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Page 36 — Shelton-Mason County Journal Thursday, Sept. 29,
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4. The 6th District has a distinct balance
of suburban and rural areas, how would
you effectively balance representing the
differentneeds and values of these groups?
My job will be to represent ALL of the citizens of the 6th Congressional
District, regardless of geographic location, economic status, or other
differ-
ences. I will do this both by hearing and responding to the particular and
dif-
fering needs and issues of the various subgroups within our CD6 population
(e.g., urban, suburban, and rural; civilian, active duty military, and
veterans;
and different demographic groups such as working families, retirees, stu-
dents, Tribal members and business owners). However, I also believe firmly
that the most pressing problems facing us today (such as inflation and
crime)
cut across all of those different subgroups and pose a threat to us all.
There-
fore, promoting and achieving solutions that work to curb inflation
(through
reigning in spending, lowering taxes, and restoring energy independence)
and to increase public safety (through supporting our police and military,
securing our border, and eradicating homelessness) will serve us all
equally
well. '
5. With the Supreme Court recently. striking
down Roe vs. Wade, abortion has emerged
as a central topic at both the state and
federal level. Would you explain your»
position?
The overturning of Roe v. Wade via the Dobbs decision simply returned
complex and emotionally-laden decisions regarding abortion issues back to
the
States, where they rightfully belong. Individual states will wrestle with
such
decisions, as they should. Regardless of my views on abortion (personally,
I
am pro-life), I am of the mind that we need to address the most urgent
issues
relating to America’s security and prosperity first, before we can
attend to
anything else. Issues surrounding our economy and public safety simply must
come first, because if we don’t survive economically or materially as a
country,
nothing else we might decide will matter. It’s a matter of triage.
RILMER, continued from page
construction. I’ve sponsored a bill — supported by Democrats and
Republicans
—- focused on addressing veterans’ homelessness because, in the land of
the free
and the home of the brave,'every brave service member should have a
home.
And I’ve worked on bipartisan legislation to provide more resources to
address
mental health and substance abuse issues because those are often factors
re-
lated to homelessness. ’
I’ll keep pushing to make sure folks in our region have economic
security.
3. If elected, what are your day goals in
Congress?
On Day One, I’ll push to reintroduce bills that passed the House but that
have been blocked by Mitch McConnell in the Senate.
We’ve seen how high the stakes are this year. Basic rights - including
re-
productive freedom - are on the ballot this year. I sponsored the Women’s
Health Protection Act to ensure women can make their own healthcare deci-
sions. I sponsored the Equality Act because nobody should face
discrimination
in housing, employment, or anything else, based on who they are or who they
love. ‘
Democracy is on the ballot this year. I was in DC on January 6“ of last
year and I saw how fragile our democracy is. That’s why I sponsored the
For
the People Act to reduce the role of money in politics. I sponsOred the
Protect-
ing Our Democracy Act to secure our democracy and ensure that elected
offi-
cials are acting in the people’s interest — not in their own interest.
I sponsored
a new Voting Rights Act so that Americans don’t face barriers to the
ballot
box.
Economic security is on the ballot this year. I sponsored the Raise the
Wage
Act to increase the federal minimum wage so that people who aré working
full-
time don’t end up living in poverty. I sponsored the Protecting the Right
to Or-
ganize Act to protect the right to organize a union and bargain for better
pay
and benefits. I sponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act which embraces a very
’
simple principle —- equal pay for equal work.
Let’s get these done.
4. The 6th District has a distinct balance
of suburban and rural areas, h0w would
you effectively balance representing the 1
different needs and values of these groups?
My job is to make sure that We are meeting the needs of all of the communi-
ties I represent.
I grew up on the Olympic Peninsula, so I’m committed to making sure rural
areas like Mason County get our fair share. That’s why I worked
professionally
in economic development for a decade. I’m focused on helping our
communities
and small businesses recover from the pandemic —- and empowering folks to
navigate economic change.
That’s why I wrote part of the new law supported by Republicans and Demo-
crats to make our economy more competitive with China. This provision will
bring more federal money to communities that have struggled to create good-
paying jobs, because no community should have to worry that its top export
will be its young people.
I helped create the Olympic Forest Collaborative to get folks from the
timber
industry and the conservation community at the same table to develop a
strat-
egy for responsibly increasing harvest levels in our federal forests ‘
I helped lead the effort to increase funding for our national parks that
Presi-
dent Trump signed into law. Our parks draw people and their dollars to our
region. ,
And I helped bring Democrats and Republicans together to support the larg-
est investment in our nation’s infrastructure in years. That means more
mon-
ey for fixing roads and bridges in our region without raising taxes. It
means
funding for rural broadband internet access. That helps our businesses com-
pete and our children learn. I
I’ll keep fighting for our area.
5. With the Supreme Court recently striking -
down Roe vs. Wade, abortion has emerged
as a central tepic at both the state and ‘
federal level. Would youexplain your
position?
I know this is a big difference between my opponent and me. She’s on the
record of saying abortion should be banned even in cases or rape and
incest.
I believe decisions about women’s health care are best made by women in
consultation with their doctors not by politicians.
That’s why I’ve voted to support the Women’s Health Protection Act to
pro-
vide statutory protections for the right to choose and ensure
reproductive‘fi'ee-
dom in every state. Congress should pass that into law and codify the
protec-
tions that existed under Roe Wade. -
And don’t think for a second that We aren’t at risk here in our state.
Trump
Republicans in Congress have made clear that they intend to pursue a
nation—
wide abortion ban. And one of the state legislators in my distriCt has a
bill that
would make women who seek an abortion in our state felons. Ijust don’t
think
that’s where our values are here.
I will continue to stand up for women’s reproductive freedom—and oppose
legislation that impedes those rights. I
Also, it’s important to acknowledge that the Court decision —— and
Justice
Thomas’s opinion in particular -—- puts other rights into jeopardy ~—
including
access to birth control and marriage equality. I’ve supported action in
Con-
gress to make sure the next generation doesn’t have fewer rights than our
generation. ’