Richard R. Larsen (D-Wash.)

Larsen and Murray successfully advanced legislation in 2008 setting aside land in Washington state to create the Wild Sky Wilderness. The bill also protected 25 miles of salmon streams in Washington and was enacted after the House failed to approve the measure in the three previous Congresses.

The 2005 Justice Department appropriations bill included legislation penned by Larsen regulating the mail-order bride business, prohibiting men from submitting multiple applications and providing potential brides information about their rights and any criminal history of their prospective husbands. The legislation was written in response to murders of mail-order brides in Washington state.

Larsen has been a prominent supporter of Boeing, a major employer in his district that received the original 2003 Pentagon contract to provide 100 aerial-refueling tankers.

But over protests, the contract was rescinded, awarded to Northrop Grumman and European Aeronautics Defense and Space (the makers of Airbus), but overturned on appeal. The Pentagon is in the process of accepting new bids. Along with other Boeing allies in Congress, Larsen argues that the Pentagon should penalize the European companies for receiving startup subsidies.

"If the Pentagon proceeds without taking subsidies into account, it would provide a return to European taxpayers' investment using U.S. tax dollars," Larsen said.

The Economy

Larsen is a centrist on economic issues. In 2001, he was one of 12 Democrats who voted in favor of President Bush's $1.35 trillion tax-cut plan.

In July 2002, after first voting against giving the president fast-track trade promotion authority, Larsen joined 24 other House Democrats in backing the legislation.

Larsen voted for the fall 2008 $700 billion financial bailout plan.

China

Larsen has long advocated for a better U.S. relationship with China, writing in a 2005 op-ed in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that "to most Americans, the Asian-Pacific region is known as the Far East. But to those of us in Washington state, it is our Near West."

In 2005, Larsen co-founded the House's U.S.-China Working Group with Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.). The two represent districts with strong business ties to China. They also encouraged the Pentagon to set up a hotline with Beijing.

Larsen and Kirk introduced four bills in May 2009 aimed at fostering closer relations with China on trade, environmental, energy and language issues. The proposals included helping American states set up offices to promote trade in China and increasing diplomatic efforts.

Health-Care Reform

In November 2009, Larsen voted for the House Democrats' health-care reform plan despite voicing misgivings over several of its provisions. Larsen has opposed both single-payer and public option proposals for health-care reform, saying at a July 2009 community meeting "The public option as it's currently vested is not a fair deal for Washington state."

Larsen said he supported Medicare reform included in the bill, fixing reimbursement issues that he believed had shortchanged Washington health-care providers. He said the health insurance exchange included in the bill provides options, including a form of public option, "that works for Washington state."

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