I am proud to be from such an important and special place, anchored by three national parks and a number of designated wilderness areas in national forests. Our wild lands are home to diverse species of wildlife and offer incredible recreational opportunities. Our extensive watersheds are home to streams, rivers, and lakes, which provide critical habitat to steelhead, salmon and other wildlife. But these wonderful places face multiple threats from climate change, air and water pollution, and loss of open space. I am working in Congress to preserve, restore and protect the places we love for future generations.

As a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Energy and Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on Energy and Environment, I am committed to caring for our environment and will continue to support strong conservation policies. I founded and co-Chair the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), a coalition of 54 members of the House dedicated to advancing policies that protect our nation’s clean air, water and natural environment, promote clean energy innovation and domestic manufacturing, develop renewable energy resources, create green collar jobs, and help arrest global warming.

Gulf Oil Disaster

The Deepwater/Horizon explosion and subsequent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico highlights the serious risks associated with offshore deepwater drilling and the need for immediate regulatory reform to ensure that safety and environmental measures are in place to protect American workers and the coastal way of life.

I have participated in an extensive oversight investigation of the events leading up to this disaster in the Energy and Commerce Committee that has uncovered the gross inadequacies in current policies, and the oil and gas companies’ inadequate and ineffective planning for catastrophic events.

With my support, the House of Representatives has taken action to pass H.R. 3534, the CLEAR Act, a bill to make important reforms for the oil and gas industry. This bill included provisions from bipartisan legislation that I introduced called the Offshore Drilling Safety Improvement Act, that will require offshore drilling operators use the best available safety technology to prevent catastrophic oil spills.

I believe that this oil spill disaster is a wake-up call for our nation that it’s time for a new American energy future that uses clean, renewable fuels and technologies developed here in America. Whether it is the real risks of an oil spill or the release of carbon dioxide that will acidify the oceans, it’s time to step up our efforts. The House has passed comprehensive legislation that draws a blueprint for our clean energy future and I believe that the Senate should take action.

Protecting our Public Lands and Resources

Roadless Bill

This Congress, I reintroduced the National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Act, H.R. 3692. Ever since I first introduced this legislation in 2002, I have been building Congressional support to strengthen protection of roadless areas by codifying the Clinton Era-Forest Service’s Roadless Rule into federal statute, to make protections for our untouched National Forests permanent and impervious to attacks by special interests. This Congress, 158 House members cosponsored the Roadless Bill, more than any previous Congress.

Puget Sound

In Congress, I have long supported Puget Sound cleanup efforts because restoration of the Sound’s delicate ecosystem is an integral part of human and environmental health in the region. I have worked with federal officials on the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem project and co-sponsored H.R. 4029 the Puget Sound Recovery Act which will establish an EPA Puget Sound Program office. As a co-chair of the House Oceans Caucus, I continue to support investment in programs to support the unique needs of Puget Sound and other coastal communities.

I also introduced H.R. 1641, the Cascadia Marine Trail Study Act which has passed in the House of Representatives and will further protect Puget Sound waterways by starting the process of designating the Cascadia Marine Trail as a National Scenic Trail. Adding the Cascadia Marine Trail to the list of our National Scenic Trails such as the Pacific Crest Trail will benefit its recreational users of the water trail and improve the health and safety of the Puget Sound waterways. National Scenic Trail status will raise the profile of Cascadia Marine Trail and attract new recreational users and tourism to the region, showcase the exquisite beauty and scenery of the region, and provide additional educational and interpretive opportunities for visitors to help them understand the history and ecology of the area.

Alpine Lakes Wilderness

As an original co-sponsor, I was happy that Congress passed H.R. 1769, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers Protection Act, which will add 22,000 acres to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area, connecting the wildlands between Snoqualmie, Stevens and Blewett passes, including Russian Butte, Preacher Mountain, and pristine lands surrounding the current Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area. More than 3 million people in the region, including constituents from the 1st district of Washington, will be able to access the wild forests and rivers that make the Northwest such a wonderful place to live.