In the News
Republican and Democratic congressional lawmakers in Washington, Montana and Minnesota are joining forces to address the rising number of youth deaths caused by fentanyl overdoses.
During a U-S House Energy and Commerce hearing, 4th District Representative Dan Newhouse of Washington State introduced the Stop Overdose in Schools Act.
Every five years, Congress must vote to reauthorize the farm bill, a piece of legislation that funds a number of important farm, food, and forestry programs that provide critical support for America’s agriculture industry and affect the economic well-being of millions of people.
NCW — The Indian government has agreed to remove a retaliatory tariff that Washington farmers say resulted in drastically reduced apple exports to the country for the past four years.
The news came Thursday afternoon during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington, D.C., and comes after frequent grumbles from Washington’s agricultural community and pleas from the state’s congressional delegation.
"A group of lawmakers are calling on the federal government to take immediate action on the landslide risk left behind by the Bolt Creek Fire. The fire has burned more than 14,000 acres, or nearly 22 square miles, near Skykomish. Senator Maria Cantwell and Representatives Suzan Delbene and Kim Schrier are now demanding the U.S. Forest Service to begin post-burn treatments on the fire area immediately. They wrote an open letter saying action needs to be taken now to prevent catastrophic landslides and floods.
"Alongside U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier, Buttigieg met with local mayors and other officials for a press event in smoky Walla Walla Point Park. Wenatchee won a $92.4 grant under the U.S. Department of Transportation's Infrastructure For Rebuilding America grant program, or INFRA, to help finance the multimodal Apple Capital Loop project.
New York (CNN Business)A group of Democrats in Congress is calling on President Joe Biden to keep releasing oil from America's emergency stockpile through at least the end of the year.
In a letter obtained first by CNN, eight House Democrats urged Biden on Friday to immediately scrap his current plan to halt releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve next month.
"The bill would ensure that manufacturers timely inform the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about expected disruptions to the infant formula supply. The bill comes after there was a shortage of infant formula after Abbott Nutrition recalled its formula because bacteria was found to be living in the powdered formula.
"After a watchdog report found Spokane’s VA medical center has failed to collect and report data needed to improve patient safety and maintain the hospital’s accreditation since launching a new computer system in October 2020, a Washington congresswoman called for the Department of Veterans Affairs to fix the system before it causes an exodus of medical staff.
District 8 Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Issaquah) is scheduled to host a town hall Thursday evening in Issaquah, and parents of teens are invited to learn more about the dangers of fentanyl. The congresswoman will be joined by first responders from Eastside Fire & Rescue, a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security, and an Issaquah School Board member.
"Schrier plans to introduce legislation that would establish an 'early-warning system' for formula shortages, like an existing system for medications, she said. She also mentioned the possibility that formula could be added to the national stockpile of medical supplies."