On Monday, I was proud to speak at the Tahoma Cemetery and honor those lost in the line of duty. 

The men and women we honor on Memorial Day understood, more than most of us, what it takes to keep our country free. It takes bravery, selflessness, and confidence that the prize is worth the fight no matter who they are up against.

As your Member of Congress, I am tasked with the duty of representing those who have served. I take seriously the job we have in ensuring our veterans, wounded warriors, and Gold Star families have the resources and support they have earned and deserve. 

By Rep. Dan Newhouse

House Republicans have delivered on our promise to bring common-sense reforms and fiscal responsibility to how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars. For too long, federal spending has increased dramatically year after year. Last year alone, spending was over two trillion more than revenue, further ballooning our national debt to unsustainable levels. Last week, H.R. 1 passed the House of Representatives to reduce the waste and fraud that has fueled overspending while preventing taxes from skyrocketing for middle class Americans and small businesses.

For the last few months, activist campaigns have claimed Republicans want to take away benefits from vulnerable populations – low-income families and seniors – with our Medicaid reforms. That could not be further from the truth. My vote last week would require able bodied adults without dependents to spend 20 hours per week working, volunteering, or taking classes to get an education to receive their benefits. There are nearly five million Americans who receive benefits while sitting at home, and they are undermining the integrity of Medicaid for those who truly need their benefits.

The legislation makes important reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by including the same work requirements applied to Medicaid. Unlike Medicaid, SNAP is not currently a cost-share program, meaning the federal government foots 100 percent of the bill while each state decides who can receive benefits. Abuse of SNAP has driven the program’s spending to record high levels, so H.R. 1 requires states to share the responsibility of benefit costs. These reforms will save taxpayers billions of dollars each year while reaffirming SNAP as a supplemental benefit program.

With dramatic tax hikes looming at the end of this year, Congress had to act to protect American families from a burdensome increase. H.R. 1 would permanently extend the middle-class tax cuts from 2017, preventing a $1,300 tax increase on families, and doubles the Child Tax Credit to further support working families. Our legislation supports hardworking individuals by eliminating taxes on tips, overtime pay and provides additional relief for seniors by cutting taxes on Social Security benefits.

While attention has been focused on Medicaid and SNAP, I led the charge to protect investments in the nuclear power industry. I worked with House Leadership to make changes to the reconciliation bill that will ensure consumer energy prices remain low and certainty is provided to the small modular reactor (SMR) project in the Tri-Cities. Nuclear power is vital to the region and will play a large part in the future of American energy. Had these changes not been made before final passage, it would have spelled disaster for the region.

Finally, the legislation delivers critical pieces of the Farm Bill, including bolstering the farm safety net and our trade promotion programs. The situation is dire in farm country; our assistance will help farmers and producers weather the storm of market uncertainty and supply chain disruption to keep family farms in operation.

This legislation is a win for families, workers, farmers, and small businesses. It reflects a commitment to fiscal responsibility, economic growth, and invests directly in Central Washington, all while delivering over $1.5 trillion in projected deficit reduction. As the legislation moves to the Senate, I remain committed to advocating for the people of Washington’s Fourth District, protecting essential services for those who truly need them, and sustaining the American Dream future generations to pursue.