Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
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When consumers in Tokyo or Hong Kong want delicious fresh fruit, meat, or other products, they are likely to know that the best is grown here in the United States. American farmers generate the highest quality produce in the world, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides assistance that helps our farmers gain access to foreign markets, which can be tricky to tap into. Access to foreign markets translates into billions of dollars of exports and countless jobs here at home. But without additional support,...
When Barbara Johnston realized she was going blind, it changed everything. She could not read the numbers on her prescription, nor could she tell which medications needed refilling, including her blood pressure medication. She also realized her vision problems, the result of macular degeneration, were getting worse. I was thankful to hear from Yakima Neighborhood Health Services how they were able to connect her with a care coordinator where she received help for her vision problems and assistance with managing her blood pres...
When President Trump’s administration announced that it would give six months to wind down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, many young people called ‘Dreamers,’ immigrants who grew up in the U.S., were once again faced with uncertainty regarding their future here. In Washington state, there are about 17,000 Dreamers. I have sat down with some of these young people right here in Central Washington, and their stories are compelling. Many were brought here as young children without their say or knowl...
In the Fourth Congressional District, the August district work period has been a busy time for me traveling up and down Central Washington to meet with constituents and hear their concerns firsthand. Many communities in our area are dealing with dry weather and wildfires, which are a constant reminder of the vital need for federal land management reform. I held a Forest Service Advisory Panel in Omak with community members, and the feedback I received is that the U.S. Forest Service needs to improve forest health through acti...
The Second Amendment is an individual right guaranteed to Americans in our Constitution. Especially after the fight for independence against the British, the Founders understood the importance of an armed citizenry. In Federalist Paper 46, James Madison pointed out that in Europe, “[T]he governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.” Not so in America, where our founding documents protect citizens’ freedom to keep and bear arms. Madison continued in Federalist 46 to argue in favor of Americans’ ability to defend...
In January, as soon as it became clear that former Texas Governor Rick Perry would serve as the next U.S. Secretary of Energy, I extended an invitation to him to visit Central Washington. Last week, I was pleased to welcome Secretary Perry to learn more about the contributions our community has made to our history and continues to make for our future as a country. Our first stop was a visit to McNary Lock and Dam on the Columbia River. As a former governor of Texas, Secretary Perry has a deep understanding of energy, but he...
If you speak with any local veteran in Central Washington, as I do regularly, you will likely hear stories of frustration with the Veterans Administration. While there are many dedicated staff and VA providers, our veterans deserve so much more than long drives and long wait times to receive the care they have been promised. The Veterans Choice program allows veterans to visit private health care providers in the community outside the VA itself. Veterans Choice was designed in response to the wait-times scandals at the...
Last Wednesday, President Trump signed bipartisan legislation into law that Congress had passed overwhelmingly to sanction hostile regimes in North Korea, Russia, and Iran. I joined my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the House on a vote of 419 to 3 to pass the Russia, Iran, and North Korea Sanctions Act. After House passage, the Senate voted 98 to 2 to send the bill to the President’s desk. The unity in Congress’ action shows how seriously we are taking adversaries who work to oppose American interests and those of...
Delivering high quality health care in rural communities – including those in Central Washington – has long been a growing challenge. Access to primary care can be time-consuming and costly for medically underserved rural residents. Less-populated areas are facing a devastating shortage of primary care physicians compared to urban areas. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, while 20 percent of the nation’s population lives in rural areas, only 10 percent of physicians practice in those same areas. I have...
If you have ever taken a job on a farm during harvest, you know it is hard work at mercy of the elements. Much of the work is done by hand, particularly growing and harvesting cherries and apples, which are major crops in Washington state. As a farmer myself, I have worked in fields and orchards in the Lower Yakima Valley since I was a kid, harvesting asparagus, hops, grapes, tree fruit and more. Across our state, particularly on the east side, agriculture is the mainstay industry for many regional economies. According to a...
Hurry up and wait. That’s a well-known phrase that can often apply to the way Congress operates: gradual starts followed by sudden momentum. Every matter before Congress is considered in a process driven by a series of discussions and debates. Because of the way our legislative calendar works, July is typically crunch time in both Houses of Congress to accomplish the people’s legislative business. This year has been no different, and just last week, Congress made important progress on many critical federal issues for Central...
In the Inland Northwest, it is difficult to overstate the benefits of water infrastructure and hydropower projects along the Columbia River and its tributaries. Harnessing the power of the rivers has been a central challenge in the Pacific Northwest, but it has been necessary to support our way of life. When the rivers overflow their banks, catastrophic floods have resulted in tragic loss of life and incredible amount of property damage. The dams along the Columbia and its largest tributary, the Snake River, have sought to...
Wealthy coastal cities versus the agrarian countryside. Supporters of big central government versus advocates of a limited government. Big states versus small states. Manufacturers versus traders. Debt hawks versus doves. Sound familiar? If you guessed that these conflicts refer to the contemporary United States, you might be surprised they were actually areas of fierce disagreement among Americans in the late 18th Century. While we may seem divided today, we have risen above more severe divisions in the past. One of the...
Like many Americans, I have been very concerned about the reports of scandals and incidents of mistreatment of our veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in recent years. I have heard stories firsthand from veterans in Central Washington about their negative experiences at VA facilities and their frustrations with the bureaucratic process. From secret wait lists for appointments and poor hospital conditions to the over-prescription of opioids, these practices have led to the abuse, and even deaths, of veterans...
Last Wednesday, I was getting ready for a morning meeting in the nation’s capital when I saw the terrible news that an individual had attacked the members of the GOP congressional baseball team while they practiced in a neighborhood field. Like everyone who saw the news, I was shocked. The GOP team had been practicing for the annual Congressional Baseball Game for Charity, a bipartisan tradition that began in 1909. Five people, including Congressman Steve Scalise from Louisiana, Zachary Barth, Matt Mika, and U.S. Capitol P...
Instead of our regular weekly column, the Congressman would like to share the message below. The last eight weeks have been extremely difficult for my family and for me, personally. My time with my beautiful wife, Carol, is a blessing that I will always cherish. Everyone who has known and loved Carol understands that the feeling of loss that we share will be with us for a long time. It will take time for our sadness to heal. Carol was incredibly strong, giving, and passionate about life—especially enjoying the time we all h...
Fourteen months ago, the sudden passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia left a void on the nation’s highest court. Not only did the court lose an esteemed colleague, but the nation lost an eloquent advocate for constitutional limits on government and preserving the rule of law. In the intervening months, the question of who should replace Justice Scalia was put before the American people. Now, with Senate confirmation of U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Neil Gorsuch, a new voice advocating for judicial r...
Americans rightfully expect for their private Internet data to be protected from fraud or theft under a clear, transparent framework for all business conducted on the Internet. Rules that protect personal data online should be uniform, and I support a strong framework across federal agencies to enforce standards that protect personal data from inappropriate and deceptive business practices. For years, the Federal Trade Commission has been the agency charged with enforcing consumer data security and preventing deceptive...
Republicans in Congress have long promised to repeal and replace President Obama’s flawed health law. In spite of the individual mandate forcing Americans to purchase insurance plans as dictated by the federal government, declining choices, rising premiums, and increased out-of-pocket costs have rendered healthcare unaffordable for far too many American families. Simply having an insurance card does not equate access to affordable, quality health care services. We must transition to a post-Obamacare health system. Despite the...
Farming is hard work. It means early mornings and late evenings. Harvest time can be nerve-wracking, along with the constant fear that fickle Mother Nature may be your worst enemy, or maybe your best friend. But when you’re a farmer, you realize that what you do is valuable. Farming is a calling that serves the most fundamental possible purpose: feeding the world. The modern revolution in agriculture means that food produced today is safer, more affordable, and more abundant than it has ever been in America and most parts o...
Throughout my time representing the people of Central Washington in the U.S. Congress, constituents from across the Fourth District have shared with me their deeply personal stories about the struggles and hardships they’ve faced under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare. In late 2016, a gentleman from Yakima wrote me in distress as his insurance provider was pulling out of his county: “My wife and I are losing our healthcare coverage. Our financial lives are about to radically change and a literal risk to our health...
I had the privilege to attend as President Trump gave his first Joint Address to Congress. The message that America heard was one of optimism and reform. The President is getting straight to work with Congress on an agenda to restore limited government, boost the economy to create jobs in the private sector, and ensure that our homeland is secure. He spoke of “the renewal of the American spirit” and an “America is once again ready to lead.” The President was speaking to all Americans, but especially to those who have felt fo...
“First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee, a general in the Continental Army during our Revolution, thus eulogized George Washington by placing his memory at the very center of American consciousness. Those words continue to ring true today about the man considered the Father of our Country, and who presided over our nation’s founding. However, Washington has some “competition.” The legacy of Abraham Lincoln’s heroic leadership after restoring the Union and aboli...
In December, at the very end of the Obama administration, federal officials finalized a rule that could limit the ability of some seniors who receive Social Security benefits to exercise their Second Amendment rights. The federal rule, submitted by the Social Security Administration (SSA), deals with the implementation of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Improvement Amendments Act of 2007. The rule would require the SSA to submit to NICS the information of anyone who receives Social Security and...
Grizzly bears are impressive animals. When standing upright, male grizzlies can reach a height of eight feet and weigh from 250 to 600 pounds. You can always tell a grizzly from a black bear by the distinctive hump of its high shoulders. These truly magnificent predators are at the top of the food chain and are best observed from afar. For residents of the North Cascades, the prospect of increasing grizzly populations through the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) r...