Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) was joined by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to underscore the importance of addressing the nationwide semiconductor chip shortage and its impact on the Washington state economy. On a call with reporters, DelBene and Raimondo discussed how the current chip shortage is affecting prices and product supply in Washington and the urgent need for Congress to pass legislation that will increase domestic production of these critical devices. Congress ...
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Today, President Biden signed the fiscal year 2022 appropriations package into law, which included a number of Congresswoman Suzan DelBene’s (WA-01) priorities. DelBene helped secure: $5 million for KidneyX, a program aimed at accelerating innovation, research, treatment, and preventative care for kidney disease. A requirement that the Defense Department only buy American-made anchor chain, regardless of size. Closing this loophole will help protect Washington jobs and strengthen U.S. domestic m...
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Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the America COMPETES Act (H.R. 4521) with the support of Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01). This bold legislation will strengthen U.S. domestic manufacturing and supply chains, accelerate research and innovation, invest in American workers, and prepare our country to compete in the 21st century. DelBene secured a number of provisions in this legislative package that would: Support Washington’s economy by ensuring that aircraft, which prior to COV...
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The House of Representatives passed the bipartisan FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (H.R. 6395) yesterday, a bicameral compromise of Congress’ annual defense authorization bill. This bill includes a key amendment sponsored by Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) to strengthen the domestic aluminum industry. The amendment requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report on how the Defense Production Act could be used to increase the refining, processing, and manufacturing of a...
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Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01), joined by 116 members of Congress, sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Attorney General William Barr, calling on the agencies to eliminate the ban on open transgender military service. This follows the June 15, 2020 Supreme Court ruling that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGBTQ people from workplace discrimination. On April 12, 2019, the Trump administration banned transgender individuals from serving openly in the ...
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Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) released the following statement after the introduction of the Justice in Policing Act, which will eliminate qualified immunity, call for independent investigations into police brutality, and make lynching a federal crime, among other changes. The bill was developed by the Congressional Black Caucus in light of the murders of George Floyd and other Black Americans at the hands of the police. “For too long, Black Americans have endured systemic racism and discr...
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Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) released the following statement in response to recent comments by President Trump about voting by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic: “The president should be embarrassed by his recent comments about voting by mail. Forcing people to go to a polling location during a public health crisis is shameful. People should never have to choose between their health and exercising their right to vote during an election, like voters in Wisconsin were forced to do t...
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Today, Congresswoman DelBene and Congresswoman Jayapal met with officials from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to discuss the multiple cases of Iranian Americans being detained and questioned at length while entering the US from Canada at the Blaine Peace Arch crossing in January and the recently leaked CBP memo directing CBP agents to discriminate specifically against individuals of Iranian descent. “We met with the Director of Field Operations and Chief of Staff of the Seattle Field Office...
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Today, members of Washington’s Democratic delegation in the House of Representatives issued a joint statement after an internal memo from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shows Iranian-Americans and others were deliberately targeted for detainment at the Blaine Peace Arch crossing in early January. The Washington Democratic delegation includes Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Kim Schrier, M.D., Denny Heck, Adam Smith, and Pramila Jayapal. “This latest news is dee...
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Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) made the following statement after an internal memo from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shows Iranian-Americans and others were deliberately targeted for detainment at the Blaine Peace Arch crossing in early January. “I am deeply alarmed that CBP was dishonest regarding the detainment of Americans of Iranian, Lebanese, and Palestinian descent. This memo shows the CBP’s initial story, that the detainments were caused by staffing issues, to be a...
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