Today, the federal delegation representing Snohomish County announced that the Arlington School District has received $9,090 through a federal Project SERV grant to help offset costs the district incurred after the State Route 530 mudslide in March. The Project SERV grant will help the school district cover the costs of substitute teachers who stood in for classroom staff while they… Read more »

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, voted against a spending bill today that severely underfunds investments in critical transportation infrastructure. The House passed the FY2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill by a vote of 229-192. “Tonight the House passed a bill that does not go far enough to invest in our country’s roads, bridges, highways and… Read more »

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, released the following statement today regarding the Navy’s decision to base six P-8A squadrons at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. The Navy’s Record of Decision finalizes the preferred option laid out in the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement released in April. “The Navy’s decision today signifies the prominent role that… Read more »

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, applauded the U.S. Commerce Department’s announcement today naming the Puget Sound’s aerospace industry as an Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership designee. The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) led the region’s application, which was one of 12 selected nationwide. The Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership… Read more »

The House of Representatives today passed a defense spending bill with support from Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, that includes provisions to strengthen the Northwest economy and improve national defense. Larsen is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, which wrote the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015. One provision in the bill funds six KC-46A refueling tankers. The Air… Read more »

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today voted in favor of a water infrastructure bill that passed the House of Representatives and supports economic growth in the Pacific Northwest. The Water Resources Reform and Development Act authorizes federal investment in ports, flood control and ecosystem restoration. Today’s House vote approved the bill as agreed to by a conference committee. The… Read more »

The U.S. needs a better strategy to coordinate and prioritize its policies related to the Arctic region, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study out today that was released by Reps. Rick Larsen (WA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), John Garamendi (CA-03) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK). The GAO study focused on U.S. participation in the Arctic Council, a voluntary body started… Read more »

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, issued the following statement today regarding his vote against H.R. 4438, the American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2014. The Act would make the research and development tax credit permanent without providing a way to pay the expected cost of $156 billion over 10 years. “Support for innovation has long been one of my top priorities. Research and… Read more »

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, released the following statement today after voting against the Republican budget. “Our country’s budget should reflect our shared value of opportunity for all. This value is nowhere to be found in the Republican spending plan. Rather than a blueprint for economic growth, the Republican budget would jeopardize health care for seniors, bankrupt… Read more »

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, continued his push this week to expand small businesses’ ability to export by submitting a request for FY2015 funding for the State Trade Export Promotion (STEP) program. The letter, co-authored with Rep. Dave Reichert, WA-08, asked for sufficient funding for the pilot program that began in 2010. Since its inception STEP has assisted more than 400 Washington… Read more »