Armed Services Committee
I have served on the House Armed Services Committee since I came to the House of Representatives in 2001. The Committee has oversight of the Department of Defense (DOD) and is tasked with providing our women and men in the military the resources they need to keep our nation safe. I serve on the Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee and the Strategic Forces Subcommittee. These subcommittees have broad jurisdiction, including military intelligence, special forces, emerging technology cybersecurity, space nuclear weapons and nuclear nonproliferation. Supporting our armed forces and getting them the resources they need is critical to protecting our country.
Go to the Armed Services Committee's website
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is the House’s largest committee both in terms of membership and jurisdiction, which includes highways, transit, aviation, rail, water infrastructure, pipeline safety and the U.S. Coast Guard. Serving on this committee allows me to bring the Puget Sound area’s unique transportation challenges to the attention of Congress.
I am honored to have been elected by my colleagues to be the Chair of the Aviation Subcommittee. The Pacific Northwest is the aerospace capital of the world, and I am working hard to make sure the United States invests in our aviation future. Aviation means jobs in Northwest Washington. Anything I can do to support the growth and safety of air travel will bring good jobs to our communities.
Go to the Transportation Committee's website
Read my press release on my position as Chair of the Aviation Subcommittee here.
U.S.-China Working Group
I am the co-chair of the bipartisan U.S.-China Working Group (USCWG) a group focused on educating members and staff on U.S.-China issues through meetings and briefings with academic, business and political leaders from both countries.
The bipartisan U.S.-China Working Group educates members and staff on U.S.-China issues through meetings and briefings with academic, business and political leaders from the U.S. and China.
The Working Group provides information to Members of Congress on critical issues at critical moments and provides a forum for open and frank discussion with Chinese leaders. Membership in the group does not imply taking a position on issues.
The Working Group hosts regular dialogue with members of the Chinese leadership and since its creation in 2005 has met with numerous cabinet secretaries, the Chief of Naval Operations, several Fortune 100 CEOs, and lectures by award-winning academics. USCWG members have met with former President Hu Jintao and many top-ranking government officials, as well as leading Chinese scholars and business leaders.
The Working Group has conducted several successful missions to China, focusing on the global economic recession, economic rebalancing, consumer product safety, intellectual property rights, military-to-military relations, counternarcotics, energy cooperation and global climate change. The Working Group was the first foreign delegation to visit the manned-space launch center in Jiuquan and the first civilian delegation to visit a PLA-Navy Song Class submarine.
Go to the U.S.-China Working Group Website here.
New Democrat Coalition
The New Democrat Coalition is made up of over 100 forward-thinking Democrats who are committed to pro-economic growth, pro-innovation, and fiscally responsible policies. New Democrats are a solutions-oriented coalition seeking to bridge the gap between left and right by challenging outmoded partisan approaches to governing. New Democrats believe the challenges ahead are too great for Members of Congress to refuse to cooperate purely out of partisanship.
I am honored to serve as the co-chair of the Trade Task Force.
Advisory Boards
- National Defense University-Strategic Policy Forum
- National Bureau of Asian Research
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation
Other Caucuses
- Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus
- Aerospace Caucus
- APEC Caucus (co-chair)
- Autism Caucus
- Arts Caucus
- Bus Caucus
- Campaign Finance Reform Caucus
- Community College Caucus
- Career and Technical Education Caucus
- Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine
- Congressional Arctic Working Group (co-chair)
- Croatia Caucus
- Coast Guard Caucus
- Community Health Center Caucus
- Cut Flower Caucus
- Down Syndrome Caucus
- Entertainment Technology Caucus
- Friends of Canada Caucus
- Friends of Job Corps Caucus
- Friends of Nepal Caucus
- Friends of New Zealand (co-chair)
- Friends of Norway (co-chair)
- General Aviation Caucus
- Human Rights Caucus
- Hunger Caucus
- Impact Aid Coalition
- Internet Caucus
- MS Caucus
- Navy-Marine Corps Caucus
- Oceans Caucus
- Organic Caucus
- Potato Caucus
- Public Broadcasting Caucus
- Puget Sound Recovery Caucus
- Research and Development Caucus
- School Safety Caucus
- Shipbuilding Caucus
- Shellfish Caucus
- Small Brewer’s Caucus
- Solar Caucus
- U.S.-Philippines Friendship Caucus
- Veterans Caucus
