Now that’s the nicest way I’ve ever heard anyone say
‘You’re a bold-faced liar.’

Representative Joe Schmick (R-Colfax) tells us the story behind that comment, which is indicative of his legislative style: polite but not going to back down from a fight.

He walks us through his role as ranking member on the House Health Care & Wellness Committee, but we also dive into his other two committees, Agriculture & Natural Resources and Appropriations. A farmer for 35 years, Schmick explains the challenges facing rural Washington, and how those challenges affect urban areas. He walks us through some of the complexities of the various budget deals that occurred during the longest legislative session in Washington history, explaining that “If changing school funding would’ve been easy, we would’ve done it 30 years ago.”

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