Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it has been the honor of my life to serve in this distinguished body on behalf of the people of southwest Washington.

As I look around this Chamber, I am flooded with memories, thinking about everything that has happened in this room, both good and bad, in the 12 years since I first took my oath.

I can remember driving my 1990s vintage Ford Explorer across the country, with my husband of 3 months, in late December 2010 to get here in time for swearing in. I was ready to do my very best for my home region and Congress.

Some things haven't changed. I still have that Ford Explorer; my husband is every bit the rock now that he was then; and I have never compromised

what I came here to do, which is to serve my region and defend the Constitution.

Some things have changed. We have added a minivan to our fleet to transport our three beautiful children, and I have gotten a chance to work with some amazing people.

I will share a few observations but, first, some thanks.

I thank my colleagues. In this body, I have gotten to work with some of the most accomplished, smartest people in the world, and I treasure your friendship.

My husband, Dan, deserves the lion's share of my gratitude. The sacrifices that he has made, his wisdom and his love for me and our three children--Abigail, who is 9; Ethan, who is 6; and Isana, who is 3--have been an immeasurable blessing to our family.

I had all three of my kids during my congressional tenure, if that gives you a little glimpse into the amazing man that my husband is. My parents and Dan's parents have done more than I can possibly recount to support us.

To southwest Washington, thank you for entrusting me six times with this awesome responsibility. To my team, many of whom have been with me all 12 years--Afton, Casey, Pam, Jordan, and the rest--with your help, we did things that nobody else could have done.

When I was first elected, healthcare reform was our Nation's challenge. But if you know me, you know that ``no'' or ``never'' are like a starter's gun to me. We took the challenge on, and in 12 years: We helped launch the first of its kind Maternity Care Caucus; we successfully championed the ACE Kids Act, which broke the barrier for low-income and high-needs kids; we helped drive maternal mortality review committees; we helped grandfather association health plans for Washington residents; and we also worked our tails off for every single corner of our region.

We found out that veterans had to drive for hours to get a blood draw or a flu shot, so we pushed, pulled, and prodded the VA until we got a regular mobile clinic out to serve those military heroes.

For those who make their living fishing in our rivers, few achievements have given me more joy than passing landmark salmon preservation legislation. I still get stopped in the grocery store over that one.

I took to this floor to successfully block some ideas and projects that were just plain bad for our region. Sometimes the region demands that you stand up and say stop, even if the momentum is going against you.

On that note, as I depart, I would like to offer just a little bit of unsolicited advice to my friends here in this Chamber.

One way or another, every single one of us, or you, are going to leave office, as I am preparing to do now. When that happens, so many people are going to ask you what you are most proud of.

You are going to think back with pride about all the times that you helped someone that you represent out of a really tough situation, or you will be proud that you stood strong for what you thought was right, or you will be proud of the laws that you passed to help make lives better for Americans.

But let me tell you what you won't think of: That time you tweeted something that got 10,000 likes; or that time that you thought of a really mean, clever thing to say about the other party or the other team; or those times you told part of the truth or maybe not all the truth and hoped that no one was going to ask you what you really meant.

The people who elect us put their faith in us to represent them, and we owe them the truth. At times, especially in the heat of the moment, the truth is somewhat the last thing that people want to hear, especially if it doesn't fit their narrative, but that doesn't make it any less true.

We don't do Americans any favors if we deceive them or if we stand by quietly as they deceive themselves.

Hard-core partisans on both sides will tell you that their party is blameless and that the other party is the only one that engages in deception. But the truth is, there are people in both parties who have made an industry of it.

I have faith in the American people to eventually put a stop to this, but we here in this body also have a responsibility to truth. After all, it is the only thing that truly sets us free.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor and recognize my friend and fellow Southwest Washingtonian and State Representative Larry Hoff, who is retiring at the end of this term.

Larry has been just an upstanding member of Southwest Washington's community for over 40 years. After serving in the Navy and graduating from college, Larry moved to Vancouver, where he was an executive in the financial services industry before successfully running to serve Clark County in the 18th Legislative District.

In Olympia, Larry fought hard to get things done for Southwest Washington's small businesses, for our farmers, families, and our communities. But it is really Larry's heart for serving our community that is what stands out to all of us who know him.

Whether it is his role on the board of the Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation, or the Clark County Department of Community Services, or the countless other stories of coming alongside his neighbors, Larry's infectious optimism and selflessness are apparent to all who meet him.

Thank you, Larry, for your many years of service and hard work to make our Evergreen State a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

Recognizing the Service of Brandon Vick

Madam Speaker, I rise today to who honor and recognize Southwest Washingtonian and State Representative Brandon Vick, who is retiring at the end of this term.

Brandon is a lifelong resident of Southwest Washington and a rock- solid member of our community. In addition to serving in the State House of Representatives, he also gives his time to the Boy Scouts and to the Boys and Girls Club.

In Olympia, Brandon has been a champion for his home county, my home county, Clark County, for the last decade. Under his leadership on the Consumer Protection and Small Business Committee, 14 bills that he wrote and led have been signed into law, including recent legislation to help small businesses obtain work permits for rehabilitated individuals.

Brandon's work in the State Legislature has earned him many awards, including Vancouver Business Journal's ``Accomplished and Under 40`` list.

Thank you, Brandon, for your many years of service. I am hopeful that you are going to have more time to spend with your wonderful wife, Darci, and daughter, Makena. You have made Southwest Washington proud.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Wind River Administrative Site Conveyance Act which, if we get it passed today by the House and signed into law, will provide enormous benefits to the folks I serve in Skamania County, Washington.

This bill exemplifies a groundbreaking win-win agreement in a rural county where so often locals' needs get completely trampled by the Federal Government.

With this carefully negotiated solution, the Forest Service unloads land that it no longer wants to manage, and the local community gains a very valuable economic asset and resource.

In Skamania County, where 80 percent of the land is locked up by the Federal Government, even more if you count the State-owned land, only 1.8 percent of the land in the county is taxed at full market value.

What does that mean?

It means that this has severely hindered the county's ability to fund basic services that citizens rely upon, like roads and schools, and police and fire protection.

The bill that I have introduced and that we are considering today is simple. It would convey ownership of approximately 23 acres in the former Wind River Nursery from the U.S. Forest Service to Skamania County. It is important to note here that this proposal is supported by Skamania County and by the Forest Service.

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest, which covers a majority of the county, is currently facing tens of millions of dollars in deferred maintenance.

By conveying the land to the county, the Forest Service will shed that financial responsibility for these pieces associated with the maintenance of buildings and facilities on the Wind River Nursery, and by taking ownership of the land, Skamania County will develop recreational, historical, and business opportunities that will draw in tourism and critical revenue.

This is a win-win solution, and it will result in substantial benefits to the folks who call Skamania County home.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to approve this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 on H.R. 6538, the legislation to require a designated officer of the Department of Justice to act as the national coordinator of an Active Shooter Alert Communications Network regarding an emergency involving an active shooter that was voted on, I was incorrectly recorded on final passage during a long 22 vote series. I intended to support the final passage of H.R. 6538. On June 22, 2022, I voted ``aye'' on H.R. 6538 when the legislation was brought to the floor under suspension.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor a community I serve, Woodland, Washington, and the greater Clark and Cowlitz Counties, as we celebrate the centennial of Planters Days.

This festival, which began 100 years ago, has withstood the test of time and has been a bedrock event in this community. Originally, the festival was created to celebrate the construction of dikes along the Columbia and Lewis rivers to prevent flooding and allow farmers to safely plant crops. The first Planters Day was a single-day event, which included tours of the recently completed dikes,

a barbecue lunch, a viewing of a silent movie, and a community dance. Since that time, Planters Days has expanded and has become the longest- running celebration within my great state of Washington, attracting thousands of people to Woodland to join the festivities.

Once again, I'd like to honor my community of Woodland and the greater Clark and Cowlitz Counties as we mark the centennial of Planters Days.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Ron and Terry Prill for being recognized as the 2022 Philanthropists of the Year.

For two decades, Ron and Terry have dedicated their lives to worthy causes, positively impacting residents across southwest Washington.

After retiring and moving to Camas, Ron served on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Washington, helping make a difference in the lives of countless kids in our communities.

This venture inspired the Prills to continue giving back through other organizations. Among their numerous acts of charity, Ron and Terry have been highly supportive of several healthcare-related nonprofits and were critical in expanding PeaceHealth Southwest Washington's operations.

This includes a remodeled cardiology unit with state-of-the-art equipment and a cardiac education center, which provides care to countless patients and their families.

Ron and Terry, thank you for your unwavering support of our communities, and congratulations again on this well-deserved recognition.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge defeat of the previous question so we can protect and support local police departments to help them hire and retain more officers. It is that simple.

Over the past year we have seen a dramatic rise in crime in communities across our Nation. And the district I serve, my home in southwest Washington, hasn't been spared. Not a day goes by without a local paper depicting another carjacking, killing, burglary, or assault. These are on the rise.

When you meet with our local law enforcement, as I have, they have been sounding the alarm for well more than a year. Then consider the phrase that we have all heard repeated by politicians across this country and in this town: Defund the police.

In States like mine, Washington, so-called police reform laws have made it harder for police to catch criminals and do their jobs. Place yourself in the shoes of a law enforcement officer who puts her life on the line every single day. It is no wonder that honorable individuals have left the profession in droves.

One county sheriff's department in my region announced that deputies would no longer be able to respond to certain crimes like theft of property, stolen vehicles, and more, due to the laws that are trying to defund police. This is deeply concerning. We must act now to help shore up our police forces to keep our cities and streets safe.

The Communities Deserve Cops Act will help reverse staffing shortages by providing and signing retention bonuses for police officers. It is time to stop chasing individuals away from the profession of policing, which is exactly what we have been doing, and the Communities Deserve Cops Act will help bring folks back into law enforcement.

Mr. Speaker, I urge defeat of the previous question so the House can bring up this legislation to improve it, to help hire and retain police officers, to shore up our police departments, and help keep our communities safe.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Pfluger for his leadership on not just this legislation but the issue as a whole because securing our border is so important for Americans and really for security in the rest of the world. It is not an extreme view to make sure that we have control for the safety and security of our people over our borders. So I thank the gentleman for his leadership here, and I am very proud to lend my support to this legislation.

I recently met with a Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team in Lewis County, southwest Washington which I represent, and it is a community bisected by the West Coast's largest freeway, I-5, that runs from Mexico to Canada. These officers reported confiscating hundreds of thousands of pills laced with fentanyl, not to mention record amounts of other illicit drugs.

They told me, about 95 percent of the drugs that they have confiscated come via Mexico and the amount that they confiscate is just a tiny fraction of the flood of drugs that are never seized by law enforcement.

That means what is happening on our borders has a direct and devastating impact on the lives of those in southwest Washington and across our Nation.

A big factor in the success of these drug cartels is underground, illegal tunnels along the southern border.

Last year, U.S. officials found a 183-foot-long subterranean tunnel near the border used by drug traffickers to conduct illegal activities completely undetected by border patrol.

The bill I helped advance for House consideration today would help the Border Patrol shut down these illegal underground tunnels used by cartels to smuggle drugs and conduct human trafficking underneath our southern border.

This is a commonsense and very necessary step to slow the trafficking of drugs and human beings which is being felt not just along the border States but in southwest Washington State and across this country.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill.

Madam Speaker, it is a privilege to get to be here sharing this Special Hour with my colleagues. I wish it was about something else, quite frankly.

I am very, very honored to get to stand here and share the names of some of these officers to whom we owe an unimaginable debt of gratitude. So it is a privilege to join the gentleman as we honor the officers who have laid down their lives for our safety, for our security, for our families, for our homes, for our businesses, for our communities.

And to the families and the colleagues of our fallen heroes, I know words will never be enough. But please, please know that we stand alongside you in your grief, and we pledge to always remember their names and to honor their service and their sacrifice.

In just the past couple of weeks, we have tragically lost two brave Washington State police officers: Pierce County Sheriff's Deputy Dominic ``Dom'' Calata, and Everett Police Department Officer Dan Rocha. My heart breaks for the families and the colleagues of these brave officers as they grapple with this devastating loss.

And I have had the privilege, in this body, of representing my hometown in Congress, Southwest Washington State, which boasts some amazing and outstanding police forces and officers, many of whom I have come to know over the last several years.

Sadly, we too have had multiple officers lost in the line of duty in the last few years. And I want to take this moment to recognize and honor those officers here today. I am just going to read their names.

Vancouver Police Officer--which we are going to go from here across.

Vancouver Police Officer Donald Sahota. His end of watch was January 29, 2022.

And then Clark County Sheriff's Sergeant Jeremy Brown. His end of watch was July 23, 2021.

Washington State Patrol Trooper Justin Schaffer; end of watch, May 24, 2020.

And Cowlitz County Sheriff Deputy Justin DeRosier; end of watch, April 13, 2019.

And again, to the families and to the colleagues of these officers, my heart breaks for you, and we are so proud of these officers and what they have given. We pledge to you to always remember their bravery and their sacrifice and to honor their memory by standing up for and supporting the law enforcement that support our communities.

I want to take a moment to say to our men and women in blue, we stand in solidarity with you; and I will always, always, always, support your efforts to keep our communities safe.

I recognize it is no easy feat to get up every morning, put on your uniform, kiss your loved ones goodbye and not know the dangers that could lie ahead, just in that day. I know this because you have told me how disheartening it is when people call to abolish or to defund law enforcement, or when politicians who have no clue what it is like to walk in your shoes, pass laws that make it more difficult for you to do your job, which is to protect us, our families, and our communities.

But because of your bravery and commitment to public safety, we are able to safely live our lives. It is an amazing gift that you give us and, for that, I humbly thank you.

We are forever grateful for your willingness to serve and protect our communities, and I look forward to hearing the comments from some of my other colleagues tonight as we honor your sacrifice and remember your service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the City of Long Beach, as the community celebrates 100 years since its founding in 1922.

On this historic occasion, I find it important to briefly revisit the history of Long Beach. Originally purchased as a parcel of land by Henry Harrison Tinker in 1880, the land was transformed into a small town known as Tinkerville. Only a few decades later in 1922, the coastal town of Tinkerville would be reestablished under a new name-- Long Beach.

Long Beach has certainly transformed over the years. But while physical structures may have come and gone, the spirit and resiliency of the folks who call it home have not.

As Southwest Washington's Member of Congress, it's an honor and privilege to serve and represent this special community. I will continue working to make sure Long Beach remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Once again, I want to honor the City of Long Beach, as it celebrates 100 years since its founding. May the city and its people flourish for 100 more.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mayor Dennis Dawes of Chehalis who is retiring from Chehalis City Council at the end of this year. Our community owes Mayor Dawes our sincere gratitude; he has dedicated his professional life to public service. He began his distinguished career in the Chehalis Police Department, where he rose through the ranks to become police chief. Mayor Dawes also served six terms on the Chehalis School Board from 1983 to 2007, and even worked as a bus driver for the Centralia School District. Ever active in his community, Mayor Dawes has also volunteered as a referee in local basketball and football games. Most recently, he has spent the last sixteen years as a city councilor in Chehalis, with eight of those years in his current role as mayor.

Mayor Dawes exemplifies what it means to be a public servant and has worked diligently for decades to improve the community he loves. It is truly my honor to work with exceptional, motivated, and dedicated leaders like him. While his official public service may be coming to an end, I am confident Mayor Dawes will continue to serve his neighbors in the Chehalis community, and I wish him the best in his retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate the Camas High School's girls soccer team for winning the Washington state 4A championship, the program's third state title and second in five years. The COVID-19 pandemic limited many of our prep athletes from competing during the 2020 season, yet high school athletes like the girls on the Camas soccer team have demonstrated the ability to adapt and persevere in these competitions. For the undefeated Papermakers, that perseverance has paid off in a big way.

Competing in prep sports is a wonderful opportunity to learn lessons in discipline, focus, team play, work ethic, and comradery. Winning a state title is a momentous achievement this team can be proud of for the rest of their lives, and I have confidence they will find success using the lessons they learned while competing in soccer. Go Papermakers.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Daniel Quintana of Ilwaco High School for winning the Washington state 1B/2B boys cross country championship. In his senior year, Daniel achieved the rare feat of winning a second consecutive state cross country title.

The COVID-19 pandemic limited many of our prep athletes from competing during the 2020 season, yet high school athletes like Daniel have demonstrated the ability to adapt and persevere in these competitions. For Daniel, that perseverance has paid off in a big way.

Competing in prep sports is a wonderful opportunity to learn lessons in discipline, focus, work ethic, and comradery, Winning a state title is a momentous achievement Daniel can be proud of for the rest of his life, and I have confidence he will find success using the lessons he learned while competing in cross country. Go Fishermen.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Alexis Leone of Seton Catholic High School for winning the Washington state 1A girls cross country championship. The COVID-19 pandemic limited many of our prep athletes from competing during the 2020 season, yet high school athletes like Alexis have demonstrated the ability to adapt and persevere in these competitions. For Alexis, that perseverance has paid off in a big way.

Competing in prep sports is a wonderful opportunity to learn lessons in discipline, focus, team play, work ethic and comradery. Winning a state title is a momentous achievement Alexis can be proud of for the rest of her life, and I have confidence she will find success using the lessons she learned while competing in cross country. Go Cougars.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate the Kalama High School football team for winning the Washington state 2B championship. After trailing for most of the game, the Chinooks managed to take the lead over rival Napavine in the closing minutes for an exciting win to complete their undefeated season. The COVID-19 pandemic limited many of our high school athletes from competing during the 2020 season, yet these individuals persevered and demonstrated adaptability and competitiveness. For the Chinooks, that perseverance paid off in a big way.

Competing in prep sports is a wonderful opportunity to learn lessons in discipline, focus, team play, work ethic, and comradery. Winning a state title is a momentous achievement these boys can be proud of for the rest of their lives, and I have confidence they will find success using the lessons they learned while competing in football. Go Chinooks.