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I’m running for office for the very same reasons I first ran for the state legislature — to fight for the people of Central Washington. I was born and raised in Central Washington, I’m a farmer here, and my family lives here. So, the issues facing Central Washington are my issues. As a Member of Congress, I can work to ensure our way of life is protected, and that there’s someone in Washington, D.C. who can truly understand what the impacts of the policies are on our communities.
2. What priorities would you focus on if elected?
Where do I even begin? There are so many issues facing us today. From the cost of gas hitting all-time highs and grocery store bills skyrocketing, to increasing crime rates and a porous southern border that’s letting drugs come into our communities, there are just so many issues facing the American people. And that’s not to mention so many of the unique issues to our region, such as the Snake River Dams which are under attack and the many challenges facing our farmers, or the lack of proper care for our veterans. I am focused on addressing all of these issues, and my experience in Congress and as a farmer in Central Washington enables me to do just that.
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3. A lack of affordable housing is a community concern throughout Klickitat County. What can Congress do to mitigate this issue and what solutions do you support?
I represent rural Central Washington, where our population is growing exponentially, and our homebuilding industry is struggling to keep up in the face of so many regulations that are being handed down at the federal level. In fact, in our state, for every $1,000 increase in the price of a home, 2,200 families are priced out of homeownership. And permitting delays currently add an average of $26,000 to the price of a new home in our state. So, if you’re doing the math, that’s 57,200 families that are being priced out of homeownership because of burdensome, duplicative, and oftentimes redundant permitting delays. These statistics are of particular concern because as homebuilders in our state face an average 6.5-month permit approval timeline, Washington already has the fewest housing units per family household in the nation.
I’m working right now to stop the Obama-era WOTUS rule from being revived—which the current administration is attempting to do—because if it is, permitting would take longer, fewer homes would be built, and the houses that do would become even more expensive. This is a prime example of how reducing the regulatory burden can help ensure that each family has access to affordable, reliable housing.
4. Klickitat County has seen its share of impacts from climate change, ranging from wildfires and heatwaves to hazardous air quality. What measures do you support to mitigate the effects of climate change?
Continuing to pursue an all-of-the-above energy strategy. In Central Washington, we are blessed to have so many sources of clean, renewable energy. From our powerful hydroelectric dams, to our advanced nuclear reactors, we’re truly leading the way in this field. Unfortunately, Governor Inslee and Senator Murray are trying to remove our hydroelectric dams with no energy alternatives in place. Not only would this increase emissions drastically, but it would cost taxpayers billions of dollars. If we want to help our planet heal, we have got to be smart about our energy policies.
I also support locally-led conservation efforts, because it’s the men and women who live in our communities who know the needs of our communities best. I introduced the Conservation and Innovative Climate Partnership Act to allocate funding for land-grant institutions to partner with local farmers to boost conservation and innovative climate practices. Farmers are already responsible stewards of the land, and this legislation empowers producers to voluntarily adopt practices that suit their individual needs while enabling the federal government to build on the successes already taking place in agricultural communities.
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