Larsen, Rick RSS Articles

Larsen Statement on Bill Reforming Library of Congress

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:

“The Librarian of Congress is the People’s Librarian, not the President’s Librarian.

“I have always stood up for libraries and the books that challenge us to be better. I will keep fighting to keep Trump from undermining libraries and the education and freedom they support.”

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed legislation to vest the power to appoint the Librarian of Congress in House and Senate leadership instead of the President (the Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act).

After President Trump fired Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden – the first African American and the first woman to serve as the head of the Library of Congress – in May 2025, Larsen slammed the President’s actions and vowed to keep fighting for libraries and the Library of Congress’ independence from the Executive Branch.

In 2019, Rep. Larsen proudly welcomed Dr. Hayden to Northwest Washington where she donated books to Sno-Isle Libraries and read to children at Marysville Library and the Everett Public Library.

Rep. Larsen routinely donates books from the Library of Congress to local libraries across Northwest Washington and is a strong advocate for funding the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

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Larsen’s Bill to Reauthorize Northwest Straits Commission Passes House

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02)’s bill to reauthorize the Northwest Straits Commission for seven years passed the House of Representatives on a 374-49 vote.

“The Commission’s bottom-up approach has ensured that local communities have the resources and expertise they need to keep marine habitats healthy and recover endangered and threatened species, including Southern Resident Killer Whales and salmon,” said Rep. Larsen, who serves as the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “This bill provides the necessary funding so that the Commission can continue its work to restore the marine ecosystem of the Northwest Straits region and support local jobs.”

In April 2025, Rep. Larsen introduced the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2025 alongside Representative Emily Randall (WA-06) and Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA). Rep. Larsen previously introduced the bill in the 118th Congress.

“From abalone beds and oysters, to the rugged coastline that stretches for hundreds of miles, folks from Washington's 6th District know there's no place quite like home. The Northwest Straits Commission has been a lifeline for our communities, providing critical resources like the Marine Resources Committees in Jefferson and Clallam counties, and working alongside Tribes all across the state,” said Rep. Randall. “Their collaborative efforts to restore and protect our marine habitats are a testament to what makes this place so special. I’m proud to co-lead this legislation to reauthorize and continue the Commission's important work so we can continue working together to safeguard the precious marine resources that make our community and our state one-of-a-kind.”

The Northwest Straits Commission is a community-led effort to restore marine habitats in the Northwest Straits region of Puget Sound. The Commission provides funding, training, and support to seven county-based Marine Resources Committees (MRCs). Five out of the seven MRCs are located in Northwest Washington. The Commission advises local officials on how to best carry out environmental projects and provides expertise to community organizations to help them be partners in their work.

“I am continually amazed how well the Northwest Straits Commission and Marine Resources Committees build lasting partnerships and bring people together to steward marine resources in our region,” said Lucas Hart, Director of the Northwest Straits Commission. “Using a bottom-up approach, the Initiative encourages people and communities to take positive action, often as volunteers, to conserve our waters and shorelines. Last year, we worked with over 70 partners and generated nearly 10,000 volunteer hours to advance numerous regional and local projects. Reauthorization of the Initiative will help continue these critical partnerships and the volunteer engagement that benefits all who rely on marine resources."

Larsen Fights to Protect Northwest Washington’s Environment

Protecting Washington state’s environment is a top priority for Rep. Larsen. Larsen is a founder and co-chair of the Congressional Estuary Caucus and his bill to reauthorize the National Estuary Program passed the House in December. He has been a leader in Congress on salmon recovery, including by preserving the National Culvert Program in the BUILD America 250 Act and leading annual efforts to fund the Pacific Coastal Salmon Restoration Fund (PCSRF) and Washington’s Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups. His bill to expand federal protections for marine mammals, including Southern Resident Killer Whales in Puget Sound, was included in the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.

Larsen Takes to the House Floor to Support the Northwest Straits Commission

On Tuesday, Rep. Larsen delivered the following remarks on the floor of the House of Representatives in support of his bill to reauthorize the Northwest Straits Commission in the Puget Sound:

“Mister Speaker, I rise in support of my bill H.R. 2860, the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act.

“The Northwest Straits initiative started as a bipartisan, homegrown idea.

“Thanks to the foresight and hard work of Democratic Senator Patty Murray, and my predecessor in the U.S. House of Representatives, former Republican Representative Jack Metcalf and local stakeholders, Congress created the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Commission in 1998.

“The Commission works with seven county-based marine resources committees, or MRCs, in Northwest Puget Sound.

“Five of those seven MRCs are in the five counties I represent in Northwest Washington state.

“Over the past 28 years, the Commission’s bottom-up approach has ensured that local communities and tribes have the resources and expertise they need to keep marine habitats healthy and recover endangered and threatened species, including the Southern Resident killer whales and salmon.

“My bill would reauthorize the Northwest Straits Commission for seven years, ensuring the Commission can continue its work to restore the marine ecosystem of the Northwest Straits region, including by:
- Restoring shoreline in Skagit County;
- Conserving Olympia oysters in Whatcom County;
- Monitoring kelp beds in Island County;
- Removing derelict vessels in San Juan County; and
- Surveying forage fish eggs in Snohomish County.

“Now, all these project works in tandem, or work together, throughout the Puget Sound in order to increase the whole health of the Puget Sound.

“Not only do these projects restore the environment, but they’re also supporting local jobs.

“According to the Commission, the Northwest Straits region contributes 16,000 jobs to Washington’s commercial and recreational fishing industries and $150 million in economic output for the state’s aquaculture industry.

“The Commission partners with ports, local authorities, state agencies, marine-based businesses and tribes – on everything from trapping invasive European green crab that threaten local shellfish economies, to helping boaters identify and communicate eelgrass locations, which are poor anchorage sites and important for commercial and recreational marine species.

“This is locally-driven, job-creating work that Congress should continue to support.

“I want to thank Representative Emily Randall for co-leading the bill, Senators Murray and Cantwell for their partnership in the Senate, and Representatives Marilyn Strickland, Suzan DelBene, Adam Smith, Pramila Jayapal and Kim Schrier, my colleagues here in the House for cosponsoring the bill.

“I want to thank the many partner organizations in Washington state whose advocacy and hard work has gotten the bill to this point, particularly the Northwest Straits Commission and Puget Sound Partnership.

“Finally, I want to thank Ranking Member Huffman and Chair Westerman, and the entire House Natural Resources Committee and the folks on the Committee and the staff for working with my office to move this bill forward.

“I urge my colleagues to support this bill to keep the momentum going to restore marine habitats, protect Washington State’s environment and create more jobs in Northwest Washington.

“With that, I yield back.”

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Larsen Announces 2026 Congressional App Challenge

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced the launch of the 2026 Congressional App Challenge (CAC). The annual competition accepts entries through Monday, October 26, 2026, is open to high school and middle school students who live in or attend school in Washington state’s 2nd congressional district.

The Congressional App Challenge is an opportunity for students to learn coding and computer science skills and schools to expand access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Students can compete in the CAC by creating an application for desktop/PC, web, tablet, mobile, or other devices such as robotics and wearable technology. The CAC accepts any programming language, including C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, or "block code."

“The Congressional App Challenge is an opportunity for students to sharpen and show off their coding skills,” said Rep. Larsen, whose office has participated in the CAC every year since its inaugural competition in 2015. “Northwest Washington is a leader in STEM education for young people, and I look forward to seeing the region’s coding talent showcased in this year’s entries.”

Last year’s winners, Dylan Pham and Henry Pham from Explorer Middle School in Everett, designed an app called “Epidemic Wars: The 2100 Era” which seeks to educate people about vaccines and the immune system to combat vaccine misinformation.

Students can sign up to participate and read the full competition rules at the Congressional App Challenge website. Students have until 9:00 a.m. PST on Monday, October 26, 2026, to register and submit their entries, but CAC organizers recommend students register early to receive extra support and tips.

Rep. Larsen will announce a district winner in December and invite the winner to the #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Science Fair in Washington, D.C. in April of 2027. Winning apps will be electronically displayed in the U.S. Capitol and on the CAC’s house.gov website.

Students and STEM educators who want to learn more about the competition should reach out to Jessica Zuleta at Jessica.Zuleta@mail.house.gov or at (425) 252-3188. Competing students who would like to publish their Congressional App Challenge entry and receive a certification and free sticker should visit Hack Club’s website.

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Larsen Supports Completing Light Rail Spine from Everett to Tacoma

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) sent a letter to Sound Transit's Board of Directors in support of completing the light rail regional spine from Everett to Tacoma:

“Completing the spine is critical to creating jobs, providing more affordable transportation options, expanding equitable access to transit and promoting regional connectivity," said Rep. Larsen. “Doing so will help Sound Transit capitalize on the significant federal transit investments already made in our region.”

Rep. Larsen is the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 (BIL), which invested $341.1 million into Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension, in addition to other historic investments in local infrastructure across the country. In total, the Lynnwood Link Extension project received $1.3 billion in federal funding, which Rep. Larsen helped secure.

“In the Pacific Northwest, transportation means jobs: workers need reliable ways to get to employment centers, students need access to education and training, families need affordable transportation options, and businesses need confidence that people and goods can move efficiently,” Rep. Larsen continued. “The Everett Link Extension will improve access to one of the region’s most important employment centers and industries.”

Last week, Rep. Larsen’s BUILD America 250 Act passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The bipartisan, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill continues the historic investments started by the BIL, including $87.5 billion over five years to expand and improve transit networks across America.

Rep. Larsen's full letter to the Sound Transit Board of Directors is available here and below.

May 27, 2026

Board of Directors
Sound Transit
401 S. Jackson Street
Seattle, WA, 98104

Dear Board of Directors:

I write in support of completing the light rail regional spine from Everett to Tacoma. Completing the spine is critical to creating jobs, providing more affordable transportation options, expanding equitable access to transit and promoting regional connectivity. Doing so will help Sound Transit capitalize on the significant federal transit investments already made in our region.

Reliable public transit is essential to a strong regional economy. In the Pacific Northwest, transportation means jobs: workers need reliable ways to get to employment centers, students need access to education and training, families need affordable transportation options, and businesses need confidence that people and goods can move efficiently. The Everett Link Extension will improve access to one of the region’s most important employment centers and industries. The SW Industrial Station will connect light rail to Paine Field for the first time, providing better transit access for workers in the aerospace industry. The Boeing Everett Factory alone employs more than 30,000 people, and more than 1,300 other aerospace-related businesses are located in Snohomish County. Light rail is a long-term investment in economic growth and the quality of life for communities across the Puget Sound region.

Completing the spine will help relieve congestion, support transit-oriented housing and job growth, reduce transportation costs for working families and build a cleaner, greener and more accessible transportation network. As the region continues to grow, light rail provides a reliable alternative to increasingly congested transportation corridors and helps connect communities that are underserved by high-capacity transit. Everett has the largest population of any city north of Seattle and is expected to grow significantly in the coming decades. The Puget Sound Regional Council designated Everett as one of five Metropolitan Cities, which together are expected to comprise 36% of the region’s population growth and 44% of its employment growth by 2050.

Bringing light rail to Everett Station will expand transit access for many communities throughout Snohomish County. Everett Station is a major transportation hub, serving more than 20 bus routes as well as regional transportation services. The 2024 opening of Lynnwood Link demonstrated the strong demand for light rail in Snohomish County. The Everett Link extension will build on that success and serve multiple Opportunity Zones along SR 526 and Broadway in Everett, where communities will benefit significantly from expanded light rail service.

Connecting Everett and Tacoma to the light rail network though completion of the spine is critical to the economic success of the region, equitable transit access and the future of a truly connected regional transportation system.

Sincerely,

Rick Larsen
U.S. Representative
Washington State, Second District

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Larsen Introduces Bill to Expand Rural Health Care Access for Tribes, Military Families

Fri, 22 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined Representative Dan Newhouse (WA-04) to introduce the Ensuring Rural Health Care Access for Military and Tribal Families Act. This legislation would allow Island Health, a rural hospital in Anacortes, to be designated as a Critical Access Hospital.

“As health care costs continue to rise, rural hospitals that provide care for local servicemembers, like Island Health in Anacortes, are struggling to maintain their current operations,” said Rep. Larsen. “This legislation will help more rural hospitals receive Critical Access Hospital designation, creating a cost-saving lifeline that will preserve vital services and ensure quality medical care for servicemembers. I will keep fighting to protect rural hospitals and the communities they serve in Northwest Washington.”

Island Health is one of the few rural hospitals in WA without access to the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation. This classification would unlock higher Medicare reimbursement rates and provide access to the 340B drug discount program. Of the nearly 44,000 patients that Island Health serves annually, 78% use government-sponsored insurance, including 55% who use Medicare. Island Health estimates that receiving a CAH designation would remove the need to reduce their current medical services, including their labor and delivery care, and help close the financial gap they are facing.

“Americans deserve the best medical care, regardless of where they live. In rural areas access to quality, essential health care services remains a challenge,” said Rep. Newhouse. “Critical Access Hospital designation requirements are rigid, and flexibility is needed to ensure rural hospitals have the federal support and resources to bridge health care accessibility gaps. Specifically, this legislation would allow Astria Toppenish to be designated as a Critical Access Hospital, providing the facility long-term financial certainty to continue delivering care to military and tribal families in the Yakima Valley. I thank Rep. Larsen for joining me in this important effort that will improve health care services in rural areas across the country.”

“We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Representatives Dan Newhouse and Rick Larsen for prioritizing this legislation to help ensure our local community and military families continue to have access to essential healthcare services, including labor and delivery care,” said Island Health CEO Elise Cutter. “In 2025, Island Health delivered more than 400 babies, 40% of which were military families stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey.”

“Astria Health has spent years pursuing innovative solutions to strengthen healthcare access in the Lower Yakima Valley,” said Cathy Bambrick, CEO, Astria Toppenish Hospital. “This legislation represents an important step toward ensuring hospitals serving rural and underserved populations have the resources needed to remain viable for generations to come. Critical Access Hospital designation would improve reimbursement, strengthen local healthcare infrastructure, and help preserve essential services for the communities that rely on them every day. We sincerely thank Congressman Dan Newhouse for his tireless work developing this legislation and for his support of rural healthcare across Central Washington and the nation.”

The full text of the Ensuring Rural Health Care Access for Military and Tribal Families Act can be found here.

Larsen Fights for Affordable Health Care

Increasing access to affordable health care in Northwest Washington is a top priority for Rep. Larsen. He is fighting to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits, and has hosted roundtables with Northwest Washington community members to discuss policies to expand access to affordable health care, including his legislation that would reverse burdensome paperwork requirements in Medicaid.

Larsen’s Bipartisan Bill Invests $580 Billion in Job-Creating Infrastructure

Fri, 22 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02)’s BUILD America 250 Act passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The bipartisan, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill continues historic investments in Washington state started by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 (BIL).

“Every day is Infrastructure Day in Northwest Washington,” said Rep. Larsen. “The BUILD America 250 Act will employ women and men in my district building roads, bridges, highways, transit, culverts and more. You can’t have a big-league economy with little-league infrastructure, and the investments made by the BUILD America 250 Act will upgrade Northwest Washington’s infrastructure and upgrade our economy.”

Washington State Wins in the BUILD America 250 Act

The BUILD America 250 Act funds Washington state transportation and infrastructure priorities, including ferries, culverts and transit. Wins for Washington in the BUILD America 250 Act include:

$1.7 billion for ferries: The bill provides $1.7 billion in dedicated funding to construct and repair ferries.
- The bill boosts the Federal Highway Administration’s Ferry Boat program to $932 million (up from $570 million in BIL).
- The bill provides the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) ferry programs with $625 million in funding for urban areas and an additional $125 million in funding for rural and insular areas.
- The bill allows Washington State Ferries (WSF) more flexibility to apply for funding for ferries that serve urban and rural communities, which will help WSF invest in and maintain ferries to ensure residents of San Juan and Island counties have reliable transportation.

$87.5 billion for transit: The bill provides $87.5 billion over five years to expand and improve transit networks across America, including Northwest Washington, growing the region’s economy.

$10 billion for buses: The bill maintains the Buses and Bus Facilities discretionary grant program and provides $10 billion in guaranteed funding over five years, which will help local transit agencies to replace aging fleets.
- Last year, the FTA awarded more than $50 million through bus programs to Everett Transit, Skagit Transit, Community Transit and Whatcom Transportation Authority to transition to low emission buses, improve service reliability and invest in paratransit services.
- Rep. Larsen is the co-chair of the Congressional Bus Caucus.
$1 billion for culverts: The bill preserves the National Culvert Program and maintains $1 billion in guaranteed funding for culvert projects, which will help support salmon restoration and environmental protection efforts in Northwest Washington.
- In 2022, the City of Bellingham received $1.8 million to replace two culvert crossings at the mouth of Squalicum Creek and the Nooksack Indian Tribe received $1.2 million to replace a culvert with a bridge on Jones Creek by the BNSF Railway line.
$45 billion for bridges: The bill provides the largest ever investment in repairing and replacing America’s aging bridges.
- 25 percent of guaranteed bridge funding ($11.25 billion) is dedicated to local governments.
- The recently reopened Edgewater Bridge that connects Everett and Mukilteo received $25 million in funding through federal bridge investments.
$45.6 billion in Surface Transportation Block Grants (STBG) for communities of all sizes: The bill provides $45.6 billion over five years in STBG funding to be distributed to local areas, and allows island communities in San Juan County to access these funds for dock and water infrastructure projects.
$83 billion for local communities to build highways and rail: The bill provides nearly $83 billion in highway and multimodal funding to local communities, ensuring that folks on the ground can direct funding to best serve their neighbors.
- The bill includes $12 billion for a new Surface Transportation Accelerator Grant (STAG) for local communities, with dedicated pots of funding for communities of all sizes.
- The bill also makes local governments eligible for $30 billion in rail improvement funds.
- The City of Everett received more than $18 million last year to eliminate two at-grade railroad crossings that pose significant risks to public safety through the construction of an overpass and new integrated roundabout near the Smith Island railroad terminal in Everett.
Protecting the environment: The bill provides funding to support cleaner and greener transportation and infrastructure, and protects Northwest Washington’s environment.
- The bill streamlines permitting reviews to make environmentally-friendly projects easier to build.
- The bill requires states to invest $1 billion in alternative fuel infrastructure – including electric vehicle charging.
- The bill maintains $500 million in annual funding for PROTECT grants to make surface transportation more resilient to the changing climate.
Helping veterans access health care: The bill makes funding available to provide veterans with public transportation to Department of Veterans Affairs facilities and veterans organizations, like the Everett and Mount Vernon Community Based Outpatient Clinics.
- Rep. Larsen originally introduced a bill to make this funding available in December 2025.
Supporting safety at the World Cup: The bill authorizes $250 million in funding for communities hosting international sporting events, like the World Cup, to ensure players and fans are safe at games.
- Rep. Larsen originally introduced this bipartisan legislation to provide this funding in December 2025.

The BUILD America 250 Act passed out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by a vote of 62-2.

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Larsen Announces Winner of 2026 Congressional Art Competition

Fri, 22 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced Olivia Hamm of Oak Harbor High School as the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition in Washington state’s 2nd congressional district with her piece, "Sleepy."

"It takes courage to put yourself out there as a young artist, and I want to thank all the artists who submitted their work to the Congressional Art Competition," said Larsen. "Congratulations to Olivia Hamm for winning this year’s competition. I look forward to seeing 'Sleepy' in the Capitol throughout the year."

"I had a lot of fun working on this project, and I'm thrilled it opened up opportunities for me to meet other artists," said Ms. Hamm, winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. "I tried to leave the piece up for some interpretation, and it's awesome that many people can view it and see different things."

"I am thankful to be working with such dedicated art students," said Kit Christopherson, Ms. Hamm’s art teacher at Oak Harbor High School. "Olivia's winning use of charcoal created a diffused glow in a self portrait full of subtle textural detail and even subtler surrealism, She is that rare blend of both exceptionally creative and exceptionally hard working."

"Sleepy" will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. Ms. Hamm has also been invited to attend the Congressional Art Competition awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. and received free airfare for herself and an adult for the trip.

This year’s second and third place winners were Jasper Christopherson from Oak Harbor High School with "Up close and far away: Isaiah" and Loren Joung from Kamiak High School with "Close Enough to Know."

Kit Christopherson is the art teacher at Oak Harbor High School, and congratulated his three students for winning 1st and 2nd place in this year’s competition.

"All participating students and schools brought exceptional work and OHHS was fortunate to have Olivia Hamm's 'Sleepy' and Jasper Christopherson's 'Up close and far away: Isaiah' recognized as stand out pieces," said Christopherson. "Jasper's bombastic approach to forced separation was both technically excellent and viscerally disturbing and we hope he continues his focused efforts to make art that asks questions. As a military town, OHHS arts remains appreciative of the congressional opportunity and committed to art in government spaces."

This year, Rep. Larsen’s office received 20 eligible artwork submissions from across the Second District. Rep. Larsen, Dr. Kate MacKenzie (Snohomish County Arts Commissioner), Therese Kingsbury (President of Sculpture Northwest), and Diane Martindale (former President of the San Juan Islands Museum of Art) served as judges in the competition. Each submission was scored on creativity, the execution of the artist’s skill and the way the piece tells a story or provokes a reaction.

The winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition in Washington state’s 2nd Congressional District, "Swallow Your Attitude" by Tessa Meyer of Oak Harbor High School, has hung in the U.S. Capitol for the past year.

Each spring since 1982, the Congressional Institute has sponsored the Congressional Art Competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in each congressional district. Since the competition began, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. For more information about the annual Congressional Art Competition, click here.

Larsen Condemns Trump’s Corrupt Settlement

Thu, 21 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:

“The President’s efforts to cover up his illegal business practices and make himself immune from future IRS audits will fail. No one is above the law. The President will pay the taxes he legally owes.”

This week, the President announced a settlement with the Department of Justice to end an investigation into his tax returns. The terms of the settlement will remove up to $100 million in potential IRS penalties against the President and will bar the IRS from future investigations into the President, his family members and his businesses.

Larsen Fights Against Trump’s Corrupt Slush Fund

Thu, 21 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:

“While families struggle to put food on their tables and gas in their cars, the President wants to hand out taxpayer dollars to domestic terrorists who attacked police officers on January 6th and other criminals. This out-in-the-open corruption is shameful. Taxpayer dollars should be spent making life more affordable and creating local jobs.”

This week, President Trump announced a $1.8 billion fund to be distributed to the President’s political allies.

Rep. Larsen is cosponsoring Representative Jamie Raskin’s (MD-08) bill to block President Trump’s abuse of settlement funds to steal $1.8 billion from the U.S. Treasury (the No Taxpayer-Funded Settlement Slush Funds Act).

Larsen Fights to Make Housing More Affordable in Northwest Washington

Wed, 20 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) voted for comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to make housing more affordable across the United States (the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act).

“Families in Northwest Washington are struggling to afford their skyrocketing rent and don’t know if they will ever be able to buy a house of their own,” said Rep. Larsen. “This bill is not a be-all-and-end-all fix to the housing affordability crisis, but it provides real solutions to the barriers in the way of constructing more affordable housing and the challenges that renters face.”

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act would:

Expand the number of homes, apartment complexes, and other housing options by reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers to new home construction.
Prevent private equity firms from buying significant numbers of single family homes.
Create a renter complaint hotline and resource center for reporting, monitoring and resolving renter disputes with large institutional investor landlords.
Establish procedures for timely responses by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and large institutional landlords and connects renters with State authorities.
Require annual reporting on renter disputes and annual notification by large institutional landlords to HUD about the number and location of their properties.
Support community financial institutions that provide critical financing to homebuyers and housing developers

The House of Representatives passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act on a 396-13 vote. The legislation will now be sent back to the Senate for approval.

Rep. Larsen voted for the original version of this bill in February (the Housing for the 21st Century Act) and been calling attention to the skyrocketing prices of gas, groceries, health care and housing for months.

The text of the bill can be found here.

A one-pager on the bill can be found here.

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Larsen to Host Third COVID-19 Telephone Town Hall

Wed, 20 May 2020 20:00:00 GMT

EVERETT, WA - Today, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) will host a live telephone town hall to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic with Second District residents. Suzan “Suzi” LeVine, Commissioner of the Washington Employment Security Department, will join Larsen to hear residents’ concerns and help answer questions about benefits available to Washingtonians suffering from the virus’ impacts.

Last month, Larsen hosted a COVID-19 telephone town hall with LeVine and Duane Fladland, Director of the Washington Small Business Development Center. This year, Larsen has held public forums in Mountlake Terrace, Sedro-Woolley, Bow, Clinton, Stanwood, Brier, Eastsound, Oak Harbor and Anacortes. In 2019, Larsen held twenty community forums across the Second District, including ten Community Coffees, six Veterans Forums and four Town Talks.

This telephone town hall is open to the public and the press. Please RSVP to Joseph Tutino at Joseph.Tutino@mail.house.gov.

Wednesday, May 20

Larsen will host live telephone town hall

Begins at 4:00 p.m. PDT

Dial in: 855.962.0954

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