Oh Canada
Dear Friend,
Since my last update I was honored to meet Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. I joined six of my colleagues and several of the senior government officials from Canada in a meeting to discuss some of our common interests.
Among the issues I raised with the Prime Minister was my strong interest in protecting our shared waters. As many of you know, for decades the Victoria area of British Columbia has been dumping raw sewage into the shared waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca (apologies to those of you who read my newsletters over a meal).
Since coming to Congress, I’ve continued to call on our neighbors to the North to take care of this problem. Whether it’s leading a Washington delegation letter to call for progress or talking to members of Canada’s parliament, I’ve been working to make sure we make progress on this front.
In fact, the Seattle P-I recently reported the local government has announced plans for two sewage-treatment plans to deal with the mess! We still have a long way to go but I’m confident if we remain focused and point out this is an important part of being a good neighbor we will have a solution.
While visiting with the Prime Minister, I also raised the importance of seeing forward progress on the renegotiation of the Columbia River Treaty. A healthy Columbia River is essential to our state - it’s important to our economy, our environment and our culture. Last year, I joined my colleague Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler in authoring language as part of the appropriations process that pushed the U.S. State Department to enter into negotiations with Canada. I’m glad the agency has named a lead negotiator, and now it’s time for Canada to step up to the plate. You’ll be hearing more about this in the coming months.
The discussions between the U.S. and Canada needs to move forward so we can address the future of the river and its critical importance to tribes, energy producers, shippers, fishermen, and those who care about our environment.
Read on for details regarding what else has been going on!
Another Stalemate
Increasingly, the news has been focused on the ongoing Presidential election. But away from the horserace a recent story illustrated why our electoral system needs reform. I’ve shared in the past how the Federal Election Commission (FEC) is so hopelessly gridlocked they couldn’t even agree on whether to serve donuts or bagels at their 40th anniversary party (no brainer).
The continued dysfunction on the Commission recently meant that the FEC could not decide whether to investigate reports that limited-liability corporations hid the source of donations to Super PACs during the 2012 election.
The stalemate effectively means that Super PAC donors have the greenlight to mask contributions in the upcoming election. This further poisons our political system by allowing big donors to flood our elections with even more money - without citizens ever knowing where it originally came from.
This is not right and it will make it harder for Americans to have their voices heard. It is further proof that now is the time to fix the people’s advocate in our elections. That’s why I’ll continue fighting for my bipartisan bill to institute meaningful reforms and get the FEC back to doing what it’s supposed to be doing – weeding out campaign finance abuses. Making the commission functional again can help us revitalize our democracy and ensure that the focus is on citizens rather than special interests.
Read more about the FEC gridlock in the Washington Post.
Wresting with an Epidemic
Our state, and our nation, is wrestling with a heroin and opioid epidemic that has touched too many families. Folks like Penny LeGate, who has courageously shared the story of her daughter’s death and is at the forefront of efforts in Puget Sound to do something to help those facing addiction.
Her story, and the stories of others in places like Bremerton, Tacoma, and the Olympic Peninsula, are a call to action. I was glad to see that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) award grants to community health centers in Bremerton and Tacoma to help folks struggling with the cycle of addiction. We need more action like this and to also make sure that all communities, including those the Olympic Peninsula, have the resources they need to confront this scourge head on.
We need the federal government to be a partner supporting efforts in our neck of the woods to do something. Thankfully, the Senate has passed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act to help. I’m going to push the House to take up and pass the companion bill (which I’ve cosponsored) in our chamber so we can get it to the President’s desk.
Read more about Penny LeGate’s work and story here.
Tied to the Ocean
Speaking of grants, we also got some good news when it comes to dealing with rising sea levels.
Our communities will always be tied to the ocean. But we know that violent storms and tsunamis can flood communities, dislocate families, and threaten public safety. We must do more to prepare our neighborhoods and cities for these challenges and a changing climate.
So it’s great news that Washington Sea Grant received a grant to work with the city of Tacoma and other communities to help deal with these threats. The investment from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will allow Tacoma to fill critical information gaps and devise better action plans to counter resiliency challenges. Most importantly, the cutting edge approaches developed by stakeholders on the ground can be shared and adopted by other communities, like those on the Peninsula.
Appropriations Corner
On the Appropriations Committee we continue to ask questions of agency officials. My kids were officially psyched that we heard from the NASA Administrator Charles Bolden in the Appropriations Committee.
But aside from being an interesting topic for fans of The Martian, there's huge potential for our region. I’ve worked on supporting innovative space companies in the Puget Sound region. By promoting American space commerce we can create new opportunities for job creation and grow our economy. Check out this article that details why Puget Sound is about to be the Silicon Valley of Space.
We also heard from Jon Jarvis, the Director of the National Park Service. I thanked Director Jarvis for the important role that the Olympic National Park plays in our region. I also asked him to focus his agency’s attention on addressing access challenges including some of the road problems created as a result of encroachment from the Elwha River.
In addition, we took testimony from the Director of the National Science Foundation, Frances Cordova. I asked Director Cordova to update us on some of the efforts to coordinate government initiatives to strengthen cybersecurity. In our region, we’ve seen a lot of interest (from private industry, academia, and local military installations) in being part of the cybersecurity solution.
A Difference Maker
Recently, my friend State Senator Jim Hargrove announced that he would be retiring as a legislator. Throughout his career Senator Hargrove has been an amazing difference maker and a good friend. Whether fighting to strengthen our safety net, reduce recidivism in our criminal justice system, or create jobs in rural Washington, Jim has always had a strong ethic as a servant leader. As a legislator and as a dad, I've appreciated his advice and the lasting impact he's had on our future. Please join me in thanking him for his service and wishing him well on his next chapter.
Accessible and Accountable
I’ll be holding my 12th telephone town hall on Tuesday, March 22 at 6 p.m. PT. You’ll have the opportunity to ask me a question or leave a message with your comments.
I work for you and it’s important that I continue to be accessible and accountable.
Folks who would like to join the call can sign up at http://kilmer.creativengine.com/contact/townhall or send an email to kilmer.teletownhall@mail.house.gov with their name and phone number by 3 p.m. PT on Monday, March 21.
Working for You
It was my honor to welcome folks to the Broadway Center for this year's Star Chefs event. Thanks to all those who support the arts and make our community stronger.
Thanks to Marty Campbell and Debbie Bingham for the comprehensive discussion with stakeholders from the City and the Lincoln District community who are involved in Tacoma's Lincoln Business District revival. Starting this summer, the City and many partners will embark on a massive streetscape renovation of this historic Tacoma community - and it's just a small piece of the wrap-around neighborhood services that the city is piloting. I look forward to the positive outcomes and am excited to stay engaged as this project moves forward.
At the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce's 18th Annual Tim Caldwell Leadership Brunch I was honored to offer remarks and congratulate the award winners. Here I am with Young Professional of the Year Dominic Svornich, Director's Award winner Jake Beattie, Business Leader of the Year Rocky Friedman, and Citizen of the Year Marianne Walters, Jordan Eades (Young Professionals), Teresa Verras (Chamber Executive Director) and Mayor Deborah Stinson. It was a fun opportunity to celebrate Jefferson County's many successes over the past year.
OK...that’s it for this edition. Please don’t hesitate to holler if I can ever lend a hand to you or someone you know.
Thanks for reading. As always, I’m honored to work for you.
Sincerely,
Derek Kilmer