Larsen, Rick RSS Articles

Larsen Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Support Point Roberts and Pene-Exclave Communities

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined Representative Pete Stauber (MN-08) to introduce the Ensuring Exclave Communities are Listened to and their Voices are Examined (EXCLAVE) Act.

“People in Point Roberts must cross the U.S.-Canada border to go to work, attend school, receive medical care and access veterinary services,” said Rep. Larsen. “These residents deserve to be heard when new regulations will impact their everyday life. I am proud to lead this legislation to help ensure that federal rulemaking takes into account folks in Point Roberts.”

“Pene-exclaves, like the Northwest Angle, are distinctive and remote places that are too often overlooked by the federal government,” said Rep. Stauber. “Minnesotans choose to live in the Angle because of its unrivaled beauty and geographic isolation, but that same isolation can mean that federal actions have significant consequences for the people who live there. That is why I am proud to join my friend Rep. Larsen to fight to make sure every American’s voice is heard, no matter where they live in this great nation.”

In the United States, pene-exclaves are communities that can only be accessed by land by traveling through Canada. When federal agencies make rules that impact cross-border travel, the agencies fail to consider the unique circumstances of pene-exclave residents who cross the border frequently to buy groceries, access veterinary care, go to the doctor, get help from emergency management and conduct business. The EXCLAVE Act would require federal government agencies to consult with pene-exclave communities before finalizing any rules that would hinder the residents’ ability to cross the border and access essential services.

In January, Rep. Larsen visited Point Roberts and met with members of the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee, Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce, and Point Roberts Taxpayers Association to hear about the issues community members face when crossing the U.S.-Canada border. Rep. Larsen has been working on the EXCLAVE Act since 2024 when members of the Point Roberts community shared concerns about the local impacts of new Centers for Disease Control (CDC) rules around travel across the border with dogs that did not take into consideration the unique situation of pene-exclaves.

The EXCLAVE Act is supported by pene-exclave communities in Washington state and Minnesota.

“Through the EXCLAVE Act of 2026, Rep. Larsen has created a dynamic, enforceable mechanism for the resolution and/or removal of impediments inherent within Point Roberts and all exclave communities,” said the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee. “His work will help level the playing field by ensuring citizens’ safe cross-border passage, access to essential life services, whether food, fuel, sanitation or medical, and through the removal of circumstantial barriers to trade and livelihoods.”

“Following 9/11, Point Roberts businesses lost access to beneficial procedures that had been in place locally to facilitate issuance of work visas for seasonal unskilled Canadian workers such as restaurant staff,” said Mark Robbins, President of the Point Roberts Taxpayers Association. “This has placed an added burden on our small business community that might be lifted if the law allowed for some exceptions in pene-exclaves like Point Roberts. We hope that Rep. Larsen's proposed EXCLAVE Act will create a framework for allowing appropriate regulatory exceptions.”

“On behalf of the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce, I would like to thank U.S. Representative Rick Larsen for his vision, forethought, and affirmative action with the soon to be introduced act titled Ensuring Exclave Communities are Listened to and their Voices are Examined Act of 2026,” said Wayne Lyle, President of the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce. “Not only does this bill recognize our potential challenges, both historical and in the future, but it provides a mechanism and concise timeline for us to be heard. We are also very proud that it was our own representative that spearheaded and drove this initiative. We look forward to the successful acceptance of this bill by both the House and Senate, and our amazing community of Point Roberts being active participants within the bill’s parameters in the future.”

“The Northwest Angle is one of the best freshwater fisheries and most beautiful areas in our country. Often, policy changes greatly affect both the locals who live here and the tourism industry this area relies upon for its livelihood,” explains Joe Henry, Executive Director, Lake of the Woods Tourism. “Agencies in Washington aren't always aware of exclaves and make decisions without considering how those decisions negatively affect people's lives. We are grateful for the opportunity to be represented and heard.”

The full text of the bill can be found here.

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Larsen Votes to Make Housing More Affordable in Northwest Washington

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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

“Too many families in Northwest Washington struggle to afford skyrocketing rent and don’t know if they will ever be able to own a home of their own,” said Rep. Larsen. “The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will bring down housing costs by making it easier to build new homes and by protecting homeowners from private equity homebuyers and renters from corporate landlords. While this bill is not a be-all-and-end-all fix, it achieves real progress toward making homeownership and renting affordable for working families.”

“Now, President Trump is refusing to sign this bipartisan legislation to lower your costs until Congress passes legislation to make it harder for women to vote,” Rep. Larsen continued. “The President should be helping Americans struggling with sky-high costs, not making it harder for Americans to vote him out of office. I will keep fighting to bring down the cost of housing, gas, groceries, health care and more.”

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes provisions to:

Kickstart the construction of new homes by:

helping local governments convert vacant commercial or industrial buildings into affordable housing units;
lowering barriers in the way of developing manufactured, modular housing, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs);
removing restrictions in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to allow cities and local governments, for the first time, to fund new affordable housing construction; and
reauthorizing and expanding the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the largest federal block grant designed exclusively to create and preserve affordable housing for low-income households.

Prohibit large institutional investors that own more than 350 single-family homes from purchasing additional single-family homes;

Create a renter complaint hotline and resource center for reporting, monitoring and resolving renter disputes with large institutional investor landlords;

Help more veterans access affordable housing by:

requiring Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan applications to inform veterans of their home loan benefits offered through the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA);
excluding veterans’ disability compensation from counting against HUD-VASH benefits; and
requiring Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan applications to display VA loan options alongside conventional and FHA loans to help veterans better compare loan costs.

Require large institutional landlords to report to the Department of Housing and Urban Development annually about renter disputes and the number and location of their properties; and

Support community financial institutions that provide critical financing to homebuyers and housing developers by:

streamlining the process of forming new community banks and credit unions in rural and underserved areas; and
lowering funding costs and enhancing lending capacity at eligible community banks with less than $10 billion in assets by allowing them to reclassify certain deposits.

The House of Representatives passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act on a 358-32 vote, and the bill now goes to the President’s desk.

Rep. Larsen voted for prior versions of the bill in May and February. He has been calling attention to the skyrocketing prices of gas, groceries, health care and housing for months.

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Larsen Cheers Trump Administration Backing Off Plan to End Key Ocean Monitoring Initiative

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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

“Monitoring our oceans is crucial to protect Northwest Washington’s coastlines, marine ecosystems and maritime economy.

“The Trump administration’s attempt to remove hundreds of underwater instruments that help scientists understand ecosystem threats and natural disasters like El Niño was shortsighted and dangerous. I am glad that the Administration is reversing course and will redeploy the sensors that it already removed from oceans off the coast of Washington state.

“I will continue fighting to protect marine habitats, prevent climate change and invest in clean energy and sustainable infrastructure.”

Today, the Trump administration announced it will abandon its plan to dismantle the Ocean Observatories Initiative, a $368 million ocean monitoring system critical to gathering data on marine ecosystems and the effects of climate change.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) stated in May that it would begin removing underwater instruments in June that are anchored to the sea floor off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, Alaska and North Carolina. NSF announced today that it is developing plans to redeploy buoys, sensors and other instruments that were removed this month off the coasts of Washington and Oregon.

Larsen Continues to Champion Northwest Washington’s Environment

Protecting Washington state’s environment and addressing climate change are top priorities for Rep. Larsen. Larsen’s bill to reauthorize the Northwest Straits Commission and protect marine habitats in Northwest Washington recently passed the House of Representatives. The Northwest Straits Commission is a community-led effort to restore marine habitats in the Northwest Straits region and address local threats to marine environments with projects such as restoring shellfish populations, protecting vulnerable ecosystems, and promoting growth for native water and shore-based plants.

Rep. Larsen is an advocate for ocean research funding, including for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). The Pacific Northwest’s regional IOOS, the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), produces and compiles high-quality ocean and coastal data to inform scientists and governments about how climate change and natural disasters are impacting oceans and marine environments.

As the lead Democrat on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Rep. Larsen secured key wins for Northwest Washington’s marine infrastructure in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA 2024), bipartisan legislation that secures critical investments in ports, inland waterways, flood management systems, ecosystems and other water resources infrastructure. In WRDA 2024, Larsen secured $242 million for Western Washington counties to use for environmentally sustainable flood control, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure across Northwest Washington.

Rep. Larsen also secured funding for Northwest Washington culvert projects in his BUILD America 250 Act, which passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last month on a 62-2 vote. Larsen’s bill would preserve the National Culvert Program, which supports salmon restoration and environmental protection efforts in Northwest Washington. The BUILD America 250 Act would also streamlines permitting reviews to make environmentally friendly projects easier to build, require states to invest $1 billion in alternative fuel infrastructure and maintain $500 million in annual funding for the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation Program (PROTECT) grants to make surface transportation more resilient to the changing climate.

In September 2025, Rep. Larsen joined 153 of his House Democratic colleagues to send a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opposing Administrator Lee Zeldin’s proposed rollbacks of EPA’s landmark Endangerment Finding and vehicle emissions standards and signed a letter that raised concerns with the EPA’s proposal to eliminate federal greenhouse gas pollution standards for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles. Rep. Larsen also joined six other members of Washington’s Congressional Delegation in writing a letter to Administrator Zeldin about how his proposal to eliminate the 2009 Endangerment Finding would exacerbate wildfires, floods and other extreme weather events in Washington state.

In June 2025, Rep, Larsen introduced the bipartisan Enhancing Science, Treatment, and Upkeep of America’s Resilient and Important Estuarine Systems (ESTUARIES Act) to reauthorize the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Estuary Program (NEP) through 2031. The NEP is a non-regulatory program that supports locally driven efforts to restore and protect the environmental and economic health of 28 estuaries of national significance, where rivers meet the sea, including Puget Sound. The legislation passed the House in December 2025.

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Larsen Votes No on Funding ICE without Guardrails

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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

“I voted no on this partisan bill to fund ICE, and I will continue to oppose funding ICE until the agency is required to follow the same rules as every other local, state and federal law enforcement agency.

“Once again, Republicans ignored bipartisan calls for reform and instead advanced a bill that gives ICE and CBP 70 billion taxpayer dollars without any guardrails.

“I proposed amendments to instead spend these dollars helping families recover from natural disasters, growing the local economy, supporting veterans and their families, helping local law enforcement fight drug trafficking and educating students with disabilities. Republicans blocked every one of these amendments.”

Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted to provide $70 billion in funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), both agencies within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The bill passed the House by a vote of 214-212.

Rep. Larsen proposed the following amendments to the legislation, all of which Republicans blocked from consideration in the final bill:

Transfer $5 billion to FEMA to increase the maximum Individual Assistance payouts from $45,000 to $100,000. Rep. Larsen leads legislation to reform FEMA disaster relief and fought to secure Individual Assistance funding for people in Northwest Washington following last December’s devastating floods.
Revoke the President’s waiver of the Jones Act. Last month, Rep. Larsen and Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA) sent a letter to President Trump urging him to reconsider his waiver of the Jones Act.
Process tariff refunds. The amendment would strike ICE funding and provide the funds instead to CBP to process International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff refunds. On February 20, the Supreme Court struck down tariffs that President Trump imposed under the IEEPA, and following the ruling, Larsen urged local businesses to seek tariff refunds.
Help veteran families at risk of homelessness. The amendment would transfer $2.4 billion to VA’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program to help low-income veteran families find and retain stable housing.
Double funding for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance. The amendment would transfer an additional $1 billion in annual funding to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) program, doubling the previous allocation of $964 million, to support local law enforcement, including fentanyl interdiction efforts and multi-jurisdictional drug task forces (MJTFs).
Support students with disabilities. The amendment would strike ICE funding and ensure the federal government finally fulfills its commitments to students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Larsen Demands ICE Accountability, Fights to Fund FEMA, U.S. Coast Guard, TSA

Rep. Larsen is the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has jurisdiction over FEMA and the U.S. Coast Guard within DHS. On April 30, Rep. Larsen voted for legislation to fund all agencies within DHS besides ICE and CBP, which the President later signed into law.

Rep. Larsen supports strengthening accountability and oversight of ICE operations and DHS detention facilities, including:

Prohibiting ICE officers from wearing masks during arrests;
Requiring ICE officers to be trained in de-escalation;
Prohibiting masked ICE officers from using restricted equipment, such as tear gas;
Ending family and child detention;
Ending DHS’s use of private detention facilities;
Providing individuals in immigration detention with unlimited communication with legal counsel;
Repealing the Alien Enemies Act, which President Trump has used to deport immigrants from Venezuela with no due process by accusing them of “invading” the United States; and
A complete and independent investigation into the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis.

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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 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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