Jaime Herrera Beutler

There is nothing more frustrating than knowing a 17 or 16 year old girl who has been prostituted is the one that faces the criminal penalty and a John walks free.

Backpage and other sites have acknowledged the existence of prostitution and sexual exploitation, and of minors on their sites.

I completely understand why. I know that you have received pretty steep funding cuts from this Congress.

When we were talking about credibility here, this at the IRS has to be above reproach.

They are supposed to be protecting and at the very least adhering to the law, but in many cases were selling folks out.

It is hard to understand their priorities here.

Those are sea lions and seals. That is the mouth of the Columbia River on February 15th.

I am so sorry to interrupt. I just want to make sure I am following.

I just wanted some background or some thoughts on why.

The first is the water bill that we passed last year directs 10 percent of the total funding for harbor maintenance activities to be used at emerging harbors.

I specifically asked to be on this Subcommittee in large part because of the important role you all play in the Pacific Northwest.

It feels like we need to bring some common sense to how we look at an amazing, clean, carbonless source of energy.

I had a sense of Congress Resolution, I think, last year that I might be working on again this year.

I wanted to hear if you had a plan for hydropower as you move forward.

Well, I mean I see it across, whether it is municipalities, whether it is developers, whether it is people just trying to rebuild after a flood.

We very much appreciate that second consideration.

So I wonder if that means that part of the goal is just to get folks--and my time is up--to get them out of group markets all together.

What do you think if the association plans are on their way out and even for next year we do not really have much choice for the small businesses, what do you think is going to start to happen?

In my view, this has failed. The SHOP has failed.

I think some of the challenges that we are seeing in Washington State may allude to a bigger problem.

I understand there is an issue pending before the FCC concerning the selection of the next Local Number Portability Administrator.

I do know last year we were successful in getting in the CGIS budget I believe about $60 million for Pacific salmon recovery funds which was a step forward considering I think it was completely zeroed out.

But I would like to identify with you, with any of the members who are here, other areas where we can carve out some protection.

I wanted to mention, too, on the--you mentioned resources, Pacific salmon and salmon runs and the importance not just to Indian Country but to the communities as a whole.

Fishermen in the region have been diligently paying back their loans. That is a key point, plus interest, but at its current rate, it just unaffordable.