Ranker testifies before congress

Kevin Ranker, a candidate for state Senate in the 40th District who won the Democratic Party's nomination in May, testified before Congress last week on the subject of climate change and its impact on the Puget Sound.

He talked to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and the Coast Guard on issues like salmon health, acidity levels and sea level rise. Ranker is a member of the San Juan County Council and Chair of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council.

The candidate told the panel called for more federal support for the Sound in the form of money and leadership.

"Money is not enough," he said. "What we sorely need is a renewal of the kind of leadership, commitment and innovation at the federal level that - in the past - defined the United States as the leading force in protecting the environment and the planet. I hope that as we move forward we can all work together to regain that position."

Read his full testimony here.