I have a budget update for you from Washington D.C. And it starts with a word that often gets a bad reputation.

Earmarks. I have heard it before: our government is simply spending too much.

I agree that we need to be considerate of our budget. But that is why many smart earmarks make sense, because they are an investment by Congress in communities across America in a way that will save money and lives long-term.

Take the recent budget work done in Congress. I was proud to secure nearly $20 million of the budget for more than a dozen critical infrastructure projects in Northwest Washington.

They are badly needed and include:

• Road safety improvements.
• A bridge replacement.
• Safety improvements in areas vulnerable to flooding.
• A water reservoir project.
• Upgrades at local Sheriff stations.

These are just a few examples. The list goes on, and will benefit so many people across Northwest Washington.

Earmarks like these allow for long-needed local projects to get off the ground, or they allow them to be completed. They are a core part of the relationship between towns across America and our federal government.

This is the job that my neighbors sent me to get done in Washington, D.C.: to listen to their needs, and fight for them in the halls of Congress.

I will always keep up this fight for you.

Rick