Dear Friends,
As we continue to determine whether the school year will be in person, virtual, or a mix of the two on an individual school district basis, there are so many aspects of a typical school year that must be accounted for.
Not all of our students will have access to everything available to them at schools while they are remote – things like workbooks and paper assignments, daily hot lunches, and computers and WiFi – so it is incredibly important that we work to bring the highest quality education possible to our students who are learning virtually this year.
Earlier this week, Governor Inslee issued a proclamation on “Transportation and Remote Learning for K-12 Student Education,” outlining the ways that school districts can and should use their school buses and school bus drivers to support our students.
Ways that districts can utilize their school bus fleets include delivering the following to their students:
- Learning materials, including but not limited to workbooks, homework packets, paper assignments, and other tangible instructional materials;
- Meals; and
- Any hardware, WiFi hotspots, or other technology solutions that increase student access to remote learning online curriculum.
Read the full proclamation here.
Thank you, Governor Inslee, for continuing your work on behalf of our students. Ensuring that students have access to meals and the materials they need to learn and grow is incredibly important as we continue to move through this unique school year.
This is something that will require continued focus and work as circumstances change, and I remain committed to doing everything in my power to support our schools and our students.
Keep reading for more on this Fantastic Friday.
“Stay Safe, Stay Healthy”
Rep. Debra Lekanoff
Trivia!
Who was the first Postmaster General appointed by Congress?
Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship
This week the brightest and most talented young golfers stepped onto the course at Loomis Trail Golf Club to compete in the National Qualifier for the upcoming PGA Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship to be held later this year from November 15-17, 2020.
The first of its kind, hundreds of junior golfers from around the country will compete in a prime time PGA Junior Championship televised on the Golf Channel. The PGA Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship will provide a platform for our best young golfers across the country, and gives them a chance to showcase their talents for a national audience.
Click the image to see Debra’s interview about the series!
Notah Begay, former PGA Tour athlete and NB3 Foundation Founder and Board Member, continues his love for the sport by helping to build opportunity for the youth of tomorrow by sharing with them the love of a game that lays a foundation of respect, strategy, and honor. The opportunity provided to the youth aims to grow the game of golf by providing a platform for players to compete against the best juniors in the country in a true, open qualifying series.
Click here to read my full statement.
Providing Housing Assistance
While so much of our attention is understandably focused on how we can reopen our schools in a safe and responsible way for our children and students, there are still so many who are feeling the impacts of COVID-19 on their jobs and in their homes. It’s important that we legislators work on behalf of everyone to ensure that no one needs to worry about losing the place that they call home.
Last month, Governor Inslee announced that the statewide eviction moratorium would be extended until October 15, and I commend his continued support of Washingtonians across the state. This, along with the more than $100 million in rental assistance that the Department of Commerce has sent out, provide an incredible and necessary stability to our communities.
Congressman Denny Heck from 10th Congressional District has also recently introduced the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020 in Congress that would provide $100 billion for short and medium term rental assistance. This would go a long way to help those who continue to feel the impacts of COVID-19 on their everyday lives.
I’m thrilled by the continuing work of so many dedicated people to help those in our community who need it most, and to make sure that nobody has to worry about putting a roof over their head during these trying times.
Supporting The Postal Service
In recent weeks we have seen the new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy take a number of actions that have slowed down the postal service and made it increasingly difficult for our mail carriers to effectively and efficiently do their jobs.
We’ve seen automatic sorting machines removed and taken apart, countless mailboxes removed from the street, and so much more that has damaged and slowed the postal service – a lifeline for millions of people across the country who rely on our mail carriers for their paychecks and their medicine.
The Center for American Progress put together a great fact sheet about the postal service, outlining with details and numbers how important this service is to our everyday life. Our postal service handles 48 percent of all the world’s mail volume, employs close to half a million people, and is used by 40 percent of small businesses.
Click here to read the full fact sheet.
As we approach the most consequential election in recent memory this November during the COVID-19 pandemic, voting by mail must be a priority. It is so incredibly important that we are able to cast our ballots through the mail, and that those votes are counted quickly. We should all call on our representatives in Washington, D.C. to take strong action that protects the postal service, and supports them as they support so many people across the country.
Make Sure You Are Heard
Each of us holds a tremendous amount of power to influence our communities, our government, and our country as a whole. It has never been more important for us to exercise our rights to fill out the 2020 Census, and to vote this coming November.
If you haven’t already you can head over to the Census 2020 website and make sure you and your family are counted. The Census isn’t just about getting an accurate count of the people in our country – that number goes on to inform how many Congressional Representatives each state gets, how funding is distributed across the country, and so much more.
Voting is the most direct way that we can each help shape our society and our communities. We’re nearing an incredibly important election this November, and each election an unfortunate number of people do not cast a vote. There is still plenty of time to get registered and make sure that your voice is heard – click here to check your voter registration status.
Latino Town Hall
Earlier this week I had the pleasure of hosting a town hall event with a panel of experts on public safety, the COVID-19 response, and workers’ rights within the Latino communities in the 40th LD.
Thank you to everyone who joined and participated in this event – the conversation was uplifting and inspiring, and I left feeling confident about addressing community specific needs and issues moving forward.
These types of conversations are always the most rewarding, and our panelists were absolutely fantastic. Thank you once again for joining and sharing all of your perspectives and experiences, and a big thank you to Vanessa Malapote from the Latino Caucus with the Washington State Democrats for interpreting!
If you missed the event yesterday, you can still watch the whole thing here.
Weekly News Corner
U.S. District Court of Eastern Washington Judge Stanley Bastian ruled this week that the U.S. Postal Service to detail the number of mail-sorting machines and blue collection boxes that it has slated for removal. This comes after our Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit last week to combat the recent changes to the postal service that have slowed service down considerably.
I’m proud of the action that we are taking right here in Washington State to protect the postal service, and I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and do whatever is necessary to help this essential service that so many rely on.
Mariners manager Scott Servais ‘very proud of our players’ following team decision to protest
After the Milwaukee Bucks decided to protest their NBA playoff game earlier this week, professional sports teams from the WNBA, MLB, MLS, and more followed suit, including our Seattle Mariners.
The team voted unanimously to not play their game on Wednesday in protest over the recent events in Kenosha, Wisconsin. I want to commend all the players that have decided not to play this week for using their platform to bring greater attention to racial injustices across the country.
I will continue to spread my arms wide to bring everyone to my table, and will always work to address the needs and concerns of our underrepresented communities.
Endorsement Shoutouts!
Thank you to the Washington State Labor Council for always putting people and their families at the forefront of every discussion. We are grateful for all you do for our workers and I want to thank you for endorsing my re-election campaign!
“Representative Lekanoff is a very strong leader and collaborator. She clearly understands what it will take to restore our salmon, orcas and beloved Puget Sound. She is just the kind of person we need in the Legislature – smart, informed and highly energetic. I enthusiastically support her re-election.” – EPA Region 10 Former Administrator Dennis McLerran
Thank you, Dennis, for endorsing my campaign!
Thank you to Washington State Commissioner Hilary Franz, and Former Lieutenant Governor Cyrus Habib for endorsing my campaign! Individual endorsements are an incredibly important part of my campaign. You can put your name next to mine and support my re-election by heading over to my website and filling out this form.
These endorsements mean so much to me – they show that this is a campaign focused on people, and I would be honored to have your name added along with mine.
Trivia Answer!
Benjamin Franklin was appointed Postmaster General by the Continental Congress in 1775!
Samuel Osgood was the first Postmaster General under the Constitution, serving under George Washington from 1789 to 1791.