Editor’s Note: Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is also scheduled to speak to the Woodland Chamber of Commerce. Look for an article on her appearance in an upcoming edition of The Chronicle.
Republican Third Congressional District candidate Joe Kent emphasized his priorities regarding drug and immigration trafficking, school policies and federal expenditures should he be elected at a Woodland Chamber of Commerce forum on Tuesday, Oct. 8.
Kent is running against incumbent Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania. While issues such as the Interstate 5 Bridge Replacement Program and a discussion with Woodland Mayor Todd Dinehart about homelessness were briefly touched upon, the focus remained largely on broader U.S. concerns.
Border security and drug trafficking
Kent stressed a link between the fentanyl crisis and lax border security, asserting that fentanyl is pouring into the U.S. through the Southern border. He criticized Gluesenkamp Perez for her votes that he claims keep the border "wide open." Kent argued that bipartisan border bills fail to tackle the root causes of the fentanyl flow. Kent advocated for building a wall, increasing the number of border officers and possibly deploying the military to prevent fentanyl from entering the country. He also called for closing asylum loopholes and preventing undocumented immigrants from working illegally.
“All the proposals put forward by the Democrats or the so-called bipartisan border bill, they do not close the asylum loophole. They do not require asylum seekers to remain in Mexico,” Kent said.
Later during the forum, Dinehart asked how the federal government could better support local cities in addressing homelessness. Kent underscored the importance of securing the border to curb the influx of fentanyl, which he said exacerbates addiction issues faced by unhoused individuals. Kent argued that organizations federally funded for homeless assistance should focus on helping individuals achieve sobriety rather than merely providing temporary relief.
“I think we've got to incentivize a lot of these different organizations that are getting money right now for homeless people to help people get clean and sober … that's gotta be the goal,” Kent said. “Not like, ‘Hey, we're gonna give you a safe place to use drugs’ or ‘We're gonna give you a bed at night when it gets cold out and then you know, OK, go back … and continue to be drug addicted.’ But then also getting the folks that need mental health care … into a separate institution, a place where they're safe and they don't have to live on the streets. We can build those facilities so they're not in a residential area, but I think that's essential.”
He added that if the federal government could reduce spending overseas, it could allocate more funds to such initiatives.
Federal spending and legislative policies
Kent reiterated his commitment to federal fiscal responsibility by proposing a cap on government spending. His proposal would require the federal budget to not exceed annual tax revenues. Kent also called for the elimination of omnibus bills — large legislative packages covering multiple topics — in favor of individual appropriations bills, which he believes would enhance transparency and accountability.
He criticized the current legislative process, noting that lengthy bills are often rushed to a vote, leaving members of Congress with insufficient time to review them. Kent additionally spoke in favor of empowering members of Congress, seniors and freshmen alike, to propose and modify bills independently.
Kent suggested that if a Speaker of the House fails to uphold these rules, any member of Congress should have the ability to remove them with a "motion to vacate." When an audience member inquired about Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Kent acknowledged the challenges the speaker faces due to the slim Republican majority in the House.
“The deals he's had to cut in terms of … foreign aid and doing more omnibus bills, I'm not happy with that. I wouldn't have voted for that, but I understand why he's had to do what he's had to do. The solution to that is giving Speaker Johnson a majority of 10 seats or more,” Kent said.
Schools and parental oversight
Kent expressed strong opposition to certain legislative policies regarding Washington state's public schools, criticizing the handling of gender identity issues. He pointed to legislation allowing school administrators to withhold information from parents about a student’s gender identity for safety reasons. He argued biological males should not be allowed to access women’s bathrooms and sports. He criticized Gluesenkamp Perez for voting with Democrats on such policies.
“So Marie is gonna come back here and tell you how moderate she is, but she voted to put biological [males] into your daughter's dressing room and compete against them in the athletics,” Kent said.
He argued that the lack of transparency in educational content is problematic. When asked by an audience member about parental control, Kent expressed support for withholding federal funding from schools that do not provide full transparency regarding curricula.
“I think in order to get federal education grant money, the parents have to have full transparency on what's being taught in school. … There’s no reason for a school to be hiding what's being taught to the kids and what library books are in the school. That's just common sense,” Kent said.
I-5 bridge replacement
Kent voiced strong opposition to the current plan to replace the I-5 bridge between downtown Vancouver and Portland. He advocated for a third bridge to alleviate traffic congestion. Kent believes the federal government should bear the project's full cost, rather than relying on state or local funding. The project has already received approximately $2.1 billion from the federal government, including a recent $1.499 billion grant for construction.
"I view this as a federal responsibility, and there's federal funding available to ensure the existing bridge is safe," Kent said. "But if they want to add light rail and tolls, it needs to go back on the ballot for voter approval."
Kent criticized the current proposal, claiming it will not ease traffic congestion as the main bridge would remain three lanes in each direction. However, the current draft features the possible inclusion of two auxiliary lanes, which is expected to reduce daily traffic by several hours.
He contended that tolls on Washington residents commuting to Portland and the inclusion of light rail would disproportionately impact Washington residents commuting to Vancouver. He also targeted Gluesenkamp Perez for her support of the proposed bridge.
"So it's a great deal for Portland," Kent said. "I think my opponent might be forgetting which side of the river she's representing."
When later asked where he would propose a third bridge, Kent indicated he would defer to experts for the location.
The Woodland Chamber of Commerce met with Gluesenkamp Perez on Tuesday.
