Just over 25 years ago, my father was sworn in to represent the 5th District of Washington. I was 9 years old and had the privilege of standing next to him when he took the oath on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 3, 1995. Young and naive, I failed to fully appreciate the significance. One thing I do remember was my father’s motivation for seeking office in the first place: He wanted to represent his family, friends, neighbors and fellow citizens by listening carefully to their needs and priorities, and taking action to address them. It’s no wonder that most of his career before Congress was focused on serving the Spokane community. As a WSU and Gonzaga Law School graduate, he paved his way serving the community as a founding board member of the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery – a respite-care facility to protect children from child abuse. During his 18 years practicing law, he provided legal support for over 2,000 adoptions, helping transform individuals into loving parents, bringing joy and security to adoptive children. Soon after my sister was diagnosed with diabetes in 1987, he became president of the Spokane Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and eventually established the Congressional Caucus on Diabetes. After his congressional career, he’s focused on his passion: highlighting our country’s history, as well as the importance of exercising civic duty.

Awareness is increasing. Our planet is our commons. Global warming and other natural disasters don’t recognize national boundaries. Greta Thunberg said it best at Davos: “Our house is still on fire.”

The range riders were supposed to be watching cattle on grazing allotments in Ferry County. Instead, according to documents revealed in late January by court proceedings, they appear to have been elsewhere at times they were supposed to be on the range. Buying truck parts in Idaho. Staying at a casino hotel in Airway Heights. Attending a horse auction. One even went to a two-day meeting in Ellensburg, organized by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

How do we ensure that every student has the access and opportunity to get that high-quality STEM education? There is no cookie-cutter solution for ensuring every school, and every student, has what they need to succeed.

For an optometrist to be certified in Idaho, under House Bill 317, only five laser procedures on patients would need to be observed by a certified optometrist or ophthalmologist, and scalpel surgeries are not required to have any supervision whatsoever. This is unacceptable.