This week starts the annual August recess in Congress, and while there is a pause in legislative activity, I will be working hard here in Central Washington. Weekly Column - August 1, 2024 Congress Is In Recess, But I Am Not This week starts the annual August recess in Congress, and while there is a pause in legislative activity, I will be working hard here in Central Washington. As we head into the dog days of summer, I want to give you a quick update on what I have been working on in Congress. Ensuring American energy dominance is of the utmost importance, unfortunately, the Biden-Harris Administration is waging an all-out war against American energy. From killing the Keystone XL Pipeline to trying to pause liquified natural gas export terminals, this administration is forcing us to increase our reliance on foreign adversaries for our energy needs. That is why the House of Representatives passed my resolution which condemns these failed policies and outlines a future where America is once again energy independent. I have also been working hard to protect our energy generation sources here in Central Washington, including the Lower Snake River Dams. This past January, the administration announced a 10-year stay in the Columbia River System Operations mediation, while working to undermine dam operations and further calls to breach the Lower Snake River Dams. In response, I introduced the Defending Against Manipulative Negotiators Act to prohibit federal funds from being used to breach or alter the Lower Snake River Dams. Bolstering our domestic energy resources is the key to keeping costs low and staying competitive on the world stage, and as long as I am in Congress, I will continue to fight to protect our energy generation systems and prevent foreign adversaries from gaining an upper hand. With the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) working to influence our institutions here at home, it is crucial we remain vigilant against their sphere of influence. In recent years, businesses associated with the CCP have been quietly purchasing American farmland and land near national security sites to conduct covert operations and gather information about our homeland. This behavior cannot continue. I introduced the No American Land for Communist China Act to prevent the CCP from purchasing any land adjacent to federally owned land and advance my efforts with the Prohibition of Agricultural Land for the People’s Republic of China Act which blocks the CCP from purchasing American farmland. It is clear we are vulnerable to the CCP’s malicious efforts, and these bills will strengthen our domestic defenses while protecting our land from foreign actors who aim to deepen their already dangerous influence on the world stage. But purchasing our land is not the only way the CCP has impacted the United States. This past April, the Select Committee on the CCP published a deeply concerning report linking the fentanyl crisis directly to China. We discovered their government has been directly subsidizing the manufacturing and export of illicit fentanyl precursor chemicals that end up in the hands of the cartels who then bring them to our border. After this discovery, we knew more had to be done, and I was appointed to lead the Select Committee’s new Fentanyl Policy Working Group. This bipartisan group meets on a weekly basis when the House of Representatives is in session and is the center for combatting the CCP’s fentanyl operation. Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for people ages 18-45 in the United States, affecting every community in the nation—including Central Washington. As Chairman of the Western Caucus, I led a delegation of Members of Congress to the southern border to speak with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) about the impossible situation they are facing. During my visit, CBP informed me that illegal immigrants have been breaking into homes so frequently that families have started just leaving their doors unlocked to prevent further damage. Fentanyl flows in at a rapid rate, and with the price of the illicit substance going down, the supply is only increasing. From drugs and human trafficking to damage to our local communities, law enforcement is struggling to take control of the situation. As a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, I included important provisions in this year’s Homeland Security Appropriations Act to build the southern border wall that CBP told me and my colleagues works to mitigate this crisis. Our bill also forces Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to adhere to the law and build physical barriers immediately, while allocating resources to fund 22,000 Border Patrol Agents and investing in advanced border security technology. My job on the House Appropriations Committee is one I take very seriously, and part of my work includes ensuring Central Washington priorities are not dictated by unelected D.C. bureaucrats. For the Fiscal Year 2024, I secured funding for fourteen projects including Pasco’s wastewater treatment project and the Quincy rail expansion. As a third-generation farmer from the Yakima Valley, I know the issues our communities face and it is important to me that unelected agency staffers are not the ones deciding where that funding goes. I have also been hard at work fighting for projects in next year’s appropriations bills, some of which have already passed in the House and are awaiting action in the Senate. These projects include the Columbia River Section 120 Pinniped Removal Program which addresses the threat posed by sea lions in the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, the City of Othello Regional Water Supply project which would initiate the next phase in the City’s Aquifer Storage and Recovery strategy, and Phase 2 of US 97 Reconstruction which supports the rebuilding of US 97 through Tonasket. Central Washington is an incredible place to call home, and what makes it even more special are the residents of Washington’s 4th Congressional District. One of the most important parts of my job is ensuring members of our community are taken care of, which is why constituent services are so important. Since the beginning of this year, my office has worked hard to resolve more than 500 cases with federal agencies and has returned $971,282 in money owed to those who have reached out, not to mention answering thousands of calls. If you are having an issue with a federal agency, I encourage you to reach out to my office and see if we can help. It has been a busy year in Congress, and we still have a lot of work to do. I am proud to represent the people of Central Washington, and look forward to continuing to work for you in Washington, D.C. View on My Website newhouse.house.gov     Congressman Dan Newhouse | 504 Cannon House Office Building | Washington, DC 20515 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice