Today, Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA), U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) were joined by Representatives Adam Smith (D-WA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Dave Reichert (R-WA), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Denny Heck (D-WA), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) on a letter to President Donald Trump outlining the national benefits of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and pledging to work with the administration to advance policies that will continue to support the Lab’s integral scientific innovation, research, and technology development activities.

The delegation letter emphasizes that PNNL’s work from its three sites in the Tri-Cities, Sequim, and Seattle “[tackles] some of our nation’s most complex and urgent challenges in the fields of science, energy, environment, and national security, among others.” The senators and representatives call attention to PNNL’s role as “a major economic driver in the State of Washington and throughout the Pacific Northwest, and with a staff of 4,300 it is one of the largest employers in Central and Eastern Washington.”

The delegation states in the letter:

“As [the U.S. Department of Energy’s] premier laboratory for chemistry, environmental sciences, and data analytics, the Lab has made significant contributions to the resilience, security, and reliability of the electric grid. PNNL also leads nuclear nonproliferation work for DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration, including work to safeguard nuclear materials. PNNL’s state-of-the-art nuclear detection capability helps ensure that bad actors don’t have access to weapons of mass destruction. Furthermore, the [Marine Sciences Laboratory] is DOE’s only marine research laboratory and is an emerging leader in enabling sustainable development of ocean energy, understanding and mitigating long-term impacts on marine resources, and protecting coastal environments from security threats.”

The letter continues:

“We look forward to working with you and the Department of Energy to advance policies that will continue to support the Lab’s integral scientific innovation and technology development activities, as well as the many other vital contributions PNNL has made to the frontiers of science and engineering in service to our country and the world.”

Read the entire letter here: https://bit.ly/2kDedRO