A Note to Local Grads, Plus An Update on My Work to Defend Reproductive Freedom and Support Funding for a Climate-Ready Workforce
Hello Folks –
The official start of summer is finally here and I’d like to start out this week’s newsletter by giving a special shoutout to my daughter, Sophie, who recently graduated from high school – congratulations, Sophie!!
I think that graduating from high school is a huge accomplishment – so if you have a recent or soon-to-be grad in your life, I hope you might be willing to share this message:
First of all: congratulations on this achievement! You clearly have demonstrated a passion for your studies, exemplified commitment to your future success, and shown a positive attitude toward your peers and mentors. You should be very proud of the work you’ve done. The investment you’ve made in your education is just the beginning. It is the door to opportunity, and whatever path you choose in the years ahead, I encourage you to seek new learning opportunities. Keep opening those doors and stay engaged and involved in your community.
There are a lot of challenges facing our country and our world. You are graduating at a time when we’re still recovering from a global pandemic, facing the impacts of the climate crisis, working to address systemic racism and violence in our country, and dealing with dysfunction and incivility in our politics. I know it can all feel a little daunting. But your generation gives me hope.
A faith leader once noted “Optimism is the belief that things are going to get better. Hope is the belief that together we can make things better. Optimism is a passive virtue; hope is an active one. It takes no courage to be an optimist, but it does need courage to hope.” You give me hope because you will prove that, together, we can make things better. And for us to get a handle on these problems – to make progress where it is sorely needed – we will need your generation’s ideas, insights, and passion for change. Our country is counting on you. (No pressure).
So, whether you decide to start a business, heal sick people, teach young people, enter the trades, serve our nation in the military, or work toward some other cause, be part of building a new normal that is grounded in fairness, sustainability, civility, and opportunity. President Barack Obama said, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
Please know that your life, your dreams, your thoughts, your voice, your hopes, and your future matter. I believe in you and can’t wait to see what your future holds.
Congratulations, and best of luck in all your future endeavors!
OK – now on to a bit more of the news!
Defending Reproductive Freedom
Two years ago today, with the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and opened the door to significant restrictions on women’s reproductive freedom. In the aftermath, 21 states have severely limited or outright banned abortion – and extreme Republicans in Congress have continued to make efforts to pass a federal abortion ban, putting health and safety at risk.
In fact, every day, there seems to be a new effort to restrict reproductive health care. I oppose these efforts.
I was relieved that, earlier this month, the Supreme Court rejected an effort to restrict access to the abortion drug mifepristone.
Mifepristone is safe, effective, and has been used by more than five million Americans since the FDA approved it more than 20 years ago. That’s why I signed a brief urging the Supreme Court to reject the effort to ban it. While this announcement was a win for women across our nation, there's still more work to be done to protect reproductive freedom across the board.
Rep. Kilmer and other lawmakers host a roundtable with Planned Parenthood and residents of the Puget Sound region to discuss reproductive freedom.
Let me be clear: decisions about reproductive health care are best made by women in consultation with their doctors. These deeply personal decisions should not be interfered with or replaced by the judgment of politicians. I remain concerned that efforts to limit care options for women erode freedom and equity and perpetuate unsafe outcomes for women’s health.
That’s why I’ve strongly opposed efforts to roll back reproductive rights, co-sponsoring the Protecting Reproductive Freedom Act, which would reaffirm that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), not extremist courts, has clear and pre-emptive authority to regulate abortion medication. It’s also why, last Congress, I co-sponsored and voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would restore the right to choose nationwide and prevent restrictions that undermine a woman’s ability to make her own health care choices.
Sadly, other threats persist. The Alabama Supreme Court recently handed down a ruling limiting access to IVF fertility treatments. I support the right of families to use IVF - and I voted in support of the Right to IVF Act, which would make IVF more accessible through insurance, including for our servicemembers and veterans.
Rep. Kilmer meets with advocates from Planned Parenthood.
Bottom line: we cannot – and should not – accept a future in which the next generation of Americans has fewer rights than their parents. I’ll continue to do everything I can to protect reproductive freedom across our country.
New Funding for Local Colleges and Tribes
Folks in Washington’s coastal and Tribal communities are already feeling the impacts of climate change. That’s why it’s critical that we take action now to ensure that we develop a workforce that can specialize in climate resilience and resource co-stewardship in communities that are on the frontlines.
Last week, I was thrilled to announce, alongside Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell, that the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges will receive nearly $9.3 million in federal funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through the Climate-Ready Workforce Initiative.
This funding, which I helped secure, will directly provide support for six community colleges to work with Washington state tribes to develop curriculum teaching students how to apply Indigenous natural resource management knowledge in regions impacted by climate change.
Three of those six community colleges are located right here in our neck of the woods – Peninsula College, which will partner with the Makah Tribe; Grays Harbor College, which will partner with the Quinault Indian Nation; and South Puget Sound Community College, which will partner with the Squaxin Island Tribe.
Rep. Kilmer meets with students from Grays Harbor College
While climate change affects every community in Washington, it disproportionately impacts the ecological resilience, cultural practices, and health of our region’s Tribes. This new federal investment from NOAA will help our region foster the next generation of students who are trained for careers in the green economy and ready to tackle the complex challenges of the climate crisis right here in our backyards. I’ll keep up the work here in DC to ensure that the federal government continues to play its part in supporting to local community colleges and area tribes in their fight against the climate crisis.
Working for You
Checking in with local Rotarians
I always appreciate the opportunity to check-in with the folks with the Bainbridge Island Rotary – to talk about the ongoing work in our communities to build civic bridges and find common ground. Thanks to everyone in attendance for a great conversation - and for always putting service above self!
Catching up with our nation’s pilots
As someone who is on a plane most weeks, I'm grateful to the aviation professionals who keep our skies safe. Thank you to the Air Line Pilots Association for making the time to share key pilot safety priorities – and for keeping folks safe in the skies!
Lending support for survivors of domestic violence
The Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence provides critical services to survivors of domestic violence across our home state. I was grateful for the chance to catch up and chat about key priorities like VOCA funding and other ways to deliver resources to survivor communities!
OK – that’s it for now, folks. As always, I’m honored to represent you.
Sincerely,
Derek Kilmer