U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) issued a statement after passage of two pieces of legislation late last week, votes that she called two “big wins for Eastern Washington”: the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015 (H.R. 2647) and the 21st Century Cures Act (H.R. 6).
“These bills are bipartisan, they are proactive, they provide solutions for the source of the problems we face — rather than just treating the symptoms — and they encourage collaboration,” Rodgers said.
The Resilient Federal Forests Act aims to prevent catastrophic wildfires, effectively fight fires when they happen, improve the health of forests, and bring jobs and opportunity to rural communities. Rodgers is vested in the legislation, as it uses language from the FORESTS Act of 2015, which she authored.
The 21st Century Cures Act is expected to accelerate the process of getting innovative medical treatments and devices from the design and development stages to the marketplace, offering hope for millions of Americans suffering from currently incurable and untreatable diseases.
“This is the 21st century approach we need in Congress,” Rodgers said. “(Lawmakers are) trusting and empowering people to solve problems in their communities and eliminating bureaucratic roadblocks from the federal government. Legislating this way isn’t always easy, but it’s worth it.”