Congressman Rick Larsen's Online Office

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement following his Saturday Town Talk in Ferndale, which was attended by more than one hundred people:
 
“I want to thank everyone who took time out of their weekend to come to my Town Talk event in Ferndale on Saturday. We had a great turnout and a lively discussion.  For folks who weren’t able to be there, I want to share my thoughts with you on some key issues we discussed.

“The economy right now is a mixed bag.  But there seem to be a few glimmers of hope that our economy has stabilized. Lending between banks has thawed somewhat, consumer spending has started to increase, and sales of new homes have stopped falling.

“But many people in our community are still hurting.  Whatcom County's unemployment rate was 8.6 percent in April, down from 8.8 percent in March.  The number of Whatcom County families losing their homes dropped in May compared to April, but still remains high.  Seventy-seven of our neighbors applied for bankruptcy in April, the highest number since October 2005.

“Your economic recovery dollars are making a difference: 
                                                                                                          

• The Opportunity Council is using the $3 million they received from the recovery package to put in insulation and upgrade heating systems for 185 families, saving those families money on home heating costs and creating green jobs.

• Whatcom County is using $92,844 to hire new deputies and support the Northwest Regional Drug Task Force, which serves Ferndale and other parts of Whatcom County, and strengthen the WENET information system.

• In Ferndale, the recovery package will construct a new road on 2nd Avenue from Washington to Portal Way at the I-5 Southbound off ramp.  This access road will enable the development of a commercial area that has been unable to prosper due to inadequate road access, providing numerous permanent jobs. 

“These are just a few examples. The pace of the recovery plan continues to ramp up, and we will see more progress in the coming months.

“We need health care reform: The skyrocketing cost of health care is one of the greatest challenges we face as a country.  Bringing down health care costs is critical for families, businesses and our long-term economic growth.

“I support the following principles for health-care reform:

“First, we must protect what works.  If you like your doctor, you should be able to keep your doctor.  If you like the health-care coverage you have, you should be able to keep it.

“Second, we must address the No. 1 issue for families and businesses — we must make health care affordable and bring down costs.

“Third, if we want quality, affordable health care for all Americans, we must ensure that people are not discriminated against due to pre-existing conditions or overcharged for prescription drugs.

“And fourth, we must ensure that Washington state physicians and hospitals are reimbursed fairly. Medicare providers in our community are currently paid less than providers in other areas because they provide more efficient and cost-effective care. That is simply not fair to doctors in Whatcom County, and it is not fair to the patients who depend on them.

“There are many ideas for health care reform on the table. In my view, the goals of health care reform should be to cover all Americans, reduce costs, and improve quality.  How we get there is the subject of considerable debate in Congress, and something I will be working hard to address in the coming months.”

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