Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) visited Clark County to meet with local stakeholders about her clean water and childcare priorities in Congress. Throughout the day, she visited the Marine Park Wastewater Treatment Plant, held a roundtable on clean water and sewer priorities, and visited a local home childcare provider. 

Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez holds a roundtable on clean water and wastewater with public works staff and local officials from across Clark County.

Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez began her day at the City of Vancouver’s Marine Park Wastewater Treatment Plant, where she held a clean water and wastewater roundtable with local officials and public works staff from across Clark County, followed by a tour of the facility.

They discussed her recent clean water infrastructure investments, as well as how she can help support reliable, affordable wastewater service and efforts to mitigate PFAS in Congress.

In March, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez secured more than $7.8 million in Community Project Funding for water and wastewater projects across Southwest Washington:

• $3 million for equipment upgrades at the Salmon Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Vancouver.
• $1 million to support Ryderwood’s drought resiliency project.
• $959,752 for construction of a biosolids facility at the Washougal Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• $959,752 for the Oregon Avenue sewer main replacement in Long Beach.
• $959,752 for the Port of Skamania to expand wastewater infrastructure for industrial growth.
• $959,752 for Wahkiakum PUD to build an alternate water source for Puget Island.

The Congresswoman has also introduced bipartisan legislation to shield Southwest Washington ratepayers from cleanup costs for harmful PFAS chemicals, prohibit federal agencies from procuring certain products containing PFAS, and research the impacts of microplastics on biosolids used for agriculture. She also introduced the bipartisan Streamlining Federal Grants Act to standardize grant administration and make it easier for communities and organizations to apply for grants.

“It can be easy to take clean water for granted, but reliable wastewater systems and resilient water infrastructure are the nuts and bolts of keeping our communities healthy. It’s why I fought to bring $7.8 million home for projects across Southwest Washington that will cut energy consumption, facilitate economic growth, and keep folks safe during fire and drought,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “I’m glad I could speak with our local public works departments about how we can keep taps running, and mitigate harmful PFAS chemicals without ratepayers footing the bill.”

Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez visits Little Angel’s Day Care, a home childcare provider in Vancouver.

Afterward, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez visited Little Angel’s Day Care, a home childcare provider in Vancouver. While there, she spoke with staff, families, and local organizations like SELF and ESD 112 about how she can continue to work on the federal level to make accessing affordable childcare easier and address regulatory burdens. They also discussed the importance of supporting childcare providers that offer non-standard hours for folks who work in the trades, emergency services, or don’t work during standard business hours.

Living in a rural community and working in the trades, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez and her husband experienced the difficulties of accessing quality, affordable childcare and would have to drive long distances or bring their son into work at their auto repair and machine shop.

These experiences have informed Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez’s work in Congress, and she introduced the bipartisan Expanding Childcare in Rural America Act to improve the cost, availability, and quality of rural childcare options. Last year, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez held a childcare roundtable with parents and caregivers in Ilwaco – and she also cosponsored bipartisan legislation to help families facing rising costs of care.

“If we want to make careers in the trades accessible to young families, we need to ensure parents feel well-supported in their jobs. It can already be next to impossible to find and afford childcare – especially in a rural community – and it’s even more difficult for folks who don’t work a nine to five,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “I enjoyed visiting a local home childcare provider to talk about how I can support flexible childcare options, cut unnecessary red tape, and keep moving the ball forward in Congress.”