Jobs and the Economy

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene issued the following statement today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act:“When the Equal Pay Act was signed into law 50 years ago, women on average made 59 cents for every dollar earned by men. Today women make 77 cents for every dollar men earn.  While we have made some progress, it’s clear that we are still nowhere near… Read more »

Washington’s food-stamp program has helped thousands find jobs and get off public assistance through a federally funded employment-training program. A bill in the U.S. House calls for replicating that program nationally.Dede O’Loughlin’s mother dropped out of high school and got by on food stamps. Then O’Loughlin herself became that mother to her three… Read more »

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene issued the following statement today regarding the House Appropriations Committee action to approve an amendment introduced by Congressman Bill Owens to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. The amendment bars the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using any funding to study or implement border crossing fees for passenger vehicles… Read more »

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene released the following statement following the House Committee on Agriculture’s passage of the Farm Bill: Read more »

Democratic Congresswoman Suzan DelBene is not a sponsor of the farm bill put forth today by House Republicans. But the Medina lawmaker did get her proposal to boost job training for food stamp recipients included in the legislation offered up by Republican Congressman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma. Read more »

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene introduced legislation today to create a new national competitive grant program dedicated to funding job training programs to support low-income individuals currently on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The legislation will create pilot projects designed to facilitate access to the education and job skills necessary for participants to get well-paying jobs and reduce their need for government assistance. Read more »

The act simply requires online retailers to collect sales tax. Collection is simplified by the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement, which Washington and 43 other states have signed. It is not a new tax. And it is an acknowledgment that existing law — requiring online buyers to voluntarily report and pay sales tax — is absurdly out-of-date. Read more »

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene introduced bipartisan legislation today to stop the creation of a land border crossing fee.Last month, the Department of Homeland Security included in its Fiscal Year 2014 budget request legislative language to authorize a study assessing the feasibility of charging admission for travelers coming into the United States at land crossings. “The… Read more »

Given how important commerce generated from travel across the northern border is, I was shocked to see a proposal in the Department of Homeland Security's Fiscal Year 2014 budget request to study whether fees should be assessed on passengers and pedestrians crossing into the United States at land crossings, such as ours in Whatcom County. Such a fee would create a new economic barrier… Read more »

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene released the following statement regarding today’s passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act by the U.S. Senate.  This legislation would allow local brick-and-mortar retailers to compete more effectively against out-of-state Internet retailers, by closing the current tax loophole that has prevented states from collecting existing sales taxes on… Read more »