Rep. McMorris Rodgers makes campaign tour

Fifth District Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who officially filed for re-election for a fifth term in the House of Representatives, made a tour through the area Monday. Rep. McMorris Rodgers is one of four candidates who filed for the position. She is being challenged by Rich Cowan, Democrat; Randall Yearout, Republican, and Ian Moody who listed no party preference.

The congresswoman and her aides met with farmers and ag suppliers early Monday at McGregor Co. She later told the Gazette one of her chief concerns for the rest of the year will be passing a new farm bill in congress. She said she didn’t want to see congress push farm bill deliberations into the next year after the elections.

“There have been extensions on farm programs in the past, but I wouldn’t like to see that happen this time,” she said.

Another upcoming concern will be the deficit budget debate which generated a lot of public reaction as the deadlock continued last year. McMorris Rodgers said she would also see that resolved. She added she plans to stick by her pledge to seek a balanced budget amendment.

“I believe the time has come for Congress to live within its means. I don’t want to see this kicked down the road,” she commented.

She pointed out the country is now in its third year without a formal budget.

“That’s something that blows my mind,” she added.

One of the local concerns on the agenda will be gaining approval for Fairchild Air Force Base to serve as a site for the new KC- 46A refueling tankers. The Air Force last week announced an “open and transparent” process for locating the new model of the tankers.

McMorris Rodgers said she is confident Fairchild will be a lead base in the Air Force selection process. She said the base is expected to be among 54 which will be scored on a criteria set by the Air Force.

Fairchild now serves as the base with 32 KC 135 tankers. The Air Force is looking for a base to locate 36 of the new model tankers by 2017. A second, different base for 12 National Guard planes, and a third training base are also expected to be selected.

The Spokane congresswoman said one of her proposals she plans to work on will be a rural health initiative which she has introduced in tandem with Rep. Mike Thompson, a California Democrat who also represents a rural district. The aim of the program is better health access for rural areas. The legislation came out of the Energy and Commerce committee. She serves on the health sub-committee for Energy and Commerce.

Another Energy and Commerce project which relates to the fifth district is promotion of smaller hydro electric projects. She believes several locations in Eastern Washington could benefit from a program to support smaller hydro- electric projects.

McMorris Rodgers also planned to stop in Pullman Monday where she was scheduled to meet with WSU President Elson Floyd and other campus officials. She planned to continue her tour south to Walla Walla.