Dear friends and neighbors,

It’s hard to believe we have just a few more weeks of summer, but there’s no denying all the signs: kids back in school, Halloween candy and décor starting to sprout, and we’re even already catching whiffs of pumpkin spice in the air! Fall is upon us and the 2026 legislative session will follow sooner than we think. This Saturday we have a great opportunity to start preparing together over a good cup of coffee:

I want to thank everyone who has joined me on the last Saturday of the past couple of months, and I am particularly grateful for the encouraging feedback I received. This weekend will be our third Coffee & Conversation and, with so many things to discuss—including the many challenges we are facing, I hope to see you there.

SOME OF THE CHALLENGES

The Big Awful Bill passed by Congress

It strips away hundreds of billions of dollars from health care, food assistance, clean energy, housing, education, and emergency preparedness — all to give massive tax cuts to the wealthiest individuals and corporations. It is, in truth, one of the largest redistribution of wealth in our nation’s history, and the impacts on Washington families will be devastating.

A main concern are the cuts to emergency preparedness and disaster response funding. Washington is no stranger to wildfires, floods, earthquakes and severe storms. These cuts will make our disasters more extensive, more expensive, and more deadly. We know that every dollar spent on preparedness saves multiple dollars in recovery. Slashing these funds is not only cruel, but also fiscally irresponsible.

The Threats by Attorney General Bondi

Earlier this month, Gov. Ferguson received a letter from US AG Pam Bondi that included threats to withhold federal support for state grants and contracts. These actions would eliminate funding for programs and services that many Washingtonians rely on. She demands our state’s law enforcement agencies collaborate with immigration officials, which would obliterate our Keep Washington Working Act (KWW) passed with bipartisan support in 2019.

The KWW Act is working as intended to ensure all residents can participate in our economy without fear. The KWW Act helps prevent labor shortages and keeps critical industries like agriculture, health care, and food production strong. Bondi’s claims are politically motivated — they ignore the economic and community benefits immigrants bring to Washington.

The governor sent his reply on August 19, and he also held a press conference that you can watch here.

The Unconscionable Antics by ICE Agents

Our immigrant neighbors are under attack. As we have seen in news and social media reports, ICE is effectively traumatizing an entire community by showing up (with faces cowardly covered to avoid recognition) to abduct individuals, plucking them from their workplaces and separating them from their families. Just imagine that scenario for a minute: your spouse is forcibly taken in an unidentified vehicle, and you are left with no information on their whereabouts, fearing that you may never see your loved one again.

This is not okay.

Regardless of ethnicity, color or immigration status, this is never okay. This is not who we are in Washington, in fact, these actions trample over our heartfelt values and guiding principles.

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These are a few of the many difficult challenges our state is facing. Washingtonians have a history of standing up to protect vulnerable communities, including immigrant workers who are essential to our economic success. But the only way we can build on that legacy is by working together.

I am looking forward to continuing the conversation on these and any other issues you bring to the table this Saturday at 9 am at Latte Da Coffee House.

Hearing directly from you helps me better represent our district; your stories and ideas guide my decisions as I work to develop policies that reflect the real needs of the people I serve.

Sincerely,