RECAP: McMorris Rodgers Holds Five Town Halls, Meets with Students and Community Leaders Across Eastern Washington

Spokane, Wash. (February 25, 2022) – Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) returned to Eastern Washington this week where she hosted five town halls, spoke to high school and college students, met with officials from Pend Oreille and Spokane Valley, and much more.

Below you will find a full recap of Cathy’s week in Eastern Washington:

Hearing From The People

Cathy held five in-person town hall events this week – bringing her total for the year to seven – in Nine Mile Falls, Elk, Newport, Spokane Valley, and Liberty Lake. Each of the events were well-attended with constituents from all communities sharing concerns about the fentanyl epidemic, infrastructure, COVID-19 origins, access to health care, and protecting the Lower Snake River Dams, and more.

Cathy also took questions and led discussion around securing the border as well as the real impacts that President Biden’s inflation crisis and rising costs are having on families in rural communities.

Visiting High School Students

Cathy also visited Mount Spokane High School and Riverside High School where she met with students, including two young men who received U.S Military Academy nominations. She took time to share her role in Congress on behalf of Eastern Washington, hear students’ concerns about Big Tech and social media, and discuss the importance of the Constitution (she even got to sign a few copies!).

She also received an update on the schools’ work to prepare students for the future with exciting opportunities. At Mount Spokane HS, Cathy met two exchange students from Spain who are participating in the school’s culinary program – their red sauce was delicious! At Riverside High School, students are also learning various vocational skills like 3D printing, fixing Harley motorcycles, and woodworking.

Working Together With Local Officials

Cathy also had productive meetings this week with Pend Oreille County Commissioners and the Spokane Valley City Council. They discussed ways to work together on projects that will benefit both communities, including securing additional funding for transportation projects like the Barker Road Project. Cathy is committed to working with the local government to help see these projects through to completion.

In between meetings, Cathy stopped for a quick lunch with the new Veteran Service Officers for Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, and Lincoln Counties.

Meeting With Community and Business Leaders

Cathy also took some time this week to visit local businesses, including NEW Health in Nine Mile Falls, Altek Manufacturing in Liberty Lake, and Whitworth Water District.

At Whitworth Water District, Cathy met with General Manager Tim Murrell to discuss how they provide a safe, dependable, and cost-effective water supply to the community. He also shared an update on the exciting new projects the district is undertaking to ensure they continue to do so.

Unfortunately, many businesses in Eastern Washington like NEW Health are experiencing a labor shortage that is preventing operations from returning to pre-pandemic capacity. Additionally, companies like Altek Manufacturing are struggling to access the raw materials their company needs due to the ongoing supply chain crisis.

Cathy is committed to bringing these stories back to Washington, D.C. and advocating for solutions that will help get the community back to work and the economy back on track.

Discussing Leadership at Whitworth University

Cathy spent an evening at Whitworth University this week to take part in Dean Tim Wilkinson’s Executive Speaker Series. Cathy spoke with MBA students at the university about how she found her way to the Halls of Congress, different leadership styles, and how to achieve the American Dream.