In the News

For technology-executive-turned-Rep. Suzan DelBene, technology isn't a separate issue – it's related to everything Congress does. “I think information technology and technology kind of permeates everything that we do," DelBene said. “When we look at industries and government, we see that technology has created incredible opportunities as well." DelBene is the Democratic co-chair of the Congressional High-Tech Women's Caucus and a co-chair of the Congressional Internet of Things Caucus. Right now... Read more

Since the Equal Pay Act became law in 1963, women have made gains as the gap has closed between what they and men earn working at comparable jobs. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the early '60s women made an average of about 60 cents for every dollar men earned. By 2013, that ratio had increased to 78 cents on the dollar. At that rate of improvement, women need only wait 43 years, until 2058, for their pay to match their male co-workers who perform similar tasks. Y... Read more

Last January, a fridge was caught sending spam emails as part of a larger botnet attack: In other words, someone out there remotely accessed more than 100,000 devices, including televisions, routers, multimedia centers and at least one fridge. This person (or persons) used those devices to send more than 750,000 spam emails between December 23, 2013 and January 6, 2014. Fast forward a year and Washington congressional Rep. Suzan DelBene, D‐Medina, is on the case. DelBene, a former Microsoftee, i... Read more

Since the Edward Snowden revelations of 2013, foreign governments have raised concern about the safety of their citizens’ data stored by American Internet companies. They believe U.S. law enforcement authorities have access to any cloud-based data — and it’s putting the $174 billion industry at risk. Alert to these fears, a bipartisan coalition in Congress is working to ensure American companies can assuage these concerns. Their solution is the Law Enforcement Access to Data Stored Abroad Act in... Read more

The "Internet of Things" has become the latest big thing on Capitol Hill. As more Americans connect to the Internet through everything from fitness bracelets to coffee makers, Congress is looking at ways to spur innovation while ensuring that hackers don't exploit the growing number of smart gadgets to steal personal data. Worried that lawmakers are lagging behind on the rapidly evolving technology, two tech-savvy members of Congress — Reps. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Suzan DelBene, D-Wash. — h... Read more

Rep. Suzan DelBene is proposing to widen eligibility for ObamaCare's small-business tax credit as a way to encourage more firms to offer health insurance. DelBene, a Democrat from Washington state, introduced legislation Thursday making businesses with up to 50 employees eligible for the tax credits. Currently, only firms with up to 25 workers are eligible. The bill would also lengthen the timeframe that a small business can receive the tax credit to three years, extend the credit to firms with ... Read more

Congressional privacy advocates want to block government officials from seizing Americans’ emails and geolocation data without warrants – and they’re optimistic about their chances of scoring a win. Authorities currently can take emails older than 180 days without a warrant, and police departments across the country increasingly are snatching cellphone location data in bulk with high-tech devices. Many Americans “assume there’s a warrant standard for that information,” says Rep. Suzan DelBene, D... Read more

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, nearly everywhere you turned people were talking about the Internet of Things or IoT. Now, the idea behind these connected devices — everything from smart cars to smart washing machines — is making its way to D.C. Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) today announced the formation of the Congressional Caucus on the Internet of Things (IoT). “As someone with a long career in the technology industry and as an... Read more

On Dec. 12, the U.S. Senate voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act including a handful of bipartisan bills to protect public lands in Washington. The legislation included the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers Protection Act and the Illabot Creek Wild and Scenic River Act sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray; Sen. Maria Cantwell was a co-sponsor. “After seven years of hard work, we are elated to see the Alpine Lakes and Illabot proposals for new... Read more

ROCKPORT — After a half-dozen years of trying, Skagit County’s Illabot Creek is a pen-stroke away from being designated a Wild and Scenic River. Congress passed a National Defense Authorization Act Friday that includes the designation. All that remains is President Obama’s signature. The designation has been a goal for conservation groups, local and state officials for many years, but efforts to pass it as separate legislation have previously failed. This time, it was added to the $585 billion D... Read more