‘Powerhouse duo’ of Washington Sens. Murray, Cantwell gain clout as Biden era begins By Jim Brunner, The Seattle Times
Published: January 19, 2021, 9:17am
Share: Sen. Maria Cantwell, left, and Sen. Patty Murray
SEATTLE With the swearing-in of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Wednesday, the transition away from the Trump era may bring a Mount Rainier-level elevation of clout for Washington state.
Democratic wins in the recent Georgia runoff elections flipped the U.S. Senate from Republican control to a 50-50 tie with Harris serving as the tiebreaker.
That lifts Washington Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to powerful committee chair positions that will enable them to steer legislation and spending on everything from health care to schools to aviation and rail even internet regulation and NASA.
1. “An Evolving Situation”
There are three moments in the yearlong catastrophe of the
COVID-19 pandemic when events might have turned out differently. The first occurred on January 3, 2020, when Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spoke with George Fu Gao, the head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which was modelled on the American institution. Redfield had just received a report about an unexplained respiratory virus emerging in the city of Wuhan.
The field of public health had long been haunted by the prospect of a widespread respiratory-illness outbreak like the 1918 influenza pandemic, so Redfield was concerned. Gao, when pressed, assured him that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission. At the time, the theory was that each case had arisen from animals in a “wet” market where exotic game was sold. When Redfield learned that, among twenty-seven reported cases, there were several famil
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WINNIPEG The three Commissioners of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Senator Murray Sinclair, Chief Wilton Littlechild, and Dr. Marie Wilson, are issuing a public statement expressing their concern about the slow and uneven pace of implementation of the Calls to Action released by the TRC five years ago today. The three Commissioners have come together for the first time since the release of TRC’s final report because they feel strongly that the sense of urgency, purpose and unity around the Calls to Action must be renewed. While they acknowledge important and encouraging initiatives that have been made, they note that the essential foundations for reconciliation have yet to be implemented, despite government commitments.
Coun. Kristen Oliver is pictured on Monday, December 3, 2018. Oliver will serve as the new chair of the Thunder Bay Police Services Board.(Matt Vis, tbnewswatch.com)
THUNDER BAY The Thunder Bay Police Services Board has appointed a new chair and vice-chair to lead the board for the remainder of 2020 and into the new year.
Board member and city councillor Kristen Oliver will serve as the new chair and the board’s newest member, Michael Power, was acclaimed for the role of vice-chair. The annual appointment of chair and vice-chair was one of the first tasks addressed during Tuesday’s virtual police services board meeting.
Federal funds could soon be on the way for historic ferry line in Port Angeles
The Maritime Transportation System Emergency Relief Act would allow private vessel operators, like the Black Ball Ferry Line, to apply for federal funding. Author: KING 5 Staff Updated: 9:37 PM PST December 9, 2020
PORT ANGELES, Wash. There is hope on the horizon for one of Washington state s oldest and most historic ferry lines that has struggled to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.
Congress members and senators from Washington said Wednesday they have secured support to provide financial relief for Washington s maritime industry.
The Maritime Transportation System Emergency Relief Act would establish a comprehensive new program under the Maritime Administration to give financial assistance to those eligible, including state and local governments, port authorities, and private vessel operators.