Napavine received a visit from congressional Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, on Tuesday as she met with local businesses, officials and first responders in Lewis and Cowlitz counties about local priorities and her work in Congress.
“I had a great day in Cowlitz and Lewis Counties meeting with the folks who keep rural Southwest Washington running — whether it’s our local firefighters, paper mill employees or community volunteers. A common refrain was that our government needs to be investing in rural communities and making life easier for small businesses, and I’m glad to say I’ve introduced bipartisan legislation to address both,” Gluesenkamp Perez stated.
“My work in Congress as an independent voice for Washington’s Third District is informed by the experiences of constituents across our district, so I truly appreciate everyone I had the chance to speak with today.”
After starting the day in Cowlitz County meeting with members and leadership of the Association of Western Pulp and Paperworkers (AWPPW) Local 153 in Longview, members of the Longview Pioneer Lions and the owners of The Villager Inn Retirement Center in Castle Rock, Glusenkamp Perez traveled to Napavine.
In Napavine, the congresswoman sat down with Mayor Shawn O’Neill, Police Chief John Brockmueller and other city officials to learn about their priorities and see how they’re navigating continued growth as a small, rural community.
They discussed local funding priorities, the congresswoman’s bipartisan bill to make it easier for communities to apply for grant funding for vital improvements and legislation she cosponsored to help rural communities access Community Oriented Policing Services grants for public safety.
See a future edition of The Chronicle for an article on Gluesenkamp Perez’s Jan. 23 meeting with Napavine city officials.
Gluesenkamp Perez wrapped up her day Tuesday by meeting with Lewis County Fire District 5 about her work to support rural fire departments and their equipment and funding needs. She spoke with them about her recently introduced, bipartisan PARA-EMT Act, which would strengthen rural EMS and address staffing shortages by making it easier for veterans to become certified EMTs and paramedics after returning home.
The congresswoman has also advocated for grant programs to support fire department staffing and EMS needs as part of the FY24 appropriations process, according to a news release from Gluesenkamp Perez’s office.
