News from Congressman Dan Newhouse

Honoring Rep. Doug LaMalfa

This week, my good friend and colleague from California, Rep. Doug LaMalfa, passed away.

Throughout my tenure in Congress, and particularly during my time as Chairman of the Western Caucus, I worked hand-in-hand with Doug on the many issues facing the American West. He had a love for his work, understanding as a fellow farmer the value in the rural way of life, and fought during his time in Congress to protect it.

Doug was not just a colleague, he was a dear friend. He had a kind soul, and a sincere love for the people in his life. While Doug may have towered over you as you shook his hand, you were never small in his eyes. He was humble, generous, and a loyal friend we all cherished.

I send my deepest condolences to his wife, Jill, and their children during this incredibly difficult time, and may Doug rest in peace.

Common Sense Government Funding

Yesterday, the House passed an essential package of government funding bills, H.R. 6938, the Energy and Water Development, Interior and Environment, and Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Act of 2026.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, my immediate focus in the new year is passing our remaining government funding legislation and avoiding another costly shutdown.

This package gets us closer to that goal, with half of the bills having now been passed by the House. We worked hard over the last year crafting common-sense, conservative policies that rein in bloated spending, refocus taxpayer dollars on programs that support the federal government’s responsibilities, and bring home millions of dollars to Central Washington.

Click here to read more about what all was included in this package and how it benefits Central Washington.

YES: H.R. 6938 - Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026. Together, these three bills make targeted and fiscally responsible investments to bolster U.S. energy dominance and nuclear deterrence, strengthen law enforcement and efforts to combat illicit drugs, expand access to critical minerals, and support wildland firefighters and responsible land management. This repackages the preceding two votes into one to be sent to the Senate, marking the half-way point to complete the FY26 appropriations process.

YES: VETO OVERRIDE for H.R. 504 - Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act. (Rep. Gimenez, R-FL). This legislation expands the Miccosukee Reserved Area to include a portion of Everglades National Park in Florida that is known as Osceola Camp. The Department of the Interior, in consultation with the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, must take appropriate actions to protect structures within the Osceola Camp from flooding. This legislation passed the House by voice vote on July 14, 2025, and passed the Senate by unanimous consent on December 11, 2025.

YES: VETO OVERRIDE for H.R. 131 - Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act (Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-CO). This legislation reduces payments that communities within the Arkansas River Valley must pay to the Bureau of Reclamation for the construction of the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a pipeline in Colorado for delivering water from the Pueblo Reservoir to such communities. Specifically, it removes interest payments and extends the repayment period to 100 years. This legislation passed the House by voice vote on July 21, 2025, and passed the Senate by voice vote on December 16, 2025.

NO: Democrat Motion to Discharge H. Res. 780. Provides for the consideration of H.R. 1834, as amended, to extend the enhanced Premium Tax Credits for three years with no changes. On December 17th, Discharge Petition No. 10, which provides for consideration of H.R. 1834, reached 218 signatures.

NO: H.R. 1834 - Breaking the Gridlock Act (Rep. McGovern, D-MA). This legislation will extend the Affordable Care Act Enhanced Premium Tax Credits to January 1, 2029. The enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits are federal subsidies created during the COVID-19 pandemic to lower the cost of health insurance for individuals and families who purchase coverage through the ACA marketplaces.

YES: H.R. 5184 - Affordable HOMES Act (Rep. Erin Houchin, IN). Removes duplicative manufactured housing regulations. Under current law, the Department of Energy has authority to set energy efficiency standards for manufactured housing, even though the Department of Housing and Urban Development has long held exclusive responsibility for regulating these homes. This overlapping authority creates duplicative and sometimes conflicting regulations, particularly because DOE standards must be based on the International Energy Conservation Code, which is designed for site-built homes and is ill-suited for manufactured housing.

Transfer of "The Chick"

Today, the entire Washington State Congressional Delegation gathered for the transfer of "The Chick" painting from Rep. Michael Baumgartner to Rep. Emily Randall.

This bipartisan tradition, dating back to 1976, occurs whenever a new Member of Congress is elected to the Washington Delegation. The new Member must display the painting in their office until another new Member comes along, and it is passed on.