I Want to Hear from You: Discussing the Proposed Removal of the Lower Snake River Dams

The Pacific Northwest is fortunate to have the Snake River Dams providing approximately 3,800 megawatts of carbon-free energy every year. These dams provide many benefits to our region, including flood control, habitat restoration, navigation, irrigation, and recreation and I am fighting radical efforts to breach these dams both physically and operationally. 

But recently, there have been increased efforts by dam-breaching advocates to replace the Lower Snake River Dams with alternate, less sustainable, and less affordable energy.

I want to hear from you.

Next Wednesday, July 17, I will be hosting, alongside local leaders, a public forum to hear how the proposed removal of the Lower Snake River Dams would impact residents, business owners, farmers, and everyone in between.

I hope to see you there! RSVPs are recommended to save time, but not required.

Reforming the Tribal Healthcare Credentialing System

This week, I introduced the Uniform Credentials for IHS Providers Act. This legislation amends the Indian Health Care Improvement Act for the development and implementation of a centralized system to credential licensed health professionals who seek to provide health care services at any Indian Health Service (IHS) unit.

Due to a lack of a standardized credentialing system for tribal healthcare professionals, our Native American population is struggling to receive appropriate care. The current system has led to a backlog in onboarding new providers, which has caused those interested in working for IHS to pursue opportunities elsewhere.

There have also been numerous incidents where healthcare professionals with histories of malpractice claims have bypassed the guardrails put in place to make sure medical professionals are just that—professionals.

The IHS is receiving taxpayer dollars to fund their operation, and it is my priority to ensure those resources are not wasted. By creating a centralized system, we can establish a standard for tribes and ensure that providers at IHS facilities are vetted in an efficient and proper manner.

A Win for Fiscal Responsibility

This week, my colleagues and I on the House Appropriations Committee passed the last of the 12 annual government funding bills through committee for fiscal year 2025.

These bills included key conservative priorities that rein in reckless spending, stand up to our adversaries, support our rural communities, and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent where they are needed most—all while cutting previous spending.

Some key wins include:

• Preventing our adversaries like China from buying up American farmland.
• Rejecting the Biden Administration's harmful pause on new liquified natural gas (LNG) exports.
• Supporting investments focused on mining production for critical mineral extraction, reducing our reliance on foreign sources.
• Blocking revised energy standards for newly constructed homes which would increase costs for rural and low-income households.

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Western Caucus Corner

This week, as Chairman of the Western Caucus, my amendment to the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill to prevent the U.S. Forest Service's draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the National Old-Growth Amendment from being finalized was adopted by voice.

The Forest Service is currently in the process of amending all 128 National Forest system plans at once, but unfortunately, every forest is different and a broad stroke change to all plans is not good governance.

According to the draft EIS, 95 out of the 128 National Forests would experience "notable change" in management, including the prohibition of timber production as proactive stewardship for many. This will lead to overgrown, undermanaged forests that produce hazardous fuels and devastating wildfires, further harming our rural communities.

We must stop the Forest Service from preserving—as opposed to conserving—our federal forests and instead empower states, counties, and tribes to proactively manage our forests.