Rep. Dan Newhouse Responds to My Letter Regarding Russia's Influence in the 2016 U.S. Election

May 31, 2017

Dear Dr. Badalamente,

Thank you for contacting my office about the investigation into Russia’s influence in the 2016 election cycle.  It is important to hear from constituents as I work in Congress representing the people of Washington’s 4th District.  I sincerely appreciate you reaching out and sharing your views on this important issue.

Recently, concerns were raised over President Trump’s firing of James Comey, the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). These concerns are centered on Director Comey and the FBI’s active investigation of potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russian officials’ interference in the presidential election.

You may be pleased to know that despite the firing of Director Comey, the FBI is continuing to investigate Russia’s potential role in last year’s elections and any potential ties between Trump campaign officials and Russia.  Additionally, you will be pleased to know, on May 17, 2017 the Department of Justice (DOJ) appointed former FBI director Robert Mueller as a special counsel charged with overseeing the federal investigation into Russian interference in the election.  Many individuals have asked for a special counsel to be appointed since this investigation began, and Director Mueller is highly respected and has served both Republican and Democratic Administrations.

Additionally, the Senate and House Intelligence Committees are also conducting investigations into this matter as well. I am encouraged by the effort to determine the facts in this matter and determine the extent of Russian interference, and whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.  No one is above the law, and Congress, the FBI, and DOJ will act accordingly when the findings of the investigation are released.

I hope you will continue to be in contact as Congress debates the many issues of importance to the country. I also encourage you to connect with me on Facebook and Twitter and to sign up for my e-newsletter for the latest updates on my work to represent Central Washington’s views in our nation’s capital

Thank you again for taking the time to share your concerns with me—I am always glad to hear from constituents of the 4^th District. It is an honor and privilege to serve you in Congress.
Sincerely,

Dan Newhouse
Member of Congress

The "Financial Choice Act" is a Choose to Lose Act

James Comey Before the Senate Intelligence Committee, June 8, 2017

While the American public has been riveted to the TV as former FBI Director, James Comey, tells us what we already know about President Donald Trump's attempts to "deal" his way out of the Russia collusion investigation, and TV pundits tell us all over again what Comey was asked and what Comey said, and what it all means, etc., ad nauseam, Congressional Republicans have been going about the business of remaking America in their own image; repealing the Affordable Care Act, rolling back environmental regulations, pulling America out of the Paris Climate Accord, instituting a travel ban on mostly Muslim countries, cutting corporate taxes, de-funding Planned Parenthood, making bathrooms "safe again," etc.

Much of what the Republican Congress is doing involves rather arcane law. For example, yesterday, June 8th, while Comey was testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, the House approved legislation to erase a number of core financial regulations put in place by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act. The bill’s passage in the House, by 233 to 186, along party lines, is another of the Republican Party’s efforts to erase one of President Barack Obama’s signature accomplishments.

During the campaign, Republicans argued that Hillary Clinton was too close to Wall Street. Now, Republicans are giving a handout to Wall Street while putting everyday investors at risk. A Party led by a president who knows how to "do bankruptcy" apparently reassures Republican Congressional leaders that it's all going to "make America great again." Like it was in 2008.

One of the key provisions of the Republican bill is gutting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a core creation of Dodd-Frank. The bureau's independence would be removed; it would be placed under the executive-branch, with a director who could be removed at will by the president.

The current Director, Richard Cordray, could be invited to a private dinner with President Trump, just as Comey was, and asked to eat crow. If he claimed to be a vegan, he would be summarily fired, and learn of his termination while watching the Nightly Business Report on PBS, still broadcasting despite Trump's budget cuts to public media.

The House legislation would also strip the CFPB of its authority to police “unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts and practises.” Under the plan, the agency would lose its oversight of the payday loans market, you know those outfits that charge up to 400% interest, and pray on the most vulnerable members of our society (many of whom, ironically, are Trump supporters).

Also, the Republican plan would revoke the Volcker Rule, a Dodd-Frank provision that bans banks from trading with their customers' savings for their own gain. This effectively shifts the risk from the bank to the consumer and ultimately, the taxpayer. This creates the same moral hazard that almost brought the U.S. economy to its knees in 2007-2008.

The bill would also eliminate the Labor Department’s fiduciary rule, which requires brokers to act in the best interest of their clients when providing investment advice about retirement. Although such a requirement might seem intuitively obvious to those of us not earning 6 or 7-figure bonuses, it's a real hindrance to the accumulation of wealth for the Republican constituency.

The bottom line (no pun intended) is that Americans must pay attention to what is actually going on in congress, bills that if enacted into law, will actually impact their health and welfare. Our 4th CD congressman Dan Newhouse voted yes on the Financial Choice Act. Call him (202-225-5816) and express your opinion of his "choice" to abandon his constituents to the wiles of Wall Street.

Then call senators Murray and Cantwell and urge them to vote against this bill. While you're at it, tell them you think Donald Trump should be impeached.

Jessica Monterey Acceptance Speech

Jessica Monterey was the recipient of the Rising Star Award at the 2017 Norm Miller Dinner.

For those who don't know me, my name is Jessica Monterey. I live in Richland with my two daughters, Leila and Kennedy. I'm an east coast transplant, a first generation American, a proud Latina, a working, single mother, and also proud democrat.

Good evening everyone. First, I would like to thank each and every one of you for being here tonight. I am truly honored to be standing before you as the recipient of your 2017 Rising Star Award.

I've always had a passion and interest in politics, but I was never as involved as I am today; growing up in the D.C. area meant I didn't really need to be, the vast majority of my peers were openly democrat or left-leaning. My recent dedication to the Democratic Party is most definitely a reaction to the devastating results of the 2016 elections, though I'm pretty sure I've always called myself a democrat.

If I remember correctly, it started sometime during the Bush/Gore campaign cycle. At the time, much of my family supported Bush. They were also Dallas Cowboys fans, so now you know what I was up against. - I don't remember why, but I do remember that I supported Al Gore. Prior, I'd supported Clinton. I was a kid and I think it was partially in rebellion to my family. I've always been a bit of a rebel.

Then came Obama. Young, inspiring, and, in my 18 year old opinion, quite handsome. And let's not forget - he speaks in complete, coherent sentences.

2008 was my first Presidential election. I volunteered for voter registration drives, wrote “Honk for Obama” on the car I drove. Put out a sign in the Yard. I was all about it. I read about him, listened to him, and watched him, always in complete admiration. As a minority who was also raised by a strong single mother, that I'm proud to have here as my guest, he was beyond inspiring to me, and his success was what I believed to be a change for minorities in America. All was good.

Fast forward about 7 years. I, like many other young democrats, was living in political utopia. America’s first Black president successfully served 2 terms without any scandals. Obviously, the republicans fought him pretty hard, but I think we all expected that. When the campaigns for the 2016 elections started picking up the pace, I was rooting hard for Bernie and I was convinced that Trump was a rouse. A seasoned politician, he drew me in with his unapologetic advocacy for what he believed in. Free tuition. Medicare for all. Immigration reform.  An America that works for everyone. Today, I'm as proud of my progressive convictions as I am of my democratic ones. Thank you Bernie.

Then came November, and well, we all know what happened. Donald John Trump.

After several days of mourning and tears, I made a promise to myself that I was going to use that rebel voice of mine and fight back in every way I could. This is my America, and I will be damned if he was going to destroy it for me.

And here I am today. This fight, my fight, our fight, is about more than just party politics. It's about right and wrong. The Democratic Party is the party of the people. Democrats have historically stood for issues like social and economic justice, affordable health care, and social security. We, democrats, make decisions for the greater good, not just for the wealthy.

Even though we're obviously the better of the two parties, there is still so much work for us to do. I am deeply passionate about immigration and Latino issues, and this is one area the Democratic Party has failed, time and time again. DACA was no more than a step in the right direction and I am determined to bring more Latinos to the table so that our voices, and the voices of our parents, are heard loud and clear. It is important to remember who we are and why we do what we do. My work as an activist and a democrat isn't about the articles in the paper, the news interviews, or even the awards (though I'm truly grateful.) it's about them: the voiceless, the tired, the unheard and the unrepresented. Children, immigrants, the disabled community. We stand for them.

This is only the beginning for me and I ask you keep your eyes peeled, there's more coming soon with my name on it.

Now before I pass the mic along, I have to say that I did not do this alone. There are a few other people in this room I need to thank.

Ready? It's about to sound like an Oscar moment.

First, mom, thank you for always teaching us to do the right thing. Also, let’s thank the staff of the Shilo Inn for their hard work and service.

Now, to those of you who planned this event, those who participated in the decision to give me this award and those who have answered my countless questions, I thank you. I couldn't name everyone tonight, but I'd especially like to thank my mentors: Cedar Kennedy, Allison Dabler, Bonnie Kendall, Jay Clough, Carl Baker, and Kendall Miller - thanks for your time and support, for always keeping me grounded and for helping me up when I feel like it's time to quit. These people invest COUNTLESS hours into this party and into your young democrats, and I personally want to thank them for their efforts.

And last but most certainly not least, I want to ask Ansley Gerhard, Alexis Romero, and Carly Coburn  to please stand.

I would not be standing before you today without their support and participation. These young women are intelligent, fierce, and all-around amazing activists, democrats, and friends. Ansley, Alexis, and Carly, thank you for your unwavering support and your dedication to the cause. I am proud to serve beside you and call you my friends.

Democrats of the Tri-Cities and guests of this Norm Miller Dinner, the future is female. Please give a round of applause to these young women, who are equally as deserving of this award as I am.

Thank you, again

Heidi Hill's Acceptance Speech at the 2017 Norm Miller Dinner

Heidi Hill and Kendall Miller were joint recipients of the 2017 Norm Miller Leadership Award. These are Heidi's remarks on accepting the award. Kendall's remarks were posted previously.

There are many in this room as deserving of this award as Kendall and I and we don’t take that for granted. We are so grateful to those of you doing the really hard work of politics.  And we know that there are also many in this room that might be just beginning to look for ways to become involved.
 
Background


In the course of less than a year, I have been at both ends of this spectrum. And if I can do this, trust me; you absolutely can, too.  Let me tell what I mean… Many of you wouldn’t know that I spent the better part of 30 years wanting to be a white rabbit in the snow.  I was in a car accident in which I sustained a traumatic brain injury concurrent with an assault, leaving me with significant Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. How this relates to this story is that not uncommonly, one of the biggest ways that this impacted me was that I wanted to remain unnoticed; anonymous. Being a white rabbit in the snow. Including in my politics. This became so ingrained in me, it became almost unconscious. I did my work, don’t get me wrong. It simply became my new normal, and therefore mostly unexamined after I integrated it.

And then Nov. 9, 2016 happened. I spent the next couple of weeks in deep shock after the election.  Audre Lord, the feminist, civil rights activist famously said, “Your silence will not protect you.”  I realized that I could be afraid, and I could still do what needed done. I just simply could not remain silent anymore.  In January, I found myself speaking from a stage about my very personal story; with a microphone and press cameras at the Affordable Care Act rally because, like many in this room, I am the face of the ACA. When Kendall retires this year, after working at the same place for 36 years, the same month he retires, his company is stopping offering benefits to retiree spouses. I will need insurance. 

A week after the ACA, I found myself on stage welcoming over 2500 people to the Sister March at John Dam Plaza!

Tribes and Othering

What these numbers, and the FIERCE LOVE on everyone’s faces at the Sister March told us is that we are not alone in our community. I can’t tell you how many people told me that they instantly felt welcomed in to a much larger tribe here in the Tri-Cities—even after living here for decades.  And that it felt incredibly good.

Who are Progressives?

What do we call that Tribe?  Who gets to decide that?  Do we get to self-identify that?  Do others get to decide this?  Identifying as a far-left progressive, I went to a manifesto called Progressive Thinking: A Synthesis of Progressive Values, Beliefs, and Positions.
As the handbook states, the central message is one of fairness and equality: we believe that everyone deserves a fair shot at a decent, fulfilling, and economically secure life through doing his or her fair share of building this life through education and hard work and through active participation in public life. And everyone should play by the same set of rules with no special privileges for the well-connected or wealthy.

This is done through four pillars of thought.

1. Freedom. The most basic value is freedom—1) Freedom from undue interference by governments and others in carrying out their private affairs and personal beliefs 2) and freedom to lead a fulfilling and secure life.

2. Opportunity. Like freedom, the concept of opportunity has two components: one focuses on political equality and the other on life-enhancing economic and social arrangements.

3. Responsibility. Personal responsibility requires each of us to act with honesty and integrity. Responsibility to others and to the common good requires a commitment to putting the public interest above the interests of a few.

4. Cooperation. Cooperation is the foundation of our most important social institutions. Cooperation as a value requires that we try to be open-minded and empathetic toward others and that we are accountable for their well-being. Progressives believe that if we blindly pursue our own needs and ignore those of others, our society will degenerate.

Call-Out Culture

Whether you identify as progressive or moderate, I don’t believe anyone in this room could find much of anything to disagree with what I just shared.

But, unfortunately, Democrats are disagreeing with each other right now.

Studies show that when we feel tribal, our health flourishes. But there’s a problem when our tribe feels threatened--people will act out accordingly.  When I make you an “other”, I don’t have to show up for you.  Unfortunately, Democrats are making people “Others” and calling people out.

Asam Ahmad tells us that the business of the call-out culture is toxic and its purpose is to make someone an outsider--to banish and shun them and dispose of individuals rather than to engage with them as people with complicated stories and histories. There is a totalitarian undercurrent in how progressive communities police and define the bounds of who’s in and who’s out.  As defined by George Lakoff, I believe call-outs are taken right out of the playbook of the Authoritarian Parent model of Republicanism.

In an article in The Atlantic- Why Can’t the Left Win? Freddie DeBoer observed that “A fundamental, structural impediment to liberal political victory is that their preferred kind of moral engagement necessarily limits the number of adherents they can win. It’s just math: you can’t grow a mass party when the daily operation of your movement involves finding more and more heretics to ostracize from the community.”

Getting Democrats Elected

Kendall and I believe that we cannot afford to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.  We are Democrats and we need to get Democrats elected.   We won’t succeed unless we start calling people IN. As the Resistance is showing us, spectacularly, we are so much better when we show up for one another.  Pramila Jayapal, WA State’s congresswoman from the 7th CD,  shared in “The Nation”, “We can’t tear each other down. If we start to divide ourselves now, we’re really lost. It doesn’t mean we can’t disagree about things. But we agree we’re all working toward the same place. That’s when we begin to win.“
  
Conclusion

Kendall and I are regrouping right now and we understand that you can’t regroup without the group.  Like many of you, we wondered what more can we could be doing to effect change.  Gloria Steinem would say, “work on what hurts the most.”

In order to fix what hurts most, we need to get Democrats elected so that we can make laws in our community and our country that reflect fairness and equality. Kendall and I are identifying candidates that we will be supporting with our time, energy and money and we hope that each and every single one of you will do the same.  We believe that we build our tribe strategically, with impeccable integrity, and by calling people IN one by one.

Marge Piercy – Feminist Poet voices this well:

It goes on one at a time,
It starts when you care
To act, it starts when you do
It again after they said no,
It starts when you say WE
And know who you mean, and each
Day you mean one more.

Find. Your. One. More. Call them IN to this tribe, the tribe that we all hunger for—the one that demands fairness and equality--and LET’S. ELECT. DEMOCRATS!

March for Truth

People attending the March for Truth spreading out in Volunteer Park seeking shade on a warm, sunny Saturday afternoon.

The March for Truth attracted a crowd of about 30 to 50 people Saturday, June 3, 2017, in Volunteer Park, Pasco, Washington. It was hosted by the Tri-Cities Young Democrats, and they did a great job. The event was well-planned and organized, right up to and including an after-March picnic, featuring a BBQ courtesy of WA-4 Indivisible.

Jessica Monterey Gonzales acted as MC, and introduced five speakers: Martin McBriarty, Peter Roberts, Richard Badalamente, Carl Baker, and Reid Romine.

All the speakers were on message, and spoke well. I requested a copy of Carl's talk, which I thought was particularly on topic and penetrating, and published it on my blog.

Reid Romine with one of the younger marchers

Republicans Finagling Passage of AHCA

The Republican-led House passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA) May 4, without waiting for the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) assessment of the plan. Last week, May 24th, the CBO and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) provided their assessment, which was required before the bill could be sent to the Senate for consideration. The CBO results were bad, just as republicans anticipated. Nevertheless, they plan to go ahead with their pledge to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Why? Because it plays to their base, and because it’s another brick in the Obama legacy wall they are intent on tearing down. They need bricks, lots of bricks, to build "The Wall."

Republican debates and machinations on the health care bill have been held behind closed doors. Members have no doubt been threatened with severe repercussions should they leak anything to the Press (after all, one Texas republican recently threatened to shoot a colleague in the head over an altercation on immigration). What has emerged however, is that Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and his cohorts are attempting to have the AHCA considered under special budget rules designed to protect it from Democratic defeat.

The Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough and her staff will decide whether Republicans can use the budget reconciliation process to pass the AHCA in the Senate. Under the budget reconciliation process, Republicans would only need 50 "yes" votes from GOP members to pass the healthcare bill, assuming no Democrats vote for the bill and Vice President Mike Pence casts a tie-breaking vote — both good assumptions.

Republicans are promoting the AHCA’s estimated $119 billion reduction of the U.S. deficit over ten years, $11.9b per year. For perspective, that’s 1.4% of the 2018 U.S. military budget. The reduction comes through steep reductions in Medicaid and the replacement of current subsidies with less-generous tax credits.

Among other things, the republican plan would leave some 23 million people without health insurance. People age 50 to 64 would be hit particularly hard, especially those with lower incomes. According to the CBO, premiums for a 64-year-old earning $26,500 a year would increase by a whopping $14,400 in 2026. In addition, people with preexisting conditions may not even be able to purchase health insurance because the prices would be prohibitively high.

One republican lawmaker, Rep Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, recently claimed in a heated town hall meeting that, “Nobody dies because they don’t have access to health care.” Of course we know through tragic experience that isn’t true — and studies have validated that experience. People do die because they lack access to health care. Usually, the people who die are the elderly, sick, and disabled. Who knows, killing off people who drive up health care costs may be the republicans’ nefarious plan — all that talk about “death panels” gave them the idea.

Homeless in Los Angeles

So, what to do?

Well, there are some republicans who appear troubled by the cruelty of this bill. There are others, of course, for whom any federal government subsidized healthcare is anathema. Forget them. Focus on the former, they include: Dean Heller (Nev), Patrick Toomey (PA), Orrin Hatch (Utah), Bill Cassidy (La), and John Hoeven (N.D.). Jeff Flake, and John McCain, both of Arizona (Flake is up for reelection in 2018), Susan Collins (ME). Use your social media smarts to email, tweet (they all have Twitter accounts), and post of their Facebook pages. Call their offices. Use your Facebook to identify your FB friends who reside in the state of one of these swing senate votes and urge them to contact their representatives. Just DO WHAT YOU CAN DO!

And continue to bombard Rep Dan Newhouse with calls, emails, postcards, tweets, Facebook comments, and requests for face-to-face meetings. Real life anecdotes work best.

Please share what you're doing on our various group Facebook pages.

Stronger together!

Washington Legislature 101

This is taken directly from the League of Education Voters website. It may be helpful to those who have forgotten much of what they learned in their high school civics class, or for those of us who learned about state government in a different state, or in a different country. There is a movement afoot to reemphasize civics and retool it to be more relevant to the digital age, and the age of "fake news." Sounds like a good idea to me.

How does your government work?

The Washington State Legislature has two chambers—a Senate with 49 members and a House of Representatives with 98 members.

Who represents me?

You live in a legislative district and are represented in the Legislature by one state senator and two state representatives. Senators are elected to four-year terms and representatives are elected to two-year terms. Find your legislative district on the Washington State Legislature website.

How are legislative districts created?

Districts are divided by an equal population. Now that the 2010 census is complete, districts have been redrawn to reflect the latest population shifts. There are 49 legislative districts. For more information on redistricting, visit the Secretary of State’s website.

When does the Legislature meet?

The Legislature meets annually on the second Monday in January. In odd-numbered years, such as 2015, the Legislature meets for 105 days to write a two-year state budget and pass laws. In even-numbered years, they meet for 60 days to make adjustments to the two-year budget and pass laws.

How does the Washington state budget get finalized?

Washington state operates on a two-year budget. In December of even-numbered years, the governor releases a proposed budget. When the Legislature convenes in January, they begin work on formulating their own budget plans. After the Senate and House pass their respective plans, leaders in each chamber come together to negotiate and come up with one budget that can pass the full Legislature. The final budget is then submitted to the governor, who may veto some or all of the budget. Once the governor signs the budget, it takes effect on July 1 of each odd-numbered year.

Who is the Speaker of the House?

The Speaker of the House is the top leadership position in the state house. The Speaker of the House shapes the agenda and determines what legislation will pass the floor of the House and be sent to the Senate.

In the House, Frank Chopp (D-Seattle) was re-elected as Speaker of the House. He has served as the speaker since January 1999. However, he shared the gavel with a Republican co-speaker from 1999–2002 when there was a tie in the number of seats held by Democrats and Republicans in the House.

Who is the majority leader?

In the Senate, the majority leader is the top leadership position similar to Speaker of the House. As of December 1, 2014, Mark Schoesler (R-Ritzville) is Senate Majority Leader. In the House, the majority leader is the second highest leadership post under the Speaker. Pat Sullivan (D-Covington) is House Majority Leader. The majority leader makes sure that members’ votes are in line with the party. The minority party is led by the minority leader.

What does the Ways and Means Committee do?

The Senate Ways and Means Committee writes the state operating budget, which determines how state revenue is spent on the public’s priorities such as education, health care and public safety. This committee also determines if a bill will move forward based upon the monetary amount attached to it and its impact on the budget as a whole.

How many seats do Democrats and Republicans hold?

Currently the Democratic Caucus controls the House of Representatives (50–47) and the Majority Coalition Caucus (made up of 25 Republicans and 1 independent Democrat) controls the Senate (26–23).

How do I find my legislators?

In the Legislature, you are represented by one state senator and two state representatives. Visit the Washington State Legislature website and type in your voting address to find out who represents you in Olympia.

How do I get a bill passed?

Have an idea for a new law? Talk to one of your state legislators to get them to sponsor a bill. They and their staff will work with you and the Code Reviser’s Office, who are non-partisan attorneys, to take your idea and draft the legislation. Once you have a bill, it must go through the legislative process before it becomes law.

How do I track a bill?

Visit the bill information website and type in the four-digit bill number (e.g., HB 1000). A history of the bill will be displayed including when it received a public hearing and how members of the House and/or Senate voted on it. At the bottom of the page, you can read the Bill Reports for a simple summary of the bill and what it would do.

The League of Education Voters also maintains a bill tracker during the legislative session of education-related bills.

What is a caucus?

A caucus is a group of House or Senate members of a political party. In the Legislature, there are four caucuses: Senate Democratic Caucus, Senate Republican Caucus, House Democratic Caucus, and House Republican Caucus.

Between votes on the floor, legislators will hold caucus meetings with their colleagues from the same political party. For example, a democratic state representative will caucus with the House Democrats. During this meeting, members will discuss the merits of a bill and how they should vote on legislation. Should a member of the Legislature choose, they may caucus with a political party other than their own.

Although the public is not allowed to observe caucus meetings, it is possible to send a note to your legislator in support or opposition of a bill. You may give campus security, who are stationed by the doors to the House and Senate floors, the note to your legislator.

What’s a whip?

A whip is one of several leadership positions in the Democratic and Republican caucus who assist the majority or minority leader in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The whip has several important duties such as counting votes, checking attendance, and maintaining caucus discipline on partisan issues and procedural questions.

What’s a companion bill?

If the same bill is proposed in both the House and Senate, it’s known as a companion bill. Having two versions of the same bill working through the legislative process increases the chance that it will become law. However, it also makes the process more complex since supporters/opponents of the bill need to follow the changes to each bill closely and decide which one is the best to send to the governor’s desk.

How do I get to the state capitol and where can I park?

Visit the state’s website for directions to the state capitol in Olympia from Interstate 5.

For parking, we recommend using one of the nine visitor parking lots on the capitol campus. View the capitol campus map for the parking lot locations and fees.

The House has two K–12 committees: K–12 and Appropriations. Why is that?

In 2006, state Democrats built up large majorities in the Legislature. To provide more leadership roles for legislators, several new committees were created. As a result, the House Education Appropriations Committee was created as a sub-committee to the Appropriations Committee.

The Senate, on the other hand, has Early Learning and K–12 combined, while the House has Early Learning and Social Services combined.

The party in control in each chamber decides how to arrange legislative committees. Since there are more members in the House (98) compare to the Senate (49), there is more flexibility in arranging committee structures in the House. It would be difficult to schedule and fill three separate education committees in the Senate.

What happens during the opening week of the Legislature?

Opening day is largely ceremonial, but legislators do meet in caucus. New members get sworn in, and some work will take place in committee work sessions later in the afternoon. For many freshman legislators, opening day is more than just being sworn in and settling into their offices. Many have family come from around the country to be supportive and be part of the ceremony.

The first week covers a lot of basics and logistics. Committee chairs tell members how the committee is run and go through proper procedures. There will be a number of committee meetings, and there might be some floor sessions on bills.

On Tuesday, the Governor will give his State of the State address. The House will hear testimony on the governor’s proposed supplemental budget, and the Senate may as well.

What is a floor session?

A floor session is where all members of a chamber (House or Senate) vote on bills. This is when a bill is either introduced and referred to a committee, or when a committee has passed a bill and the bill has returned to the chamber for final passage.

Do my legislators pay attention to my emails and letters?

If you send a postcard or email to your legislators, make sure that you include your address. They take more notice if they know you are a constituent of their district. Remember, you want them to remember you. While they can’t read all of the emails they receive, they will begin to learn your name.

Lastly, if you send an email asking for something and you get it, make sure to send a thank-you email. You are building a relationship with your legislators with a goal that they will “want” to talk to you.

What is a “striker” in a bill?

A striker is an amendment to a bill that is offered when a legislator wants to make substantial changes to legislation. Often, a striker begins with “strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following.”

How many bills are introduced on average during a session?

In even-numbered years, 1,479 bills have been proposed on average since 1984. In odd-numbered years, the average is 2,442. The Legislature meets for 105 days in odd-numbered years, giving legislators more time to introduce legislation.

What are the procedures for giving testimony?

Before you arrive at the public hearing, you should prepare your remarks. It’s best to prepare your notes in outline form since reading from prepared text is frowned upon. In your notes, include what legislation you are supporting or opposing and the top reasons why. Practice your remarks using your outlined notes and make sure not to exceed three minutes.

At the public hearing, sign up to testify on the clipboards by the door and indicate whether you are pro or con. If you wrote out your remarks, you can give copies of your testimony to the committee clerk. When testifying, speak into the microphone slowly and clearly. Begin by stating your name and group or organization you represent.

Visit the Legislature’s website for more information on giving public testimony.

What are work sessions?

No public testimony is given during work sessions. Instead, legislators call upon experts to talk about a specific topic, such as K–12 funding. Legislators use this time to ask questions and learn more about legislative issues.

What is a “null and void” clause?

A “null and void” clause means the legislation will not be enacted if it does not receive funding.

What is a fiscal note?

A fiscal note is a cost or savings estimate of the bill’s impact on the Washington state budget.

What is a substitute bill?

A substitute bill is a new bill that replaces the original one.