Press Releases

Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Dan Newhouse (WA-04) underscored the need for more bipartisanship in Washington, DC, and greater civil discourse in the current polarized atmosphere at a forum hosted by Cascadia College on Monday evening.

“It is no surprise that politics has become more divisive in recent years but there is still more that unites us than divides us. My congressional district was described as the most evenly divided in the country when it was created and it is an honor to serve all my constituents,” said DelBene. “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us we can still come together in a bipartisan way. Our state was hit early by the outbreak. Our federal delegation – Democrats and Republicans – united to do all we could to get the state the resources it needed in those critical early days. I want to thank Rep. Newhouse for joining me for this important discussion at Cascadia and for the strong partnership we enjoy.”

“Encouraging civility and increasing conversations across the aisle has been one of my priorities in Congress. It is no secret that politics have become increasingly divisive, but it is our responsibility to work together and deliver results for our constituents,” said Newhouse. “From our early COVID-19 response to supporting international trade, the Washington state delegation shares several bipartisan priorities that require collaboration, and I am proud of how we have been able to put our political differences aside to address the priorities of Washingtonians. Thank you, Rep. DelBene, for inviting me to join you in this important conversation to show that we can disagree without being disagreeable.”

The conversation was moderated by Cascadia President Dr. Eric Murray. This event is part of a series to highlight the importance of working together to solve tomorrow’s problems. Engaging students can help prepare our future leaders to replace harmful rhetoric with civil discourse and gridlock with progress.

The full video of the event can be found here.