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>> Tom Layson: Imagine being in Congress early this year.

The outgoing president sparks an attack on the capital.

There's an impeachment vote, and a new Congress is sworn in all while the pandemic rages and Derek Chauvin's trial looms.

And oh, by the way, while everybody in your district clamors for a bigger share of the federal pie, and now there are crucial votes likely coming on complex policy issues like taxes infrastructure and immigration.

All while the partisan divide is as bad as it's ever been.

Want the gig?

Well, two people do, and representatives Derek Kilmer and Marilyn Strickland are my guests on Northwest Now.

[ Music ] Wednesday night, President Biden appealed to Congress for support of his $2 trillion American jobs and infrastructure plan and his new $1.8 trillion American Families Plan.

The Families Plan includes childcare enhancements, paid leave, nutrition assistance, making expanded tax credits permanent, and free Community College and universal preschool.

>> Joe Biden: If we were sitting down, we said a bipartisan committee together and said.

"Okay.

We're going to decide what we do in terms of government providing for free education."

I wonder whether we think as we did in the 20th century that 12 years is enough in the 21st century.

I doubt it.

Twelve years is no longer enough today to compete with the rest of the world in the 21st century.

>> Tom Layson: Listen, there's just too much in the jobs and families plans to really detail here, but the president says the plan is to pay for it all over the next 15 years through tax increases on investing, on the rich, on customers of big businesses, and estates.

These proposals follow the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that was signed into law back on March 11th.

So, all told, about $6 trillion of spending is either happening or being discussed in the president's first 100 days.

Our congressional representatives in the house are the most local voices we have in Washington D.C., and they have to think about Forks and Spanaway all while surrounded by the national drama and the massive proposals coming out of the Biden administration.

So, let's get right to our guests.

Sixth Congressional District representative Derek Kilmer and the new 10th CD representative Maryland Strickland.

Welcome both of you to Northwest Now.

Great to have two congressional representatives here for the program.

Sarcastically, not much going on in Washington D.C. these days.

Man, it has been some kind of a first couple of months.

Let's talk about the latest news.

The president with a comprehensive speech last night.

One of the pieces of that the American Families Plan.

Marilyn, let me start with you.

There's a lot there, but what did you find, what do you find most compelling about it?

>> Rep. Strickland: So, I find a few things very compelling, and thanks for having me on, Tom.

You know, when I think about the tone and tenor of the president's speech last night, it was very broad strokes and sweeping but also very specific.

And I think he wanted to do a few things.

He wanted to help the general public understand that we have a leader in the White House and an administration that people who are empathetic and kind, and they care about the American people.

And through policies including extending the childcare tax credits and all the different policies we talk about to provide aid to families, he just wanted to send a message that help us here, competency is back, and I understand you, and I see you, and I feel you.

>> Tom Layson: Derek, what piece of that, and again I know it's a lot, but what particular piece maybe has you looking at it saying, "Man, that's really cool."

>> Rep. Kilmer: I think perhaps the most important part of the president's remarks was simply a recognition that while we've made a bunch of progress against this terrible virus, the reality is our country faced a whole bunch of challenges well before any of us had heard of Covid.

You know, well before the pandemic we had too many families that were feeling the pinch from the cost of childcare and student debt and health care.

And I really feel like the American Families Plan has the potential to be a significant step forward just in terms of rebuilding the middle class.

>> Tom Layson: Counterarguments to that, of course, you've heard these a million times.

But just want to throw them at you.

Taxing billionaires and multinational corporations, of course, sounds good, but those taxes flow through to customers.

Estate taxes hit people who spent a lifetime being middle class and then maybe accumulated a little bit at the end.

Capital gains maybe discourages investments and capital formation.

So, the point is that a lot of that money still comes from lower and middle classes even though the way it's introduced sounds compelling.

Marilyn, you have a thought about that and about the burden on people when it comes to tax increases even though initially they're targeted?

>> Rep. Strickland: Well, I will say this.

When you think about the American Family Plan, it benefits every single person in this country.

So, as we think about where the tax burden will reside, we all benefit from it.

So, when women are able to participate in the workforce because we have access to childcare, that benefits all of society.

When we're able to reduce child poverty by half, that benefits all of society.

When people are able to get access to good jobs because we're making massive investments to infrastructure, that benefits all of us, and so as we think about how this is paid for, the return on investment is well worth the cost.

>> Tom Layson: Derek, you worked in economic development for a long time.

Does the increasing the corporate tax rate, do some of those things make you a little nervous coming out of a COVID based recession?

>> Rep. Kilmer: Well, here's how I think about it.

You know, when I've heard from my constituents, their reaction is.

"Well, it's about darn time we had something focused on helping the middle class."

You know, the folks I represent are tired of sitting in traffic.

They're tired of having to deal with student debt and tired of struggling to be able to find quality, affordable health care.

And I think by and large, the vast, vast, vast majority of the folks I represent are okay asking the very, very wealthiest Americans and multinational corporations who ship jobs overseas to pay their fair share to at least provide some relief to the middle class.

>> Tom Layson: You both mentioned the tone and tenor of last night's speech, and you know, for the first 100 days of this administration.

With that said, after something like the insurrection and with, you know, Republicans still intransigent on some of these issues, do you think the true bipartisanship is possible?

President Biden talks about it a lot, but Marilyn, in your heart of hearts, do you feel like yeah, we can be bipartisan?

>> Rep. Strickland: Well, you know, that's a really good question Tom because, you know, you had a failed coup attempt to overturn legitimate election, and you had a group of people who did not vote for the American Rescue Plan.

Not a single Republican voted for it, and now you see them taking credit for it as things are happening because of those investments.

But as far as bipartisanship, you know, I serve on two committees.

I serve on the transportation and infrastructure committee and the House Armed Services, and those two committees are known for being bipartisan.

And in my committee meetings, I have heard from people on both sides of the aisle talking about bipartisanship because the challenges we face are too great.

Now, it's great to talk about what we want to do, and as we talk about the American Jobs Plan and the American Family Plan, you know, there will be some negotiation that has to take place.

But I would say that the American people expect us to go to D.C. and deliver for the people we represent at home.

So, I'm hopeful, but I'm also realistic.

And if we can't get bipartisan support, we're willing to go in alone.

>> Tom Layson: Derek, I know you've worked on bipartisanship with have with a group that you meet with over the years, and with that in mind, you know, I'm going to take that idea and fold it also into the operations at Congress after COVID and after the insurrection attempt.

I don't want to get too far into the weeds when it comes to congressional operations, but I know when it comes to sustainability and keeping the capital operating, you've been involved in that.

It seems like this really is going to change the way Congress works.

And again, without getting too deep into the weeds, what are you working on there?

>> Rep. Kilmer: Yeah, Tom.

I chair a new committee in Congress called the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, which by its name sounds like the IT help desk.

But it's really a recognition that every few decades or so Congress realizes things aren't working the way they ought to, and they create a committee to do something about it, to propose reforms, to have a Congress that works better for the American people.

You are right that the events of January 6th and since then have raised a fair number of questions that our committee is looking into.

So, for example, there are real questions regarding the continuity of Congress.

God forbid the events of January 6th had been worse.

You could have seen a whole bunch of members of Congress taken out entirely, and you know that there's very legitimate concerns around what that means in terms of having an operating government.

You saw that a few years ago on a, at baseball practice where a gunman came and shot at many of my Republican colleagues.

And right now, there's nothing in the law that says, you know, if.

Particularly, right now, Marilyn and I serve in a very narrow majority.

It is horrifying to think, you know, if you had six members of the Democratic Party taken out, it could literally, under current law, change the majority in the House.

The same thing was true with regard to the shooting on the baseball field with regard to our Republican colleagues.

So, part of our focus as a committee is looking at issues related to continuity of government and trying to prevent these sorts of awful occurrences from happening.

The other thing we're looking at, and this is also I think to your point.

It's just around how to foster more civility.

The folks that I represent I think are exhausted by the level of partisan bickering.

They just want to see progress on behalf of themselves and their families.

I find it refreshing the President Biden is actively working to try to secure support for his ideas, not just from Democrats but also from Republicans as well.

Now, listen.

It takes two to tango, but I really appreciate it, I think the American people appreciate that he's trying to find bipartisan solutions to move our country forward.

>> Tom Layson: Derek's conversation about some of the security threats, Marilyn, brings to mind police reform.

I just kind of made that leap in my mind.

Obviously, you're very familiar with the Manny Ellis case here in Tacoma and sitting in Congress now is the George Floyd Justice Act.

Are you a little worried about that getting swept aside now in the Senate because of the incredible pile of policy coming from the administration?

What are you thinking about that right now?

Can, does it have momentum and what are people in the district saying about it?

>> Rep. Strickland: So, I feel very optimistic about the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act or an iteration that's going to come out of the Senate.

I know that Senator Tim Scott is working on it from South Carolina.

But you know, I think about this.

We are going to continue to read about police shootings in the news because these incidents are getting daylighted because people have video or people are requesting information from police departments.

We also know that we need a national standard, and I've heard Police Chiefs talk about wanting a national standard.

So, you know, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act includes banning chokeholds.

It includes addressing qualified immunity.

It talks about implicit bias training, and it even provides grants to the Department of Justice for communities get access to body cameras.

Now, will body cameras alone solve the problem?

No.

But I do believe that there is a good chance that we're going to get some type of police reform coming out of Congress.

And here's a deal, too.

Every single person should feel safe in their community regardless of their zip code and regardless of their background, and we know that a disproportionate number of African American, Latino, and even Native Americans are killed by police officers.

So, there's an opportunity here to do something and to support our local communities as they decide what it means to be safe in their communities and how they want to define or redefine policing.

>> Tom Layson: Great segue there with the word "local."

I want to swing it local and give you both a chance at both these topics both the military and Puget Sound because I know you're both heavily involved in those as well.

It's too bad you guys aren't so busy.

Let's start with the military, and Derek obviously you've got Bremerton there in your district.

What is going on with the defense infrastructure funding?

What is, what are the problems on these bases, and what are you trying to do to improve life for our service members both on and off base?

>> Rep. Kilmer: We're working on two big things that you'll be hearing more about not just over the course of the next few weeks but over the course of the next few years probably.

One is trying to provide more support for defense communities.

Certainly, Pierce County is very familiar with these issues.

Kitsap County is very familiar with these issues.

The good news is we've seen substantial increases and expansions in terms of employment and staffing at our bases.

The bad news is that creates some challenges with regard to things like traffic and childcare.

And so, there is a program called the Defense Communities Infrastructure Program that we've been advocating to expand pretty substantially just to support communities that are trying to support our military.

A more parochial issue with regard to the Navy is an effort that the Navy will soon be undertaking to modernize our four public shipyards.

This is going to be a very big deal.

This is about creating, modernizing our shipyards so that they are able to meet the needs of the Navy in the 21st century.

That program is called the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program, but we're literally talking about investment of billions of dollars in Kitsap County that will actually obviously have very significant ramifications for our local economy all throughout western Washington as we look to modernize those shipyards and make sure they're meeting the need of our Navy.

We just had the secretary of the Navy out at the shipyard just recently, and we're really trying to highlight the importance of these investments.

>> Tom Layson: Marilyn obviously you are very involved in JBLM.

I know you make frequent stops there.

What are you keeping an eye on there that needs to happen, or what are you anticipating that could happen if this funding happens?

>> Rep. Strickland: Well, you know it's interesting because you know joint base Lewis McChord is the largest military installation on the West Coast, and as Congressman Kilmer knows, it's right in the middle of a growing urban community.

And so, as we look at the impact of this growth.

Which, by the way, is an $8 billion year annual impact to the region.

We know that we have to try to manage everything from traffic, infrastructure, housing, and even their impact on the surrounding communities.

And so, there's a lot happening, but I'm very excited about the possibility of getting these resources to address some of these things.

And I think it's also important, too, to recognize that a place like JBLM has really evolved over the years.

Last weekend, Congressman Kilmer and I were at the opening of the children's museum at JBLM, the only military installation that has a children's museum.

And so, they are doing things that are very innovative, and they're modernizing the base to meet the needs of the people who serve and the people who visit there.

>> Tom Layson: Both of you can comment on this if you care to.

When I hear all these initiatives, both at the federal level out of the federal budget, the military budget, possible things happening in the state capital budget with federal aid.

Man, my mind just goes straight to workforce.

I don't, even if all these things became a yes and all the contracts were let, I don't think we have the people to get it done.

Derek, what are your thoughts on that?

People are, you know, there's help wanted signs everywhere.

How would we even accomplish this?

>> Rep. Kilmer: Well, certainly part of the approach of this new administration is a focus on workforce, not just the proposals related to college affordability.

But Marilyn and I both supported just recently a new apprenticeship bill.

It's the first time the National Apprenticeship Act has been taken up literally in decades acknowledging that this isn't just a challenge in the Puget Sound region.

It's challenge all over the place.

We're also working on a bill focused on addressing long term unemployment and having folks who've been long term unemployed who may be facing barriers to getting back into the workforce.

Whether it be childcare or transportation issues or something else to actually have interventions to eliminate some of those barriers so those folks can get back into the workforce.

You are right.

We have jobs that need people.

We also have people who need jobs and addressing some of those issues I think could make a big difference.

>> Tom Layson: Marilyn, I know you've been to Base Technical College, our licensee, several times for the opening of the Advanced Technology Center and this summer the new medical professional building that's going to be happening downtown.

Those are great.

How do you I guess in your mind calm yourself down and say, "We're just not going to have the bodies to get all this done."

>> Rep. Strickland: Oh, you know, this is a really good point you raised because if we're talking about an infrastructure package that's going to be in the trillions, we're going to need qualified workers to do the work.

And that includes everyone from people in the building trades to engineers, architects, you name it.

And I think there's another conversation about workforce development and our labor pool that was really relevant here.

You know, our birth rate is going down in United States, and we need immigrants coming into this country because that is going to help backfill some of the labor needs that we have in a lot of different places.

And so, it's workforce development.

It is investing first and foremost in the people who are here, but also smart immigration policies that allows talent to come here and contribute positively to our economy.

>> Tom Layson: Down to our last seven minutes, and this is such a pile of policy that it won't be much time to talk about Puget Sound.

I know you're both heavily involved in that as well.

It really is the linchpin to, you know, western Washington's economy and natural environment.

Derek, start with you.

The SOS bill.

I know from living back east, the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes, you know, received this designation.

Would you tell folks what SOS does and what your hope is in terms of engaging the feds on this?

>> Rep. Kilmer: You bet.

Well, and there's a lot that I'm excited about.

One of the things I'm excited about is being able to work with Marilyn on these issues.

You know, we relaunched the Puget Sound Recovery Caucus really to focus on recovering this extraordinary body of water and dealing with things like preventing pollution from stormwater runoff and protecting and restoring habitat and, you know, restoring shellfish beds.

But you are absolutely Tom correct.

The federal government needs to be a partner in this, and I'm excited that we've seen the Puget SOS Act that Marilyn and I introduced pass out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on which Marilynn serves.

Which really ensures that the federal government steps up to be a partner to state and tribal and local entities to save our sound, and also as they do with the Chesapeake, to assist in some of those regional efforts.

For us, it's around things like restoring salmon and orca populations and making sure that future generations can dig for clams like my kiddos and I have done.

And importantly for our region, also upholding tribal treaty rights.

So, there's real opportunity with the passage of this bill.

I will also just mention one other quick thing I'm excited about.

We have an administration that agrees with us about the importance of this.

For the previous four years, I serve on the Appropriations Committee.

We were on our heels because we had an administration that proposed eliminating all federal funding for Puget Sound restoration and for salmon recovery.

Now, thankfully, Congress, through a whole lot of work and a whole lot of engagement of folks in our neck of the woods, rejected those proposals, but we just had the EPA Administrator testify in front of the Appropriations Committee.

And it was so refreshing to hear testimony that started with an acknowledgement of the importance of Puget Sound and on the importance of recovering and restoring it.

>> Tom Layson: This is a point of order question.

I don't want to make this a pop quiz about the language in these bills but is there a possibility we could get more funding from NOAH and from the feds plus infrastructure for stormwater plus, you know, other.

I mean are there layers of funding or is this all in the infrastructure bill or is this separate like the defense budget?

I hate to be too wonky, but it sounds like there could be a pile on top of a pile on top of a pile of money coming if all this were to happen.

>> Rep. Strickland: There are many possible revenue streams to address the challenges of the Puget Sound, and as you know, it is infrastructure.

It is clean up.

It is saving wildlife.

It is dealing with the ecosystem.

It's honoring tribal treaty rights, but also acknowledging, too, that you know, as the largest estuary in United States by volume, one of the things we want to do too is elevate the presence of Puget Sound.

So that people talk about it like they save the Great Lakes, like they say Chesapeake, and so I feel as though we're working very strategically to work with a lot of partners in Congress to make sure that as we're accumulating these assets to help address the Puget Sound that we're being very thoughtful about the various funding streams that can help it and elevate it.

>> Tom Layson: You know, habitat restoration is one of the high dollar pieces of that.

The other big high dollar piece and the source of most of the pollution in terms of water quality is storm runoff.

I notice in the infrastructure bill there is, you know, proposal.

There is money for that, but man, that is a big one.

Derek, do you kind of see that as a mountain that's maybe climbable at this point.

Because of the billions involved, I've always looked at it and said to myself, "Man, I just don't know how we're going to get it done," to treat all the stormwater and do all the treatment required not to have merge systems, etc.

>> Rep. Kilmer.

Huge opportunity.

Huge opportunity.

And having the federal government step up and be a partner.

Now, listen.

You know, as your viewers will remember, under Marilyn's leadership when she was mayor, the city of Tacoma really played a leadership role in looking at green stormwater infrastructure and doing the right thing for our salmon recovery, for our waterways.

But that was done predominantly without a lot of help from the federal government.

Now, what I'm excited about, and I'm sure Marilyn agrees with me, having the president proposed infrastructure bill that acknowledges that water infrastructure is infrastructure could be a real win for our region.

And listen, I represent a district that has so much coastline.

You've got communities that are bearing the burden of the cost of, again, trying to do the right thing.

Tacoma's not alone in that.

Up in Port Angeles, we saw very substantial investments in stormwater.

Most of it, most of that cost borne by the local ratepayers and the local taxpayers.

Having the federal government in step up and be a partner to our coastal communities could be just a massive, massive win for us.

>> Rep. Strickland: And I will just add, you know, I mean there's so much deferred maintenance that local government has on their books, and so to Congressman Kilmer's planning to have the federal government step in and say, "Look we need to be a partner here because we have a stake in this," it's just, it's a win for everyone at the federal and local level.

And more importantly, the people who live in these growing communities benefit from the most.

>> Tom Layson: Quick 30 seconds from both of you.

Marilyn, since I had you there.

COVID recovery.

What are folks in the district telling you?

How are they doing, and how do you see things going forward?

Optimistic?

Pessimistic?

Is this going to last longer than we think it is?

What are your thoughts on that?

>> Rep. Strickland: So, I had a meeting today with the Superintendents of public schools in my district, and they are all anxious about wanting to get as many vaccines as possible, offering up their school buildings as vaccination sites because they know that that's the key to everyone getting back to school as usual.

And then also, too, you know they talked about the fact that, you know, equity is important here.

Access to broadband.

Those types of things.

But those are things that are all part of the American Recovery Act, on the American Rescue Plan, the American Jobs Plan, and the American Families Act.

And so, I feel very good about this administration.

It is my honor to have a majority in Congress, although it's slim, and just working with really smart, thoughtful, capable people like my colleague Congressman Kilmer and a lot of the other folks in our delegation.

So, I feel optimistic.

>> Tom Layson: Alright, Derek.

Last ten seconds for you.

>> Rep. Kilmer: Well, listen.

I think people are excited to get those shots.

There's a recognition that as we see more people get vaccinated, hopefully we can soon put this pandemic in our rearview mirror and do as the president suggested, build back better.

>> Tom Layson: Marylin, Derek, thanks so much for coming on Northwest Now.

Great conversation.

>> Rep. Strickland: Nice to see you.

Thank you.

>> Rep. Kilmer: Take care.

>> Tom Layson: We're a blue state, and our congressional delegation certainly reflects that.

The bottom line, no matter what side of the aisle you're on, our group is fairly moderate and that is an important component of bipartisan progress, which in turn is the key to reinvigorating in America where opportunity, inclusion, and rewards for excellence all combine to produce our individual and collective successes.

I hope this program got you thinking and talking.

To watch this program again or to share it with others, Northwest Now can be found on the web at kbtc.org, and be sure to follow us on Twitter at Northwest Now.

Thanks for taking a closer look on this edition of Northwest Now.

Until next time, I'm Tom Layson.

Thanks for watching.

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