Press Releases

Today U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) voted to increase investments into the Department of Energy’s (DoE) Vehicle Technologies Program, accelerating the development of the next generation of fuel-efficient cars and trucks.  Western Washington University’s Advance Vehicle Research Institute has previously used funding from DoE to develop innovative, clean… Read more »

U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement today after the House passed a resolution disapproving of the conduct by Rep. Joe Wilson (SC – 02) during the joint session of Congress.  The resolution passed by a vote of 240 to 179.“Today's vote to express disapproval of Rep. Joe Wilson’s conduct is not about his speech; it is… Read more »

U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Todd Tiahrt (KS-04) – joined by forty-five of their colleagues in the House - sent a letter to President Obama yesterday expressing serious concerns about the lack of coordination between our nation’s defense procurement policy and our nation’s trade policy.  In response to the World Trade Organization (WTO) interim… Read more »

The House Natural Resources Committee has approved legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) and U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) to designate Illabot Creek in Skagit County as a Wild and Scenic River.  The Committee approved the legislation (H.R. 1593) unanimously on a voice vote yesterday.  “I visited Illabot Creek last month and saw… Read more »

Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA 2nd) announced that they have successfully worked to help change a federal regulation that will assist Whidbey General Hospital in Coupeville, WA in continuing to treat military personnel, military retirees and their families. The rule change Murray and Larsen fought to help bring about will require TRICARE –… Read more »

U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement tonight following President Barack Obama’s address to a Joint Session of Congress:  “Tonight President Obama spoke about the health care challenges we face as a nation, presented an outline of what is needed to overcome these challenges and offered the American people a hopeful vision for… Read more »

  U.S. Representative Rick Larsen released the following statement today in response to recent news stories regarding the interim ruling by the World Trade Organization (WTO) on aircraft subsidies to Airbus by the European Union. "According to recent media reports the WTO has ruled that the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is that Launch Aid subsidies provided… Read more »

U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement today on the Port of Bellingham’s unanimous vote to appeal NOAA’s recent selection of Newport, Oregon for the Marine Operations Center-Pacific: “I strongly supported Bellingham’s bid to become the new home for NOAA’s Marine Operations Center-Pacific.  The Port, City, our… Read more »

On Saturday August 8, Rep. Rick Larsen hosted a highly successful town hall meeting in Mount Vernon on health care reform.  A large number of people with a wide range of views on health care reform came to participate, many more than the event site could accommodate. We are anticipating another large crowd for Rep. Larsen's health care town hall in Everett on… Read more »

Health reform needs to happen. The status quo is unacceptable. Business as usual is unacceptable for small business owners who cannot afford coverage for their employees. The status quo does not work for families who are worried about their jobs and sky-high health costs. The current system must be reformed for taxpayers who have seen health care costs explode the federal… Read more »