Washington’s newest congresswoman hasn’t had a chance to settle in quite yet.
“The first day on the job is only half over,” joked Rep. Kim Schrier, (D) Issaquah, as she took a quick break hours after being sworn in. “It’s been really exciting on so many levels, the office itself is beautiful which is amazing, totally different than a pediatricians' office but what's really important is the work that we'll do there.”
The 8th District representative was elected this past fall after a bruising race with Republican Dino Rossi. She’s now officially entered into office in the middle of a partial government shutdown.
Schrier said Thursday that her position is clear and felt a compromise bill to spend more money on border security, but not on a physical wall, was worth advancing.
“I think border patrol would like to be paid. Second, I think we all want secure borders. I don't think there is any controversy there. The question is how we do it, and there is a role for physical barriers. But there are many other things we can do with technology and what not that are less expensive, more effective. To get more hung up on this physical wall that he (President Trump) made as a campaign promise and to then shut down our government because of it is a haphazard type of behavior and puts the lives of thousands of Americans right now at risk, and I think that is reckless. It's time to come to a compromise,” said Schrier. “In my mind, this is something that has already been agreed upon and gotten support in the past, and it should go through now, if it doesn't it is just for political games and I think the American public and certainly the people in my district are tired of political games.”
Schrier’s first vote was to re-elect California Representative Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House. There had been multiple discussions immediately after the midterms that Democrats might look for another leader, but came together in recent weeks to coalesce around Pelosi. Schrier voted for Pelosi, which prompted a tweet from the Washington State GOP.
“With her first vote in Congress, @DrKimSchrier further proves she's beholden to the Liberal Elite instead of the constituents in the 8th CD,” the tweet read.
“She's an incredibly effective leader. Her priorities exactly resemble the priorities of the American public. To protect social security and Medicare, to increase transparency, to bring down the cost of health care, bring down the cost of prescription drugs, and to get big money out of politics and so - given she shares those values of the 8th District and of the rest of the country - I don't think it's a surprise at all she's an incredibly effective leader, and I'm proud to call her Speaker,” said Schrier.