An Update on My Work to Champion Local Priorities
Hello Folks –
I love August. The weather here in the Northwest is usually beautiful (but for the crazy storm on Saturday night). The Mariners are often still in the mix and football season is about to kick off. It’s still a few weeks for most schools to start back up. And, because Congress is having a district work period, I get to travel from pillar to post across our region to celebrate exciting projects happening in our neck of the woods. There’s a lot of updates, so let’s jump right into the news.
Getting More Pucks in the Net for Local Projects
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for passing funding bills that allocate federal dollars for a variety of programs and projects, I work to prioritize investments for our region that will create jobs in and strengthen the communities I serve. In a nutshell, the Appropriations Committee is a great avenue for me to go to bat for our region and its priorities.
In the House, I also get to submit 15 requests for “community project funding,” to support dedicated funding for specific projects and programs in our region. During the process, I’ve often focused on projects that create economic opportunity or address threats in our communities … think public safety, poor infrastructure, or a lack of affordable housing. This year was no different. This month, I’ve been taking the time to check in with a few of the projects selected through this year’s Community Project Funding process, to get a firsthand look at local efforts to strengthen our communities and see why it’s so important to get these projects federal funding.
Investing in Rural Healthcare for Seniors
First up, I met up with the team at Jefferson Healthcare, including CEO Mike Glenn, COO
Jake Davidson, and others, to learn more about their latest expansion project and the new services they plan to offer to folks across our region.
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When completed, this project will result in a brand-new clinic, offering specialty care in neurology, pulmonology, ENT, and geriatrics to serve seniors in Jefferson County. That’s a big deal for folks across the region who face geographic and economic barriers to accessing specialty care.
Prioritizing Major Projects in Clallam County
Next up, I headed over to Clallam County, where I visited two very important projects in Port Angeles. I checked in with the folks from the Port of Port Angeles and the Lower Elwha Kallam Tribe, to learn more about the ?ix?íc?n (Tse-whit-zen) Protection Area Restoration project.
The Port is pursuing this project in partnership with the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, so I met with Executive Director Paul Jarciewicz and his team, along with Lower Elwha Klallam Chairwoman Frances Charles. When completed, this project will help restore and preserve the historic Tse-whit-zen village archeological site, the largest pre-European contact village site in the state of Washington. Restoration of this significant cultural site will help create economic opportunity through educational programming and tourism, ensuring the preservation of the Tribe’s cultural heritage for future generations to learn from.
I then met up with the team from Olympic Medical Center (OMC). We discussed OMC’s Telehealth Expansion, a project that will allow for the expansion of core telehealth services in Clallam County to our most rural and remote communities. This project, once complete, will expand access for patients with cardiology or nephrology needs who might otherwise have to be transferred to urban hospitals a significant distance away from where they live. That means more folks across Clallam County will have better access to reliable care and improved healthcare outcomes. It will be a great step forward for healthcare on the peninsula!
Improving Aging Local Infrastructure
Finally, I checked in with leaders from Kitsap County, including folks from Kitsap County Sewer Utility and Kitsap County Public Works, to learn more about the Central Kitsap Wastewater Treatment Plant Solids Upgrades project in Port Orchard.
This important project will replace 45+ year old infrastructure that is currently at capacity, allowing the county to reduce the plant's overall carbon footprint and continue to serve the constantly growing population here in Kitsap County. Not only that, but this project will also reduce nitrogen loading into Puget Sound, helping to protect the ecosystems that call it home and preserving it for future generations. And with the federal government stepping up, it means that the cost of this expansion won’t be borne solely by local taxpayers and ratepayers.
I’m proud to support each of these projects across our region and I’m committed to getting federal funding for each across the finish line back in D.C.
Working for You
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Celebrating A Big Win for the Olympic Peninsula
Earlier this month, the Olympic Peninsula community came together to celebrate a BIG investment the federal government is making in our region: a $35 million Recompete Grant to create good-paying, long-lasting jobs on the Peninsula. This award is a culmination of years and years of work, and I am absolutely thrilled to see this grant awarded to our region. Learn more here.
OK – that’s it for now, folks. As always, I’m honored to represent you.
Sincerely,
Derek