In The News
Kilmer Offers Vietnam Veterans Community Pinning Ceremony
Last Wednesday Representative Derek Kilmer invited West End veterans of the Vietnam War to participate in a pinning ceremony as part of the 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vietnam War. The ceremony was held at Peninsula College-Forks. Also participating were Forks Mayor Tim Fletcher, and Clallam County Commissioners Randy Johnson and Bill Peach, with the assistance of the American Legion Post 106 and the Forks VFW Post 9106 The pinning program was established by the Secretary of Defense … Continue Reading
09.12.19
Washington Rep. Kilmer Spurs Push For Gun Control In Congress
by Nick Bowman
Congress has been in session following its August recess for less than three days, and Washington Congressman Derek Kilmer is already making noise over gun control. A trio of gun control bills have already passed through the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, with Kilmer operating as one of the loudest voices in support. "I've been in Congress for six-and-a-half years, and for the first six years I can't count how many moments of silence have been held. I can count how many mom… Continue Reading
09.05.19
Editorial: Elections In Peril With Decimated Federal Election Commission
by Federal Election Commission
The fall 2020 election promises to be the most expensive, and possibly the most intensely fought, in American history. Without immediate federal reform, campaigns will be free to run amok. The agency in charge of oversight has gone comatose. For the well-being of American democracy, Congress and President Donald Trump must immediately repair the Federal Election Commission. The FEC, plagued by years of deadlock, lacks enough commissioners to open investigations or hand out penalties. This is r… Continue Reading
09.05.19
Funding Of Coast Guard Pier Project At Bangor Cut For Border Wall
by Josh Farley
BANGOR - Funding for a new pier to dock Coast Guard vessels that protect the Navy's Trident ballistic missile submarines has been diverted to help pay for a wall along the Mexican border, a decision decried by the state's two Democratic senators and Congressman Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor. The $88.9 million pier and maintenance facility for Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor's Maritime Force Protection Unit was among 127 military construction projects announced by the Pentagon this week to lose funding. I… Continue Reading
09.05.19
Pentagon takes $89 million from Naval Base Kitsap for Border Wall
by Associated Press
BANGOR, Wash. (AP) - The Defense Department is diverting funding for an $89 million pier project at Naval Base Kitsap in Bangor to help build $3.6 billion in fencing and barriers along the U.S. border with Mexico. The Seattle Times reports the Bangor cut is one of 127 military construction projects in 23 states, three U.S. territories and 20 countries that will lose funding to help pay for barriers in Texas, Arizona and California that are part of President Donald Trump's long-sought border wal… Continue Reading
08.29.19
U.S. Rep. Kilmer Talks Jobs, Training, Healthcare at Sequim Chamber Meeting
by Michael Dashiell
SEQUIM - While looking more toward solutions that spur economic growth than the partisan infighting in Washington, D.C., U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer brought a sense of levity on a visit to Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce's annual picnic in the park. "I was asked to give a 20-minute update on what's happening in Congress; I'm reticent to do that because you're eating," Kilmer joked at the luncheon, held at Pioneer Memorial Park on Tuesday. Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, represents the 6th Con… Continue Reading
08.28.19
Congressman Talks Healthcare, Jobs, Tsunami Prep at Westport Town Hall
by Dan Hammock
Congressman Derek Kilmer shared "a really good dialogue" with about 60 people at his town hall meeting in Westport on Monday evening. Topics discussed included access to health care, the economy, access to broadband and tsunami preparedness. "What is abundantly clear is people have a real appetite for seeing government work better and for seeing the economy work better," said Kilmer. "A lot of the questions I got were in that arena and, frankly, that's a lot of what I work on." Access t… Continue Reading
08.28.19
Letter to the Editor: Here’s To The Gig Harbor Democrat Willing to Take on “Moscow Mitch”
by The News Tribune Editorial Board
Three things can be said of Russian interference with U.S. elections: It happened. It's happening. And it will continue to happen unless lawmakers in D.C. step in and stop it. In 2017 they had their chance. The Honest Ads Act was a bipartisan/bicameral piece of legislation mandating online political ads share the same transparency requirements as ads sold through traditional media like newspapers, television, radio and news websites. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked the Hones… Continue Reading
08.20.19
Congressman Kilmer to Host Job Fair in Aberdeen
Congressman Derek Kilmer, in partnership with Washington WorkSource and the Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council, will host a job fair in Aberdeen Aug. 26 at WorkSource Grays Harbor. The event will kick off at 11 a.m. with opening remarks from Cheryl Fambles of the Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council, followed by remarks from Kilmer. Following his remarks, Rep. Kilmer will host a roundtable discussion on workforce development featuring stakeholders from across the re… Continue Reading
08.06.19
New Mental Health Hospital Opens in Tacoma
by South Sound Staff
CHI Franciscan and MultiCare Health System joined together to open a hospital this spring to address mental health needs. Wellfound Behavioral Health Hospital is a $45 million facility located on 19th Street at the MultiCare Allenmore Hospital campus in Tacoma. "Our mission is to serve all those in need," said Ketul J. Patel, CEO of CHI Franciscan. "The need for access to behavioral healthcare and services continues to escalate throughout our state. Together with MultiCare, we recognized our sh… Continue Reading
08.05.19
Kilmer Files Bill To Name Post Office After Pioneering Navy Chief
by Isabella Breda
The U.S. Post Office on Pacific Avenue would be renamed the John Henry Turpin Post Office Building in commemoration of the trailblazing Navy chief petty officer under a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor. Turpin was one of the first African Americans to achieve the rank of chief petty officer, and his 29-year career in the Navy included service during the Spanish-American War, the Boxer Rebellion and World War I. "He has quite the legacy, starting at the beginning of his… Continue Reading
06.16.19
Dems plan slice-and-dice strategy to pressure McConnell
by Sarah Ferris
House Democrats can't get Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to hold a vote on their biggest legislative accomplishment. So they're going to pass it all over again. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) is eyeing a new strategy that would take the caucus' signature achievement this year - a sprawling elections and government transparency bill - and break it into bite-size pieces with fresh votes on the floor, according to multiple lawmakers and aides. The move is intended to pressure … Continue Reading
06.13.19
The Honest Ads Act Returns
by ZACH MONTELLARO
ONLINE AD WATCH - The Honest Ads Act is back. The bill, which was originally introduced in 2017 but didn't gain much traction, was reintroduced in both the House and the Senate on Tuesday. The lead sponsors in the upper chamber are Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) (who replaced the late-Sen. John McCain as a Republican co-sponsor), while the House effort is being spearheaded by Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) and Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.). The bill is an… Continue Reading
06.07.19
House OKs bill to fight ocean acidification
by Jesse Major
PORT ANGELES - The U.S. House of Representatives has passed U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer's Ocean Acidification Innovation Act. The bill passed in the House on Wednesday and - if passed by the Senate and signed by the president - would allow federal agencies to use existing funds to increase the ability to research, monitor and manage ocean acidification and its impacts. "We know that changing ocean chemistry threatens entire livelihoods and industries in our state. So, this bipartisan bill is really… Continue Reading
06.06.19
U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer to Participate in Roundtable Discussion on Expanding Access to Broadband Internet
by Dave Haviland
On Friday, June 7, Grays Harbor County Public Utility District, Representative Derek Kilmer, and local community leaders, will participate in a roundtable discussion on new efforts to connect communities to high-speed internet. The event will take place at 9:15am at Greater Grays Harbor in Aberdeen. The roundtable discussion will focus on how connecting communities to high-speed internet, through new legislation like the Broadband for All Act sponsored by Rep. Kilmer, will lead to new jobs and… Continue Reading
06.05.19
Congressional panel focuses on 'Broken Promises' report on Indian Country
by Meagan Racey
Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Washington) is hosting tribal leaders and federal officials on Wednesday afternoon for a discussion on the "Broken Promises" report that was issued by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Released in December 2018, Broken Promises: Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans confirmed that the federal government is failing to meet its trust and treaty obligations in a wide range of areas, from health care and education to social services and public safety. It … Continue Reading
06.05.19
Home KBKW News Congressman Derek Kilmer to Enjoy Chowder at Channel Point Congressman Derek Kilmer to Enjoy Chowder at Channel Point
by Dave Haviland
On Friday, June 7th at 12:00 noon, Congressman Derek Kilmer, representative of Washington's 6th District, is scheduled to enjoy lunch with and speak to the residents of the Village Concepts of Hoquiam - Channel Point retirement community, as well as members of the public. Following a Speaker Series visit in May from Washington Secretary of State, Kim Wyman, it is very exciting to have another Washington State leader visit the retirement community. According to Maggie Birmingham, Channel Point's… Continue Reading
06.05.19
Seeking help in fight for rural health care
by Tim Wheeler
Fight for rural care. I was walking around Sequim posting leaflets headlined "Making Retirement Security Real For All" when I stopped at Olympic Medical Center's walk-in clinic to pin one on the bulletin board. Every seat in the waiting room was taken by elderly folks who looked even shakier than I am. Lots of them were leaning on canes and walkers. It got me thinking about the Trump administration's scheme to slash Medicare reimbursements for clinics like ours by 60 percent from $118.35 to … Continue Reading
06.04.19
'New Democrats' Outnumber Liberals, But Need Pizazz
by Mort Kondracke
The media, perpetually mesmerized by ideologues and charisma, have virtually anointed radical leftist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as the future of the Democratic Party. In fact, it should focus on Rep. Derek Kilmer and the House New Democrat Coalition he chairs. The Progressive Caucus, representing ultra-liberals, numbers 95 representatives. But New Democrats number 101, including most of the 40 newcomers who took seats away from Republicans in 2018 and 21 who won in 2016 Trump districts. If… Continue Reading
05.31.19
Inspirational Conference Helps Meet Puget Sound Needs
by Diane Buckshnis
I have been to many good conferences in my four decades of working in the financial and regulatory sector, but I must admit a recent conference for "Puget Sound Days on the Hill" was the most inspirational ever. The four-day conference, hosted by the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP), provided a myriad of historical, educational and environmental aspects, legislative updating, and an overall communal discussion on how can we save our Puget Sound, hence our salmon and, by extension, our orcas. I at… Continue Reading