It is the season of gratitude, and I hope that you have an opportunity to share this season with friends and family.   Happy Thanksgiving, Central Washington! It is the season of gratitude, and I hope that you have an opportunity to share this season with friends and family. This Thanksgiving I wish you good health, a blessed holiday weekend, and the peace of knowing that no matter the challenges placed before us, we can all find something to be thankful for. Sincerely, Congressman Dan Newhouse Investigating the Growing CCP Threat Last week, I joined Fox & Friends First to discuss President Biden's China policy, my work on the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the U.S. and the CCP, and the recent findings from a report detailing an illegal CCP-affiliated lab in California. Roughly one year ago, a local code enforcement officer in Reedley, CA noticed a green garden hose sticking out of the warehouse wall of the laboratory and then entered. This laboratory contained vials of HIV, Ebola, and other hazardous pathogens, over 1,000 genetically modified and infected mice, and counterfeit COVID-19 and pregnancy tests that were marked “Made in America” and being sold to American customers. The person running the lab, Jesse Zhu, is a Chinese national with connections to the Chinese Communist Party and is a wanted fugitive with a warrant out for his arrest in Canada. Most concerning was the fact that, after local officials contacted the CDC, the CDC did not test any of the samples recovered from the lab for further threats. The question is, are there other labs like the one in Reedley in the United States? And how do we as law makers move policy that help prevent such a lab from ever existing in the first place? We on the Select Committee on the CCP have delivered this report, and Central Washingtonians have made clear their concerns with CCP influence, so now we must research the current law, identify loopholes and gaps, and explore legislation to prevent this from happening again. Watch More on YouTube Demanding Transparency on Dam Litigation This week I led a letter alongside Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Russ Fulcher (ID-01) and Cliff Bentz (OR-02) to Brenda Mallory, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, requesting the council grant immediate access to the “package of actions and commitments” recently negotiated in the mediation concerning the Columbia River System Operations. On October 31, 2023, the legal stay in the long-running court litigation related to the Columbia River System Operations expired. A 45-day stay extension was approved to allow federal mediation to continue. Shortly thereafter, federal defendants and plaintiffs filed a report to the court regarding the future of the litigation. In the status update report, the document noted the involved parties had developed a "package of actions and commitments" that they intend to submit to the court for final approval. Stakeholders and ratepayers have continuously been left out of this process. The closed-door deal making by this Administration raises extreme concerns for the future of energy production in the Pacific Northwest and is unacceptable by all standards of public opinion. I remind all parties involved that a decision on breaching the dams is one that is, and will remain, under the authority of the United States Congress. Read More in the Sunnyside Sun Do you think breaching the dams is in the best interest of citizens of the Pacific Northwest? Yes No Demanding Regulatory Clarity on WOTUS Enforcement Last week, I led a letter alongside 71 Members of Congress to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Michael Regan, and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Michael Connor, regarding the lack of clarity on the agencies’ regulatory definition of waters of the United States (WOTUS) following the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA. For those unfamiliar, WOTUS dictates which waters are federally regulated under the Clean Water Act. In December 2022, the Biden Administration released a WOTUS definition that empowered federal bureaucrats to place every single body of water—every ditch, puddle, and stream—under federal regulation. That means permits could be required for activities such as removing debris and vegetation from a ditch, applying pesticides, rotating types of crops, or building a fence or pond. In May, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a resounding victory for individual property rights for the people of Central Washington and rural America when they unanimously sided with the Sacketts in the Sackett v. EPA case. The decision should have brought clarity to landowners who have long been burdened by the draconian WOTUS rule, which cast a cloud of uncertainty over their ability to fully utilize their property. However, due to the ambiguous language, the Biden Administration has repurposed the ruling for their own gain. Farmers, ranchers, and rural communities in Central Washington deserve certainty and safeguards from federal government regulations dictating how they use their land. By adopting direct-to-final rulemaking and skipping a public comment period, the Biden Administration is attempting to bring their illegal WOTUS rule in-line with the Sackett decision by using ambiguous terms in a calculated manner to expand their regulatory authority. Central Washington deserves better, and that’s why I am leading a coalition in demanding clarity on how the Administration is planning to enforce WOTUS post-Sackett. Read the Letter Here Looking for Interns Are you a currently an undergraduate student or recent college graduate interested in learning about the legislative process firsthand in the heart of our nation? If so, I am currently seeking paid congressional interns for the Spring 2024 term. The internships are in-person and will run from January to the end of March. Dates are flexible. Ideal candidates will have a positive attitude, strong work ethic, attention to detail, ability to conduct research, strong writing skills, and be able to work in a fast-paced work environment. District ties will be considered however are not required. Apply on My Website   Services My Office Provides Having trouble navigating the bureaucratic red-tape of a federal agency? Need assistance with VA benefits? Looking to book a tour of our nation's capital? Visit my website to see all the services my office provides. Visit My Website for More Information Holiday Expo This Friday, November 24, from 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM, and Saturday, November 25 from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, visit the Tri-Cities Holiday Expo. Get in the holiday spirit with food, drink, shopping, and pictures with Santa. Read More in Visit Tri-Cities   It is an honor and a privilege to serve you in Congress. To stay up to date on how I am working to represent Central Washington, I encourage you to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also find regular updates on my website. Sincerely, Dan Newhouse Contact Me     Rep. Dan Newhouse | 504 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]