In The News
Override of Obama veto just first hurdle in 9/11 families’ pursuit of Saudi Arabia
by Hannah Alum and Marisa Taylor
WASHINGTON - Although Congress voted Wednesday to override President Obama's veto of legislation that allows relatives of Sept. 11 victims to sue the government of Saudi Arabia for their deaths, it's unclear how soon they can expect to make their case in court. Legal experts say the families still face hurdles - procedural and political - before they see a U.S. court decide whether the Saudi government played a role in the deadly terrorist attacks of 2001, despite the overwhelming suppor… Continue Reading
09.28.16
$451 Million for Puget Sound protection, restoration is approved by house following Larsen-led effort
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved an effort led by Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) - along with Reps. Derek Kilmer (WA-06), Jim McDermott (WA-07), Adam Smith (WA-09), and Denny Heck (WA-10) - to boost Puget Sound protection and restoration by authorizing $451 million for the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project (PSNERP) as part of the Water Resources Development Act. The legislation also includes $170 million to address the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. "The Puget S… Continue Reading
09.28.16
Bones of 'Kennewick Man' returning home for burial
by Joel Connelly
The 9,000-year-old bones known as "Kennewick Man" or "the Ancient One" will be returned to Columbia River tribes for burial under terms of an amendment passed Wednesday by the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation is a conference-committee meeting away from going to President Obama for his signature. It must be reconciled with similar legislation, sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., passed in the Senate. Twenty-two members of the Colville tribes donated DNA to prove that "the … Continue Reading
09.23.16
Who Is Guarding the Grid?
by Aryn Braun, Siri Bulusu, Xiumei Dong, Katherine Lonsdorf, Patrick Martin, Steven Porter and Thomas Vogel
A trio of highly trained hackers baited the employees of an electric utility north of Seattle last year with carefully crafted phishing emails. They had a bite in 22 minutes. Neither alarm bells nor flashing lights drew attention to the mistake, even as a tiny package of malware slipped silently onto the computer of an unsuspecting employee. Had they been hackers with evil intent, they could have cut power to the utility's 325,000 customers. Instead, the team was part of an unprecedent… Continue Reading
09.22.16
Press Victorious Over Politicians in Spelling Bee
by Alex Gangitano
Journalists beat the reigning champion lawmakers in the "Politicians v. Press Spelling Bee" at the National Press Club on Wednesday. Florida Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch, the last politician standing, lost in Round 12 by misspelling "jambalaya" with a "g", while Art Swift of Gallup won for the journalists by correctly spelling "apothecary." The event kicked off about 30 minutes behind schedule due to late votes in the House. The team of lawmakers - all Democrats - seemed eager to get started and… Continue Reading
09.21.16
Julie Johnson, Lummi, Receives State Democratic Party Honor
by Richard Walker
Julie Johnson, Lummi, was named Committee Member of the Year at the Washington State Democratic Party's 23rd annual Warren G. Magnuson Awards Banquet, September 17 in Yakima. The awards are named for the late Warren G. Magnuson (1905-1989), who represented Washington in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1937-1944 and in the Senate from 1944-1981. Guest speakers at this year's banquet were Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Bremerton; state Sen. Cyrus Habib, candidate for lieutenant governor; and Tina Po… Continue Reading
09.20.16
House plans vote on bill to improve small business cyber preparedness
by Jeremy Seth Davis
The U.S. House of Representatives will vote Wednesday on legislation that would task the Small Business Administration (SBA) with assisting small businesses in improving preparedness against cyber threats. The Improving Small Business Cyber Security Act (H.R. 5064) is sponsored by Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY), Chairman of the House Small Business Committee's contracting and workforce subcommittee. The proposal would develop cybersecurity awareness and training programs for small businesses through… Continue Reading
09.20.16
Congress, Media Ready to Face Off in "Politicians vs. Press" Spelling Bee Sept. 21 at the National Press Club
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Politicians and the media who cover them don't always get along, but tomorrow night Sept. 21 at the National Press Club it will be all fun and games as lawmakers and reporters square off in the hilarious Politicians vs. Press Spelling Bee. The event, sponsored by education technology leader Blackboard, Inc., is a continuation of a tradition started back in 1913, when the National Press Club held a spelling bee pitting elected officials agai… Continue Reading
09.20.16
Showcase tour hits the North Beach
by Angelo Bruscas
Community leaders toured the new development of Oyhut Bay, the remodeled coastal Interpretive Center and the ever-growing vacation/residential beach town of Seabrook Friday, along with several other North Beach attractions as part of the Greater Grays Harbor Inc. Showcase Tour. Every year, the organization visits a different part of the county to educate people from around the area on successful aspects of the local economy. This year's tour also made stops at Lytle Seafoods and included a barb… Continue Reading
09.19.16
Key House Dems claim Trump would weaken US
by Julian Hattern
Eleven House Democrats on Monday warned that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump would make the United States less safe, as the presidential race appeared to pivot back to national security. Rep. Adam Smith (Wash.), the top Democrat on the House Armed Serviced Committee, led 10 of his colleagues in a letter organized by 4D PAC, which supports left-leaning lawmakers with a focus on national security. "Given the challenges our country faces today, America needs a commander-in-chief with… Continue Reading
09.16.16
Kilmer praises decision for wastewater treatment across the Strait
PORT ANGELES - U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer on Thursday praised a decision to build a wastewater treatment plant in McLoughlin Point in Esquimalt. The Victoria area, home to 300,000 people, has pumped raw sewage into the waters across from Washington state for decades. On Wednesday, the Capital Regional District board threw its support behind building a $765 million plant. "This week was a positive step toward Canada cleaning up its mess," said Kilmer, who represents the 6th Congressional District,… Continue Reading
09.14.16
Nisei Soldier Stamp Campaign Gets Republican Support
The grassroots campaign to recognize the contributions of the Nisei World War II soldiers with a U.S. postage stamp has gained new backing from Congress, and outreach continues with grassroots help. Four Republicans recently spoke out in support for the stamp, which makes 41 bipartisan members of Congress so far this year. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) joined Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) this month in a support letter in favor of the stamp. Rep. Don Young and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska R… Continue Reading
09.14.16
Peninsula gains jobs – but average pay down
by Matthew Nash
SEQUIM - North Olympic Peninsula counties have added jobs while population has grown in the past few years, but the average earnings have dipped since 1970, said Brian Kuh, deputy director of the Jefferson County Economic Development Council, at an economic development summit. Kuh, who spoke at the summit hosted Monday by the North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation &Development Council in Sequim, said that although total income is up - $2.8 billion in Clallam County and $1.3 billion i… Continue Reading
09.12.16
Booker sets Twitter to stun in Star Trek vs. Star Wars battle
by Donald Salant
So who is cooler Han Solo or James T. Kirk? As Star Trek celebrates its 50th anniversary, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker engaged in a skirmish with a fellow Democratic lawmaker. Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) launched the first volley, championing the captain of the Millennium Falcon of Star Wars fame. Booker raised shields, deflecting the laser cannon blast and returned with phaser fire, defending the captain of the USS Enterprise. Booker, 47, is a long-time Star Trek fan, though he was not alive when … Continue Reading
09.11.16
Bremerton ceremony commemorates 9/11
by Nathan Pilling
BREMERTON - Scores of community members gathered for a Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony Sunday at the Kitsap 9/11 Memorial in Bremerton's Evergreen-Rotary Park. The ceremony - like countless others throughout the nation - marked the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon and the crashed airliner in Pennsylvania. "If you have the community spirit like you have here in Bremerton and like we have here throughout Kitsap County, you come toge… Continue Reading
09.02.16
Martha & Mary hosts Open House and Art Show Sept. 10
POULSBO - In celebration of its 125th year, Martha & Mary will welcome the community in for an Open House and Art Show 5-8 p.m. Sept. 10. The event will feature art exhibits created by seniors and children cared for by the non-profit, including paintings, drawings, a wide variety of crafts, 3D design and poetry. Visitors will have the opportunity to view the organization's permanent art collection and see works created by visiting artist Susan Ogilvie, who specializes in iconography. Addi… Continue Reading
09.01.16
Human Rights Campaign – Washington State New Democrat Delegation Joins Roundtable with LGBTQ Advocates
by Hope Wisnecki
Last week, HRC was honored to join the New Democrat Coalition for a roundtable discussion about LGBTQ policy issues. Staff and board volunteers from Equal Rights Washington, Greater Seattle Business Association and Lambda Legal joined HRC for a discussion on legislative priorities with Washington state's New Democrat congressional delegation. HRC Washington's Steering Committee Political Co-Chair Roger Nyhus hosted the event. During the roundtable, we discussed issues and legislation that the e… Continue Reading
08.31.16
Lakebay man presented with Silver Star almost 50 years after military service
by Alexis Krell
Nearly 50 years after the day he earned it, Sgt. Edward Dvorak got his Silver Star on Wednesday for his service in the Vietnam War. "It's like a check-off on the internal moral clock that says I did the right thing," the 68-year-old Lakebay man said after he was presented with the medal, "that I served honorably." Dvorak said he was surprised at the roughly 50 people who showed up at the ceremony, at the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Veterans of Foreign Wars post. One of those was Undersecretary of t… Continue Reading
08.31.16
Pro-trade Democrats call Labor’s bluff
by Edward-Isaac Dovere
Organized labor made a lot of political threats on trade. So far, they've flaked on them all. Just ask Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who Tuesday clocked an easy win in Florida over the most Bernie Sanders-identified primary challenger in the country - even after her booting as Democratic National Committee chair. She voted to give the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade deals as a precursor to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and despite all the noise in Washington, every union in her d… Continue Reading
08.31.16
Congressman, local leaders talk economic development
by Matthew Nash
Derek Kilmer, U.S. representative for the 6th Congressional District, continued a decade-old conversation recently with local stakeholders about finding innovation in the local workforce. More than a dozen representatives from Port Angeles to Port Townsend met with the congressman to discuss the Innovation Agenda at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on Aug. 18. Kilmer said congressmen spoke nationwide with constituents about 10 years ago on a range of topics from STEM education to brin… Continue Reading