PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 7/ 28/ 17
While the Trump administration aims to slash funding for environmental protection nationwide and eliminate funding for cleaning up Puget Sound, the Republican-controlled Congress hasn’t seen things the same way. The House Appropriations Committee last week rejected the White House's proposal to kill funding for cleanups of major water bodies including Puget Sound, Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes… "We fought really hard to make sure these cuts weren’t included in what came out of our committee," Democratic Rep. Derek Kilmer of Gig Harbor said… "Despite the all too frequent partisan bickering, that’s a commonality that we have, Democrats and Republicans,” Kilmer said. “That sets the table well for us to try to do the right thing and ensure that this important body of water is protected."
Cantwell Statement on Failed Vote to Repeal the Affordable Care Act
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 7/ 28/ 17
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following statement following the failure of Affordable Care Act repeal legislation on the Senate floor:
“Tonight, the voices of millions of Americans were heard. Your stories, your phone calls, your emails, your advocacy, and all of your hard work paid off. Tonight, we were able to protect Medicaid, protect the Affordable Care Act, and preserve coverage for millions of Americans.
“Now we must chart a path to progress. We need to find bipartisan solutions, particularly in the individual health insurance market, to drive down costs, increase access, and innovate in the health care delivery system.”
Cantwell, Murray Democratic Senators Call on President Trump to Protect Dreamers
Senators: Eliminating DACA would be counter to America’s values and national interest
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 7/ 27/ 17
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) and sent a letter with 40 of their Democratic Senate colleagues to President Donald Trump to use his executive authority to protect the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The program provides temporary relief from deportation to immigrant students who arrived in the United States as children if they register with the government, pay a fee, and pass criminal and national security background checks.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and nine other states have threatened to sue President Trump if he does not rescind the memorandum that established DACA and announce that his Administration will not renew or issue any new DACA permits. Approximately 790,000 immigrant students – commonly referred to as Dreamers – have come forward and received DACA, which has allowed them to contribute more fully to their country as teachers, nurses, engineers, and small business owners. It is estimated there are almost 20,000 dreamers in Washington state.
“We have already invested in [Dreamers] by educating them in American schools. It makes no sense to squander their talents by deporting them to countries they barely remember,” wrote the senators. “We urge you to respond to this threat... [and] to defend the DACA program and thereby allow a generation of young immigrants with great potential to continue contributing to our society and economy.”
According to the conservative CATO Institute, deporting DACA recipients would cost over $60 billion and would result in a $280 billion reduction in economic growth over the next decade. The nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimates that the 1.3 million young people enrolled in or eligible for DACA pay $2 billion each year in state and local taxes.
Murray says Trumpcare failed because of women, children, patients, and families from all walks of life who spoke out
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 7/ 28/ 17
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the failure of the Senate Republican effort to jam Trumpcare through the Senate.
“Tonight, an attempt by President Trump and Republican leaders to spike families’ premiums and deny tens of millions of people health care they depend on failed because of the women, children, patients, and families from all walks of life who made their voices heard—no matter how long the trip to the Capitol was, how frustrated they became, or how frightening it was to speak up. This may not be the last time we have to fight back against Trumpcare, but we have seen tonight that together, we can fight back and win.
“After several courageous Republicans put their constituents ahead of party politics, this latest path forward for Trumpcare has reached a dead end—and now Republicans have a choice to make. They can continue to try to bring Trumpcare back just to score political points and give special interests a massive tax break, or they can engage in the open, transparent, bipartisan process that many Democrats and Republicans agree is the right way to actually make our health care system work better for the people we serve.
“Democrats will continue to urge Republicans to do what is right for patients and families—to stop sabotaging the health care system, drop Trumpcare once and for all, and join us at the table to focus on real solutions. Chairman Alexander has proposed bipartisan hearings in the health committee, and I look forward to those and other discussions with all of my colleagues about the path to making health care more affordable, accessible, and higher quality for all.”
page 2: STATE AND REGIONAL NEWS, and LOCAL MEETING AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
Page 3: Our weekly look at our farmers, ranchers, and fisheries people who bring food to the table.
PAGE 4 WORLD AND NATIONAL NEWS, and News story commentary
COMMENTARY: ETHICALLY CHALLENGED OR MERE TARGETS FOR SMEAR CAMPAIGNS
Editorial Post: Starting on Sundays through Fridays I'll just post one page reports, save the four page reports for Saturday. I figure you can offer a big weekly newspaper and still provide timely informative stories.
