Patty Murray's Washington View

PATTY MURRAY'S WASHINGTON VIEW

U.S. Senator Patty Murray's Weekly Report to the People of Washington - February 20, 2004

A Great Start to Restoring the Green-Duwamish Watershed

On Thursday, I teamed up with Ron Sims and community leaders in Tukwila to kick-off efforts to restore the Green/ Duwamish River Ecosystem. This watershed has been damaged over the past 100 years - affecting plant and animal life and the cities throughout the basin.

Over the past 9 years, leaders have worked together to plan restoration activities that will improve the water supply, recreation, and salmon recovery.

This year, Rep. Dicks and I secured $500,000 to begin work on two sites this summer (one at North Wind's Weir on the Lower Duwamish and another at Meridian Valley Creek in Kent). They are the first of 40 sites targeted for restoration. King County and the cities in the basin have shown a strong desire to restore the watershed, and I'm proud to support their efforts.

Helping the Uninsured

On Friday, I met with patients, advocates and doctors in Shelton to discuss healthcare access in Grays Harbor, Mason, Thurston, Pacific and Lewis counties. Those areas are served by the CHOICE Regional Health Network, a nonprofit consortium.

I am fighting to keep this innovative, collaborative healthcare solution alive. The President has once again proposed a dramatic cut to the Community Access Program (CAP). CAP funds the CHOICE network and three other health care networks throughout our state.

Last year, I took on the White House and helped save the CAP program. And again this year, I will stand up for everyone in our state who is having trouble getting access to healthcare.

Supporting Tribal Education, Understanding & Technology

On Friday, I helped dedicate a new feature at the Squaxin Tribe's museum and learning center in Shelton. Standing with tribal leaders, educators and children, we dedicated a new media wall that will help museum visitors understand the tribe's history and will give tribal members access to new educational opportunities.

The high tech media wall will be used to videoconference classes and seminars from the Northwest Indian College in Bellingham. I provided $180,000 so the tribe can use this new technology to preserve its past and improve its future.

For more information on the museum, see