jeff Merkley of\u00a0Oregon, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Maria Cantwell of\u00a0Washington, Bill Nelson of Florida,\u00a0Edward Markey\u00a0of Massachusetts and Barbara Boxer of California.\r\nAmericans for Financial Reform and Better Markets, groups that advocate tighter regulation of Wall Street, have issued statements calling on Massad to demonstrate a commitment to be tough on banks.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=5d7f551c-0dfc-4b78-953c-462929789cc1", "Senator Murray\u2019s Statement on Supreme Court\u2019s Decision to Hear Case on Women\u2019s Access to Contraception Under ACA", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cAllowing a woman\u2019s boss to call the shots about her access to birth control should be inconceivable to all Americans in this day and age.\u00a0 But what\u2019s at stake in this case is whether a CEO\u2019s personal beliefs can trump a woman\u2019s right to access free contraception under the Affordable Care Act.\r\n\u201cIn weighing this case my hope is that the court realizes that women working for private companies should be afforded the same access to medical care, regardless of who signs their paycheck. We can\u2019t allow legal precedent to dictate that the personal beliefs of those in positions of power can block those who aren\u2019t from making their own health care decisions. That is a slippery slope that could lead to bosses dictating everything from an employee\u2019s ability to access HIV treatment to their ability to vaccinate their children. I will continue to work to make clear what a momentous and impactful decision this will be in the days and months ahead.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-about-maria?ContentRecord_id=44dbb4eb-ed5f-4fe2-ac68-9a87b1413358", "Senate Passes Resolution Honoring Native American Heritage Month", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "01.22.14\n    \t\t\t Senate Passes Resolution Honoring Native American Heritage Month \n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\tOn November 21, the Senate passed a resolution introduced by Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Chairwoman Maria Cantwell (D-WA) to honor the Nation\u2019s first Americans during Native American Heritage Month.\r\nThe resolution passed the Senate on November 20.\r\n\u201cThe contributions that American Indians have made to the foundation of the United States are significant and continue today,\u201d Cantwell said. \u201cFrom influencing the documents that founded our Nation to serving in World War II as code talkers, American Indians have helped shape the face of our Nation.\u201d\r\nCantwell was joined in introducing Senate Resolution 305 by 24 bi-partisan colleagues, including Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Mark Begich (D-AK), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Michael Crapo (R-ID), Al Franken (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), John Hoeven (R-ND), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Harry Reid (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jon Tester (D-MT), John Thune (R-SD), Mark Udall (D-CO), Tom Udall (D-NM), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).\r\nThe resolution recognizes the month of November 2013 as Native American Heritage Month; along with the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day in accordance with the Native American Heritage Day Act of 2009; and urges the people of the United States to observe National Native American Heritage Month and Native American Heritage Day with appropriate programs and activities according to an SCIA release.\r\n\u201cSince time immemorial, American Indians have occupied the lands we now know as the United States. To date, the federal government recognizes 566 distinct tribal nations across the country. While these Indian tribes share many attributes, each tribe is unique. The contributions that American Indians have made to the foundation of the United States are significant and continue today. From influencing the documents that founded our Nation to serving in World War II as code talkers, American Indians have helped shape the face of our Nation. It is fitting that we are honoring the code talkers this week with a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony, as Native Americans have served in the military at a higher rate per capita than any other group in the country,\u201d Cantwell said in her floor speech.\r\n\u201cNative American heroes played a significant role in World War II. Among them was Charles Chibitty of the Comanche Nation, who aided the successful landing at Normandy and the capture of an enemy flag in a French village, for which he was recognized by the French government. The code talkers came from many tribes, including the Navajo, who played a crucial role in the Pacific. The Choctaw, Sioux, Assiniboine, Apache, Hopi, Mohawk and many other tribes gave this Nation their dedication, determination and courage. They will never be forgotten.\r\n\u201cAs we celebrate National Native American Heritage Month, I encourage my colleagues to take some time and think about the federal government\u2019s responsibilities to our first people. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution designating November 2013 as National Native American Heritage Month and November 29 of this year as Native American Heritage Day, and I encourage all Americans to recognize the important contributions American Indians have made to this great Nation,\u201d she concluded", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=cf9235ec-aec3-4dd6-acb2-133068961d5c", "Cantwell, Begich Introduce Bipartisan Amendment that Would Pave the Way for New Icebreakers", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.25.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell, Begich Introduce Bipartisan Amendment that Would Pave the Way for New Icebreakers   \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t and Alaska senators\u2019 amendment would authorize the Navy to build up to four heavy polar icebreakers\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and U.S. Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) introduced a bipartisan amendment last week that would pave the way for the construction of new Coast Guard heavy polar icebreakers. The amendment -- cosponsored by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Patty Murray (D-WA) -- would authorize the U.S. Navy to build up to four heavy-duty polar icebreakers. The icebreaker language was introduced as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (S.1197) currently under consideration in the Senate.\r\nUnder the amendment, the Navy would construct up to four heavy icebreakers, and then enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Homeland Security to transfer the vessels to the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard is the sole service responsible for icebreaking missions.\r\nThe United States currently has only two operational icebreakers, the Healy and the Polar Star. The Polar Star is currently in Seattle preparing to depart on December 3rd for Antarctica after years of extensive retrofitting.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIcebreakers protect America\u2019s Arctic interests and support Washington state shipbuilding jobs,\u201d said Senator Cantwell. \u201cThe Arctic continues to open up, creating new routes for commerce and trade\u2014 which is why other nations are acquiring new icebreakers. This amendment is an important step forward to ensure the Coast Guard has the tools it needs to secure our interests and win the race to the Arctic. Our bipartisan effort will help meet our national security priorities in the region and support new jobs in America\u2019s shipyards while solidifying Washington state\u2019s position as our national hub for Arctic commerce and maritime manufacturing.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Nome fuel crisis several years ago demonstrated the need for enhanced icebreaking capability to meet the needs of residents of America\u2019s Arctic as well as our nation\u2019s security needs,\u201d said Senator Begich. \u201cThe U.S. is an Arctic nation with national security concerns in the region, particularly as the ice melts and we have greater energy and shipping capabilities, which is exactly why I have joined my colleagues to introduce this amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act and will continue to push for broad support for this measure in the Senate.\u201d\r\n\u201cWith Defense Secretary Hagel announcing last Friday that the nation\u2019s military will be very involved in the Arctic region, moving forward towards an Arctic future means icebreakers; this bill would help deliver on that,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThe Arctic nations are investing in the future to maximize the emerging opportunities there \u2013 Russia has 33 icebreakers while we have 2 at best \u2013 and even India and China are seeing the need for icebreakers to gain entry to this newly-accessible region.\u00a0 The Coast Guard\u2019s own study showed they needed 10 icebreakers to fulfill their duty in northern waters, so I appreciate this bipartisan effort with the Washington delegation in order to protect our waters and remain at the table in pushing ahead in the Arctic.\u201d\r\n\u201cBuilding a fleet of state-of-the-art Icebreakers is critical to our national security and our economic interests, and we can\u2019t fall behind our global competitors who are taking Arctic commerce seriously,\u201d said Senator Murray. \u201cConstruction of up to four new icebreakers would be a boon to Washington state\u2019s maritime manufacturing industry, and the security and economic impacts would benefit Americans everywhere.\u201d\r\nIn a new report released last week, Seattle\u2019s maritime economy is worth $30 million a year and supports more than 148,000 jobs. A key part of that commerce is due to Seattle\u2019s position as a national hub for Arctic commerce and maritime manufacturing. The Coast Guard\u2019s icebreaker fleet is based and serviced in Seattle. Refurbishing a large icebreaking vessel like the Polar Star can take roughly five years and employ upwards of 300 workers. Building a new vessel can take eight to ten years and employ more than 1,000 workers.\r\nAs the world saw in 2012 when the Healy cut a path through Arctic sea ice to the town of Nome, Alaska, icebreakers fill a unique and vital role in the nation\u2019s safety, security and environmental operations at sea. The Coast Guard needs a minimum of six heavy duty icebreakers and an additional four medium icebreakers to meet Coast Guard and Navy mission requirements, according to a recent Coast Guard study. The United States Navy has no icebreaking capability.\u00a0\r\nThe melting polar ice cap has opened new passageways through the Arctic ice and created new opportunities for trade and international commerce. Emerging resource development in the Arctic is also bringing up additional environmental concerns and increasing the importance of vessels capable of operating in sea ice. Icebreakers are also key for scientific research critical to understanding global climate change. Historically, these vessels have also helped resupply the McMurdo Station, the main U.S. station in Antarctica on the southern tip of Ross Island. However over the last few years the United States has been forced to contract foreign icebreaking to deliver supplies to the station.\r\nThe Washington and Alaska delegations have a history of working together to preserve and upgrade the nation\u2019s icebreaker fleet. On June 15, 2012, Senators Cantwell, Begich and Murkowski announced an agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard to postpone the scheduled scrapping of the Polar Sea through the end of the year.\r\nThe agreement was reached during a meeting between them and the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Robert Papp, Jr. Cantwell and Begich\u2019s legislation to stop the decommissioning or scrapping of the Polar Sea was signed into law by President Obama on December 20, 2012.\r\nCantwell and Begich were instrumental in securing the language in the 2010 Coast Guard Reauthorization Act that required the Coast Guard to evaluate the costs and benefits of building new vessels versus refurbishing the existing vessels, in order to save taxpayer dollars.\r\nAs a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Murray has secured federal funding in homeland security appropriations bills for the retrofitting of the Polar Star heavy icebreaker.\u00a0 Retrofitting the Polar Star was competitively awarded to Seattle\u2019s Todd Shipyards in 2008 and has been estimated to create or sustain more than 250 jobs in the Puget Sound region.\r\nOn August 18, 2011, Cantwell and Begich urged the Coast Guard to postpone decommissioning the Polar Sea until a business analysis could be completed to determine the most cost-effective way to revitalize the nation\u2019s aging polar icebreaker fleet. In a letter sent to Admiral Papp, the Senators said the lack of icebreaking capacity was unacceptable.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141005035624/http://mcmorris.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=96&itemid=2242", "Special Announcement: Welcome Brynn Catherine!", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Cathy McMorris Rodgers", "M001159", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) released the following statement after the brith of her third child. She is the first to give birth three time while serving in Congress - big brother Cole was born in April 2007 and big sister Grace in December 2010.   \"Brian, Cole, Grace, and I are thrilled to welcome Brynn Catherine to our family! She was born at 6:19 am on Nov. 24, weighing 7 lbs. 6 oz.. Nothing compares to the miracle of bringing a new life into the world. She's beautiful and seems to be taking it all in stride. Our hearts are full,\" said McMorris Rodgers.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-begich-introduce-bipartisan-amendment-that-would-pave-the-way-for-new-icebreakers", "Cantwell, Begich Introduce Bipartisan Amendment that Would Pave the Way for New Icebreakers", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.25.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell, Begich Introduce Bipartisan Amendment that Would Pave the Way for New Icebreakers   \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t and Alaska senators' amendment would authorize the Navy to build up to four heavy polar icebreakers\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and U.S. Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) introduced a bipartisan amendment last week that would pave the way for the construction of new Coast Guard heavy polar icebreakers. The amendment -- cosponsored by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Patty Murray (D-WA) -- would authorize the U.S. Navy to build up to four heavy-duty polar icebreakers. The icebreaker language was introduced as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (S.1197) currently under consideration in the Senate.\r\nUnder the amendment, the Navy would construct up to four heavy icebreakers, and then enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Homeland Security to transfer the vessels to the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard is the sole service responsible for icebreaking missions.\r\nThe United States currently has only two operational icebreakers, the Healy and the Polar Star. The Polar Star is currently in Seattle preparing to depart on December 3rd for Antarctica after years of extensive retrofitting.\r\nIcebreakers protect America's Arctic interests and support Washington state shipbuilding jobs, said Senator Cantwell. The Arctic continues to open up, creating new routes for commerce and trade which is why other nations are acquiring new icebreakers. This amendment is an important step forward to ensure the Coast Guard has the tools it needs to secure our interests and win the race to the Arctic. Our bipartisan effort will help meet our national security priorities in the region and support new jobs in America's shipyards while solidifying Washington state's position as our national hub for Arctic commerce and maritime manufacturing.\r\nThe Nome fuel crisis several years ago demonstrated the need for enhanced icebreaking capability to meet the needs of residents of America's Arctic as well as our nation's security needs, said Senator Begich. The U.S. is an Arctic nation with national security concerns in the region, particularly as the ice melts and we have greater energy and shipping capabilities, which is exactly why I have joined my colleagues to introduce this amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act and will continue to push for broad support for this measure in the Senate.\r\nWith Defense Secretary Hagel announcing last Friday that the nation's military will be very involved in the Arctic region, moving forward towards an Arctic future means icebreakers; this bill would help deliver on that, said Senator Murkowski. The Arctic nations are investing in the future to maximize the emerging opportunities there  Russia has 33 icebreakers while we have 2 at best  and even India and China are seeing the need for icebreakers to gain entry to this newly-accessible region. The Coast Guard's own study showed they needed 10 icebreakers to fulfill their duty in northern waters, so I appreciate this bipartisan effort with the Washington delegation in order to protect our waters and remain at the table in pushing ahead in the Arctic.\r\nBuilding a fleet of state-of-the-art Icebreakers is critical to our national security and our economic interests, and we can't fall behind our global competitors who are taking Arctic commerce seriously, said Senator Murray. Construction of up to four new icebreakers would be a boon to Washington state's maritime manufacturing industry, and the security and economic impacts would benefit Americans everywhere.\r\nIn a new report released last week, Seattle's maritime economy is worth $30 million a year and supports more than 148,000 jobs. A key part of that commerce is due to Seattle's position as a national hub for Arctic commerce and maritime manufacturing. The Coast Guard's icebreaker fleet is based and serviced in Seattle. Refurbishing a large icebreaking vessel like the Polar Star can take roughly five years and employ upwards of 300 workers. Building a new vessel can take eight to ten years and employ more than 1,000 workers.\r\nAs the world saw in 2012 when the Healy cut a path through Arctic sea ice to the town of Nome, Alaska, icebreakers fill a unique and vital role in the nation's safety, security and environmental operations at sea. The Coast Guard needs a minimum of six heavy duty icebreakers and an additional four medium icebreakers to meet Coast Guard and Navy mission requirements, according to a recent Coast Guard study. The United States Navy has no icebreaking capability.\r\nThe melting polar ice cap has opened new passageways through the Arctic ice and created new opportunities for trade and international commerce. Emerging resource development in the Arctic is also bringing up additional environmental concerns and increasing the importance of vessels capable of operating in sea ice. Icebreakers are also key for scientific research critical to understanding global climate change. Historically, these vessels have also helped resupply the McMurdo Station, the main U.S. station in Antarctica on the southern tip of Ross Island. However over the last few years the United States has been forced to contract foreign icebreaking to deliver supplies to the station.\r\nThe Washington and Alaska delegations have a history of working together to preserve and upgrade the nation's icebreaker fleet. On June 15, 2012, Senators Cantwell, Begich and Murkowski announced an agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard to postpone the scheduled scrapping of the Polar Sea through the end of the year.\r\nThe agreement was reached during a meeting between them and the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Robert Papp, Jr. Cantwell and Begich's legislation to stop the decommissioning or scrapping of the Polar Sea was signed into law by President Obama on December 20, 2012.\r\nCantwell and Begich were instrumental in securing the language in the 2010 Coast Guard Reauthorization Act that required the Coast Guard to evaluate the costs and benefits of building new vessels versus refurbishing the existing vessels, in order to save taxpayer dollars.\r\nAs a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Murray has secured federal funding in homeland security appropriations bills for the retrofitting of the Polar Star heavy icebreaker. Retrofitting the Polar Star was competitively awarded to Seattle's Todd Shipyards in 2008 and has been estimated to create or sustain more than 250 jobs in the Puget Sound region.\r\nOn August 18, 2011, Cantwell and Begich urged the Coast Guard to postpone decommissioning the Polar Sea until a business analysis could be completed to determine the most cost-effective way to revitalize the nation's aging polar icebreaker fleet. In a letter sent to Admiral Papp, the Senators said the lack of icebreaking capacity was unacceptable.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://herrerabeutler.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362836", "Keeping Your Health Care is a Broken Promise", "2013-11-24", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Jaime Herrera Beutler", "H001056", "herrerabeutler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "One of\u00a0the central promises made by the President and supporters of the new health care law\u00a0was that if you liked your health care plan, under the new law, you could keep it.\u00a0 Unfortunately, that promise would not be kept.\u00a0 More than 290,000 policy-holding families and individuals in Washington and more than 4.8 million nationally have received notices that their current plans are being cancelled.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The massive problems with the health care exchange websites have only compounded folks\u2019 anxiety about the law. Since their implementation on October 1, the online marketplaces have been plagued by massive technical problems, breaches of personal information, incorrect pricing, and outages.\u00a0 In Oregon, problems are so bad that after seven weeks not a single person has been able to sign up for a new health care plan online.\u00a0 In Washington, only 11,740 have signed up for the qualified health plans, and the exchange needs many more signups just to stay afloat.\u00a0 When Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), an architect of the law, stated last spring that the rollout seemed like a \u201ctrain wreck,\u201d\u00a0it now seems that he was being optimistic.\u00a0 Washington state resident Jessica Sanford was held up as a health care law \u201csuccess\u201d by the president during his October 21 nationally televised speech.\u00a0 This week, however, Jessica became the reluctant center of national attention when it was revealed that the website misquoted the cost and her health care plan and subsidy.\u00a0 Now, this 48 year old single mother is left with options she can\u2019t afford.\u00a0  I did not support the federal health care law because I feared it would fall short of its promises, and that its unintended consequences would do more harm than good to individuals and families in Washington.\u00a0 There is no satisfaction in having\u00a0my fears\u00a0come true. \u00a0From my own personal health care experiences, and as someone who must also find a new plan on the exchange, I worry for the moms, dads and seniors who have had the rug pulled out from under them.\u00a0  Cory, a resident of Centralia, told my office he\u2019d been dropped from his plan, and in this exchange his monthly premiums will double.\u00a0 Donna in Battle Ground is extremely worried that her premiums doubled but emergency room trips will also cost more.\u00a0  Tracey from Battle Ground was excited when Congress passed the law in 2010.\u00a0 She believed it would mean more affordable health care plans for herself and her employees.\u00a0 After being kicked off her old plan, however, she can no longer afford the increased premiums of a new plan.\u00a0 She\u2019ll be forced to drop health care for her employees and doubts she can afford insurance for herself. Thad Parker, a small business owner in Chehalis, had his insurance policy canceled.\u00a0 A plan similar to his old one is $289 more a month, with a $2,500 higher deductible.\u00a0 Thad told me that between keeping his business afloat, providing health care for his three children and maintaining all of his employees, one will likely give. To his credit, President Obama took action when both President Clinton and a Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives called for a sensible change to the law allowing people to keep their old plans.\u00a0 While I applaud the President\u2019s willingness to\u00a0begin addressing the law\u2019s problems, it was disappointing when officials in Washington decided to defy him and deny Cory, Donna, Tracey, Thad and Southwest Washington residents any hope of keeping their health care plans. Such are the consequences of a law that was well-intended but so poorly designed.\u00a0 It has empowered bureaucrats in Olympia and Washington, DC to become increasingly involved in health care decisions for families in Kelso, Longview, Toledo, and Woodland.\u00a0 These are decisions best made by families themselves at the kitchen table or with their doctors. Many in Congress who initially supported the law are beginning to abandon it.\u00a0 More than $390 million in taxpayer money was spent setting up the broken websites and exchanges, and tens of millions more will be required to make them even semi-functional.\u00a0 If middle-income and healthy individuals continue to stay away from the health care exchanges, costs will continue to rise for others.\u00a0  The reality is that for the foreseeable future, the law isn\u2019t going anywhere.\u00a0 If there are targeted fixes that will provide relief to the many people harmed by this law, I will support them.\u00a0 However, if the problems persist and Americans continue to suffer under this law, I believe enough of us \u2013 Republican, Democrat, and Independent \u2013 will come together to say \u201cenough is enough\u201d and will finally pursue the patient-centered policy reforms that will deliver affordable, quality health care to all residents. Read this article online at The Daily News by clicking here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221214056/http://adamsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362812", "Ranking Member Adam Smith on Deal with Iran", "2013-11-23", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Adam Smith", "S000510", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith made the following statement after a short-term deal to halt Iran nuclear ambitions was struck:  \u201cThe deal announced today is a positive step in the right direction and I applaud the Administration for making progress on this important national security issue.\u00a0 It is vital that we prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon in a peaceful way.  \u201cThe initial step of the P5 + 1 deal announced today halts the Iranian nuclear program and will roll it back in key respects in exchange for temporary, targeted, and reversible relief. The deal also puts in place an improved inspection, monitoring, and verification regime. This preliminary step should serve as a bridge to a long-term deal. This interim agreement gives us the chance to make significant progress towards the goal we and our allies seek: preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. \u201cWhile today\u2019s announcement represents serious progress, far more work remains to be done.\u201d ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/message-rick-getting-covered-northwest-washington", "A Message from Rick: Getting Covered in Northwest Washington", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hi, I\u2019m Congressman Rick Larsen.\nHere in Congress, a lot of folks still want to stop the Affordable Care Act. Republicans tell us that because a website isn\u2019t working, the law never will. Republicans tell us that this law will cost billions, when the nonpartisan scorekeepers tell us that simply isn\u2019t true. Republicans tell us this law is so distasteful that they would rather shut down the government than let it move forward.\nBut you know what they\u2019re not telling us? That thousands of people across the country, including more than 98,000 people in Washington state, are signing up for good quality health coverage.\nNow, I know there have been problems with this rollout, but the crisis in health care in this country is not a website that doesn\u2019t work. The crisis is that 48 million people are uninsured.\nA constituent named Liz, from Bellingham, Washington; she told me she was angry when she found out her insurance company was cancelling her plan. She was angry. Until she logged on to Washington\u2019s health insurance marketplace and found better coverage at a better price. Now, she tells me, she\u2019s, \u201ca happy camper.\u201d\nSharon in Friday Harbor was another person who received a cancellation notice from her insurer. She\u2019s not upset though because she found insurance that will save her $3,000 a year. She told me, \u201cI hope there\u2019s no backtracking.\u201d\nWell I hope so too.\nBut the Affordable Care Act is about more than saving money. It\u2019s about saving lives.\nThat\u2019s what Susan from Lopez Island told me. Her husband was just diagnosed with cancer, and they\u2019re having a difficult experience with their current insurance provider. They\u2019ll be switching in January, something she points out is only possible because of the Affordable Care Act\u2019s ban on denying coverage because of preexisting conditions.\nAnd a Lynnwood resident named Lee hasn\u2019t been fully insured since he left his job in 2010. He is diabetic and had a heart attack last year. He and his wife have part-time jobs that don\u2019t offer insurance, and they haven\u2019t been able to find affordable insurance. So, when the health insurance marketplace launched last month, he was pretty skeptical. So he called the helpline a couple times and got through the sign-up process. Come the New Year, Lee and his wife will be fully insured for the first time in years.\nNow I\u2019m not here to make excuses. The implementation of the Affordable Care Act has had huge problems for which actual people, not a website, but actual people are responsible. Congress needs to hold these people accountable.\nBut does that mean we scrap the law?\nNo.\nDoes Congress tell Liz, Sharon, Susan and Lee they\u2019re out of luck?\nNo.\nDo we go back to discriminating against people with preexisting conditions? Do we go back to capping the amount of health care you can get each year? Do we go back to charging women more than men for the care they need?\nAbsolutely not.\nSo on behalf of Liz and Sharon, Susan and Lee, and the thousands of others across Northwest Washington who want better, more affordable health care, I\u2019m going to continue standing against these Republican efforts to attack the Affordable Care Act.\nIt\u2019s time that we move forward, and not backward, on health care.\nThanks for listening.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-about-maria?ContentRecord_id=87faf57e-ccb8-4a2c-b548-0a029c8ee575", "Effort starts to save Green Mountain lookout", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "01.22.14\n    \t\t\t Effort starts to save Green Mountain lookout \n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\tSen. Maria Cantwell says it's high time to get to work on a bill that would save the Green Mountain forest fire lookout from being pulled off the peak.\r\nCantwell, D-Wash., got a commitment from a Senate committee chairman Thursday that he will move ahead on the proposed bill to preserve the lookout, located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.\r\nSen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee recognized the Washington congressional delegation's work on the lookout bill and pledged to move the bill \"expeditiously,\" Cantwell said.\r\nCantwell and fellow Sen. Patty Murray introduced the Green Mountain bill in February while Reps. Rick Larsen and Suzan DelBene, both Democrats who represent portions of Snohomish County, introduced companion legislation in the House.\r\nIn May they asked the U.S. Forest Service to delay plans to move the lookout out of the wilderness. The Forest Service plans to use a helicopter to haul away the lookout from the 6,500-foot mountain and place it eight miles away at the top of Circle Peak.\r\nThe Forest Service plan follows an order by the U.S. District Court in Seattle to remove the lookout. The court sided with a lawsuit by Montana-based Wilderness Watch against the Forest Service for using a helicopter to shore up the lookout during preservation work, a violation of the federal Wilderness Act.\r\nIn July, Darrington Historical Society member Scott Morris joined DelBene and Larsen in testifying before the House Natural Resources Committee in support of the Green Mountain Heritage Protection Act.\r\nWork on the proposed bill was delayed in October because of the shutdown of the federal government.\r\nIn addition to its history as a forest fire lookout, the Green Mountain lookout served as an early warning station to detect enemy aircraft during World War II.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://herrerabeutler.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362666", "Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler Cosponsors Bill to Remove Military Sexual Assault from Chain of Command", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Jaime Herrera Beutler", "H001056", "herrerabeutler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Jaime Herrera Beutler announced today that she is cosponsoring legislation to confront a rise in military sexual assaults by taking the evaluation and response for such incidents outside the military chain of command. The bipartisan Military Justice Improvement Act is a legislative response to an alarming 37% increase in sexual assaults within the armed services over the last two years.\u00a0 Despite efforts by military leadership to address this serious issue, the problem remains. A Defense Department report found that fewer than one in six cases were being reported to authorities, often due to fear of retaliation by superiors.\u00a0 A quarter of the time, the perpetrators of these crimes were in the victims' direct chain of command.\u00a0\u00a0 The Military Justice Improvement Act would amend the Uniform Code of Military Justice to transfer crimes like rape and sexual assault to independent, trained professional military prosecutors who would weigh prosecution based on evidence. \u201cI want our military to continue setting the standard for honor and discipline, which is why I\u2019m supporting this bill,\u201d said Jaime.\u00a0 \u201cWe only have two choices: take the prosecution of these crimes outside the chain of command, or face the reality that sexual assault in the military will get worse.\u00a0 It\u2019s encouraging to see so many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle joining me in recognizing the current system simply can\u2019t confront this serious problem.\u00a0 It\u2019s time to make the necessary changes to protect the men and women who sacrifice so much to protect us.\u201d\u00a0  The U.S. Senate has been debating nearly identical legislation, S. 967, which was introduced by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and has strong bipartisan support.\u00a0 Supporters are hopeful the bill can earn passage when the Senate reconvenes in December.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Background: Earlier this year, Jaime traveled to Afghanistan where she had the opportunity to discuss and learn more about this issue from members of the military and officials with on-the-ground experience.\u00a0  In June, she took steps to protect military victims of sexual assault and rape when she supported legislation that would add rape, sexual assault, and other sexual misconduct to the list of crimes eligible for protected communication.\u00a0 She also supported provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act that established minimum sentencing guidelines for sexual assault and stripped commanders of their ability to dismiss the findings of a court-martial.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=10fb187c-735e-4409-a2aa-a4e959d37a3c", "HEALTH EXCHANGE: Murray Urges Insurers to Reach Out to Families With Cancelled Plans", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cIt is important to ensure that all Washingtonians have all the information they need to make health care decisions\u2026 I believe that providing an additional level of outreach to these consumers will be beneficial for all.\u201d \r\n(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 Today, in a letter to Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler,\u00a0U.S. Senator Patty Murray urged health insurance companies to reach out, in writing, to consumers whose health plans have been cancelled and provide clear information on the affordable, quality health care options available to them through Washington Healthplanfinder, the state exchange created through the Affordable Care Act.\u00a0 More than two-thirds of Washingtonians who currently have a plan in the individual market will be eligible for subsidies to lower their health care cost. Washington state is a national leader in implementing health care reform, and already, more than 100,000 Washingtonians have enrolled in new health plans though the Exchange. \r\n\u201cSpecifically, I am asking that you urge insurance companies in our state who have canceled these policies to reach out, in writing, to once again make clear to these consumers what options are available to them for accessing affordable, quality health care, including on the Washington state exchange,\u201d Senator Murray wrote. \u00a0\u201cI think you would agree that this additional contact will go a long way in giving these consumers, many of whom are unsure of where to turn, the information and peace of mind they need to know that options are still available for them.\u201d \r\nThe full text of the letter can be read here:\r\nNovember 22, 2013\r\nMike Kriedler, Insurance Commissioner  Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner   PO Box 40256  Olympia, Washington 98504-0256 \r\nDear Commissioner Kriedler:\r\nThank you for your commitment and dedication in working to ensure that Washingtonians have access to affordable health care coverage.\u00a0 Your leadership and work in implementing the Affordable Care Act is greatly appreciated and I am proud that you represent Washington.\r\nThe Affordable Care Act will provide millions of Americans with more comprehensive, affordable, quality health insurance coverage.\u00a0 It has already given consumers more protections and better value as part of a broad effort to reform what was unquestionably a badly broken health care system.\u00a0 In fact, key provisions such as guaranteed coverage and ensuring that no American will ever be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition, are already helping to bring about a better, more stabilized insurance market.\u00a0 Understandably, this is a process that will take time getting used to and clearly there have been, and will continue to be, challenges and frustrations along the way toward full implementation.\r\nAs we work together to ensure the ACA is implemented the right way for our state, it is important to ensure that all Washingtonians have all the information they need to make health care decisions.\u00a0 I understand and appreciate that your office worked with the insurers as they drafted cancellation notices, to make sure notices contained appropriate information.\u00a0 However, given the level of uncertainty on this issue around the country and our state, I believe that providing an additional level of outreach to these consumers will be beneficial for all.\r\nSpecifically, I am asking that you urge insurance companies in our state who have canceled these policies to reach out, in writing, to once again make clear to these consumers what options are available to them for accessing affordable, quality health care, including on the Washington state exchange. I think you would agree that this additional contact will go a long way in giving these consumers, many of whom are unsure of where to turn, the information and peace of mind they need to know that options are still available for them.\r\nAs always, I am happy to work with your office further on this outreach and help in any way possible.\u00a0 Thank you again for your continued commitment to Washington State, I look forward to our continued work together.\r\nSincerely,\r\nPatty Murray  U.S. Senator", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=79e8eb74-607a-4551-875e-6411538a0b8b", "Senator Murray\u2019s Statement on the 50th Anniversary of President Kennedy\u2019s Death", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cLike so many Americans I still vividly remember November 22nd, 1963. As an 8th grader in my small hometown of Bothell, Washington I still remember playing in our school\u2019s marching band in front of a local elementary school when someone came in and whispered in the ear of our band director. He immediately stopped the song we were playing, asked us to pull out the music to God Bless America, and we began to play. Then there was an announcement that the President had been shot. It was stunning.\r\n\u201cI also remember going home and seeing my mom do two things that she never did, watch TV all day and cry. For me, it was the day the world got bigger than the small town I lived in. And from that day on, the Kennedy legacy of service was talked about often in my house. Those conversations helped instill in all of my brothers and sisters the knowledge that we have to be part of the bigger world beyond our own home and that we should work where we could to make our school, our community, and the world a better place.\r\n\u201cI think a lot of American families had similar experiences because I see it every day in the Kennedy legacy of service that lives on. From those who dedicate their time and energy to helping the most vulnerable, to those who strive to innovate for the next advancement in health or technology, to those who serve our nation in uniform as President Kennedy did, so much of the spirit of service for the greater good can be traced back to his words and deeds. I join with all Americans today in honoring his life and legacy.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://dennyheck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/anti-consumer-protection-bills-advance-in-us-house-financial-services", "Anti-Consumer Protection Bills Advance in U.S. House Financial Services Committee; Rep. Denny Heck (D-WA) Strongly Opposes Legislation", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Denny Heck", "H001064", "dennyheck.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington \u2013 Six partisan bills designed to undermine the work of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) were reported favorably out of the House Financial Services Committee this morning.\nThese anti-consumer protection bills do nothing to help the tens of thousands of veterans, service members, homeowners, working mothers and more who have turned to the CFPB for help since it was formed two and a half years ago in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. More information on the bills' contents can be found here.\nIt's ironic the House Financial Services Committee chose this week to consider these bills. Yesterday, the CFPB found \u201cCash America \u2013 one of the largest short-term, small-dollar lenders in the country \u2013 violated the Military Lending Act by illegally overcharging servicemembers and their families. Cash America will pay up to $14 million in refunds to consumers and it will pay a $5 million fine for these violations and for destroying records in advance of the Bureau\u2019s examination.\u201d More information on this enforcement action can be found here.\n\"I came to Washington, D.C. to solve problems, not engage in partisan attacks on an effective federal agency,\u201d Rep. Denny Heck (D-WA) said. \u201cThe CFPB has been a real success story. It has helped thousands of Americans who have had problems with financial institutions and companies. These six bills will undermine the valuable work it is doing to protect consumers. I would not be surprised if the ultimate goal is to dismantle the CFPB entirely.\nIt's time Congress stops rehashing the same political fights year after year after year. There's too much at stake for the middle class and those working to get into it. Congress needs to work on solving some of the real problems our country faces: boosting job growth, revitalizing the housing sector, and strengthening our economic recovery.\"\nRep. Heck also spoke out against these bills during yesterday\u2019s committee markup. Video can be found here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://reichert.house.gov/press-release/reichert-veterans-employment-top-priority", "Reichert: Veterans Employment A Top Priority", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Dave Reichert", "R000578", "reichert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Dave Reichert (R-WA) introduced two new pieces of legislation, the Careers for Heroes Act and the Military Skills to Careers Act, to help get America\u2019s Veterans back on their feet and into good, long-term jobs.\n\u201cWhen our Veterans return from active service, they should not have to fear unemployment,\u201d said Reichert.\u00a0 \u201cAfter all they sacrifice to keep us safe, we have a responsibility to ensure their security, and a big part of that is being able to find a job and provide for themselves and their families.\u00a0 Washington State is home to 675,000 veterans and the largest military base on the West Coast.\u00a0 Over the next few years, Joint Base Lewis-McChord is set to discharge about 6,000 troops per year.\u00a0 I want those troops to know they have a bright future waiting for them.\u00a0 These two bills will help secure those bright futures and I am proud to introduce them into the House today.\u201d\n\u201cIt is imperative that as employers our federal and state agencies set the example for hiring veterans and I\u2019m proud to say that here in Washington we have set that example for state agencies,\u201d said WDVA Director Lourdes E. Alvarado Ramos. \u201cFollowing the service and sacrifice our military personnel make, making sure that jobs are available and licenses transfer seamlessly from military to civilian licensure is the very least we can do.\u201d\nAnne Sprute from the organization RallyPoint/6, which helps connect Veterans with resources to help them transition into everyday life, stated, \u201cAs our service members and their families reintegrate back into communities across the state of Washington, we collectively have the opportunity to ensure the success of our next greatest generation.\u00a0 In this most important mission, RallyPoint/6 welcomes this legislation from Congressman Reichert to help our Veterans \u2018on the path forward\u2019 to the rest of their lives.\u201d\nTom McLaughlin, Director of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing Puget Sound (CAMPS), which operates a program that teaches veterans how the skills they\u2019ve acquired in war can translate into civilian work, added, \u201cCAMPS, and I personally as a Vietnam Veteran, wholeheartedly support Congressman Reichert\u2019s legislation.\u00a0 Those who have served our great nation have sacrificed to protect what our country stands for and we as a society need to answer the call to action with a collaborative solution bringing together government and business.\u201d\u00a0\nBackground \nVeterans, particularly those between 18 and 29, are struggling to find jobs in one of the toughest civilian labor markets in generations. The Military Skills to Careers Act would help Veterans transition their skills gained in the service into civilian jobs.\u00a0 The legislation would make State licenses and credentials in chosen fields more accessible and open career opportunities without adding to the deficit.\u00a0 The Careers for Heroes Act would ensure federal agencies are using the Veterans Recruitment\u00a0Appointment (VRA) and the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) authority to place more veterans into long-term careers.\u00a0 It would require the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to coordinate with these agencies to hire 15,000 veterans to fill existing vacancies over the next five years.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=8891fda7-0d01-46a0-8945-447a29a189ea", "Cantwell-Backed Bill to Save Green Mountain Lookout Supported by Key Committee Chairman", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.21.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell-Backed Bill to Save Green Mountain Lookout Supported by Key Committee Chairman  \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t At Senate Energy Business Meeting today, Chairman Wyden pledges to swiftly move bill forward\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) secured a commitment from a key committee chairman to quickly move forward on a bill to preserve the historic Green Mountain Lookout in the Glacier Peak Wilderness near Darrington, Washington.\r\nAt a hearing today, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR), recognized Cantwell and U.S. Senator Patty Murray\u2019s (D-WA) work on preserving the Green Mountain Lookout and pledged to move the bill \u2018expeditiously.\u2019 His comment came after Cantwell highlighted that the bill should be considered due to its importance to Washington state.\r\nView video of Cantwell\u2019s opening statement here. \r\n\u201cMr. Chairman, I appreciate the markup on such important lands bills,\u201d Cantwell said at today\u2019s business meeting. \u201cI had hoped that the Green Mountain Lookout Bill that is sponsored by Senator Murray and myself would have made it on the agenda. I understand some people had some concerns about that bill and so we\u2019ve accepted that we are holding that bill over for further comments.\u201d\r\nChairman Wyden replied: \u201cSenator Cantwell, first I want the record to reflect \u2013 I think you and Senator Murray are doing very good work on this Green Mountain effort. And I am going to make sure that we move this legislation expeditiously. And I appreciate your bringing that up and I intend to work with you on that and all the other matters.\u201d\r\nOn July 30, 2013, Cantwell urged the Public Lands, Forestry and Mining Subcommittee of the ENR Committee to move forward on the legislation to save the Green Mountain Lookout. At that hearing a representative of the U.S. Forest Service voiced the Department\u2019s approve for the bill, mentioning that local residents wanted the lookout to remain at Green Mountain.\r\n\u201cThe Department supports the bill,\u201d said Deputy Chief Weldon in her prepared testimony on July 30. \u201cThe Green Mountain Lookout represents a slice in time of the history of the area, and is a feature that is appreciated by many visitors. S.404 would provide the opportunity for future wilderness visitors to see how human influence has shaped our wildlands.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\r\nSenators Cantwell and Murray introduced the Green Mountain bill on February 28, 2013. U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) introduced companion legislation in the House.\r\nThe need for the legislation arose after a Montana-based group sued the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for using a helicopter and machinery to repair the Green Mountain Lookout. Subsequently in 2012, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington ordered that the USFS needed to move forward with the lookout\u2019s removal.\r\nDuring World War II the Green Mountain Lookout, located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness within the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, served as an early warning station to detect enemy aircraft. Today it is one of only 16 remaining fire lookouts originally managed by the USFS in Northwest Washington.\r\nThe introduction of the bill followed an unsuccessful legal challenge to the District Court\u2019s decision.\u00a0 Senators and Representatives from Washington had sent a letter in May 2012 to Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, urging the department to use all legal means necessary to preserve the Green Mountain Lookout\u2019s location in the Glacier Peak Wilderness.\u00a0\r\nA full transcript of the exchange at today\u2019s hearing follows.\r\nCantwell: Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the markup on such important lands bills. I had hoped that the Green Mountain Lookout Bill that is sponsored by Senator Murray and myself would have made it on the agenda. I understand some people had some concerns about that bill and so we\u2019ve accepted that we are holding that bill over for further comments. I have to say that late last night \u2013 or the end of yesterday \u2013 we received the amendments for S.258 so we\u2019ve had very little time to look at that. I will not ask that that bill be held over, but I am certainly not ready to support that legislation at this point in time. I think dealing with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and NEPA concerns are always of great concern. I appreciate that my colleagues are trying to be creative but on such an importation subject I am not prepared to vote for S. 258 today so thank you.\r\nWyden: Senator Cantwell, first I want the record to reflect \u2013 I think you and Senator Murray are doing very good work on this Green Mountain effort. And I am going to make sure that we move this legislation expeditiously. And I appreciate your bringing that up and I intend to work with you on that and all the other matters.\u00a0 I think we have had some success on Bonneville in the last couple of weeks and to no small degree that is because of your good work.\r\nCantwell: Well again I will just emphasize looking at one lookout as part of our oversight versus looking at changing NEPA \u2013 I will have to have a lot more look at S. 258 before I am willing to support it. Thank you. \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-backed-bill-to-save-green-mountain-lookout-supported-by-key-committee-chairman", "Cantwell-Backed Bill to Save Green Mountain Lookout Supported by Key Committee Chairman", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.21.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell-Backed Bill to Save Green Mountain Lookout Supported by Key Committee Chairman  \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t At Senate Energy Business Meeting today, Chairman Wyden pledges to swiftly move bill forward\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) secured a commitment from a key committee chairman to quickly move forward on a bill to preserve the historic Green Mountain Lookout in the Glacier Peak Wilderness near Darrington, Washington.\r\nAt a hearing today, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR), recognized Cantwell and U.S. Senator Patty Murray's (D-WA) work on preserving the Green Mountain Lookout and pledged to move the bill expeditiously.' His comment came after Cantwell highlighted that the bill should be considered due to its importance to Washington state.\r\nView video of Cantwell's opening statement here. \r\nMr. Chairman, I appreciate the markup on such important lands bills, Cantwell said at today's business meeting. I had hoped that the Green Mountain Lookout Bill that is sponsored by Senator Murray and myself would have made it on the agenda. I understand some people had some concerns about that bill and so we've accepted that we are holding that bill over for further comments.\r\nChairman Wyden replied: Senator Cantwell, first I want the record to reflect  I think you and Senator Murray are doing very good work on this Green Mountain effort. And I am going to make sure that we move this legislation expeditiously. And I appreciate your bringing that up and I intend to work with you on that and all the other matters.\r\nOn July 30, 2013, Cantwell urged the Public Lands, Forestry and Mining Subcommittee of the ENR Committee to move forward on the legislation to save the Green Mountain Lookout. At that hearing a representative of the U.S. Forest Service voiced the Department's approve for the bill, mentioning that local residents wanted the lookout to remain at Green Mountain.\r\nThe Department supports the bill, said Deputy Chief Weldon in her prepared testimony on July 30. The Green Mountain Lookout represents a slice in time of the history of the area, and is a feature that is appreciated by many visitors. S.404 would provide the opportunity for future wilderness visitors to see how human influence has shaped our wildlands.\r\nSenators Cantwell and Murray introduced the Green Mountain bill on February 28, 2013. U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) introduced companion legislation in the House.\r\nThe need for the legislation arose after a Montana-based group sued the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for using a helicopter and machinery to repair the Green Mountain Lookout. Subsequently in 2012, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington ordered that the USFS needed to move forward with the lookout's removal.\r\nDuring World War II the Green Mountain Lookout, located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness within the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, served as an early warning station to detect enemy aircraft. Today it is one of only 16 remaining fire lookouts originally managed by the USFS in Northwest Washington.\r\nThe introduction of the bill followed an unsuccessful legal challenge to the District Court's decision. Senators and Representatives from Washington had sent a letter in May 2012 to Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, urging the department to use all legal means necessary to preserve the Green Mountain Lookout's location in the Glacier Peak Wilderness.\r\nA full transcript of the exchange at today's hearing follows.\r\nCantwell: Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the markup on such important lands bills. I had hoped that the Green Mountain Lookout Bill that is sponsored by Senator Murray and myself would have made it on the agenda. I understand some people had some concerns about that bill and so we've accepted that we are holding that bill over for further comments. I have to say that late last night  or the end of yesterday  we received the amendments for S.258 so we've had very little time to look at that. I will not ask that that bill be held over, but I am certainly not ready to support that legislation at this point in time. I think dealing with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and NEPA concerns are always of great concern. I appreciate that my colleagues are trying to be creative but on such an importation subject I am not prepared to vote for S. 258 today so thank you.\r\nWyden: Senator Cantwell, first I want the record to reflect  I think you and Senator Murray are doing very good work on this Green Mountain effort. And I am going to make sure that we move this legislation expeditiously. And I appreciate your bringing that up and I intend to work with you on that and all the other matters. I think we have had some success on Bonneville in the last couple of weeks and to no small degree that is because of your good work.\r\nCantwell: Well again I will just emphasize looking at one lookout as part of our oversight versus looking at changing NEPA  I will have to have a lot more look at S. 258 before I am willing to support it. Thank you. \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=62c98b7b-b5f1-467d-bec6-cbf6f0f8cf91", "COLLEGE ACCESS: Murray, Landrieu, Baldwin Bill Would Help Homeless and Foster Youth Get to College", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "More than 1.1 million homeless children and youth are enrolled in U.S. public schools\r\n(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced the Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act, legislation that would remove unique, significant barriers to higher education for homeless and foster youth.\u00a0 Among other things, the legislation would require colleges and universities to improve outreach, resources, and policies for homeless and at risk youth, including housing options between terms, in-state tuition, and staff designated for homeless and foster youth outreach. \u00a0Recent data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that more than 1.1 million homeless children and youth are currently enrolled in U.S. public schools. \r\n\u201cA college degree is a critical stepping stone to a successful career, and every American deserves the same opportunity to go to college and chase their dreams, including young people who are homeless or in foster care,\u201d said Senator Murray.\u00a0 \u201cThe legislation I introduced isn\u2019t complicated; it simply reduces some of the incredible barriers that homeless and foster care youth face to make a better life through higher education.\u201d \r\n\u201cFor years, I have fought to ensure that all children have access to an excellent education and that our most vulnerable youth are given every opportunity to succeed,\u201d said Senator Landrieu.\u00a0 \u201cI'm excited to partner with Senator Murray and Senator Baldwin on this legislation that ensures an easier and more successful path for foster and homeless youth.\u201d \r\n\u201cIn Wisconsin, we know that higher education is the path to the middle class,\u201d said Senator Baldwin. \u201cI\u2019m proud to join this effort to strengthen this path for our students who are most in need. We must make it a priority to open the doors of opportunity to every student so that they have the chance to gain the skills they need to compete, get ahead and succeed.\u201d\r\nThe Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act would:\r\nRemove barriers and make college more affordable for homeless and foster youth by:\r\n \r\nClarifying that youth under age 24 who are determined to be unaccompanied and homeless are considered independent students and removing the requirement that their unaccompanied status must to be re-determined every year;\r\nProviding homeless and foster youth in-state tuition to reduce barriers to college attendance due to lack of financial support;\r\nClarifying that foster care support and services, such as the Chafee Education and Training Vouchers and extended foster care payments, are excludable income for purposes of calculating financial aid for foster youth. \r\n \r\nSupport college retention, success and completion of homeless and foster youth by having institutions of higher education:\r\n \r\nDevelop a plan to assist homeless and foster youth to access housing resources during and between academic terms;\r\nDesignate a single point of contact to assist homeless and foster youth to access and complete higher education;\r\nCollaborate with child welfare agencies, homeless service providers, and school district homeless liaisons to identify, conduct outreach to, and recruit homeless and foster youth.\r\n \r\nRequest GAO to examine key educational metrics for homeless and foster youth, such as:\r\n \r\nThe percentage of homeless and foster youth attending and graduating from an institution of higher education, average length of time to complete a degree, as well as programmatic and tuition support;\r\nSuggestions on how the Department of Education may improve the educational attainment rates of such youth.\r\n \r\nThis bill joins several other legislative efforts from Senator Murray that seek to improve the lives and educational outcomes of homeless children and families. This Congress, Senator Murray has also introduced S. 833, the Educational Success for Children and Youth Without Homes Act, which will improve outcomes for homeless children in elementary and secondary schools, and S.834, the Improving Access to Child Care for Homeless Families Act, which breaks down barriers to vital child care services for homeless families with young children.\r\nSupporters of the Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act include:\r\nAlliance for Children and Families, Black Administrators in Child Welfare, Children\u2019s Defense Fund, Child Welfare League of America, Covenant House International, Education Law Center, First Focus, The John Burton Foundation, Juvenile Law Center, National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, National Center on Housing and Child Welfare, National Coalition for the Homeless, The National Crittenton Foundation, National Health Care for the Homeless Council National, National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, National Network for Youth, School Social Worker Association of America, The Trevor Project", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=b8ff54ea-1cae-48af-b1b9-a62285f8d536", "Senator Murray's Statement on Rules Vote", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cThere is no disputing that gridlock and dysfunction in Washington D.C. have reached unprecedented levels that have derailed our ability to move forward with efforts to serve the American people. In fact, it\u2019s gotten so bad that simply having a functioning judiciary and cabinet level\u00a0agencies have been put at risk by one party\u2019s abuse of the Senate rules for purely political purposes. \r\n\u201cThe step we took today simply allows us to once again exercise our duty to confirm justices and presidential nominations. It affords us nothing more than being able to give qualified candidates the up or down vote they deserve. It helps end time consuming political games, and hopefully, will allow us to move forward with addressing the big challenges that face families across our state and nation.\u00a0\r\n\u201cAs someone who has served in both the minority and the majority there is no question that this was a difficult vote. But I\u2019ve also seen how this new level of obstruction has damaged our ability to confirm the people who are responsible for protecting consumers, delivering justice, and even safeguarding our national security. We can\u2019t afford to let inaction and obstruction become the status quo. Today\u2019s vote was a step toward restoring common sense in Washington D.C. at a time when the American people\u00a0are demanding it.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://delbene.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delbene-announces-a-200000-grant-to-assist-skagit-area-farms", "DelBene announces a $200,000 Grant to Assist Skagit-area Farms", "2013-11-20", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Join me in Skagit County! \r\n            November 14, 2017  \r\n            Dear Friend, As your representative in Congress, one of the most important aspects of my job is to stay informed of the thoughts and opinions of my constituents, and I appreciate the time you take to share them with me. That\u2019s why I\u2019m hosting a series of community forums in Skagit County on Saturday, November 18. I wil...\r\n            Read More \u00bb", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://larsen.house.gov/press-release/larsen-thanks-locke-service-ambassador-china", "Larsen Thanks Locke for Service as Ambassador to China", "2013-11-20", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Larsen Thanks Locke for Service as Ambassador to China                                           \n              Nov 20, 2013      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, issued the following statement following Gary Locke\u2019s announcement that he will step down as ambassador to China in 2014.\n\u201cGary has served our state and nation with resolve for three decades,\u201d Larsen said. \u201cAs ambassador, commerce secretary and governor, Gary opened new markets for Washington businesses and helped our economy grow.\n\u201cHis historic appointment as the first Chinese-American to be our ambassador to China led to closer ties and more frank dialogue across the Pacific. I am proud of Gary\u2019s steadfast commitment to promote human rights in China and advance American interests in the Asia-Pacific region.\n\u201cI thank Gary for his work and look forward to welcoming him back home in Washington state.\u201d\nLarsen is co-chair and founder of the U.S.-China Working Group.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140912195827/http://delbene.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-judiciary-committee-passes-patent-reform-legislation", "DelBene Statement on House Judiciary Committee Passage of Patent Reform Legislation", "2013-11-20", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan DelBene", "D000617", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today the House Judiciary Committee approved the Innovation Act (H.R. 3309), bipartisan legislation to address the growing problem of abusive patent litigation. The Innovation Act includes a number of measures designed to deter abusive patent litigation while protecting our patent system for innovators, educators and entrepreneurs.\nThe final version reported out by the committee reflects an effort led by Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and Congressman Doug Collins (R-GA) to remove a controversial provision that would have disrupted the nation\u2019s patent system and undermine incentives to innovate by expanding the Transitional Program for Covered Business Method Patents.\nAfter voting to support the bill during the markup, DelBene issued the following statement:\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cTo stay competitive in today\u2019s global economy, America must have a strong patent system that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship. Businesses \u2013 from startups to large companies \u2013 in Washington state must be focused on creating jobs and cannot afford the economic drain caused by abusive patent litigation. The Innovation Acts takes significant steps towards making our system more transparent and fair. It addresses the need to curtail abusive patent litigation that is costing our economy billions of dollars and jobs.\n\u201cWhile I support the bill today, there continues to be room to improve it in a number of areas. The bill does make progress towards ensuring that those taking egregious actions in patent litigation face consequences. However the challenge going forward will be to carefully craft policy that accomplishes this without making it harder for small startups or individual inventors to enforce legitimate intellectual property rights.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cAdditionally, Congress must act to make sure that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has the resources that it needs to implement the American Invents Act of 2011 and strengthen our patent system. PTO receives its funding through voluntary user fees, not taxpayer funds, yet Congress subjects PTO to the annual appropriations process. This has led to PTO\u2019s user fees being unfairly diverted and sequestered, hindering the PTO\u2019s work to support our innovation economy. I supported an amendment that would have provided full funding for PTO by removing the PTO from the congressional appropriations process, and am disappointed that this amendment was not included in the bill that was reported out of committee.\u00a0\n\u201cI am pleased that the committee agreed to remove a particularly controversial provision that would have expanded the Transitional Program for Covered Business Method Patents. This provision would have disrupted our patent system and undermined incentives to innovate, which is why I led an effort with Rep. Collins to oppose this provision. As a result of this effort, the version of the bill that passed today achieved greater bipartisan consensus.\u00a0\n\u201cThe future of Washington state\u2019s economy and the creation of new jobs will be powered by our local entrepreneurs, inventors and the advances in technology they create. This is why it\u2019s so critical that our patent system encourages innovation, not litigation and this bill is a step in that direction.\n\u201cI look forward to working with Chairman Goodlatte and my colleagues to improve the bill in a bipartisan manner as we work toward final passage.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=e0ad0b33-ffef-4f9d-b6d9-6766300c98c3", "TRICARE: Murray, Gillibrand Amendment Guarantees Health Coverage for Military Children With Developmental Disabilities", "2013-11-20", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "1 Page Summary\r\n(Washington, DC) \u2013\u00a0Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which would ensure that military families\u2019 health plans provide adequate coverage for children and loved ones with disabilities.\u00a0 The amendment requires TRICARE, the Department of Defense health program for members of the military and their families, to provide coverage for behavioral health treatments, including applied behavior analysis (ABA).\u00a0 \u00a0\r\nUnder current TRICARE policies, many children are denied coverage for ABA and critical behavioral health treatments, and those children who do receive care often receive less than the prescribed treatment. \u00a0That places TRICARE behind the curve of thirty-four states and the District of Columbia, which require private insurers to cover ABA as a medically necessary service for most children with a developmental disability.\u00a0 The U.S. Office of Personnel Management also categorizes ABA as a \"medical therapy\u201d and covers ABA for federal employees\u2019 dependents.\r\nA one-page summary of the legislation is available here. \r\n\u201cEvery parent of a child with a disability wants to do everything they can to provide the best care, but for military parents dealing with overseas deployments and frequent moves from state to state, the challenge to access quality care is even greater,\u201d said Senator Murray. \u201cThe least we can do for our service men and women is provide quality health care for their loved ones, and this amendment ensures that promise extends to children with disabilities, too.\u201d \r\n\u201cIt is alarming that our military families who have sacrificed so much are denied essential services for their children suffering from autism and other developmental disabilities,\u201d said Senator Gillibrand. \u201cThis legislation will help ensure that our military families have access to the critical services, care and support they desperately need and deserve.\u201d \r\nBehavioral health treatments for children with developmental disabilities are widely recognized as effective therapies that can help children learn the skills to be successful in school, live independently, and find meaningful employment.\u00a0 However, despite the widely-recognized benefits of these treatments, they are not always available for families who receive their health care through TRICARE.\u00a0 The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Institute of Mental Health support behavioral health parity so that evidence based therapies can be accessed by children and youth with developmental disabilities. This includes systematic application of ABA for children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. \r\nOrganizations supporting the Murray-Gillibrand amendment include:\r\nMilitary Officers Association of America, National Military Family Association, Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service, VetsFirst, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Autism Speaks, Easter Seals, Association of University Centers on Disabilities, The Arc, Autism National Committee, National Down Syndrome Society, ACCSES, ADHD Aware, American Dance Therapy Association, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, American Association on Health and Disability, Brain Injury Association of America, Epilepsy Foundation, Family Voices, Health & Disability Advocates, Lutheran Services in America Disability Network, Mental Health America, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, National Association of State Directors of Special Education, National Organization on Disability, National Council on Independent Living, Physician-Parent Caregivers, and School Social Work Association of America.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://reichert.house.gov/press-release/reichert-agrees-our-daughters-are-not-sale", "Reichert Agrees \"Our Daughters Are Not For Sale\"", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Dave Reichert", "R000578", "reichert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Dave Reichert (R-WA) chaired the event \u201cOur Daughters Are Not For Sale\u201d with Congressman Rick Nolan (D-MN), and Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Dick Durbin (D-IL).\u00a0 Following the conclusion of the event, he released the following statement:\n\u201cWe must succeed,\u201d said Rep. Reichert.\u00a0 \u201cThis issue of child sex trafficking is too big and too evil to ignore.\u00a0 The risks for our foster children, in particular, are far too high.\u00a0 Not only do we have to change the conversation to recognize these children as victims, we must also take action.\u00a0 As Chairman of the Human Resources subcommittee I will take that action, and I look forward to introducing legislation soon to address and prevent sex trafficking of foster youth.\u00a0 We need something that will take decisive action and make a difference.\u201d\nBackground\nThe \u201cOur Daughters Are Not For Sale\u201d event was hosted by Google and the Human Rights Project for Girls to highlight the complex issue of domestic child sex trafficking and urge those in attendance to mobilize in order to protect our most vulnerable children from becoming involved in this travesty. \u00a0\u00a0The event chairs and other Members of Congress who participated in the event also formally signed a resolution they will be submitting into both the House of Representatives and the Senate that expresses that those who have been trafficked must be considered and treated as victims who need our help and support.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-about-maria?ContentRecord_id=2c5fd074-d218-4834-96ce-214ccd995e7c", "Saving our last wilderness", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "01.22.14\n    \t\t\t Saving our last wilderness  \n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\tThere are natural places in North America, at a remove from most human life, which exist unspoiled, a snapshot of pre-history. They are as rare as they are sacred.\r\nIn Alaska's last wilderness, the intersection of politics and oil production is a combustible mix. Fortune seekers raced to Alaska in the early 1970s to work on the pipeline. Every year, residents receive their four-figure dividend check from the state's oil-fueled Permanent Fund. The dividends will flow until the last drop dribbles from Prudhoe Bay.\r\nGenerations from now, young people will ask why we ravaged our last wild places to extract fossil fuels that only propelled climate change. But Americans will continue ravaging, thank you very much, until markets, energy technology or political leadership radically shift. For now, the long-term mission is damage control.\r\nThe best opportunity to make history in more than three decades is a bipartisan bill to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's coastal plain, the last remaining portion of the refuge not designated as wilderness. The proposal will safeguard subsistence hunting and traditional uses for the Gwich'in tribe, an Alaskan Native people who've called the coastal plain home for millennia. The designation also preserves critical habitat for more than 100,000 caribou, grizzly and polar bears and too many migratory birds to count.\r\nThe ANWR Wilderness bill, introduced Wednesday, is co-sponsored by Washington Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell and Illinois Republican Mark Kirk. It has been referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Unlike Cantwell's Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Environment Committee doesn't include any Alaskans.\r\n\"The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a national treasure that must be preserved for future generations to experience and enjoy,\" Cantwell said. \"We need to advance forward-looking solutions for America's energy future, while preserving this treasured public land and the unique ecosystem that depends on it.\"\r\nThe subtext of \"forward looking\" is non-carbon energy independence. When God's country is off limits to \"drill, baby, drill,\" innovation is a necessity. It's wilderness as an action-forcing mechanism.\r\nHistory can be made whole. The 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act was a colossus; nevertheless, 1.56 million acres of wilderness in the coastal plain were horse-traded in the swivet to pass the bill before Ronald Reagan's inauguration. (Future Interior Secretary James Watt was no fan of wilderness.)\r\nLegislation is the art of the possible, and in 1980, Alaska Republican Sen. Ted Stevens said no way on protecting the coastal plain. That would be a fight for another day. And that day has come.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-about-maria?ContentRecord_id=8e7add78-535a-4e4f-969a-db7879813d89", "Senators Mark Kirk and Maria Cantwell Go on the Offense to Protect the Arctic Refuge", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "01.22.14\n    \t\t\t Senators Mark Kirk and Maria Cantwell Go on the Offense to Protect the Arctic Refuge  \n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\tLast week, Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Mark Kirk (R-IL)\u00a0reaffirmed the bipartisan history\u00a0of support for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by\u00a0co-introducing S. 1695\u00a0which would designate the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's Coastal Plain as Wilderness.\r\nRepublican President Dwight D. Eisenhower led the effort to protect this area for future generations half a century ago when he set aside 8.9 million acres as the Arctic National Wildlife Range in 1960. The Arctic Refuge has always enjoyed both bipartisan and widespread public support. In fact, the majority of Americans nationwide support stronger protections for the Refuge. And, the first Wilderness bill for the Arctic Refuge (S. 1804) was introduced by Sen. Bill Roth (R-DE) in 1987.\r\nSenators Cantwell and Kirk\u00a0add\u00a0a new chapter to this bipartisan legislative legacy for Wilderness for the Coastal Plain of the Refuge. They have long been the Arctic Refuge's defensive champions, protecting it from threats of oil and gas drilling in both chambers of Congress for many years. With the introduction of this Wilderness bill, they will now go on the offense to protect the Arctic Refuge and its Coastal Plain.\r\nIn a November 13 press release announcing the bill's introduction, Sen. Cantwell said:\r\n \"The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a national treasure that must be preserved for future generations to experience and enjoy. I'm proud to join Senator Kirk on this bipartisan bill to protect one of the last pristine public lands in America. We need to advance forward-looking solutions for America's energy future, while preserving this treasured public land and the unique ecosystem that depends on it.\" \r\nSen. Kirk added, \"The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of the last pristine environments in the United States, and its value to our environment is undeniable. We have a responsibility to protect this fragile ecosystem to allow wildlife to roam free without disruption of their natural habitat. Designating this land as wilderness will benefit generations to come.\"\r\nThe Arctic Refuge and its Coastal Plain -- the Refuge's \"biological heart\" -- are home to polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, wolverines, muskoxen and more than 130 species of migratory birds. The Refuge is one of the last untouched wilderness areas in America.\r\nSens. Cantwell and Kirk recognize that some places are just too special to drill for oil, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge tops that list. I want to thank the Senators for their longstanding efforts to defend the Arctic Refuge, and applaud them as they assume another level of leadership to protect this place once and for all.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-about-maria?ContentRecord_id=aa99d523-b8d5-4794-906c-b42bd5cc4acd", "Senate women: We're 'fed up' with military sexual assault", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "01.22.14\n    \t\t\t Senate women: We're 'fed up' with military sexual assault \n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\tFemale senators stood united on the Senate floor Tuesday against military sexual assault, but how to best address the issue is still being debated.\r\nThe Senate is now considering the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) , which authorizes more than $600 billion in defense spending for the Pentagon.\r\nSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said military sexual assault was a top issue he wanted to debate and have amendments on but Republicans blocked him from bringing up an amendment from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).\r\n\u201cI\u2019m pretty fed up,\u201d said Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), dean of the women\u2019s caucus. \u201cNo woman should be a victim of rape by a fellow soldier.\u201d[WATCH VIDEO]\r\nSome protections for victims of sexual assault were included during committee markup of NDAA, such as providing a lawyer for victims and criminalizing retaliation against victims who report assaults. But Gillibrand and most of the other female senators have said the underlying bill doesn\u2019t go far enough.\r\nGillibrand\u2019s amendment would take military sexual assault cases outside the chain of command. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and most Republicans on the committee oppose Gillibrand\u2019s amendment.\r\nGillibrand and her supporters argue that taking cases outside the chain of command is needed because victims do not report sexual assault crimes out of fears that commanders won\u2019t prosecute the cases and they will face retaliation.\r\nOpponents of her bill say that the decision to prosecute cases must remain in the chain of command so that commanders are held accountable for their command climate on sexual assault, and so they retain the ability to punish perpetrators.\r\nIf Gillibrand\u2019s amendment is held to a 60-vote threshold it won\u2019t pass. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) has presented an alternative that keeps sexual assault cases within the chain of command but adds protections for those who report crimes.\r\n\"It is very important that we not lose sight that this isn\u2019t about a bumper sticker,\" McCaskill said. \"This is about doing the very best job we can on the policy so we can protect victims, prosecute offenders and get them the hell out of our military.\"\u00a0\r\nMikulski said there were 26,000 reasons why Senate women were speaking out on the floor Tuesday. Earlier this year, the Pentagon estimated that there were 26,000 sexual assaults in the military last year.\r\nSens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Kelley Ayotte (R-N.H.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), McCaskill, Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Mikulski on the Senate floor.\r\n\u201cThere is one thing we can all agree on and that\u2019s protecting the victims from further abuse,\u201d Cantwell said. \u201cWe may differ on how best to achieve that goal, but we\u2019re all here to say one thing: Enough is enough.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=3dec2251-dc49-4236-854f-70c926a31349", "Cantwell Joins 34 Senators Calling for Protection of Critical Medical Research Support", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.19.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell Joins 34 Senators Calling for Protection of Critical Medical Research Support \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t NIH research supports more than 8,000 jobs at the University of Washington alone\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) urged the members of a budget conference committee to act to protect against sequester cuts that would negatively impact the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the research that NIH supports. During the first round of the sequester, NIH funds were cut by $1.55 billion, resulting in approximately 640 fewer research projects being awarded.\r\nCantwell and 34 other senators sent a letter to the conference committee highlighting the important role NIH plays in supporting research resulting in lifesaving medical discoveries and boosting economic activity across the country. The letter was led by U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Richard Burr (R-NC).\r\nNIH research supports more than 8,000 jobs at the University of Washington alone. NIH-funded research projects have supported ground-breaking research into topics such as the genetics of cancer, and produced treatment options for hundreds of conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and alcohol abuse.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\u201cImprove the lives of Americans, and offer an economic return for our Nation,\u201d the senators wrote in the letter sent today. \u201cWe urge you to consider the tremendous benefits of a sustained investment in the NIH, and ask you to remember our Nation\u2019s role as a world leader in biomedical research and the impact this research has on patients as the conference committee begins its work.\u00a0Investing in research today will yield cures and therapies for patients tomorrow.\u201d\r\nThe senators highlighted the important work done by the NIH and the need to preserve investments in its research.\u00a0Current sequester cuts not only affect current research projects, but also discourage researchers from beginning projects in the United States under the threat of funding cuts, leading talented researchers abroad.\u00a0About 70 percent of NIH\u2019s budget goes towards grants to scientists working on a variety of medical challenges.\u00a0\r\nThe letter also noted that the NIH supports research in all 50 states through competitive grants and that this research has helped increase the average lifespan of Americans by almost 30 years over the last century. The NIH also estimates that for every dollar invested in the institute, $2.21 in local economic growth is generated.\r\nCantwell was joined on the letter by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Richard Burr (R-NC), John Rockefeller (D-WV), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Susan Collins (R-ME), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Carl Levin (D-MI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Mark Begich (D-AK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).\r\nThe full text of the letter follows.\r\nDear Chairman Murray and Ranking Member Sessions:\r\nAs you begin the budget conference with your House counterparts, we ask that you maintain a strong commitment to funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).\u00a0 The NIH plays an important role in advancing our understanding of human health, supporting innovation, and investing in the field of biomedical research.\u00a0 It is vitally important to ensure that our Nation remains at the forefront of medical research by continuing to support the NIH\u2019s work.\u00a0 As evidenced by the bipartisan letter to the Committee on Appropriations that we authored earlier this year, which was signed by more than half of our colleagues, there is broad support for medical research, and particularly for the NIH, in the Senate. \r\nThe NIH offers our best hope for treating or curing debilitating diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and so many other illnesses that American families battle every day.\u00a0 The NIH supports research in all fifty states, through nearly 50,000 competitive grants that support hundreds of thousands of researchers across the Nation.\u00a0 NIH-funded research has contributed to an increase in lifespan over the last century of nearly 30 years and according to the NIH, has added an estimated $3.2 trillion annually to the U.S. economy since 1970.\u00a0 Cancer deaths are falling about one percent each year, with each percentage point decline saving the U.S. approximately $500 billion a year.\u00a0 According to the NIH, it is estimated that each dollar invested in the NIH generates $2.21 in local economic growth.\u00a0 \r\nOur investment in the NIH has yielded an unprecedented number of scientific advances that have improved health outcomes and contributed significantly to the Nation\u2019s economic growth. Unfortunately, America is losing ground as the world leader in research and development and researchers are struggling to secure funding. As NIH grants get more competitive, researchers can easily spend half their careers working before receiving a grant, resulting in promising, talented young researchers being discouraged from the field of biomedical research and some investigators deciding to abandon scientific research altogether or to conduct their research outside the United States.\r\nIf we are to improve the health of Americans and the quality of their lives, we must continue to invest in areas like biomedical research that have the potential to save money in the future, improve the lives of Americans, and offer an economic return for our Nation.\u00a0 We urge you to consider the tremendous benefits of a sustained investment in the NIH, and ask you to remember our Nation\u2019s role as a world leader in biomedical research and the impact this research has on patients as the conference committee begins its work.\u00a0 Investing in research today will yield cures and therapies for patients tomorrow.\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=9859db81-5aeb-4445-ac24-5b74f9e68bc3", "Cantwell Applauds Expansion of Moses Lake Carbon Fiber Plant", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.19.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell Applauds Expansion of Moses Lake Carbon Fiber Plant   \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t Cantwell: \u2018Great news for Washington\u2019s growing composite economy\u2019\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following statement after the Washington State Department of Commerce announced that SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers will build two new production lines at its Moses Lake plant. The $100 million investment will allow the plant to double its production capacity.\r\nThe facility currently manufactures the carbon fiber for the frame of BMW\u2019s new i3 vehicle and supports 80 high-skilled jobs in Grant County.\r\n\u201cThis expansion is great news for Washington\u2019s growing composite economy,\u201d Cantwell said. \u201cThe BMW i3 has the first carbon fiber car frame in a mass market vehicle \u2013 and its carbon fiber is made right in Moses Lake. Lightweight, efficient composites are critical building blocks to the future of transportation. Today\u2019s announcement keeps Central Washington and Washington state at the forefront of advanced manufacturing job growth.\u201d\r\nOn November 7, 2013, Cantwell highlighted the leadership in Moses Lake and Washington state on composite manufacturing at the Washington, D.C., rollout of the i3.\r\nIn 2007, Cantwell introduced legislation with Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) along with then Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) to make plug-in hybrids and other electric automobiles more affordable for American consumers. A key provision of the bill that created a $7,500 tax credit for purchasers of plug-in electric vehicles became law in October 2008 as part of a bipartisan Cantwell-authored clean energy tax incentives package.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-applauds-expansion-of-moses-lake-carbon-fiber-plant", "Cantwell Applauds Expansion of Moses Lake Carbon Fiber Plant", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.19.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell Applauds Expansion of Moses Lake Carbon Fiber Plant   \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t Cantwell: Great news for Washington's growing composite economy'\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following statement after the Washington State Department of Commerce announced that SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers will build two new production lines at its Moses Lake plant. The $100 million investment will allow the plant to double its production capacity.\r\nThe facility currently manufactures the carbon fiber for the frame of BMW's new i3 vehicle and supports 80 high-skilled jobs in Grant County.\r\nThis expansion is great news for Washington's growing composite economy, Cantwell said. The BMW i3 has the first carbon fiber car frame in a mass market vehicle  and its carbon fiber is made right in Moses Lake. Lightweight, efficient composites are critical building blocks to the future of transportation. Today's announcement keeps Central Washington and Washington state at the forefront of advanced manufacturing job growth.\r\nOn November 7, 2013, Cantwell highlighted the leadership in Moses Lake and Washington state on composite manufacturing at the Washington, D.C., rollout of the i3.\r\nIn 2007, Cantwell introduced legislation with Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) along with then Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) to make plug-in hybrids and other electric automobiles more affordable for American consumers. A key provision of the bill that created a $7,500 tax credit for purchasers of plug-in electric vehicles became law in October 2008 as part of a bipartisan Cantwell-authored clean energy tax incentives package.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-joins-34-senators-calling-for-protection-of-critical-medical-research-support", "Cantwell Joins 34 Senators Calling for Protection of Critical Medical Research Support", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.19.13\n    \t\t\t Cantwell Joins 34 Senators Calling for Protection of Critical Medical Research Support \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t NIH research supports more than 8,000 jobs at the University of Washington alone\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) urged the members of a budget conference committee to act to protect against sequester cuts that would negatively impact the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the research that NIH supports. During the first round of the sequester, NIH funds were cut by $1.55 billion, resulting in approximately 640 fewer research projects being awarded.\r\nCantwell and 34 other senators sent a letter to the conference committee highlighting the important role NIH plays in supporting research resulting in lifesaving medical discoveries and boosting economic activity across the country. The letter was led by U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Richard Burr (R-NC).\r\nNIH research supports more than 8,000 jobs at the University of Washington alone. NIH-funded research projects have supported ground-breaking research into topics such as the genetics of cancer, and produced treatment options for hundreds of conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and alcohol abuse.\r\nImprove the lives of Americans, and offer an economic return for our Nation, the senators wrote in the letter sent today. We urge you to consider the tremendous benefits of a sustained investment in the NIH, and ask you to remember our Nation's role as a world leader in biomedical research and the impact this research has on patients as the conference committee begins its work.Investing in research today will yield cures and therapies for patients tomorrow.\r\nThe senators highlighted the important work done by the NIH and the need to preserve investments in its research.Current sequester cuts not only affect current research projects, but also discourage researchers from beginning projects in the United States under the threat of funding cuts, leading talented researchers abroad.About 70 percent of NIH's budget goes towards grants to scientists working on a variety of medical challenges.\r\nThe letter also noted that the NIH supports research in all 50 states through competitive grants and that this research has helped increase the average lifespan of Americans by almost 30 years over the last century. The NIH also estimates that for every dollar invested in the institute, $2.21 in local economic growth is generated.\r\nCantwell was joined on the letter by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Richard Burr (R-NC), John Rockefeller (D-WV), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Susan Collins (R-ME), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Carl Levin (D-MI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Mark Begich (D-AK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).\r\nThe full text of the letter follows.\r\nDear Chairman Murray and Ranking Member Sessions:\r\nAs you begin the budget conference with your House counterparts, we ask that you maintain a strong commitment to funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH plays an important role in advancing our understanding of human health, supporting innovation, and investing in the field of biomedical research. It is vitally important to ensure that our Nation remains at the forefront of medical research by continuing to support the NIH's work. As evidenced by the bipartisan letter to the Committee on Appropriations that we authored earlier this year, which was signed by more than half of our colleagues, there is broad support for medical research, and particularly for the NIH, in the Senate. \r\nThe NIH offers our best hope for treating or curing debilitating diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and so many other illnesses that American families battle every day. The NIH supports research in all fifty states, through nearly 50,000 competitive grants that support hundreds of thousands of researchers across the Nation. NIH-funded research has contributed to an increase in lifespan over the last century of nearly 30 years and according to the NIH, has added an estimated $3.2 trillion annually to the U.S. economy since 1970. Cancer deaths are falling about one percent each year, with each percentage point decline saving the U.S. approximately $500 billion a year. According to the NIH, it is estimated that each dollar invested in the NIH generates $2.21 in local economic growth. \r\nOur investment in the NIH has yielded an unprecedented number of scientific advances that have improved health outcomes and contributed significantly to the Nation's economic growth. Unfortunately, America is losing ground as the world leader in research and development and researchers are struggling to secure funding. As NIH grants get more competitive, researchers can easily spend half their careers working before receiving a grant, resulting in promising, talented young researchers being discouraged from the field of biomedical research and some investigators deciding to abandon scientific research altogether or to conduct their research outside the United States.\r\nIf we are to improve the health of Americans and the quality of their lives, we must continue to invest in areas like biomedical research that have the potential to save money in the future, improve the lives of Americans, and offer an economic return for our Nation. We urge you to consider the tremendous benefits of a sustained investment in the NIH, and ask you to remember our Nation's role as a world leader in biomedical research and the impact this research has on patients as the conference committee begins its work. Investing in research today will yield cures and therapies for patients tomorrow.\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=96f3c5fe-1b78-442e-9139-49722d7663df", "MURRAY SPEAKS OUT AGAINST MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 Today, as the Senate debates the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) joined a bipartisan group of female Senators on the floor to speak out against sexual assault in the military and call on her colleagues to support some of the historic changes being made to prevent this scourge. Sen. Murray also highlighted her legislation with Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), which has been included in the NDAA bill, to provide trained military lawyers to victims of sexual assault in all service branches.\r\n\u201cWhen our best and our brightest put on a uniform and join the United States Armed Forces, they do so with the understanding they will sacrifice much in the name of defending our country and its people. But that sacrifice should never have to come in the form of abuse from their fellow service members,\u201d said Senator Murray in her speech. \u201cThanks to bipartisan cooperation, the work of thousands of dedicated advocates, and the voices of countless victims who have bravely spoken out we are poised to make a difference on an issue that women everywhere have brought out of the shadows.\u201d \r\nIn August, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel directed immediate implementation of several measures to \u201cgain greater consistency of effort and enhance oversight, investigative quality, pretrial investigations and victim support\u201d in cases of military sexual assault. Among other measures, the directive includes implementation of trained lawyers to provide victims in all branches with guidance through the legal process, similar to the legislation introduced by Senators Murray and Ayotte.\u00a0\r\nFull text of Senator Murray\u2019s speech below: \r\n\u201cI first want to thank Senator Mikulski and Senator Collins for helping to bring many of us to the floor today to discuss an issue that: cuts across partisan lines, has plagued our nation\u2019s military, and has gone unaddressed for far too long. \r\n\u201cMilitary Sexual Assault is an epidemic. And it has rightly been identified as such by the Pentagon. It is absolutely unconscionable that a fellow servicemember, the person you rely on to have your back and to be there for you, would commit such a terrible crime. It is simply appalling they could commit such a personal violation of their brother or sister in uniform. But, what\u2019s worse, and what has made change an absolute necessity - is the prevalence of these crimes. \r\n\u201cRecent estimates tell us that 26,000 servicemembers are sexually assaulted each year. And just over 3,000 of those assaults are reported. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, about one in five female veterans treated by VA has suffered from military sexual trauma. One in five. \r\n\u201cThat is certainly not the act of a comrade. It is not in keeping with the ethos of any of the services. And it can no longer be tolerated. And that is why the women of the Senate have been united in calling for action.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cThere has been much made of the fact that there are now 20 women in the Senate \u2013 a historic number that I think we all agree still needs to grow. But it\u2019s also important to remember that the number alone should not be what\u2019s historic. Instead, it is what we do with our newfound strength to address the issues that are impacting women across the country. With this bill, the first Defense Authorization of this Congress, we are doing exactly that. \r\n\u201cWe are taking historic action to help servicemembers access to the resources they need to seek justice without fear. And, one way this bill will help do just that, how it will: protect our servicemembers, assist victims, and punish criminals -- is through the inclusion of a bill I introduced, across party lines, with Senator Ayotte. \r\n\u201cOur bill, which is included in the base bill, creates a new category of legal advocates, called Special Victims\u2019 Counsels, who would be responsible for advocating on behalf of the interests of the victim. These SVCs would also advise the victim on the range of legal issues they may face.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cFor example, when a young Private First Class is intimidated into not reporting a sexual assault by threatening her with unrelated legal charges -- like underage drinking -- this new advocate would be there to protect her and tell her the truth. \r\n\u201cSince January, the Air Force has provided these advocates to over 500 victims through an innovative new pilot program. Ten months later, the results speak for themselves: 92% of victims are \u201cextremely satisfied\u201d with the advice and support their SVC lent them throughout the military judicial process, 98% would recommend other victims request these advocates, 93% felt that these advocates effectively fought on their behalf. \r\n\u201cIn describing their experience with an advocate, one victim shared that, \u201cGoing through this was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. Having a Special Victim Counsel helped tremendously . . . No words could describe how much I appreciate having one of these advocates.\u201d \r\n\u201cThrough our bipartisan efforts the Defense Authorization bill will also enhance the responsibilities and authority of DoD\u2019s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office \u2013 also known as SAPRO. \r\n\u201cThis improvement will help to provide better oversight of efforts to combat military sexual assault across the Armed Forces. SAPRO would also be required to regularly track and report on a range of MSA statistics, including assault rates, the number of cases brought to trial, and\u00a0 compliance within each of the individual services.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cSome of this data collection and reporting is already being done. \r\n\u201cSo this requirement would not be more burdensome, but it would give that office authority to track and report to us on the extent of the problem. \r\n\u201cI believe the great strength of our military is in the character and dedication of our men and women who wear the uniform. It is the courage of these Americans, to volunteer to serve, that are the Pentagon\u2019s greatest asset. I know it is said a lot, but take a moment to really think about it.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cOur servicemembers volunteer to face danger, to put their lives on the line, to protect the country and all its people. When we think of those dangers, we think of IEDs. We think of battles with insurgents, we shouldn\u2019t have to focus on the threats they encounter from their fellow servicemember.\r\n\u201cAnd we should never, never allow for a culture in which the fear of reporting a crime allows a problem like this to fester year after year. \r\n\u201cThese are dangers that cannot be accepted, and none of our courageous servicemembers should ever have to face. Earlier this year when I asked Navy Secretary Ray Maybus about the sexual assault epidemic, I was glad that he told me that \u201cconcern\u201d wasn\u2019t a strong enough word to describe how he feels about this problem. He said he is angry about it.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cAnd I know many of us here, particularly many of my female colleagues who have dedicated so much time to this issue, share this feeling and want to put an end to this epidemic. So, I am hopeful that we can work quickly to do right by our nation\u2019s heroes. \r\n\u201cBecause when our best and our brightest put on a uniform and join the United States Armed Forces, they do so with the understanding they will sacrifice much in the name of defending our country and its people. But that sacrifice should never have to come in the form of abuse from their fellow service members. \r\n\u201cI\u2019m proud that the women of the Senate have taken this issue head on. And what should never be lost in the effort to enact the many changes that have been proposed, is that for too long this was an issue that was simply swept under the rug. That\u2019s no longer the case. \r\n\u201cThanks to bipartisan cooperation, the work of thousands of dedicated advocates, and the voices of countless victims who have bravely spoken out -- we are poised to make a difference on an issue that women everywhere have brought out of the shadows.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pattyinnews?ContentRecord_id=06629402-f287-4997-b4f5-99e6fae45e0a", "Bipartisan Group Introduces Legislation to Reauthorize the National Poison Control Network", "2013-11-18", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Patty Murray", "M001111", "www.murray.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2014 Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Richard Burr (R-NC) and U.S. Representatives Lee Terry (R-NE) and Eliot Engel (D-NY) \u00a0introduced bi-partisan legislation in the Senate and House that will continue the federal government's vital support for the nation's poison control centers. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes the poison center national toll-free number, national media campaign, and state grant program. \r\nThe Department of Health and Human Services estimates that in any given year there will be between 3-5 million poison exposures. Sixty percent of these exposures will involve children under the age of 6 who are exposed to toxins in their home. Poisoning is the second most common form of unintentional death in the United States and accounts for 285,000 hospitalizations. According to a report from the Institute of Medicine, every dollar spent on poison control center services saves $7 in medical spending.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cThe Poison Control network is literally a lifeline for millions of Americans,\u201d Senator Murray said.\u00a0 \u201cThis bill means that parents around the country can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that help is always available.\u201d \r\n\u201cThe Poison Control network is a vital program that impacts thousands of lives every year through prevention and treatment efforts at centers around the country,\u201d said Senator Burr.\u00a0 \u201cThis bill gives American families the peace of mind to know that help will continue to be there when they need it the most.\u201d \r\n\"Poison control centers provide free, critical life-saving support at the moment the unthinkable happens,\" said Rep. Terry. \"I'm pleased to join my colleagues in this bipartisan effort to get this common-sense and must pass legislation signed into law.\" \r\n\u201cPoison centers are a life-saving service for Americans,\u201d said Representative Engel. \u201cThey offer free medical advice around the clock. They are a primary source for poisoning information that saves lives and reduces costly emergency department visits. They also offer reassurance and relief when they can tell parents, for example, that glow sticks used by children, or other toys, are not harmful. We owe it to our citizens to continue this service.\u201d \r\nThe poison center national toll-free number, national media campaign, and state grant program that will be reauthorized in this bill provide the federal assistance for the nation's network of poison control centers to support poison prevention. There are currently 61 poison control centers (PCCs) nationwide. Each PCC is a medical support facility staffed by toxicologists, nurses, and other professionals operating 24 hours a day seven days a week to provide a free, but critical medical service. \r\nThe toll-free nationwide poison-control hotline number is 1-800-222-1222.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 936, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "House", "p1": "WA", "p2": "2013"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=WA&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 848, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=WA&year=2013&party=Democrat", "selected": false}, {"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 88, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=WA&year=2013&party=Republican", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=WA&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 936, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=WA&year=2013", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=WA&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "WA", "label": "WA", "count": 936, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&year=2013", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=WA&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "2013", "label": "2013", "count": 936, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=WA", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2013-11-18,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Emurray~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fpublic~2Findex~2Ecfm~2Fpattyinnews~3FContentRecord_id~3D06629402-f287-4997-b4f5-99e6fae45e0a", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=WA&year=2013&_next=2013-11-18%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Emurray~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fpublic~2Findex~2Ecfm~2Fpattyinnews~3FContentRecord_id~3D06629402-f287-4997-b4f5-99e6fae45e0a&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 379.30919928476214, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}