An Update on America’s Fiscal House and Reducing Barriers to Housing That People Can Afford
Hello Folks –
Yesterday, on Memorial Day, we paused to honor and remember brave Americans who gave their lives in service to our nation. The day wasn’t about cookouts or appliance sales – it was about recognizing and honoring the sacrifices of more than a million Americans who have died in military service since the Civil War. I was grateful to join folks at Ivy Green Cemetery to remember and appreciate all those from our community who died in service to our country. Their sacrifices should never be forgotten.
America’s Fiscal House
This year, American families, workers, retirees, students, and others were held hostage by extreme D.C. Republicans who demanded drastic spending cuts in exchange for raising the nation’s debt limit – something which Democrats and Republicans accomplished three times under the previous president.
This sort of manufactured crisis is central to why Americans are frustrated with Congress. They’re frustrated when D.C. folks play politics and create unnecessary crises.
People know I’m not a partisan bomb thrower, so I say this as a simple fact: The spending plan Republicans put forward in April was a non-starter. It would've meant deep cuts to local law enforcement and food safety programs, eliminated preschool slots for kids and childcare opportunities for hardworking parents, done away with some financial aid for college students, and much more. It never had a shot at becoming law – something extreme D.C. Republicans knew all along.
For weeks, President Biden and his staff worked in good faith to compromise with House Republican leaders, and – as you may have read – his team recently reached an agreement.
So, what's my take?
I'm often in the position of having to either hold my nose and vote yes or hold my nose and vote no. To be clear, I have concerns about parts of the agreement.
I also think it's important for America to pay its bills. Failing to address the debt ceiling is like choosing not to make the minimum payment on a credit card -- you can make that choice, but it will have disastrous consequences.
Here’s what we know: A default would raise borrowing costs for every American family and small business. Independent economic analysis suggests that a default would kill millions of American jobs and deliver a huge blow to folks in our neck of the woods. That's not something I'm willing to accept.
This is not a perfect deal. But overall, this legislation will help our country avoid economic catastrophe – and will protect critical services, like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans’ benefits, health care, education, and more. With the debt ceiling deadline just days away, Congress should take action to pass this legislation.
This week, I intend to vote yes on this bipartisan budget compromise.
Improving Access to Affordable Housing
Our nation had challenges with housing before the pandemic – and those challenges have only grown since then. We need more workforce housing, more senior housing, more homeless housing, and more affordable housing. We need more housing units, period.
Every person should have a home – and it shouldn’t be under a freeway overpass. That’s why I’m proud to lead the charge on two bipartisan efforts in the House to improve access to more accessible, affordable, and safe housing options.
The Millions of Missing Homes Report shows that America's housing production fell 7.3 million homes short between 2000 and 2015, causing household budgets to skyrocket. My bipartisan legislation, The Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) Act, would address the housing crisis by encouraging communities to remove barriers to housing construction – and to adopt policies that promote housing affordability. Recognizing the vital role of funding in local development, the YIMBY Act aims to incentivize local governments to address the severe housing underproduction issue.
The impact of the housing crisis is felt by our veterans too. According to the 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress, on a single night in 2022, more than 33,000 veterans were experiencing homelessness in the U.S. That has to change, and it’s why I wrote the Housing America’s Veterans and Ensuring They Have Needed Services (HAVENS) Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at providing housing solutions for veterans experiencing homelessness.
By establishing a new pilot program within the U.S. Department of Veterans to build individualized transitional homes, the HAVENS Act will improve affordable housing options for veterans. These individualized homes, also known as “tiny homes,” offer enhanced safety and privacy and can be paired with wrap-around services to help folks get back on their feet. I’m proud of this bipartisan legislation, and I’ll keep at it to ensure communities in our region and across the country continue reducing barriers to construction and building more homes that folks can afford.
Recognizing the Modernization Committee
I’m proud to share that the Modernization Committee, which I led from 2019 to January of this year, earned the Frank E.A. Sander Innovation in Alternative Dispute Resolution Award. The award, given by the American Bar Association (ABA), recognizes significant achievements in developing ways to resolve disputes outside the courtroom.
Our committee’s goal was to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency of Congress for the American public's benefit. The Modernization Committee was one of the few truly bipartisan committees in Congress, with equal representation of Democratic and Republican members.
One of the decisions we made from the start was that if we wanted things to work differently in Congress, we had to do things differently. This recognition from the ABA is a testament to the dedication exhibited by the Democrats and Republicans on our committee as we collaborated to build a Congress that works better for the American people.
Earlier this month, I joined Representative William Timmons, my Republican counterpart on the committee, and Bruce Patton, founder of the Rebuild Congress Initiative, for a conversation regarding how the Committee went about its business. You can watch it here. The Seattle Times also wrote about our efforts here. I’m proud to have led this effort and will continue efforts to make Congress work better for the folks I represent.
Working for You
Honoring Our Servicemembers
It was an honor to participate in Bremerton’s Armed Forces Day Parade. And it was awesome to see the community come together to thank troops and their families for their service, sacrifice, and contributions to our community.
Investing in Salmon Recovery
Last year, I helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act – the most significant climate legislation in years. I was grateful for the chance to meet with Tribal leaders from throughout our state to discuss how funding from the Inflation Reduction Act can support salmon recovery in our neck of the woods.
OK – that’s it for now, folks. As always, I’m honored to represent you.
Sincerely,
Derek Kilmer