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| 1 May 2026 | |
| Written by Brynn Brady | |
| Advocacy |
Washington, D.C. — Advocates and community representatives from across the Puget Sound region converged on Capitol Hill April 13-17th for the annual Puget Sound Day on the Hill, and they left with a string of concrete legislative and policy victories to show for it. Representing WSAC was Kitsap County Commissioner Christine Rolfes, Whatcom County Councilmember Kaylee Galloway, and Brynn Brady WSAC’s Coastal Counties program contractor.
Over 50 state delegates representing Tribes, counties, state agencies, fisheries industries and NGO partners filled Congressional meeting rooms, hallways, and the Capitol Visitor Center, carrying a unified message about the urgency of Puget Sound recovery. The results exceeded expectations on nearly every front.
This year's delegation secured 49 unique Puget Sound Day on the Hill meetings with Congressional offices — plus countless additional side meetings arranged independently throughout the week. Those conversations spanned both parties and both coasts, from Maine to California and from Alaska to Florida.
"Your efforts are directly contributing to real wins for our Puget Sound priorities," organizers Mindy Roberts (Puget Sound Partnership) and Justin Parker (NW Indian Fisheries Commission) told participants during a large-group gathering at the Capitol Visitor Center. The breadth of engagement, they noted, is helping grow a bipartisan chorus in support of Puget Sound recovery that extends well beyond Washington State's own delegation.
One of the week's most significant developments: the Northwest Straits Reauthorization Act was "hot-lined" in the Senate — a procedural mechanism used to fast-track uncontroversial legislation — putting the bill on a path toward imminent passage in that chamber. The move signals strong bipartisan confidence in the legislation and reflects years of persistent advocacy by Puget Sound stakeholders.
The Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act picked up two new bipartisan Senate co-sponsors: Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC). Advocates also briefed multiple members of key Senate and House committees on the bill and reported receiving universally positive feedback — a strong signal of momentum heading into the next legislative phase.
After more than a decade of flat funding, advocates secured a landmark agreement: all five Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) states — Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, and Idaho — unanimously agreed to pursue a higher funding request this year. The unified ask from all five states strengthens the coalition's hand considerably when making the case to appropriators.
That groundwork appears to be paying off. Multiple appropriating offices — including several outside Washington State — indicated they are actively pushing for higher funding levels not only for PCSRF, but also for the Geographic Program (Geo Program) and the National Estuary Program (NEP).
Advocates also came away with encouraging news from the executive branch. The Department of Transportation confirmed that the Culvert Barrier Removal program — a critical fish passage initiative — remains active and moving forward, even if progress has been slower than hoped.
Meanwhile, the Office of Management and Budget acknowledged it is aware of the real-world impacts caused by federal funding delays and confirmed it is actively working to accelerate the release of funds to the field.
“Having County representation at Puget Sound Day on Hill makes a huge difference” Councilmember Galloway said. “It shows our shared commitment to being one of the many jurisdictions and partners that come together to make Puget Sound and salmon recovery possible.”
Commissioner Rolfes noted: “As part of a broad delegation, we were able to touch base with high level federal staff and congressional members that we would not have had the opportunity to speak with if we were advocating on our own. Working in partnership with voices from Washington Tribes, advocacy groups, and state government agencies, issues were amplified that were important to counties - like funding for sewage treatment upgrades and continued federal support for local environmental projects with national impacts. As one staff person told us when we asked if our presence made a difference - everyone else is lobbying us, so you need to be here, too.
Interestingly, we ran into Washingtonians that members of our group knew who were doing similar outreach work on behalf of the West Coast Shellfish Growers and the Trust for Public Lands, so the Washington congressional delegation heard unified voices in different meetings that week!”
These wins are the direct result of constituents showing up — in person — to make the case for Puget Sound. Congressional staff and members alike respond to faces and stories from home, and this delegation delivered both in abundance.
With key legislation advancing, appropriators aligned, and federal agencies engaged, the path forward for Puget Sound recovery has rarely looked more promising. Organizers are already looking ahead to next steps and ways to sustain the momentum built that week.
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