United States Representative Suzan DelBene of the 1st Congressional District addressed the Monroe Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at the Rock Church in Monroe.
Photo by Chris Hendrickson
United States Congresswoman Suzan DelBene was welcomed at the Monroe Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Tuesday, Oct. 14. DelBene gave a brief presentation after which she took several questions asked by various chamber members.
DelBene, who represents the 1st Congressional District, was sworn in to the House of Representatives in November of 2012. She sits on the House Agriculture Committee and is one of only five women who serve on the approximately 40-member House Judiciary Committee.
Washington’s 1st Congressional District extends from northeast King County all the way up through Skagit and Whatcom Counties to the Canadian border. The district includes Point Roberts, a small community that is technically part of the United States but is physically disconnected from the mainland. Due to the unique geography of that part of the region, Point Roberts is only accessible by boat or airplane, or by driving through Canada.
“I might be one of the only members of congress who has to drive through Canada to get to part of my district,” said DelBene.
DelBene acknowledged the gridlock that has so often stymies the legislative process in Washington, D.C., and discussed the importance of being able to work across the aisle as often as possible. One example she gave which demonstrated effective bi-partisan teamwork was with the 2014 Farm Bill, which included two initiatives specifically lead by DelBene.
“People came together and we got a farm bill passed that I would argue is the best farm bill we’ve ever had for Washington state farmers,” said DelBene. “That was because we had folks who were focused on reaching across the aisle and focused on getting things done.”
Another area for focus for DelBene has been reigning in the National Security Agency (NSA) to prevent the bulk collection of citizen data. She explained that, due to an overly broad interpretation of the USA Patriot Act, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2001, it has become necessary to implement policy to prevent any further breach of citizen privacy.
“We have a piece of legislation called the USA Freedom Act that we put together to end bulk collection of data and make sure we put back in place the balance between civil liberties and national security,” said DelBene.
She explained that there is still work to be done on the legislation, which has not yet been completed and will also need to pass through the Senate, but thus far it has been another example of successful bi-partisan collaboration.
A lesser-known piece of legislation on which DelBene had influence was the Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act, which was signed into law by President Obama earlier this year. The Green Mountain Lookout point, a popular hiking destination, is located near Darrington in the Glacier Peak Wilderness.
“A couple weeks after the slide the Mayor of Darrington said, ‘If there’s one thing that you could do that would be a piece of good news for our community it would be to pass legislation to save the Green Mountain Lookout,’” said DelBene.
The law protects the lookout point, which was slated for removal as the result of a lawsuit in which an environmental group called Wilderness Watch protested the United States Forest Service use of helicopters and other equipment while performing repairs on the facility. Wilderness Watch argued that the Forest Service violated the 1964 Wilderness Act during the process of the repairs and in 2012, U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour ordered it to be dismantled.
DelBene had sponsored legislation to save the lookout in 2013, but it had stalled out. After the slide occurred she worked with several of her colleagues to get a bill passed. Senator Patty Murray was instrumental in getting the legislation passed through the senate expeditiously, and U.S. Representative Doc Hastings helped move it through the house.
Other items that DelBene has been focused on include the Marketplace Fairness Act, comprehensive immigration reform and finding ways to facilitate a strong transportation system and promote small businesses. She has also been an advocate for boosting educational opportunities and supporting legislation to make higher education more accessible.
DelBene has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Reed College, and an MBA from the University of Washington. She shared, that due to family financial struggles, she relied on student loans, financial aid and work study programs in order to obtain her education.
“I feel like my education had a big impact on my ability to be successful and have a successful career and be in the position I am today,” said DelBene. “We need to make sure everyone has access to those same opportunities.”
A sports fan, DelBene professed her love for the Seattle Seahawks and for football in general.
“I was a high school football referee,” said DelBene. “I always say that’s one of the experiences I had that probably best prepared me for Congress.”