Grocery bills continue to rise at an alarming rate, with the CPI update this week showing that supermarket prices have risen 12.2% in the past year. Fighting for Central Washington's Farmers and Farmworkers Grocery bills continue to rise at an alarming rate, with the CPI update this week showing that supermarket prices have risen 12.2% in the past year. This is the fastest pace of increase we have seen in over 40 years. Our broken immigration system, lack of labor, and rising energy prices have caused Americans across the country to feel the pinch of inflation. My legislation, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, will establish a legal and reliable program for our agricultural workers and producers and help combat inflation. Our food supply and national security are at risk due to President Biden's open-border policies and rhetoric. With this legislation, we can secure our border, lower food costs, and provide a lasting solution for our farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers. Read More in Ag Daily Our Communities Cannot Afford to Breach the Lower Snake River Dams This week, I submitted a public comment to Governor Jay Inslee and Senator Patty Murray's Draft Lower Snake River Dams Benefit Replacement Report to stress how important our dams are for our communities, environment, agriculture, tourism, irrigation, transportation, and clean energy sector. The end of the comment period for their draft report also conveniently coordinated with the release of the Biden Administration’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) draft reports that call for the removal of the dams on the Columbia River System. Let me be clear: Our communities cannot afford to breach and remove the Lower Snake River Dams. The cost of removing the dams would place an unfeasible burden on our taxpayers, and would increase the cost of energy and frequency of blackouts. I am calling on the Biden Administration, Governor Inslee, and Senator Murray to follow the science and ensure that the input of the residents of Central Washington is included in this process before any final report is released. I will never stop fighting for what is best for our communities across Central Washington. Read The Full Letter Here Supporting Our Tribes On Thursday, I introduced the Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act with Rep. Kilmer (WA-6) alongside Harry Pickernell, Sr., Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation. This legislation will improve hiring and increase retention for tribal law enforcement officers in order to better protect native communities and help address the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW). I have heard from tribes across Central Washington and the state about the challenges they face with recruiting tribal law enforcement officers. This crucial piece of legislation will equip our tribal communities with the resources they need to keep all of our communities safe. Read More on My Website "Blatant political posturing overrides science in WA's Snake River dams debate" Politics has always been a factor in the Snake dam debate, but the combination of the Biden-Inslee-Murray effort in addition to state Democrats taking an official position against the dams has pushed partisanship to a new level. Read more www.tri-cityherald.com Demanding the VA to Stop the Rollout of the New Electronic Health Record System Our Veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, now it is our turn to serve them. But recently, they have not been getting the care they need and deserve due to the rollout of the Electronic Health Record system. On Thursday, the VA's Office of the Inspector General released their final reports The New Electronic Health Record’s Unknown Queue Caused Multiple Events of Patient Harm and Senior Staff Gave Inaccurate Information to OIG Reviewers of Electronic Health Record Training, which outline that the system rolled out in Spokane and Walla Walla caused harm to at least 148 veterans and that Cerner Corporation, who owns the contract system, knew that their system was flawed before the system launched. We cannot afford to risk the lives of our veterans—that is why I am demanding the VA delay the rollout of this system to other facilities. We cannot allow for more records to be lost and veterans harmed. I will continue to work with the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to hold Cerner and the VA accountable for their failures. Read More in Healthcare IT News Central Washington ignored in Snake River dams reports Breaching is more than an unnecessary and unfair burden to place upon communities throughout Washington state and the Pacific Northwest, it would be catastrophic. Especially when these families are already struggling from soaring energy costs. Read more www.grandcoulee.com Gas is up $1.38 a gallon over last year, and Yakima... Noe Pedroza has been cooking in Yakima for more than two decades. After the pandemic-induced closure of the last restaurant for which he worked, Pedroza and his family opened a food truck. For the past year, Pedroza and his family have parked... Read more www.yakimaherald.com Study shows link between ag labor shortage and inflation ... State agricultural groups and U.S. Representatives are urging Congress to pass ag labor workforce changes in order to combat inflation. At a July 12 press conference, U.S. Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-Washington), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), Doug LaMalfa... Read more spudman.com It is an honor and a privilege to serve you in Congress. To stay up to date on how I am working to represent Central Washington, I encourage you to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also find regular updates on my website. Sincerely, Dan Newhouse Contact Me ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Rep. Newhouse | 504 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]