DelBene seeks return to DC

In addition to selecting who will represent them in Olympia, voters in Monroe and the surrounding Sky Valley communities will be selecting who will represent them in Washington, D.C.

Incumbent 1st District Congresswoman Suzan DelBene is facing Republican challenger Robert Sutherland. The 1st Congressional District encompasses the majority of Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties, along with a portion of King County. Monroe, Sultan, Gold Bar, Index and Skykomish all fall within the 1st Congressional District. First elected in 2012 after defeating opponent John Koster, DelBene was reelected in 2014, prevailing over opponent Pedro Celis.  

This is Sutherland’s second bid for the 1st District Representative seat; he ran against DelBene in 2014, but lost to Celis in the primary. In 2015 he switched gears, throwing his hat in the ring against Dave Somers and incumbent John Lovick for the Snohomish County Executive’s seat, which went to Somers.  

Candidate answers are listed in the order they were received. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 8. Ballots can be dropped at a ballot drop box up until 8 p.m. on Nov. 8. 

Why are you running for United States Representative?

Sutherland: Our children deserve a better future. In order to hand them a country in better shape than what we have, we must remove divisive political ideology from the conversation and simply do what’s right. All too often our representatives vote on bills they haven’t read, do not understand and are bad for America. They swore an oath to ‘Uphold and Defend’ the US Constitution, but they often pass bills that clearly violate it. As a result, the federal government has drastically increased the national debt, forced Americans to pay high premiums for health insurance they don’t want, and taken control of state/public lands in order to sell our mineral rights to the highest bidder--often a foreign interest. Our current leadership is allowing dangerous people into our country and, at the same time, trying to limit our right to protect ourselves and our families. For our children’s sake, this must change.

DelBene: Today, too many middle-class families are suffering from the same financial instability my family felt. That’s why I’m fighting to give everyone the opportunity to succeed. We need to expand economic opportunity. I’m fighting to raise the minimum wage, ensure workers have paid sick leave and close the wage gap once and for all. I’m focused on results, not rhetoric. In a dysfunctional, hyper-partisan Congress I’ve worked across party lines to get things done – helping write the Farm Bill to ensure it benefits Washington farmers while reducing the deficit; boosting medical research funding by $2 billion to save lives and create jobs; protecting innocent Americans’ electronic communications; and passing legislation to expand job-training and education programs for those using nutrition assistance. Working together, we can build an economy that works for everyone and expand opportunity for all.

One of the major barriers to economic development in Monroe and the greater Sky Valley is traffic, specifically S.R. 522 and U.S. 2. While S.R. 522 is a state roadway, U.S. 2 is federal. There is ongoing effort in Snohomish County to establish regional tourism as a way to enhance local economies, but that effort is challenged by travelers and local residents literally halted by congestion on U.S. 2. 

How can this be addressed?

Sutherland: Like you, I have spent hours parked in U.S. 2 traffic. It needs a major expansion, but funding is a problem--we have a national debt of almost $20 trillion. Tax increases, especially taxes on gasoline and tax-per-mile schemes, hurt everybody—especially the middle class and the poor. 

So we need to get creative. Right now American corporations are holding between $2 and $5 trillion in foreign countries. They won’t “repatriate” that money due to the high U.S. tax rate--about 35 percent. If we reduced the tax rate on that money, we could still collect hundreds of billions in direct revenue which could be designated for transportation projects. 

This approach has another advantage. Companies would likely use a large portion of their after tax money to expand business in the U.S. This could create an economic “accelerator effect,” creating jobs, more tax revenue, and more tourists spending more money in Sky Valley.

DelBene: Our nation’s infrastructure is facing a breaking point. We saw first-hand how a collapsed bridge in Skagit County impacted our local economies, which is why we must fix our infrastructure now, before it’s more expensive to maintain in the future. We need to invest in safety improvements on our bridges and in renovations along I-5 and Highway 2, which is why I’m glad to report that Congress passed a long-term transportation bill last year that will give our communities the certainty needed to invest in infrastructure projects. I was able to add an amendment to that bill to improve the Frontline Workforce Development Program, which provides grants to train and recruit underrepresented populations for a career path in transit. Moving forward on transportation improvements that efficiently move people and goods will improve connections to our ports, help connect people to their jobs and spur economic growth, particularly along Highway 2, which is also used by hikers and outdoor recreation enthusiasts.

Snohomish County is faced with an ongoing heroin epidemic including overdoses and overdose deaths at unprecedented levels. The problem is multi-faceted, leading to increased property crimes and mental illness. If you are elected, what will you do next year to help address this problem?

Sutherland: I believe there are a number of steps we can take immediately:

• We need to increase border security to stop illegal drugs from entering our country, and increase enforcement of current laws, especially for drug dealing.

• We need to expand programs shown to actually work, like locally run drug courts.  There are a number studies showing that long-term, drug courts not only reduce criminal activity, they save taxpayers money. 

• We also need to educate our children.  The “D.A.R.E. to Keep Kids Off Drugs,” program was not effective.  The T.E.A.M. program, currently used in Mount Vernon, reaches more kids, is more flexible, easier to update, and mostly importantly, a recent study shows that it is effective. 

• Finally, I strongly disagreed with President Obama’s decision to ignore our justice system and grant a blanket release of drug dealers from prison, and I would oppose any similar actions.

DelBene: Opioid abuse is having a devastating effect on our families and our communities. Too many families are suffering and we must do more to help. In Congress, I’ve been fighting for federal resources to address this epidemic and scale-up models with demonstrated success — like King County’s Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program — but we cannot solve this crisis alone. And when Congress returns in November, I’ll continue pressing House leaders to finally dedicate the resources needed to address this epidemic nationwide. 

According to the most recent study performed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, an average of 20 veterans a day die from suicide. Homelessness among veterans is another serious issue in Snohomish County. How can the federal government better care for its military veterans?

Sutherland: We promised our military veterans prompt and competent medical and mental health care. They are not getting it. The suicide rate is appalling. 

We need to change the rules on government employment in order to get more accountability from those that assist our veterans. In addition, we need to reduce the bureaucracy between our veterans and actual assistance.  

Fortunately in Washington State, we have some of the finest hospitals and clinics in the world staffed by skilled and caring professionals. Let’s give our veterans immediate access to these providers, so our brave men and women can get the lifesaving medical and mental health care they have earned. Medical benefits should follow the veteran. If there’s a line at the V.A., then we should allow the Veteran to seek treatment elsewhere.

DelBene: I recently formed a Veterans Advisory Board because I believe another area where we can make bipartisan strides is through supporting our veterans. As a nation, we have an obligation to care for those who have risked their lives and made painful sacrifices for our families and our freedoms. I’m committed to reducing the high number of suicide deaths among veterans. While in Congress, I’ve supported federal funding for suicide prevention and outreach programs at the VA, which help maintain vital national counseling and suicide prevention peer-to-peer outreach programs. I also helped secure $144 million for these critical efforts in FY 2016, an increase of $11 million.

If elected, what will be your number one priority?

Sutherland: One of my highest priorities would be to put the people of the 1st Congressional District first--not big campaign donors and lobbyists, as so many politicians do. 

My opponent supports the Transpacific Pacific Partnership (TPP). This is a complex trade agreement that, among other things, forces the United States to relax food safety standards and limit food labeling.  DelBene (D) wants the Federal government to track us and tax us for every mile we drive. She supports increasing H-1B visas (an H-1B allows U.S. employers to hire non-immigrant foreign workers) even though most believe that would displace American workers and depress wages. Her actions represent the will of lobbyist and big campaign donors.

But I see an America where the will of the people is primary. I see an America with more jobs, lower taxes, and more informed consumers. I believe we can secure our borders, reduce crime and drug addiction, and expand the economy. Let’s start doing what’s right, for us and for our children.

DelBene: As I travel the district, the number one concern I hear about from voters is the need to create jobs and strengthen our economy. I know firsthand how much a job can be a source of economic stability and health, as well as a source of personal pride. I also know what it will take to ensure our nation and this region lead in creating good paying, 21st century jobs — great educational opportunities for our children and ongoing training for adults; a financial system that is fair, strong, and transparent; and incentives that foster research, innovation and entrepreneurship. I bring a unique voice to the nation’s capital, with more than two decades of experience as a successful technology entrepreneur and business leader in the private sector, and I will continue fighting for policies that help Washingtonians get ahead.