Jobs & the Economy

Coast Guard Reauthorization Bill Includes Larsen Priorities

| Posted in Press Releases

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today praised the bipartisan and bicameral agreement to reauthorize the U.S. Coast Guard. The Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 advances several of Larsen’s priorities, including clarifying the Coast Guard’s icebreaking role, improving its ability to track ships in U.S. Arctic waters, and reauthorizing the Small Shipyards…

Larsen: 777X Wing Center Will Drive Jobs, Long-Term Economic Growth in NW Washington

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Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, applauded the groundbreaking today of the new 777X Composite Wing Center in Everett. The $1 billion investment will sustain thousands of jobs in Everett. “Today’s groundbreaking marks an important milestone for the aerospace capital of the world, the Pacific Northwest. Boeing’s investment will drive long-term economic growth in our region,…

KOMO Newsradio: Larsen Tours Polar Sea Icebreaker

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SEATTLE—Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, toured the docked Polar Sea icebreaker in Seattle on Friday, October 10. Listen to an interview he did with KOMO Newsradio following the tour. Larsen has long called for the U.S. Coast Guard to reactivate the Polar Sea to ensure the U.S. has the resources it needs to protect U.S. interests in the Arctic and to create shipbuilding jobs in the Puget…

Larsen Applauds Federal Grant to Improve Job Training in Manufacturing, Energy and Construction

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Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, applauded the announcement today that a group of Washington community colleges, including Everett Community College, will receive nearly $10 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to support job training in the manufacturing, energy and construction industries. The grant is the final round of the four-year federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College…

Larsen and DelBene Praise EPAs Action to Protect Bristol Bay Fishery

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Reps. Rick Larsen, WA-02, and Suzan DelBene, WA-01, praised the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) announcement today that it will use its authority under the Clean Water Act to protect one of the world’s largest salmon fisheries in Bristol Bay, Alaska from the proposed Pebble Mine. The Bristol Bay salmon fishery supports thousands of jobs for Washington state fishers and…

Larsen Fights to Protect Bristol Bay, Washington States Fishing Industry

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Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, continued to fight to protect Bristol Bay and Washington state’s fishing industry today by opposing a bill that would restrict the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to use the Clean Water Act to prevent environmentally harmful projects from going forward. The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee considered H.R. 4854, the…

Larsen Supports Highway Trust Fund Patch, Pushes for Long-Term Solution

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The House passed a short-term Highway Trust Fund bill today with support from Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, that would keep payments flowing to states for roads, bridges, highways and transit through May 2015. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration. The fund is the primary source of federal funding for roads, bridges, highways and transit. The U.S. Department of Transportation…

Larsen: Congress Must Prioritize Jobs, Economy by Finding Long-Term Solution to Highway Trust Fund Shortfall

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House and Senate efforts to find a short-term fix to the Highway Trust Fund shortfall must lead to a long-term solution, Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, said today. The fund is the primary source of federal funding for roads, bridges, highways and transit. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced it will begin slowing payments from the fund to states as of August 1 if Congress…

Larsen Calls on President Obama to Make Chemical Facilities Safer

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Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, continued his efforts today to improve safety at refineries and chemical facilities following the April 2010 explosion at the Tesoro refinery in Anacortes that killed seven workers. Larsen sent a letter to President Obama asking him to take action to strengthen safety standards and culture at these facilities. The letter follows the release of a report from the…

Larsen: Mukilteo Ferry Terminal Improvements Will Keep NW Economy Moving

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Major upgrades to the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal, a project Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, has worked on for more than a decade, is expected to get an additional $12 million from the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). The council’s Transportation Policy Board recommended $12 million for the project during its meeting today. Final approval for the funds will come later this year, following…