News

Senate Republicans insist Legislature call itself in for special session without further delay OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, released the following statement in response to Gov. Inslee’s announcement of $135 million in relief for job providers and families: “Today’s announcement shows the governor realizes small businesses and job providers can’t survive much longer under...

EVERY DAILY NEWSPAPER in Washington state with an editorial board has endorsed a special session, with the exceptions of the Wenatchee World, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Olympian. (Wenatchee has run several pro-session editorials that appeared in other papers, while the Olympian has carried editorials from its fellow McClatchy paper, the News Tribune.)  ...

Senate Republicans call for emergency special session, ready for legislative action to address COVID-19 crisis   OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, released the following statement in response to Gov. Inslee’s ban on social gatherings and further restrictions on businesses: “The recent increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths is very concerning. I feel for those...

Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, offered these thoughts on the passing of former U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton. Gorton, 92, died Wednesday at his daughter’s Clyde Hill home, following a long and storied career in Washington politics as a state representative, House Republican Leader, state attorney general, U.S. senator from Washington state and elder statesman...

Proposed across-the-board cuts are ‘blunt and crude,’ Legislature can show more care OLYMPIA…..Sen. Shelly Short, Senate Republican floor leader, R-Addy, issued the following statement in response to the announcement by the Office of Financial Management that it has proposed a 15-percent across-the-board budget cut for state agencies, as directed by the governor.     “The...

OLYMPIA…Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, Senate Republican caucus , issued the following statement in response to the governor’s announcement today that the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order will end at midnight on May 31 and focus will be directed toward opening Washington’s economy county by county. “The governor’s announcement today underscores the need for a June...

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican leader Mark Schoesler released the following statement in response to Gov. Inslee’s announcement today that he is extending the order to stay home during the COVID-19 public health crisis until May 31 and will allow a 4-phase approach toward reopening Washington’s economy. Phase one of the plan, which would begin May 4, would...

OLYMPIA…Senate Republicans released the following statement after Gov. Inslee announced that he is extending the “Stay Home, Stay Health” self-quarantine policy another 30 days until May 4.         Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville: “It’s critical to focus on saving lives during the COVID-19 crisis, but we also need to focus on...

Voter frustration with high-handed response to I-976 carries over to legislative agenda  Watch our video message. OLYMPIA – Senate Republicans say they share the frustrations of Washington voters with a political establishment that has done all it can to thwart their vote last November to reduce car-tab taxes, and they are responding with an agenda...

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, released the following statement welcoming Ron Muzzall, R- to the Senate as the new senator from the 10th Legislative District.   The 10th District includes all of Island County, as well as part of northwest Snohomish County and southwest Skagit County. The seat became available when Sen. Barbara Bailey,...

OLYMPIA…Senate Republican leadership issued the following statement in response to the lawsuit announced by the Washington State Legislature against Gov. Jay Inslee for an illegal veto of six single-sentence provisions in the state’s 2019-21 transportation budget (House Bill 1160).   The Senate Facilities & Operations Committee, along with the House Executive Rules Committee, voted unanimously...

Senate Bill 5270 a step backward to the dark days of campaigns sullying Legislative ethics   OLYMPIA…A bill sponsored by Senate Democrats to move the state primary election to earlier in the year reminds many at the Capitol of the dark days when campaigns and Legislative ethics were blatantly ignored, leading to scandal and sweeping...