In the News

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… 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… 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… 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,… Read more »

A fundamental redefinition of the concept of privacy in this modern, digital age. Transparency and a public advocate in the secret courts that oversee the government’s access to data. The public’s understanding of its digital rights to privacy. Those were a few of the issues brought up Tuesday during a forum on privacy in the digital age at the University of Washington School… Read more »

Sometimes it takes a calamity to move anything through Congress. In the case of the Green Mountain Lookout, it took a tragedy for federal lawmakers to keep an iconic structure exactly where it is. A bill sent to President Barack Obama this week will preserve the lookout that's long been a destination for hikers and a cherished landmark for Darrington residents. This legislation… Read more »

On Monday, the glory of spring brought with it a promise kept to the people of Darrington: Washington’s U.S. House delegation shepherded and passed a Senate bill to preserve the Green Mountain lookout in the Glacier Peak National Wilderness Area. The lookout may not heal hearts or repair a broken landscape. But it is a welcome news for a community in mourning. “This lookout… Read more »

DARRINGTON — It's a glimmer of hope for the future. That is how most people in Darrington — many affected by the tragic March 22 landslide west of town — viewed the news Monday that federal legislation will allow the historic forest fire lookout atop nearby Green Mountain to remain. The law now goes to the president for his signature. "What a relief,"… Read more »

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Gov. Jay Inslee’s request for more federal assistance to help with recovery efforts after the deadly mudslide in Oso has been approved. Viet Shelton, spokesman for Rep. Suzan DelBene, said the request was granted Friday morning. Inslee asked for an expansion of a federal emergency declaration the state received earlier this week. Inslee issued the request… Read more »

THE skyrocketing price of textbooks is one reason more college students are finding higher education increasingly unaffordable. “Open” texts — free or low-cost online alternatives to the printed renditions — are a promising potential solution. Students seem to love ’em. But there need to be more open textbooks, and they should be as good, or better, than the… Read more »