In The News
Civilian defense positions saved from being outsourced
by Rachael Kalinyak
American Federation of Government Employees has thanked Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Penn., and several other members of Congress for sponsoring an amendment to the Department of Defense's spending bill that kept civilian defense jobs from being outsourced. The A-76 outsourcing process is "deeply flawed, disruptive and costly to agency missions," AFGE's National President J. David Cox Sr. declared, citing the Government Accountability Office and the DoD's Inspector General's findings… The amen… Continue Reading
07.31.17
Defense union applauds House for blocking outsourcing of civilian Defense jobs
Federal civilian employees who provide critical support to our nation's military would be protected from having their jobs outsourced under an amendment to the Defense spending bill that won the support of the largest federal employee union…. President Cox extended special thanks to amendment cosponsors Don Beyer of Virginia, Rob Bishop of Utah, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Paul Cook of California, Dan Donovan of New York, Walter Jones of North Carolina, Derek Kilmer of Washington, Dave Loebsack… Continue Reading
07.31.17
Housing Authority to open new low-income development
Tacoma Housing Authority will hold a formal grand opening on Aug. 7 for a 144-unit, affordable housing complex in the city's Hilltop neighborhood. The complex enters the stock of lower-income housing options at a time when housing prices are rapidly outpacing income growth. "If it were food, we would have widespread malnutrition with pockets of starvation," said THA Executive Director Michael Mirra… Senator Patty Murray, Congressmen Denny Heck and Derek Kilmer will be on hand to help the… Continue Reading
07.31.17
Rep. Dingell introduces bill to include hearing aids in Medicare
by Dave Kovaleski
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) recently introduced the Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2017, which would expand Medicare to cover hearing aids for beneficiaries. Hearing loss is the third most prevalent chronic condition in the country, but most seniors who need hearing aids do not get them because they cannot afford them, said Dingell, vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus Seniors Task Force… The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on… Continue Reading
07.28.17
Puget Sound dodges budget bullet
by John Ryan
While the Trump administration aims to slash funding for environmental protection nationwide and eliminate funding for cleaning up Puget Sound, the Republican-controlled Congress hasn't seen things the same way. The House Appropriations Committee last week rejected the White House's proposal to kill funding for cleanups of major water bodies including Puget Sound, Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes… "We fought really hard to make sure these cuts weren't included in what came out of our co… Continue Reading
07.27.17
Trump’s ban on transgender troops is infuriating both Democrats and Republicans
by Carly Sitrin
In a Wednesday morning tweet thread, President Donald Trump announced his plan to bar transgender people from serving in the US military. His declaration was met with confusion and dismay as it came on the heels of an Obama-era policy that was supposed to begin allowing transgender soldiers to openly serve in the armed forces July 1, but was stalled for six months. Log Cabin Republicans President Gregory T. Angelo said Wednesday that "the president's statement this morning does a disservice to t… Continue Reading
07.27.17
The World Tears Into Trump For Tweets Announcing Trans Military Ban
by Hayley Jones
Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump unleashed bombshell tweets announcing a ban on transgender people in the military. Last year, former President Barack Obama enacted policy that would lift the ban. It was originally set to begin July 1 of this year, but was delayed to January 1, 2018. Many were outraged over Trump's tweets. Politicians and prominent figures took to their own social media to express their anguish… Rep. Derek Kilmer tweeted "@POTUS attacks on #transgender troops are… Continue Reading
07.27.17
How Washington’s Congressional Delegation Are Responding to Trump’s Ban on Transgender Soldiers
by Ana Sofia Knauf
ICYMI: President Donald Trump announced this morning that he plans to bar transgender people from serving in the United States military. In a series of tweets, Trump cited medical costs as the reasoning for his bigoted bill… Washington's other congressional representatives weighed in on Twitter, the only medium Trump appears to understand: Rep. Derek Kilmer "@POTUS attacks on #transgender troops are wrong. If you serve your country, we should have your back. #LGBT"… Continue Reading
07.26.17
Women and Minorities Shatter Records as Thousands Take AP Computer Science Exam
In 2017, a record number of women and underrepresented minorities took the Advanced Placement computer science exams…Last week, U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash. spoke to women and other young professionals on Capitol Hill about those AP computer science tests… Kilmer said Congress needs to step up and provide opportunities for students who study computer science and related fields in college.… Continue Reading
07.26.17
Congressman Jim Himes signs on to letter calling on Speaker Ryan to stabilize the individual market
by Dan Arestia
Today, 52 New Democrat Coalition Members signed on to a letter calling on Speaker Paul Ryan to lead in a bipartisan manner to stabilize and improve the individual health insurance market while protecting the Affordable Care Act…In total the letter to Speaker Ryan was signed by 89 Members, including…Derek Kilmer.… Continue Reading
07.26.17
Time has come to rally in defense of national parks
by Mayor Liz Reynolds
Our national parks are America's favorite places…A record-breaking 331 million people visited parks nationwide last year. But while parks are as popular as ever, they are facing an incredible challenge: $11.3 billion in needed infrastructure repairs and not enough money to fix them… Recently, Washington Reps. Dave Reichert and Derek Kilmer introduced bipartisan legislation to make these repairs.… Continue Reading
07.26.17
Bonney Lake gets new fish egg facility
by Ray Still
Bonney Lake - a city known for its beautiful view of Mount Rainier, its day-cation destination of Lake Tapps, and, perhaps surprising to some, its fish eggs. The city is home to Troutlodge, the world's largest producer of trout eggs, sending close to 500 million eggs to dozens of countries around the world… Dentler also thanked Congressmen Dan Newhouse and Derek Kilmer as well for their roles in helping the company.… Continue Reading
07.24.17
Congress toes a cautious line on support for commercial space partnerships
by Chelsey Ballarte
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Members of Congress spoke to space industry leaders on Capitol Hill last week to show their support for the private sector, but both sides expressed frustrations as well. At the sixth annual Future Space conference, U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, the Texas Republican who chairs the House Subcommittee on Space, spoke highly of private partnerships in space. He referred to the promise of asteroid mining twice during his talk, which is good news for Planetary Resources, a space startup b… Continue Reading
07.24.17
Women and minorities shatter records as thousands take AP computer science exam
by Chelsey Ballarte
Diversity is not one of the tech industry's strongest suits, but Seattle-based Code.org sees hints this could change in coming years: In 2017, a record number of women and underrepresented minorities took the Advanced Placement computer science exams. The College Board, which runs the nationwide AP exam program, reported that the number of women taking computer science tests rose by 135 percent in just one year, while participation by underrepresented minorities was 170 percent higher… La… Continue Reading
07.20.17
Coffman bill extending mental health services to vets without honorable discharge passes 1st House test
AURORA | U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman's bill to expand mental health services to veterans who left the service without an honorable discharge passed unanimously out of the House Committee on Veteran's Affairs on Wednesday. Currently veterans who were dishonorably discharged can't access veterans' services including mental health care. The Veteran Urgent Access to Mental Healthcare Act would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide initial mental health assessments and mental health care ser… Continue Reading
07.20.17
Washington State added to fisheries disaster legislation
by Amy Nile
ILWACO, Wash. - Relief is making its way from Washington, D.C., to coastal communities facing economic hardship from tough fishing seasons. U.S. Reps. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, and Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, have tacked $20 million for Washington state fishery disasters onto a federal spending bill. "This is meeting a need," Herrera Beutler said. "Making sure folks can work and take care of their families is critical." The House Appropriations Committee included the money as part of its $… Continue Reading
07.18.17
House revives Sea Grant program, marked for extinction by Trump
by Joel Connelly
The National Sea Grant College program, targeted for elimination in the Trump budget, has gained new life in Congress. The House Appropriations Committee, on Thursday, quietly approved $63 million for Sea Grant, used by 33 university-based programs that work on issues ranging from tsunami preparedness to aquaculture, as well as education programs on a raft of water-safety issues. Lawmakers from coastal states and Great Lakes states have fought to save Sea Grant. A Washington lawmaker, Rep. Dere… Continue Reading
07.18.17
POINT OF VIEW: Staying strong during unsettled times
HAVING GROWN UP in Port Angeles, I've seen our community go through hard times. But when someone lost a job or a business closed its doors, we came together and pressed ahead because we have a spirit of never giving up. While folks remain uneasy about our economy, our community is not backing down. The new composite manufacturing center is a great example. This job-creating laboratory is taking carbon fiber composite scrap material and turning it into new, useful products such as park benches.… Continue Reading
07.17.17
Provisions in defense bill would help shipyard workers, vets
by Ed Friedrich
BREMERTON - The defense budget passed Friday by the U.S. House of Representatives includes help for local shipyard workers and veterans. U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, secured an extension of overtime pay for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard workers who conduct nuclear maintenance on the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in Yokosuka, Japan. Payments would continue through Sept. 30, 2019. The bill passed Friday also would eliminate a Department of Defense policy that reduces per diem allowances… Continue Reading
07.11.17
Microsoft Claims Rural White Spaces Plan Could Cost Less Than $12 Billion
by Gary Arlen
Microsoft distributed a 50-page white paper, "A Rural Broadband Strategy: Connecting Rural America to New Opportunities" to more than 200 attendees (many of them Microsoft invitees) at the monthly Media Institute luncheon. The crowd was nearly three times the size of the group's typical events, and included guests such as Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.), Rep. Darrel Issa (R-Calif.) as well as executives from media, education and business non-profits, which Microsoft apparently will recruit to suppor… Continue Reading