Jobs and the Economy

Dear Friend, It was a busy August back in the beautiful First Congressional District! I had the opportunity to travel throughout the district talking to folks about ways Congress can update our laws to ensure all Americans succeed in the rapidly changing economy. Nowhere in the country is the economic impact of innovation and entrepreneurship more visible than in Washington’s First… Read more »

Want to be your own boss? If so, you’re in good company. Contingent workers — gig workers (i.e., temporary employees), freelancers (e.g., Uber drivers), and independent contractors (e.g., marketing consultants) — now comprise over a third of America’s labor force. According to Intuit CEO Brad Smith, 43 percent of the workforce will be contingent by 2020. In a nod to the gig… Read more »

SEDRO-WOOLLEY — Ashley Bennett had never been to Sedro-Woolley until four months ago when she arrived in search of a better future. “I wanted to get my life together,” said the 17-year-old from Spokane. Now, Bennett is among the first students in the Cascades Job Corps College and Career Academy and is on track to achieve her lifelong dream of helping the elderly. On a… Read more »

U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene sat down with representatives from various Sky Valley industries earlier this month. She was out to discuss what it takes to maintain and improve a viable regional workforce. The stop at the WorkSource in Monroe marked the start of her August tour of the 1st Congressional District. That includes most of Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties, and part of King… Read more »

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene joked that she was in a brewery, but everyone was drinking coffee. After all, it was near 11 a.m. on Tuesday. With Postdoc Brewing Company co-owner Debbie Chambers leading the way, DelBene toured the Redmond hop-spot before gathering with a group of craft brewery owners to discuss the bipartisan Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (H.R. 747), which… Read more »

SEATTLE — Construction is everywhere in our region. But a problem that many companies are having is finding qualified construction workers. A program that started about 18 months ago is hoping to give potential construction workers a leg up on the competition. It’s called the Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Education, or PACE, program, and several people said it’s changing lives along… Read more »

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01) has reintroduced the State Marijuana And Regulatory Tolerance (SMART) Enforcement Act (H.R. 3534). This bill prohibits state-sanctioned marijuana consumers and businesses from being prosecuted by the federal government. By a margin of more than 6 to 1, Americans say that individual states should be able to make their own laws… Read more »

Dear Friend, Twenty-nine states and Washington, D.C., have legalized some form of marijuana. And more are expected to vote on legalization in 2018. Yet, marijuana possession or use for any purpose is still prohibited under the federal Controlled Substances Act, leaving every participant in the state markets — including cancer patients — at risk of… Read more »

SEATTLE – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) today visited a startup supporter, Galvanize, to discuss the economic benefits a vibrant startup ecosystem provides our communities. Startup companies in the area are creating innovative new products and services and using technology to solve real-world problems. Galvanize helps these businesses through training and counseling, and… Read more »

What better place to host a media event between startup companies and one of the Puget Sound region's top legislators than a hub for entrepreneurial growth and activity named "Galvanize?" To celebrate national startup day, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene met with a select group of Seattle-based entrepreneurs and startup founders at Galvanize Seattle's offices. After a brief tour of… Read more »