Press Releases

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene gave the following remarks during the Farm Bill Conference Committee’s first meeting today. The bipartisan, bicameral committee will focus on resolving the differences between the House and Senate-passed Farm Bills over the next few months. The 2008 Farm Bill extension expired September 30. The full text of DelBene’s speech, as prepared for… Read more »

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene joined Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) in co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to rein in the blanket surveillance of Americans by the National Security Agency (NSA), increase Americans’ privacy rights, and require greater transparency, oversight, and accountability of government surveillance programs. The USA Freedom Act ends the bulk collection of data… Read more »

BOTHELL – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene issued the following statement regarding the announcement by the Washington Health Benefit Exchange of an error they discovered in calculating tax credit amounts for residents who applied for health plans: “Washington state’s health insurance exchange is a major component of helping hundreds of thousands of our state’s… Read more »

Northwest lawmakers are urging federal officials to quickly allow Bering Sea fishermen to start fishing for Alaskan king crab. The crab season was scheduled to start on October 15th, but due to the government shutdown, the federal employees at the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) have been unable to issue permits for the fleet, thereby delaying the start of the season. In a… Read more »

Congress today voted to reopen the government and avoid a default on the nation’s debt. Congresswoman Suzan DelBene issued the following statement: “Thanks to a bipartisan vote that should have been allowed weeks ago, Congress is finally reopening the government and averting what could have been a disastrous default on our nation’s debt. “This shutdown never… Read more »

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene was named as a member of the conference committee to negotiate a reauthorized Farm Bill. The House of Representatives yesterday passed a resolution to enter formal talks with the Senate, and today named their conferees. DelBene issued the following statement: “I’m honored to have been appointed to the conference committee to negotiate a… Read more »

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene today announced that she signed a discharge petition to re-open the government. This discharge petition allows a majority of members to bypass House leadership and force an up or down vote on a clean continuing resolution, providing funding through November 15 at a compromise level. DelBene today issued the following statement: “The shutdown has been… Read more »

Washington state’s six House Democrats have joined 194 of their colleagues to call on House Speaker John Boehner to end the Republican-led shutdown by allowing an up-or-down  vote on a clean budget bill that would open the government immediately. Reps. Suzan DelBene, WA-01, Rick Larsen, WA-02, Jim McDermott, WA-07, Adam Smith, WA-09, Denny Heck, WA-10, and Derek Kilmer,… Read more »

In an effort to move forward on comprehensive immigration reform in the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene today co-sponsored new reform legislation. DelBene is leading the effort with Representative Joe Garcia (FL-26), Representative Judy Chu (CA-27), Representative Jared Polis (CO-02) and Representative Steven Horsford (NV-04). “Immigration reform is critical… Read more »

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene issued the following statement today after the House Republicans’ refusal to consider a clean continuing resolution to fund the federal government. As a result of Congress’ inaction, the nation will experience a government shutdown for the first time in seventeen years: “House Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for playing politics… Read more »