Larsen Statement on President Obama's Plan for Afghanistan and Pakistan

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U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after President Barack Obama’s announcement today of a coordinated plan for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Larsen traveled to Afghanistan over Thanksgiving, visiting with U.S. troops serving there and addressing how the United States and our allies can achieve…

Over $8 Million in Recovery Funds Coming to the 2nd District to Invest in Energy Efficiency and Get Our Economy Moving

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Today, the Obama Administration announced more than $8 million in economic recovery funds for local governments in the 2nd Congressional District to spend on energy efficiency projects. U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) worked to pass the Recovery Act and pushed to include funding for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.  “President…

Larsen: Obama Budget Invests in National Security, Supports Troops and Families

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U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), a member of the House Budget and Armed Services Committees, delivered the following remarks today at a Budget Committee markup of the budget resolution for the next fiscal year. “Mr. Chairman, earlier this year, Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  This legislation is…

Larsen and Sullivan Work to Educate Kids about Meth Mouth, One Danger of Meth Abuse

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U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), co-chair of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, and John Sullivan (OK-01) this week re-introduced their bipartisan legislation, The Meth Mouth Prevention and Community Recovery Act, to educate kids about one of the many dangers of methamphetamine abuse: meth mouth, a disease that takes a terrible toll on the…

House Passes Bill to Block AIG Bonuses

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Following extraordinary abuses of the public trust by companies that awarded exorbitant bonuses while receiving billions in taxpayer help, the House of Representatives today passed the Bonus Recoupment Tax Bill (HR 1586), legislation to recover taxpayer dollars by imposing a new 90 percent income tax on bonuses awarded by companies such as AIG that have received over $5 billion from the…

Murray and Larsen Introduce Bill to Keep Illabot Creek Wild and Scenic

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U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) today introduced legislation to designate Illabot Creek in Skagit County as a Wild and Scenic River.  The legislation will protect the free-flowing character of Illabot Creek, an important habitat for threatened wild Chinook salmon, steelhead, bull trout and other wildlife, while maintaining recreational…

Larsen Calls to Block AIG Bonuses

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U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement today following news reports that the American International Group (AIG) has moved to pay $165 million in bonuses to its employees, including $1 million or more to 73 people in its financial products division whose actions played a major role in the company’s failure. “I have said in the past…

Op-Ed: President Obama delivers help

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The housing crisis is at the center of this recession and it affects every one of us. But help for homeowners is here — on March 4, President Obama’s housing plan went into action to help as many as 9 million American families avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes. In the 2nd Congressional District, Snohomish County has been the hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis,…

Over $17 Million in Economic Recovery Funding on the Way for Roads, Infrastructure in Washington's 2nd District

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Today, Governor Chris Gregoire announced a list of city and county transportation projects designated to receive federal funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including more than $17 million for the 2nd Congressional District in Northwest Washington. U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) worked to pass the Recovery Act, which was signed into law by President Barack…

Larsen Joins Vice President Biden to Announce Recovery Funds for Amtrak

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U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined Vice President Joe Biden, Jo Strang, Acting Federal Railroad Administrator and Members of Congress at Union Station in Washington, D.C. to announce $1.3 billion in Recovery Act grant funding to expand passenger rail capacity. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding will roughly…