SPOKANE, Wash. — Next month, Michael Baumgartner and Carmela Conroy will face off in the race to represent Washington’s fifth congressional district. The winner will replace Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who has occupied the seat since 2005.
4 News Now sat down with Rep. McMorris Rodgers to talk about her nearly two decades in Congress and her plans for what’s next.
“It’s been an amazing journey, to be a farm kid from Kettle Falls, working alongside my parents and brother at Peach Crest Fruit Basket and orchard. And then now to be serving in congress representing the amazing people of Eastern Washington, I’m just, it’s been an honor of a lifetime,” McMorris Rodgers said. “As I leave congress the, the biggest issue that I believe needs to be addressed is the role of congress itself. That we’ve allowed too many decisions and policies to be driven through the executive branch, through rules and regulations, and congress needs to take back it’s article one constitutional responsibilities, it’s the power of the purse, but also legislating. That we need to be the ones having this debate, and making the decisions, and being held accountable by the people.”
When asked about some of the results she’s seen and are really proud of in her career, the congresswoman said “It’s traveling the district, it’s listening to people and then going to work on capitol hill to get results and legislation around the Able Act that’s one of the bills that I’m most proud of to have been a part of, achieving a better life experience for individuals with disabilities, took us seven years to get this legislation signed into law “
McMorris Rodgers emphasized her priority to protect the four Lower Snake River Dams.
“They transformed this region, they’re very important to agriculture, for flood control, and navigation of product up and down the river, but they also provide low cost, affordable, reliable, electricity and it’s clean,” she said.
Rep. McMorris Rodgers also co-chairs the Abraham Accords Caucus, a bipartisan effort to promote peace in the Middle East and ensure Israel’s right to exist.
“The Abraham Accords were the government to government, but we’ve been focusing on people to people as well as the economic, so if we can open up more economic opportunities in the Middle East I believe that’s going to be part of the key to bringing peace,” she said.
With the Vice Presidential debate this week, McMorris Rodgers encouraged people to vote and said she’s concerned about low voter turnout.
“As a Republican, I believe in the principles of the Republican Party. I believe in freedom, I believe in a limited role for the federal government more local control, I believe that we want a government that is accountable and responsive, I believe in free markets, free speech, and so, the Republican party is really about the ideas that were started way back with Abraham Lincoln, as the first Republican president. But it’s much larger than any one person, it’s about the ideas and the principles and that’s what I believe we need to continue to fight for in our nation,
She said she’s excited to return to her home in Eastern Washington once her time in office ends.
“I’m looking forward to being able to spend more time here, the kids are in school here in Eastern Washington, in Spokane, our home is here and I’m looking forward to being able to be present more here, and exploring what’s next as far as what life is going to look like.”
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