Jobs and the Economy

MOUNT VERNON — A significant piece of the federal farm bill for Skagit County agriculture is the increased and permanent funding for specialty crop research and grant programs. The bill is the first to provide long-term investments for the programs and raises funding 50 percent over levels offered in the last farm legislation, providing $80 million per year to the Specialty Crop… Read more »

The mosaic of interests, the political horse-trading, the willingness to hold hostage the food stamp program: The farm bill defines lawmaking down. In the age of gridlock, incremental changes are cast as victories. The deficit will be reduced by more than $16 billion, largely by rejiggering agriculture subsidies, including elimination of direct payments to farmers for not growing crops.… Read more »

The mammoth farm bill passed by the U.S. House last week contains a provision written by Rep. Suzan DelBene, of Medina, to replicate a Washington state program to train food-stamp recipients for jobs with taxpayer money. To read the full story, click HERE. Read more »

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene calls the farm bill passed by the U.S. House a ‘big win’ for Washington’s specialty crop farmers. She says the bill gives unprecedented levels of funding for the specialty crop industry, including Whatcom County fruit and vegetable farmers. $800 million for specialty crop research. The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the farm bill next… Read more »

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene released the following statement reacting to the President’s 2014 State of the Union address to the nation: “One of the greatest challenges facing us as a nation is how we grow our economy, create jobs and expand opportunity for all. This evening, the President made a strong case for policies that will help us build the foundation for long-term… Read more »

Today a majority of the members on the joint House-Senate Conference Committee to negotiate the Farm Bill approved a conference report on a final five-year Farm Bill. The compromise agreement includes a number of reforms that will reduce the deficit by over $20 billion, with the majority of savings coming from reforms to agricultural subsidies, such as the elimination of direct… Read more »

The House of Representatives today passed an omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year 2014 by a vote of 359-67. The bill meets the terms set by the Murray-Ryan budget agreement, providing $1.012 trillion for the operation of the federal government and avoiding a government shutdown. After her vote in support of the omnibus appropriations bill, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene issued the… Read more »

49 Freshman House Democrats today, including Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, urged Speaker John Boehner to schedule an immediate vote to extend emergency unemployment insurance for 1.3 million Americans who lost their benefits due to congressional inaction at the end of last year. “As members of the freshman class, we are writing to request an immediate, up-or-down vote to extend… Read more »

After working for 14 years as a billing specialist, Uzorigwe Alintah has not earned a paycheck for a year. He is among many in the Seattle area and one of 4.1 million nationwide — nearly 40 percent of the 10.9 million jobless — who have been unemployed for more than six months. This week, Alintah joined another unenviable group: He is among the millions who are out of work but… Read more »

SEATTLE — Over the past week unemployment benefits ended for 25,000 Washingtonians who have been out of work longer than six months.  And thousands more will lose them over the next several months if Congress doesn’t extend the program. “I have about a month or two worth of savings,” said Brett Ivey, who has been receiving benefits since summer.  “I… Read more »