Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
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Dallas. Baton Rouge. In those two cities, eight police officers lost their lives after being targeted and ambushed in two separate attacks. Our nation has been stunned as law enforcement has also been targeted in shootings in Philadelphia, in St. Joseph, Michigan, in Tennessee, in Missouri, and in Georgia. Two officers were shot in San Diego just last week. We honor those in blue who lost their lives or were wounded while serving their communities. Wearing the badge is a risk they take every day to keep our families and loved...
Freedom of conscience and religious liberty have been bedrock principles of our republic since our founding. In 1809, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “No provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprises of the civil authority.” Clearly, this freedom goes beyond simply protecting holding a belief in one’s own heart or merely thinking about a concept. It protects acting as well. If we are to continue to hold these constitutional freedoms, then we must... Full story
I am a strong believer that the flurry of top-down rules from the federal government threatens job creation over the long run rather than empowering individuals or moving our economy forward. Last week, the House passed an important piece of legislation to promote responsible use of our natural resources and to reverse regulatory overreach by reining in the Environmental Protection Agency and bringing its staffing levels in line with 1989 levels. I supported passage of H.R. 5538, the Fiscal Year 2017 Department of Interior, E...
Imagine a national health care system that works for the people who require care: patients who are able to schedule appointments and be seen by a doctor of their choice for high-quality, life-saving care that does not break the bank. That kind of patient-centered system would improve the quality of life for Americans, who want nothing more than choice, affordable care, and successful outcomes for their families. Americans know that our current health care system does not provide that kind of service. The system is not... Full story
During the Fourth of July holiday and as the world’s focus on the United Kingdom’s vote for “Brexit” to leave the European Union, we as Americans are reminded of our own decision to declare independence from Great Britain 240 years ago. The lesson we can take is that no matter the risk and the naysayers, a free people will not always choose security; because they long for freedom. While the impact remains to be seen, what is certain is that it takes bravery and spirit to act on the desire for freedom. The path of freedom...
Within one week of the terrorist attack in Orlando that took the lives of 49 innocent people, there has been a concerted effort to change the subject from radical Islamist terrorism, and the threat of ISIS here at home, to restricting Americans’ constitutional liberties. Proposals to limit Americans’ due process and Second Amendment rights will do nothing to prevent future acts of terror, but such policies would violate the rule of law and our values enshrined in our Constitution. The bottom line is that no terrorist sho...
Ask someone to recite our national motto, and you might just get a couple different responses. Such has been the confusion about our national motto, that in a speech President Obama delivered in 2010, the President even said, “In the United States, our motto is E pluribus unum – out of many, one.” Actually, “E pluribus unum” is the phrase on the official Seal of the United States. In fact, our official national motto has been “In God We Trust” for decades. This July will mark the 60th anniversary of its official adop... Full story
To face a threat, we must begin by calling it exactly what it is. Our nation has once again been attacked by radical Islamists. Early Sunday, Americans woke up to the horror that 49 innocent individuals had been killed and dozens wounded in an insidious terrorist attack on a “soft target,” an Orlando nightclub. The attack in Orlando was an attack on all Americans. We mourn the victims, and we cannot comprehend the pain that their families and loved ones are now facing. They will need our prayers in the days ahead. The federal...
From our founding to the present, American history is filled with reminders of the sacrifices of patriots, who took up arms when the call went out to defend their country and the principles that we hold dear. We just observed Memorial Day, when we recognize the high price paid by more than one million men and women in the Armed Forces. This week, we commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy. We are reminded that when the call comes for the common defense, the men and women of our Armed Forces...
As we observed Memorial Day this May 30, I hope that we each took a moment to reflect on the high cost paid for the freedoms we enjoy by the men and women in our Armed Forces. Throughout our history, more than one million Americans have given their lives defending our liberty. This Memorial Day was the 148th in our nation’s history, and rather than simply marking the beginning of summer, as Americans we should take the opportunity to honor those who have given their all. For many Americans, the name “Arlington” immed...
The following column is adapted from Congressman Newhouse’s remarks for the Law Enforcement Memorial Service in the Tri-Cities on May 21. In Washington, more than 280 officers have lost their lives in the line of duty. When we reflect on these officers we should remember the scripture that, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Those officers gave their all for a very high and noble cause: that of peace in their communities. Last week was National Police Week, and May 15 was “Peace Officers Memorial Day,” when Americans honor tho...
Our nation is facing a national epidemic. While many may know that substance abuse is a major crisis in our country, few may understand the exact scope. Drug abuse devastates communities, tears apart families and destroys lives. Tragically, 47,000 Americans now lose their lives each year due to drug overdoses—a total that is higher than the fatalities in car accidents, which were formerly the number one cause of accidental deaths. More than 18,000 of drug related deaths are caused by overdoses on “opioids,” which are a class...
Religious freedom is at the very core of our constitutional republic. It is one of the primary reasons that brave men and women of faith crossed the ocean to found our country. Last Thursday, May 5, we marked the National Day of Prayer, acknowledging that prayer has been a critical part of the fabric of American history. Recently, I had the opportunity to address a group of pastors visiting the nation’s capital, including pastors from Central Washington. I am appreciative of these pastors and all who pray for their r...
Fourth District The way Americans use technology to communicate has changed at an incredible pace since 1986. Thirty years ago, cell phones were gigantic, brick-like novelties. Few homes had personal computers. The term “social media” did not even exist. The Internet had existed for only a few years and was unknown to most Americans. To illustrate just how many things have changed in the intervening years, to quote one of my colleagues in the House of Representatives, “Cabbage Patch dolls were flying off the shelves.” The yea...
Last week, I was joined by 144 of my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives, one third of the entire House, to demand the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) cooperation with congressional and Inspector General investigations into a very serious matter. The issue under investigation is the grant funding that the EPA provided to promote an anti-farmer, anti-rancher advocacy campaign in Washington. Farmers and ranchers are the original conservationists because their livelihoods depend on taking care of the l...
We live in an astounding time of technological progress, during the “Information Age.” Since the 1990s, the Internet has flourished and created a digital marketplace, revolutionizing the world economy and the way commerce is conducted. Private enterprise has developed an incredible number of innovative services for millions of consumers. Keeping the Internet free from government micromanagement and open to innovation for years to come must be a top priority. Turn back the clock for a moment to 1934, which is the year the Fed... Full story
It may be news to many Americans, but as individual land owners, ranchers and farmers in Washington already know, the federal government is one of the largest property managers in the nation, and especially in the West. According to a 2014 government survey, federal agencies manage 640 million acres of land, or one million square miles nationwide. That number accounts for 28 percent of land in the country. To put that enormous number in further perspective, it is just a bit smaller than the size of the land area of the three...
Listening to local families, businesses, and farmers in the Mid-Columbia region, I’ve heard firsthand how the slowdown and partial shutdowns at our 29 ports along the West Coast have had a devastating economic impact on Central Washington’s economy. Every day I hear countless stories about the heavy price Washingtonians are paying, such as workers who are being laid off and farmers facing bankruptcy – because they simply cannot get their products to market due to the port standoff. Growers and producers have told me they...