Press Releases
Kilmer, Strickland Secure Historic Funding Increase for Puget Sound Restoration
Washington, DC - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve $50 million in federal funding in fiscal year 2022 for the Puget Sound Geographic Program, which provides critical grant support to state, local, and tribal governments to implement projects to improve water quality, protect shorelines, and enhance fish passage and salmon habitat. The $12 million increase, which Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) fought to secure as a member of the Appropriations Committee, would … Continue Reading
July 22, 2021
House Appropriations Committee Advances New Federal Funding to Support Affordable Housing & Jobs on Tacoma’s Hilltop
Washington, DC - Last Friday, the House Appropriations Committee advanced new federal funding that has been championed by U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) to support two projects that aim to provide more affordable housing and job opportunities in the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma. The investments aim to revitalize a historic Tacoma neighborhood and to help ensure the residential and business spaces will be attainable to community residents and BIPOC-owned businesses. The House … Continue Reading
July 22, 2021
Kilmer, Coons, Herrera Beutler Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Spur Economic Growth & Create Jobs
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), along with Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03), introduced the bipartisan Rebuilding Economies and Creating Opportunities for More People Everywhere to Excel Act (RECOMPETE Act). The RECOMPETE Act would establish a new federal grant program at the Economic Development Agency (EDA) that would empower persistently distressed communities to develop, implement, and carry out 10-year … Continue Reading
July 21, 2021
Kilmer Pushes for Northern Border to Re-Open
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) released the following statement after the United States announced it will extend the Canada-U.S. border closure through August 21. "Having grown up in Port Angeles, I know how important tourism is to our region's economy. I was heartened when Canada announced it would ease border restrictions on August 9 for people who are fully vaccinated, but it's disappointing that our country hasn't followed suit. I'm concerned this will … Continue Reading
July 19, 2021
Kilmer Leads 100+ Members in Calling for American Leadership to Support Global Education
Washington, DC - Last week, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) led over 100 Members of the House of Representatives in a bipartisan letter to the Biden Administration calling for support for a $1 billion, five-year pledge to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) - a multilateral partnership working to ensure all children have access to a quality education and are equipped to learn. In their letter, the lawmakers noted that continued U.S. leadership and financial commitments are … Continue Reading
July 16, 2021
House Appropriations Committee Advances New Federal Funding for Bremerton’s Quincy Square Project
Washington, DC - This week, the House Appropriations Committee advanced new federal funding that has been championed by U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) to support the City of Bremerton's Quincy Square Project - which aims to revitalize a downtown street into an active, housing-based, day-to-night urban center with focused arts, entertainment, and evening-centric retail spaces. "As we work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, it's more important than ever that the federal government … Continue Reading
July 16, 2021
House Appropriations Committee Advances Federal Funding to Support Duckabush Estuary Restoration Project
Washington, DC - This week, the House Appropriations Committee advanced new federal funding championed by U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) to support the Mason PUD 1's power line relocation project in conjunction with the Duckabush Estuary Restoration Project. The restoration project aims to reconnect the Duckabush River to neighboring floodplains and wetlands by modifying local roads, elevating Highway 101, and rerouting utilities. The $1 million in federal funding will assist Mason … Continue Reading
July 16, 2021
House Appropriations Committee Advances Additional Federal Funding for Tribal Relocation Efforts in Western Washington
Washington, DC - This week, the House Appropriations Committee advanced critical funding that has been championed by U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) to support relocation efforts for the Quinault Indian Nation along Washington's Pacific Coast. Due to climate change, increased flooding, and the risk of tsunami, the Quinault Indian Nation is developing a neighborhood above the tsunami zone for approximately 70 families - known as the Taholah Village Relocation project. The funding aims … Continue Reading
July 14, 2021
House Appropriations Committee Advances Federal Funding to Invest in STEM Education on Olympic Peninsula
Washington, DC - This week, the House Appropriations Committee advanced new federal funding championed by U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer to support the West Sound STEM Network's "Empowering the Peninsula" project. The project aims to increase geographic equity in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) programming on the Olympic Peninsula, develop K-12 and higher education partnerships with representation from underserved populations, and establish an Olympic Peninsula … Continue Reading
July 01, 2021
House Appropriations Subcommittees Advance Vital Federal Funding for Tribal Relocation Efforts in Western Washington
Washington, DC - This week, the House Appropriations Committee advanced critical funding that has been championed by U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) to support tribal relocation efforts in Western Washington. The House fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills advanced by the Committee included $1,650,000 in federal funding for the Hoh Tribe's relocation development project and $1,479,355 in federal funding for the Quileute Tribe's Move to Higher Ground water system improvement … Continue Reading
July 01, 2021
Kilmer Secures Funding for Kitsap Infrastructure Priority as Part of the INVEST in America Act
Washington, DC - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the INVEST in America Act, a comprehensive infrastructure package that aims to make transformational investments in highways, roads, bridges, transit, rail, and water infrastructure. Consistent with President Biden's American Jobs Plan, the legislation seeks to create good-paying jobs, modernize the nation's infrastructure, and reduce carbon pollution. The legislation also included funding for an initiative led by U.S. … Continue Reading
July 01, 2021
House Appropriations Committee Advances New Federal Funding for Port Angeles Food Bank’s Nourish to Flourish Expansion
Washington, DC - This week, the House Appropriations Committee advanced critical funding that has been championed by U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer to support the Port Angeles Food Bank's Nourish to Flourish expansion. The House fiscal year 2022 agriculture appropriations bill, advanced by the Committee this week, included $900,000 in federal funding for the expansion project, which is intended to allow the Port Angeles Food Bank to finalize the purchase of the building in which they … Continue Reading
July 01, 2021
House Advances Federal Funding for Grays Harbor Infrastructure Priorities
Washington, DC - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the INVEST in America Act, a comprehensive infrastructure package that aims to make transformational investments in highways, roads, bridges, transit, rail, and water infrastructure. Consistent with President Biden's American Jobs Plan, the legislation seeks to create good-paying jobs, modernize the nation's infrastructure, and reduce carbon pollution. The legislation also included funding for two initiatives led by U.S. … Continue Reading
July 01, 2021
Kilmer Secures Funding for Tacoma Infrastructure Priorities as Part of the INVEST in America Act
Washington, DC - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the INVEST in America Act, a comprehensive infrastructure package that aims to make transformational investments in highways, roads, bridges, transit, rail, and water infrastructure. Supporters of the bill believe it will create good-paying jobs, modernize the nation's infrastructure, and reduce carbon pollution. The legislation puts some of the key pieces of President Biden's infrastructure plan into legislation. The … Continue Reading
July 01, 2021
House Passes Kilmer-Led Amendment to Support Fish Passage and Recovery in Infrastructure Legislation
Washington, DC - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the INVEST in America Act, which included an amendment led by Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and a bipartisan group of lawmakers from the Pacific Northwest to support salmon recovery. The amendment would create a new program within the U.S. Department of Transportation, the National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant Program, to substantially invest in culvert restoration and aid anadromous fish passage and … Continue Reading
June 30, 2021
Kilmer, Cole Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Shipyard Workers, Other Federal Workers Retire On-Time
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representatives Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and Tom Cole (OK-04) reintroduced the bipartisan Federal Retirement Fairness Act. This bill ensures that federal employees who started their careers as temporary workers - meaning they did not have the ability to make retirement contributions - are granted the opportunity to make catch-up retirement contributions so that they can retire on time. Without this option, workers have expressed that they face an unfair choice: leave … Continue Reading
June 28, 2021
Kilmer, Strickland Secure Historic Funding Increase for Puget Sound Restoration
Washington, DC - Today, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior & Environment voted to approve $50 million in federal funding in fiscal year 2022 for the Puget Sound Geographic Program, which provides critical grant support to state, local, and tribal governments to implement projects to improve water quality, protect shorelines, and enhance fish passage and salmon habitat. The $12 million increase, which Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) fought to secure as a member of … Continue Reading
June 28, 2021
Kilmer Leads Series of Hearings to Examine How to Improve Civility & Collaboration in Congress
Washington, DC – Last Thursday, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) led the second of a two-part series of hearings in the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress (“Select Committee”) aimed at examining how to improve civility and collaboration in Congress in order to make the institution work better for the American people. During Thursday’s hearing, titled “Rethinking Congressional Culture: Lessons from the Fields of Organizational Psychology and … Continue Reading
June 25, 2021
Kilmer Announces Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Funding for Vital Community Services
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) announced that local government's in Washington's sixth congressional district will receive over $4.28 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2021. PILT payments are provided to local government to offset the loss in property revenue due to federal lands, like Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Kilmer advocates annually in the appropriations … Continue Reading
June 25, 2021
Kilmer Leads Bipartisan Amendment to Support Fish Passage and Recovery
Washington, DC - On Wednesday, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in offering an amendment to House surface transportation legislation, the INVEST in America Act, to support salmon recovery in the Pacific Northwest. The amendment, which mirrors an amendment included by U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) in the Senate version of the surface transportation legislation that passed last week, would create a new grant program within the U.S. Department of … Continue Reading