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 »
Theirs is one of the deadliest occupations, with 800-pound crab pots menacing life and limb, and stormy waters threatening their ships.
But the men and women who ply the Bering Sea pursuing the lucrative catch are facing a different challenge: The three-month Alaska crab season starts Tuesday, but government workers, idled by the federal shutdown, aren’t issuing the necessary… Read more »
DARRINGTON -- Owners of a Darrington river-rafting business find themselves beached until the federal government is motoring at full throttle again.
Brian Pernick and his sister, Sarah, were in the process of obtaining a new use permit from the U.S. Forest Service to provide whitewater rafting and scenic float trips on the Sauk River.
But the agency shuttered its doors Oct. 1 when the… Read more »
SEATTLE — Most crab fishermen from Washington are already in Alaska preparing for the start of the season in just ten days, but if the government shutdown drags on, they’ll be forced to stay docked.
“The problem is the federal government is the one that actually issues the permits,” said Mark Gleason, who represents the industry. “The people in charge of… 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 »
Congresswoman Suzan DelBene issued the following statement today following House Republicans’ vote on a continuing resolution that includes a delay of the Affordable Care Act and repeals a medical device tax – provisions that increase the likelihood of a looming government shutdown:
“I’m incredibly disappointed by the refusal of House leadership to back away from… Read more »
A few key federal grants announced this week could help Whatcom County berry farmers improve growing efficiency and export sales.The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded $3.2 million in Specialty Crop Block Grants to Washington state, with about $345,000 going toward programs that will benefit local farmers. The funding for these grants is already in place and shouldn't be affected… Read more »
MOUNT VERNON — Concerns over cuts to the federal nutrition assistance program were discussed Tuesday when U.S. Reps. Rick Larsen and Suzan DelBene met with anti-hunger advocates at the Community Action Agency.To read the full story, click HERE. Read more »
Politics, for all its sound and fury, still signifies something. Ideally, it's an expression of public values. Thursday in the U.S. House, "ideally" was nowhere to be seen.The U.S. House voted 217 to 210 to give 3.8 million Americans on food stamps the heave-ho.To read the full story, click HERE. Read more »
