Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, continued his support for marriage equality this week by cosponsoring a bill that would ensure the United States Code reflects the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision that marriage is a civil right. The Amend the Code for Marriage Equality Act of 2015 would remove gendered terms, such as “husband” and “wife,” from the federal code,… Read more »

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today voted against a Republican Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) bill, H.R. 5, that takes funding away from low-income schools and districts and lowers standards designed to improve outcomes for all students. While the bill included Larsen’s bipartisan Local Taxpayer Relief Act (H.R. 1318) that he introduced with Rep. Kristi Noem, SD, Larsen… Read more »

Roads, bridges, highways and transit systems would receive more reliable funding that would help keep local economies strong if Congress passes a bill to raise the federal gas tax that Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, cosponsored today. H.R. 680, the UPDATE Act, would raise the gas tax by 15 cents per gallon over three years to pay for needed investments in the country’s aging… Read more »

Last week, Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, talked with local officials and transportation stakeholders through Northwest Washington to learn more about the role federal funding plays in supporting strong infrastructure. He also toured local transportation projects that depend on federal funding. The Highway Trust Fund is the biggest source of federal funding for roads, bridges, highways and… Read more »

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today slammed House Republicans for their inaction on the Export-Import Bank, putting thousands of jobs at risk. The Bank’s charter expires today. The Export-Import Bank gives Pacific Northwest businesses of all sizes access to critical financing to sell their goods overseas, and it has supported more than $71 billion in exports from the Second Congressional… Read more »

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today applauded President Obama’s action to raise overtime pay for millions of workers. The President’s proposed rule would raise the cap on overtime pay salary eligibility from $23,660 to $50,440, affecting nearly 5 million salaried workers. “Even as our economy is growing and creating jobs, not everyone is sharing in the benefits. The vast… Read more »

MARYSVILLE, Wash.—Intersections of railroads and roadways would get new funding for safety and efficiency upgrades if Congress passes a new bill introduced by Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02. The At-Grade Crossing Enhancement (ACE) Act of 2015 creates $300 million in annual grants to upgrade at-grade crossings, where rail incidents are most likely to occur and where rail lines have the… Read more »

New report details consequences for PNW if Congress fails to act Without Congressional action soon, the biggest source of federal funding for roads, bridges, highways and transit systems will expire, which has clear consequences for Pacific Northwest infrastructure, Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, said today. The Highway Trust Fund is set to expire on July 31 unless Congress acts to pass a new… Read more »

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today issued the following statement about the Supreme Court’s decision that marriage is a civil right for all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation. The Court ruled in favor of marriage equality by a vote of 5-4. “Our country finally counts marriage equality as equal justice under the law. With today’s Supreme Court decision, all Americans… Read more »

Today, Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, voted for and the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill reauthorizing a program to help workers whose jobs have been negatively affected by trade, called Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA). The bill (Senate Amendment to H.R. 1295) also renews programs to facilitate trade and economic growth in developing countries, such as the African Growth and… Read more »