In the News

U.S. House members who represent parts of Snohomish County want that to change. They’re urging colleagues to free up more federal dollars for landslide research following the March 22 Oso disaster that claimed at least 41 lives. U.S. Reps. Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen and Jim McDermott on Thursday sent a letter to key colleagues asking them to nearly triple the budget for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Landslide Hazards Program. That would boost funding to $10 million, from about $3.5 million now. “... Read more

EVERETT — What beer makers don't want, farmers do. It's those soggy used-up grains, a by-product of the brewing process, that farmers relish as feed for their livestock. Brewers give the grain away to those willing to pick it up. This practice, considered sustainable and environmentally responsible, has gone on for years without interference from government. But a federal agency is pondering changes in how animal feed is handled, and brewers, farmers and federal lawmakers are worried it could se... Read more

EDWARD Snowden really knows how to bring a room together. On Wednesday, that room was the U.S. House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee chambers, where, by a bipartisan 32-0 vote, members approved a bill that would effectively end one of the most controversial spying programs Snowden exposed. The USA Freedom Act is a landmark step toward ending the National Security Agency’s once-secret, warrantless bulk data collection. The bill instead requires a judge’s permission for specific, targeted ... Read more

A bill that would rein in the National Security Agency, increase transparency on what data the government is collecting and create a public advocate in the secret court system unanimously passed the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday and is headed to the House for a vote. The USA Freedom Act would make significant changes to the way the NSA and other U.S. intelligence agencies collect and analyze data. Tech companies, including Microsoft, have been pushing for changes since Edward Snowden le... Read more

Key lawmakers in the House are nearing a bipartisan compromise on surveillance legislation that they believe can pass the full chamber and satisfy President Barack Obama's goal of ending mass collection of Americans' phone data, aides said this week. The optimism comes as the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday voted 32-0 to advance an amended bill that would bar the National Security Agency from gathering billions of call-detail records for counterterrorism purposes. The House Intelligence C... Read more

A House committee on Wednesday passed a bill that seeks to effectively end one of the National Security Agency's most controversial spy programs. With unanimous support, the House Judiciary Committee approved 32-0 an amended version of the USA Freedom Act, which would limit the government's ability to collect bulk metadata of Americans' phone records. Among its several reform provisions, the Freedom Act would move the storage of phone metadata—the numbers and call durations but not the contents... Read more

It was a moment of presence. On a day of fond memories and tears, a member of Congress leaned down to give a folded U.S. flag to a man whose wife had died in the Oso mudslide. If nothing else, Rep. Suzan DelBene was there at the Darrington Community Center that rainy day. The 1st District congresswoman spoke briefly, then presented Gary "Mac" McPherson the flag at the April 5 memorial service for retired librarian Linda McPherson. When people are in the depths of trauma and grief, mere presence ... Read more

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene spoke about her efforts in office Thursday at the Northshore Rotary's annual luncheon at The Inglewood Golf Club. "It's honor to be here today in this beautiful city," DelBene said. "Kenmore is new, but growing at an exciting pace." Attendees included Greater Bothell Chamber members, Kenmore City Council members and Kenmore Air employees. Many thanked DelBene for her efforts in helping the city of Kenmore receive funding to conduct maintenance dredging of the city's n... Read more

THE Green Mountain Lookout will be preserved, under a law signed Tuesday by President Obama. Washington lawmakers worked to put this protection in place. The fate of the U.S. Forest Service fire lookout loomed large. What began in February as a worthy effort to protect a threatened piece of Washington heritage in the Glacier Peak Wilderness took on special meaning after the devastating March 22 mudslide. The president is scheduled to visit the Oso mudslide Tuesday and meet with families, first r... Read more

Reining in the National Security Agency, keeping laws and civil rights protections up to date with the digital era, and the tension between national security and personal privacy were among the topics of a panel discussion held this morning at the University of Washington School of Law. U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Medina; Brad Smith, Microsoft’s general counsel; and Gabe Rottman, national office legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, participated in the panel moderated by UW ... Read more