Senator Maria Cantwell's Weekly Update for Washington State
Senator Maria Cantwell's Weekly Update for Washington State
Monday, June 05, 2006
Strengthening Northern Border Security
Last Friday in Vancouver, I joined two Washington state companies involved in the manufacture of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A provision I sponsored in the Senate immigration bill would create a pilot program to test the use of these aircraft on our northern border, and could give northwest companies a chance to help improve security along our borders. UAVs have already been tested and used along the southern border. Deploying them along our rural, forested 4,000-mile-long northern border would expand the reach and effectiveness of border agents in a cost-effective way. Cameras and other sensors mounted on UAVs can identify objects as small as a shoebox in real time from altitudes as high as 60,000 feet, and the aircraft can stay airborne for longer than manned border patrol aircraft. Ground operators can use the information gathered to make informed decisions regarding the quick deployment of border patrol agents. I'm working to make sure this program stays in the final version of the bill, and am proud to say that Northwest companies can be key players in protecting our country.
Preserving Our State's Natural and Cultural Heritage
I want to make sure our children and grandchildren can continue to enjoy Washington's tremendous cultural history and natural heritage. Just last week, following a formal go-ahead from the army, we moved one step closer to placing the Vancouver National Historic Reserve on the National Historic Registersomething I've been working with the City of Vancouver and other members of Congress to achieve. The Reserve's value lies not only in its standing as the oldest continuously active military base west of the Rocky Mountains and it's location along the route of Lewis and Clark, but in the educational opportunities it provides as a window into history.
Preserving places like the Vancouver Reserve provide great opportunities for enjoyment today, and preserve the best of our state's heritage for future generations. During the last two years, I've worked with my colleagues from the Pacific Northwest to expand Mt. Rainier National Park, secure Wild and Scenic River status for 20 miles of the Upper White Salmon River, and create a new National Park near the mouth of the Columbia commemorating the journey of Lewis and Clark. I remain hopeful that my bipartisan bill to create an Ice Age Floods Trail through central and Eastern Washington will clear the House of Representatives and become law. I'm also working to keep roads out of our nation's last remaining pristine forest lands, and am working with Senator Patty Murray to create the new Wild Sky wilderness area. Preserving our natural and cultural history for the collective enjoyment of current and future generation provides invaluable educational tools and can spur new economic opportunities in tourism and outdoor recreation.
Investing in Washington's Aerospace Future
This morning, I met with dozens of aerospace companies in Everett to talk about the future of Washington state's aerospace industry. The thousands of highly skilled Washingtonians working in the aerospace industry today supply our economy with the momentum we need to lead the way in innovation. By capitalizing on our technological expertise and skilled workforce, we can continue building on our state's proud aerospace history. To spur innovation, I'm working to make tax credits for research and development permanent, promote enhanced math and science education, and invest in programs at Washington's colleges that will prepare our next generation to meet the challenges of this competitive industry as we look to the future.
Visiting Washington, D.C.?
Are you planning to visit Washington, D.C.? If so, I would welcome the opportunity to meet you. Next week, on Thursday, June 15, at 8:30 a.m., I will host one of my regular coffees for constituents in my Washington, D.C., office. If you will be in the nation's capital and would like to attend, please call my office at (202) 224-3441, or fill out a reservation form on my web site at http://cantwell.senate.gov/maria/coffee.cfm.
http://cantwell.senate.gov/news/weekly_update.cfm