Trust in congress is at an all time low, and it’s no secret why: This is becoming a body where unelected staff are running the show. People are tired of seeing their representatives freeze up on camera or miss votes because they’re sundowning.

I would like to thank my colleagues for joining me last night in a moment of silence to honor the men who lost their lives at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging mill.

Yesterday, I sent a letter to executives at Nippon Dynawave Packaging asking them to clarify their commitment to pay workers during the investigation. These are our friends, our neighbors, our families, and we need to make sure they’re being taken care of. Read the letter below.

If you’re not from a trades family or a mill community, it can be hard to understand how devastating this sort of industrial catastrophe is for a mill town like Longview.

My gratitude goes to the Longview Fire Department and all the first responders who arrived at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company this morning to respond to the explosion. My heart go out to the families of those killed and injured by this terrible blast.

Ryderwood loses power at least once a winter and it’s dangerous for members of this 55+ community to go without electricity for an extended period of time. I'm excited that I was able to secure funding for Cowlitz PUD to underground power lines to improve reliability and save money for ratepayers.

It’s easy to forget painful things, to make them small or frivolous- but in choosing to come together and remember the sacrifice of fallen soldiers and their families we shore up what makes our country strong. Thanks to everyone who came out and most of all thanks to our fallen and their loved ones.

Republicans pulled the war powers resolution today because they knew it would succeed. Pulling a vote against the war in Iran because you know your community opposes it? Pathetic

Make Cop Cars Cool Again

Given that Red Delicious are the worst apples, have you ever wondered why they’re in every school cafeteria? It’s because there’s a list of "approved" apple varieties allowed in schools, and it hasn’t changed since Kmart sold firearms.

There's demand everywhere for quality water system workers. We need robust programs to get young people into the sector. Great careers for an essential utility!

Specialists will be on-site in Packwood, starting tomorrow May 14th, to help with FEMA applications and to address questions about federal and state assistance. FEMA can help pay for temporary housing, displacement, home repair costs, personal property loss and other disaster-caused expenses.

It takes a lot of skill, intelligence, and grit to be a lineman. Thank you to the Northwest Line Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee for letting me hang out and see how you train the next generation of lineman.

Vote-by-mail is the gold standard for election security and access to representation. Protecting mail-in voting options ensures that all Americans, whether they do shift work, are in the trades, take care of young kids, or live in rural areas, have their ballots counted. tinyurl.com/yckce2xy

Glad to see the New York Times has discovered what we already know. Morton’s own Brandy Clark is one of the most talented and amazing song writers working today. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Nashville Appreciates Craft. These Three Are Masters.

Writers toil daily to engineer perfect country songs. Shane McAnally, Brandy Clark and Josh Osborne are among the finest — and the most disruptive.

nytimes.com

It was an honor to speak to the members of the AFRC to recognize the importance of their legacy and dedication to our community. I’ve been so thankful to the timber companies and saw mills in Southwest Washington that have opened their doors to me so I can bring that knowledge with me to DC.

We need to look at all different solutions to help folks keep a roof over their heads. I had the opportunity to meet with the @cityofvancouver.bsky.social and folks who rely on the Safe RV Park Program to understand what’s working and what’s not.

My office is here to help! We can advocate for you with federal agencies – on things like getting veterans benefits, passports, or your Social Security check. No problem is too small. Just visit: gluesenkampperez.house.gov/casework

Thank you so much to the Clark County Sheriff’s office for taking me out for a ride along. It’s an honor to get a chance to see what you’re up against firsthand. Read the full story: tinyurl.com/4ncmssvj

Please stop trying to murder the president

Between the cost of lawsuits and a constrained state budget, hatcheries are facing closure. The recreational and subsistence fishing that comes from Steelhead is vital to our community. They cannot become an extinct species.

As foreign investors buy up more of our forest land, our community continues to be boxed out of the woods we had access to for generations. Right now, a German royal family controls 7.3% of the land in Wahkiakum County. I am urging two German Princes to reopen regulated hunting access on this land.

Surveillance pricing means big corporations buy up your location and income data and know exactly how likely you are to drive to a cheaper store when you’re desperate for kids cough syrup at 2am and they charge you as much money as they can wring out of you. I’m fighting to stop these practices.

Right now, only one VA facility nationwide allows veterans who live in their vehicles or RVs the option of secure overnight parking at the VA facility - which provides vets with an option of not driving home that same day.

The last thing veterans need after serving their country is to be forced into one-size-fits all housing solutions when they’re trying to build their own home or site their RV. My amendment asks @deptvetaffairs.bsky.social to allow vets to use VA home loans for land to park their mobile home or RV

There are 4 MORE DAYS to enter the 2026 Congressional Art Competition! High school students from across #WA03 can enter their artwork highlighting Southwest Washington. The winner will have their art displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year! Visit gluesenkampperez.house.gov/art

WA state regs make it illegal for some daycare teachers to peel a banana - but opening a bag of Cheetos is just fine. Sadly, many states in the country treat serving fruits and vegetables in the same bureaucratic class as making sushi - and the result is more processed food for toddlers.

These big boys are driving up food costs for families by gorging on salmon. I’m doing something about it tinyurl.com/mr27j4nz

Having self determination and being a people who make things - not just consumers - is what makes us Americans. I’m always inspired by the next generation of the trades workforce as they continue this tradition.  #vancouverpublicschools #trades