Rep. Schrier hears from Leavenworth on business, public lands and healthcare

LEAVENWORTH — Congresswoman Kim Schrier visited Leavenworth on July 10 to visit local businesses, talk with leaders about conditions in the Enchantments, and tour Cascade Medical to discuss support for rural healthcare.

Schrier’s visit started with a tour of downtown Leavenworth led by Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Troy Campbell, stopping at the new Willkommen Center and businesses along Front Street.

During a stop at Iron & Velvet, Rep. Schrier spoke with owner York Baur about supply chains, distribution, her co-sponsorship of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act and tourism.

“I would encourage you to help be a voice for tourism, because we have anti-tourism voices,” said Baur. “Tourism has built Leavenworth into this amazing vibrant town that allows us to do all kinds of things in the community.”

The pair explored the challenges of overtourism and how to strike a balance that would allow tourism to continue benefiting the community without overwhelming it. 

“It's great to know we have a congresswoman that's an ally and supports small business,” said Bushel & Bee Taproom owner Kayla Applebay.

At Bushel & Bee Taproom, Applebay and Rep. Schrier discussed skyrocketing insurance rates and the impacts of tariffs. Applebay said the taproom has seen the cost of goods climb sharply over the past two years, while the availability of imported beers and ciders has declined.

Rep. Schrier later convened with local leaders to hear about the conditions of the Enchantments, a popular hiking and climbing area in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The area has long struggled with overtourism and insufficient management capacity, but these challenges have been further exacerbated by the current administration’s cuts to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).

Local leaders spoke about strained emergency response resources, growing environmental degradation and reduced Forest Service capacity, calling for additional funding, staffing and clearer direction to make management of the Enchantments a priority. The roundtable also explored ways to limit day use, increase education and pragmatically implement enforcement.

“If we don't preserve the land, it's not going to be there for future generations to enjoy,” said Rep. Schrier.

The congresswoman’s visit concluded with a tour of Cascade Medical to learn about ways to support the rural hospital. During the tour, staff highlighted the breadth of services available while explaining the growing challenge of limited space. Cascade Medical CEO Diane Blake said she hoped to explore federal funding options for hospital expansion with the congresswoman.

Blake also planned to express challenges with the Rural Health Transformation Program and outdated federal requirements for critical access hospitals, such as having to discharge or transfer patients within 96 hours and the 25-bed inpatient limit.

“It limits how we can provide care to our community,” said Blake.