{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"House\", state = \"OR\" and year = 2023 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-house-senate-lawmakers-demand-supreme-court-block-white-house-eco", "ICYMI: House, Senate lawmakers demand Supreme Court block White House eco actions: 'Set the record straight'", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-senate-lawmakers-demand-supreme-court-block-white-house-eco-actions-set-record-straight\n\nBy Thomas Catenacci - Fox News\n\nFIRST ON FOX: A group of dozens of House and Senate Republicans filed a legal brief Monday to urge the Supreme Court to take up two cases related to President Biden's authority to lock up public lands from resource development and other uses.\n\nIn the brief first obtained by Fox News Digital, the lawmakers \u2014 led by Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., and joined by House Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and 26 other lawmakers including three senators \u2014 argued that the president's use of the 1906 Antiquities Act is an example of federal overreach and violates the U.S. Constitution.\n\nThe lawmakers specifically asked the high court to hear both American Forest Resource Council v. United States of America and Murphy Company v. Biden, two cases challenging the expansion of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in southwest Oregon. Plaintiffs have argued that the monument expansion was both illegal and caused significant economic damage, particularly to the timber industry.\n\n\"We urge the Supreme Court to hear these cases and send a clear message that the President cannot simply bypass Congress and rewrite our nation's land laws with the stroke of a pen,\" Bentz said in a statement. \"This is about upholding the Constitution, protecting our rural communities, and ensuring responsible management of our public lands.\"\n\nThe Antiquities Act, designed as a federal conservation tool, grants the president broad authority to establish national monuments on existing federal lands. Since taking office in 2021, Biden has established five such monuments in Colorado, Nevada, Texas, Mississippi and Arizona, which have faced opposition from industry, lawmakers and garnered legal challenges.\n\nInvoking the Antiquities Act and establishing a national monument effectively blocks the designated lands from normal uses. Under separate legislation passed in the 1970s, Congress established the so-called \"multiple-use\" and sustained yield mandate, requiring the Bureau of Land Management to open the lands it manages to various uses including energy development like drilling, grazing, recreation and mining.\n\n\"For far too long the executive branch has abused the Antiquities Act to cut off millions of acres of public lands, an action that greatly impacts rural communities across the country and ignores Congress\u2019 directive on how those lands must be responsibly managed,\" Westerman said Tuesday.\n\n\"The president does not have the constitutional authority to lock away our federal land and waters, especially without any local input,\" he said. \"I urge the Supreme Court to take up these two critical cases and set the record straight on the executive branch\u2019s authority when it comes to regulating our federal lands and waters.\"\n\nBut while the two cases are focused on that monument, they have much wider ramifications for future use of the Antiquities Act and national monuments created by Biden over the last two years, according to plaintiffs.\n\nBiden's designation of the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada and Baaj Nwaavjo I\u2019tah Kukveni National Monument in Arizona, for example, have faced opposition that included legal challenges from state governments as well as mining, livestock and agriculture groups.\n\n\"Whether you\u2019re living in southwest Oregon near the illegal expansion of the monument, in Utah where numerous presidential proclamations have placed massive areas off-limits in recent years, or in Washington, D.C., where concerns about the protection of our democracy and constitutional processes are top of mind, this case and its outcome are critical to the future management of our federal lands,\" American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) President Travis Joseph said last month.\n\nIn 2019, after the AFRC sued the federal government over the designation of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, a lower court ruled in favor of the group and said the executive branch lacked authority to override the will of Congress which, in separate legislation, defined sustained-yield timber harvest as the dominant use of public land in Oregon.\n\nThen in July, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision. Months earlier, in April, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals came to a similar conclusion in Murphy Company v. Biden, the second case that Republicans asked the Supreme Court to review.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-wyden-merkley-bonamici-colleagues-call-expanded-funding-community", "Salinas, Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Colleagues Call for Expanded Funding for Community Health Centers", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 On Wednesday, December 20, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) joined U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), along with U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), on a bipartisan letter urging the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to provide more access to federal resources for community healthcare centers.\n\n\u201cFederally Qualified Health Center Look-Alikes fill critical gaps in our health care system and ensure more Americans can get the care they need, regardless of income or insurance status,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cWe need to give these health centers access to federal funding, so that they can better serve communities in Oregon and across the country. I join my colleagues in calling on HRSA to make it easier for FQHC Look-Alikes to get the support and resources they deserve.\u201d\n\nCurrently, there are 136 Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alikes in Oregon and across the nation that provide services to over 1 million patients, but still don\u2019t receive federal resources they should be eligible for. FQHC Look-Alikes are organizations that meet all of the eligibility requirements of an FQHC that receives a Public Health Service Section 330 grant, but do not receive grant funding.\n\n\u201cThese community-based health care providers are already serving populations that may not otherwise be able to access care, and hope to expand the reach of their services to more people,\u201d the legislators said.\n\n\u201cHRSA should be leveraging the network of existing FQHC Look-Alikes. By prioritizing Look-Alikes that already comply with Health Center Program requirements over brand new sites, HRSA will ensure that federal dollars are being allocated to health centers with a proven track record of success that hope to expand the universe of patients they can serve and expand the care they are able to offer.\u201d\n\nThe letter was led by Sen. Wyden and U.S. Representative Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.). Along with Salinas, Wyden, Merkley, and Bonamici, the letter also was co-signed in the Senate by the U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Angus King (I-Maine), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and in the House by U.S. Representatives Ken Calvert (R-Calif), Josh Harder (D-Calif.), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), Young Kim (R-Calif.) and Katie Porter (D-Calif).\n\nThe text of the letter is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-bill-amend-grand-ronde-reservation-act-passes-senate-will-become-law", "Salinas Bill to Amend Grand Ronde Reservation Act Passes Senate, Will Become Law", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced her legislation with U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) to amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act, which restores the right to pursue land claims and compensation for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, has cleared both chambers of Congress. The legislation now heads to President Biden to be signed into law.\n\nThe bill was first introduced by Rep. Salinas in March as her first piece of legislation, and she ensured it passed the U.S. House of Representatives early last month. Senator Merkley has long championed the bill with success in the Senate, where it passed this week with unanimous support. The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Val Hoyle (OR-04), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), as well as U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).\n\n\u201cI am deeply proud that my amendment to the Grand Ronde Reservation Act has passed the Senate and will soon become law. This is a historic moment not only for the Grand Ronde Tribe, but for Indigenous peoples in Oregon and across the country,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cAt long last, the Grand Ronde Tribe will finally have the right to pursue land claims and compensation once again. I am so grateful to Senator Merkley, my Oregon colleagues, and everyone who helped get this important legislation across the finish line, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law in the coming days.\u201d\n\n\u201cA gross injustice against the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde is finally ending, and a new chapter of healing and justice for the Tribal community can begin,\u201d said Sen. Merkley. \u201cNearly three decades ago, the Grand Ronde sought to fix a historical surveying error within their reservation boundary, only for the federal government to make another error that relinquished the Tribe\u2019s rights to future land claims and compensation. I\u2019ve long championed legislation to correct this egregious injustice. With the strong partnership of Representative Salinas, it is finally becoming a law that will ensure the Grand Ronde has the legal ability to restore its right to pursue land claims in Oregon\u2014rights already available to other federally-recognized Tribes in Oregon.\u201d\n\n\u201cWords cannot express what this means to us and the pure joy I had hearing the news,\u201d said Grand Ronde Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy. \u201cThis amendment to the Grand Ronde Reservation Act is about correcting a historical wrong and restoring equity to the Tribe. We will forever be grateful to all those that worked to make this possible.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor far too long, the Grand Ronde have been unjustly denied the right to pursue land claims and compensation,\u201d said Governor Kotek. \u201cWe have to do better for all of Oregon\u2019s sovereign Tribes. The enactment of this legislation will alleviate concerns and uncertainties stemming from the 1994 amendment, preserving the Tribe's pre-1994 right to compensation and ensuring a clear and just resolution in the event of any future land survey discrepancies. I am greatly appreciative of Oregon\u2019s federal delegation in leading on this legislation, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law by President Biden.\u201d\n\nSalinas and Merkley\u2019s bill to fix the Grand Ronde Reservation Act corrects a drafting error in a 1994 legislative amendment to the Grand Ronde Reservation Act, which authorized a land exchange requiring the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to compensate the Grand Ronde Tribe for an 84-acre survey error by the federal government. The survey error occurred around 1871 and was not discovered by the Bureau of Land Management until 1988. In 1994, in pursuing federal legislation to rectify the error, an amendment was made to the bill at the time that further prohibited the Tribe from making any additional land claims if new errors were ever discovered.\n\nSalinas and Merkley\u2019s bill will end this inequitable restriction on the Tribe so that they may pursue recourse if additional survey errors are found. Currently, no other tribe in the State of Oregon is bound by this type of legal restriction and removing it will restore equity to the Grand Ronde Tribe. In case additional survey errors are discovered, this bill to amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act would replace the phrase \u201clands within the State of Oregon\u201d with the phrase \u201cthe 84 acres known as the Thompson Strip,\u201d clarifying that they are only prohibited from making additional land claims to the area known as the Thompson Strip.\n\n\u201cI applaud and was pleased to strongly support this legislation correcting an injustice for the Grand Ronde Tribe,\u201d said Sen. Wyden. \u201cAs a nation we must address past mistakes. I will fight for every Oregon Tribe to ensure the federal government is fully and equitably honoring its obligations and responsibilities to them.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/bentz-leads-bicameral-coalition-amicus-brief-urging-supreme-court-curb", "Bentz Leads Bicameral Coalition in Amicus Brief Urging Supreme Court to Curb Presidential Overreach under the Antiquities Act", "2023-12-19", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) announced that he is leading a coalition of Congressmen and Senators in filing an amicus brief with the Supreme Court, urging the Court to hear two important and critical cases challenging the President's misuse of the Antiquities Act to establish National Monuments. These cases, American Forest Resource Council v. United States of America and Murphy Company v. Biden, present a clear opportunity for the Court to establish limits on presidential authority and uphold the Constitution's separation of powers doctrine.\n\n\"The Constitution makes it clear that Congress, not the President, makes our laws. The President\u2019s job is not to make law, but to enforce them. Yet, in recent years, Presidents have increasingly usurped congressional authority by using the Antiquities Act to 'Monumentize' millions upon millions of acres of public land rendering massive areas largely untouchable. This blatant disregard for the will of the people is an affront to the Constitution,\" stated Congressman Bentz. \"In this brief we urge the Supreme Court to hear these cases and to make it clear that the President cannot circumvent Congress by rewriting our nation's public land\n\nlaws with the stroke of a pen. This is about upholding the Constitution, protecting our public lands from being left to burn up, and that they can be properly managed with the their best interest in mind.\"\n\nThe amicus brief highlights several key concerns:\n\nPresidential Overreach: The President's recent national\n\nmonument designation in Oregon overrides Congress's directive for\n\nhow these lands must be managed, specifically the O&C Act, which\n\nmandates sustained-yield timber production to generate revenue for\n\nrural communities. The President\u2019s actions set a dangerous precedent\n\nof executive overreach on all federal lands and waters.\n\nEconomic Devastation: The President\u2019s monument designation\n\ncripples forest-dependent communities and exacerbates the wildfire\n\ncrisis by severely limiting essential forest management practices.\n\nConstitutional Violation: The Constitution vests Congress, not the\n\nPresident, with the power to regulate federal lands. This case is an\n\nopportunity for the Supreme Court to reaffirm the separation of\n\npowers and protect the rights of American citizens.\n\nTravis Joseph, American Forest Resource Council President stated, \"We thank Congressman Cliff Bentz for his leadership on the Congressional amicus brief, and for bringing awareness to these important issues on Capitol Hill. Congressman Bentz and his colleagues understand the Constitutional issues that are at stake; the need to maintain and strengthen the separation of powers; and to ensure that Congress - not the President - continues to make the laws on behalf of the Americans they represent.\"\n\n\"For far too often, Congress has given the Executive Branch too much authority to manage and lock up Federal lands,\" said Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04). \"Both the Obama and Biden Administrations have abused the Antiquities Act to create new national monuments out of our federal lands to lock them up from development in opposition to the intent of Congress. It\u2019s past time for members of Congress to reclaim authority relating to the Antiquities Act, which is why I signed on to this Amicus Brief to make our argument clear to the Supreme Court as they review cases.\"\n\nNatural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) stated, \"For far too long the executive branch has abused the Antiquities Act to cut off millions of acres of public lands, an action that greatly impacts rural communities across the country and ignores Congress\u2019 directive on how those lands must be responsibly managed. The President does not have the constitutional authority to lock away our federal land and waters, especially without any local input. I urge the Supreme Court to take up these two critical cases and set the record straight on the executive branch\u2019s authority when it comes to regulating our federal lands and waters.\"\n\n\"For years, the Obama and Biden Administrations used the Antiquities Act to institutionalize massive executive overreach, seizing acres and acres of land without consequence. In some Congressional Districts, almost 80% of rural land was set aside as public or federal land,\" said Congresswoman Miller-Meeks (IA-01). \"We must preserve the use of federal lands for responsible recreational, agricultural, and energy use. I am proud to join my colleagues in urging the Supreme Court to curb executive overreach and require the Administration to consult Congress before making rash decisions about our federal lands.\"\n\n\"I am proud to join my colleagues in asking the Supreme Court to impose a limit on a president\u2019s authority under the Antiquities Act,\" Congressman Russ Fulcher (ID-01) said. \"Congress should determine whether public land can become an untouchable national monument; not the president. The Biden Administration is taking land away Congress requires be sustainably harvested to generate revenue for rural counties. I have worked, on a bipartisan basis, to extend Good Neighbor Authority to counties and tribes, helping them with job creation and revenue from timber harvests, along with managing the risk of wildfires and good environmental stewardship of our forests. I hope the Supreme Court hears the message loud and clear: Congress \u2013 not the President \u2013 has the constitutional authority over federal lands.\"\n\nCongressman John Rose (TN-06) added, \"President Biden's heavy-handed approach to using the Antiquities Act must be halted by the Supreme Court. As an attorney and eighth-generation farmer, I understand that the best stewards of public lands are the local communities who manage and depend on them\u2014not the federal government\u2014and that President Biden's use of the Antiquities Act is blatantly unconstitutional. I am proud to join Rep. Bentz in this amicus brief to hold the president accountable to the constitution and prevent him from damaging rural southwest Oregon communities that depend on this public land.\"\n\n\"Once again, the Biden administration is overstepping its authority and restricting more of our lands from use. The Antiquities Act is just one of many ways that the Biden administration is keeping Americans from gaining energy independence, enjoying sport & recreation activities, and restricting every ability to do anything except \u201cconserve\u201d land in the name of a ridiculous climate change agenda. I urge the Supreme Court to take up this case and to strike down this Biden abuse of office,\" Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (WY-AL) concluded.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-gonzalez-colon-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-remove-marine-debris", "Bonamici, Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Remove Marine Debris", "2023-12-15", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [12/15/23] \u2013Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Jenniffer Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n (R-Puerto Rico), Co-Chairs of the House Oceans Caucus, introduced legislation to help remove marine debris from the ocean and waterways.\n\nH.R. 6781 would reauthorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration\u2019s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program through 2028. The representatives introduced the bill ahead of the third anniversary of the bipartisan Save Our Seas 2.0 Act, the most comprehensive legislation passed by Congress to address marine debris and strengthen NOAA\u2019s Marine Debris Program. Bonamici led the original bill with the late Rep. Don Young (R-AK).\n\n\u201cMarine debris threatens coastal communities, ecosystems, and marine life,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cCongress acted to strengthen NOAA\u2019s Marine Debris Program to better respond to the plastics, derelict vessels and fishing gear, and other harmful debris that litters the ocean\u2019s waters and shores. This legislation will build on that success to continue protecting the ocean and communities into the future. I\u2019m grateful to partner with my Oceans Caucus Co-Chair Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n in this important effort.\u201d\n\n\u201cNOAA\u2019s Marine Debris Program provides critical resources to address and mitigate the adverse impacts of marine debris in our ocean and coastal environments,\u201d said Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n. \u201cIn Puerto Rico, for example, it has supported initiatives to research and monitor the sources of marine debris within our watersheds, as well as multiple projects to help remove abandoned vessels, derelict fishing gear, and hurricane-generated debris throughout our coasts and waters. I\u2019m proud to join my fellow House Oceans Caucus Co-Chair, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, to introduce bipartisan legislation to reauthorize NOAA\u2019s Marine Debris Program and ensure it can continue supporting state, territorial, and local efforts to comprehensively tackle this issue.\u201d\n\nThe text of the legislation can be viewed here.\n\nSenators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced the Senate companion bill.\n\nBonamici and Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n co-chair the House Oceans Caucus, a bipartisan group of House members committed to protecting the health and future of the ocean. This Congress, the Caucus has been focused on environmental stressors (including ocean acidification, harmful algal blooms, and hypoxia); marine debris; ocean data and monitoring; coastal resiliency; deep sea mining; and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/bentz-releases-statement-support-national-defense-authorization-act", "Bentz Releases Statement in Support of the National Defense Authorization Act", "2023-12-14", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) released the following statement after voting \u201cyes\u201d on H.R. 2670, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024.\n\n\u201cThe National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is absolutely essential to the safety and security of every American. There is simply nothing more important than being able to defend our country and our freedoms. The bill is not perfect, but it takes huge steps in the right direction. This bill helps us prepare for the worst, and the list of really bad things that could happen grows longer every day.\n\nOne of the good things done in this bill is that it secures funding for Kingsley Field\u2019s next mission, which is to train elite F-35A Lightning II jet pilots in Klamath Falls.\n\nFor nearly 70 years, Kingsley Field has played a critical role in safeguarding our nation's air superiority. Since taking office, securing Kingsley's future has been a top priority, and I'm thrilled the Air Force has chosen Kingsley for this essential mission.\u201d\n\nFY24 NDAA Highlights:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-mcgarvey-lead-effort-improve-family-access-housing-assistance", "Bonamici, McGarvey Lead Effort to Improve Family Access to Housing Assistance", "2023-12-13", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [12/13/23] \u2013 Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Morgan McGarvey (D-KY) led 25 of their colleagues in drawing attention to the decline in federal housing assistance programs for families with children.\n\nSection 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit are two of the largest federal housing programs that can help prevent homelessness. Unfortunately, data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Section 8 vouchers shows that families with children have received a smaller share of voucher recipients over the last decade.\n\n\u201cThe Biden Administration has shown historic dedication to improving opportunities for homeownership and increasing protections for families who rent,\u201d the Representatives wrote. \u201cUnfortunately, the number of families experiencing homelessness is on the rise nationally. We write to request information from your agencies so we can work together to improve federal programs to better serve vulnerable families.\u201d\n\nIn 2009, households with children received 42 percent of the benefits from subsidized HUD programs. By 2022, that percentage had declined to 33 percent. This includes Section 8 choice vouchers, public housing, and project-based vouchers.\n\nThe letter requests HUD and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provide information on policies to enhance support for families and youth at risk of homelessness, including:\n\nData on how many new families are being accepted in federal housing programs;\n\nA breakdown of information about families\u2019 access to developments subsidized by the Low Income Housing Tax Credit and Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers;\n\nConfirmation of the downward trend of families with children accessing federally subsidized housing and details on what may be the potential causes;\n\nInformation on initiatives HUD and IRS are undertaking to promote housing stability for families\n\nThe letter is supported by First Focus Campaign for Children and SchoolHouse Connection.\n\n\u201cAccess to safe and affordable housing is critical for healthy child development, yet publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development shows that over the past decade, families with children are a declining share of subsidized housing recipients,\u201d said Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus Campaign for Children. \u201cFirst Focus Campaign for Children applauds Reps. Bonamici, McGarvey, and the rest of the signers for prioritizing children by sending this letter to HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge and IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel to inquire about this concerning trend, as well as ask for more information about actions taken by HUD and the IRS to increase support for families and youth experiencing homelessness and housing instability.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Bonamici and McGarvey, the letter was signed by 25 of their colleagues, including Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-AZ), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Scott Peters (D-CA), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), David Trone (D-MD), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), and Nikema Williams (D-GA).\n\nBonamici is a Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness. Bonamici and McGarvey also lead the bipartisan, bicameral Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act together.\n\nThe full text of the letter can be found here and below.\n\nDear Secretary Fudge and Commissioner Werfel,\n\nWe write today to inquire about efforts to safeguard affordable housing for families in the United States. The Biden Administration has shown historic dedication to improving opportunities for homeownership and increasing protections for families who rent. Unfortunately, the number of families experiencing homelessness is on the rise nationally.1 We write to request information from your agencies so we can work together to improve federal programs to better serve vulnerable families.\n\nThe Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers are our largest programs to secure housing stability for vulnerable Americans. It is essential that all our federal housing programs, but especially LIHTC and Section 8, directly serve the needs of low- income families. There is a potentially concerning trend of fewer fami lies with children accessing stable housing through federal assistance, especially LIHTC2and Section 8 vouche rs3. The database on the Department of Housing and Urban Development\u2019s website shows t hat the percent of people with children in subsidized housing nationally has fallen to 33 percent,4which is the lowest percentage in a decade and an overall decline of eight percent from 2010.\n\nAccording to research from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, the number of families receiving rent assistance fell by 250,000 or 13 percent from 2004 to 2016.\n\nAlthough Congress has not provided needed investments to expand federal housing programs to fully meet the demands of our housing crisis, we remain concerned about fewer and fewer families with children being served by these programs. We ask that you provide responses to the following questions:\n\nDo your agencies have data showing how many new families are being accepted in federal housing programs?\n\nPlease provide a breakdown of information about families\u2019 access to developments subsidized by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers.\n\nDoes data available to your agencies reflect a downward trend of families with children accessing federally subsidized housing? If so, please detail the cause of this trend, including whether it is related to any or a combination of the following:\n\nPrioritization of people other than families with children by housing developers or local and state housing agencies;\n\nRehabilitation and construction of units that are not accessible to families with children;\n\nChildren in families who entered housing developments moving out and the rest of their family staying, which in turn keeps these units off the market;\n\nDiscrimination based on source of income or familial status by landlords against vouchers or other screening practices that disproportionately harm low-income families with children; and,\n\nLack of accessible units for families with children because of limited appropriations for housing programs.\n\nWhat initiatives is HUD taking to promote housing stability for families?\n\nWhat resources are needed to fully meet the mission of the Family Unification Program?\n\nWhen does HUD anticipate publishing guidance to better integrate services with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in response to the 2021 report, GAO-21-540?5\n\nHow will family housing stability be integrated into the LGBTQI+ Youth Homelessness Initiative?6\n\nThe need for expanded resources to address housing and houselessness is clear. As demonstrated by the Emergency Rental Assistance Program created during the COVID-19 pandemic, dedicated federal resources prevent evictions, improve wellbeing and financial security, and fill gaps to mitigate housing cost increases. We remain committed to addressing underinvestment in housing and making housing and homeownership affordable and achievable for all Americans. It is essential that Congress addresses this important issue, and our effort must be coupled with policies that remove barriers to family access and enhance coordination of the full spectrum of services for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.\n\nThank you again for your dedication to making affordable housing attainable for all Americans. We look forward to your answers and opportunities to partner with you to deliver the resources needed so everyone has a safe and affordable place to call home.\n\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-gluesenkamp-perez-moore-urge-federal-government-expand-use-mass-timber", "Salinas, Gluesenkamp Perez, Moore Urge Federal Government to Expand Use of Mass Timber in Federal Buildings", "2023-12-13", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 This week, U.S. Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), and Barry Moore (AL-02) led a bipartisan letter to the General Services Administration (GSA) encouraging expanded use of mass timber in federal buildings.\n\nIn the letter, the lawmakers express concern that while the GSA recently awarded $2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding for 150 projects, none of the funds were awarded to projects using sustainable wood products, including mass timber.\n\nUtilizing wood products is critical for supporting rural jobs and reducing wildfire risk, and it is one of the most effective ways to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings. These products come from renewable resources, store carbon, and don\u2019t require the same fuel-intensive manufacturing process common for other other building materials.\n\n\u201cCountries around the world have made building with wood a top priority to reach climate goals, yet our own federal government continues to lag in its adoption of low-embodied carbon wood products,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cAs GSA continues to take steps to reduce the carbon footprint for the built environment within its real estate portfolio, we strongly urge you to ensure that low-embodied carbon wood products, such as mass timber, play a role.\u201d\n\nAcross the United States, the forest products industry directly employs roughly 925,000 people and indirectly supports nearly 2 million jobs.\n\n\u201cI am deeply concerned about GSA\u2019s decision not to award Inflation Reduction Act funding to projects that use sustainable wood products. As a lead sponsor of the bipartisan Timber Innovation for Building Rural Communities Act, I believe we must invest in our working forests and help make them more resilient to wildfires and climate change,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cI join my colleagues in urging the Administration to utilize sustainable wood products moving forward, and I will continue working to ensure Oregon\u2019s critical mass timber industry gets the support it deserves from our federal government.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf we want to support Southwest Washington timber economies, prevent wildfires, and rebuild meaningful jobs in the trades, our federal government needs to lead by example by building with home-grown wood products,\u201d said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. \u201cI appreciate the support of my bipartisan colleagues to help ensure federal dollars going out the door make it to our local loggers and tradespeople. It\u2019s what\u2019s good for rural Americans and it\u2019s what\u2019s good for our environment.\u201d\n\n\u201cBuilding with mass timber is a great way to leverage value-added properties of American timber,\u201d said Rep. Moore. \u201cOur foresters here in Alabama and across America deserved the chance to benefit from these construction projects, and I hope the Biden Administration will consider them in the future.\u201d\n\nThe letter was also signed by Reps. Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Jim Costa (CA-21), Don Davis (NC-01), John Garamendi (CA-08), Derek Kilmer (WA-06), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), and Glenn Thompson (PA-15).\n\nFull text of the letter can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/bentz-releases-statement-following-todays-wwf-hearing-snake-river-dams", "Bentz Releases Statement Following Today's WWF Hearing on the Snake River Dams", "2023-12-12", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - \u201cToday\u2019s Congressional hearing called out the Biden Administration for engaging in secret discussions to breach the four lower Snake River dams, to impose upon the people of the northwest billions in costs to replace thousands of megawatts of clean reliable power generated by these dams, and, if that was not enough, to force the people of the Northwest to inequitably pay billions in higher utility rates under the guise of building fish runs to levels not seen in centuries.\u201d \u2013 Congressman Cliff Bentz\n\nClick here to watch today's hearing.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-house-panel-probe-biden-admins-negotiations-eco-groups-trying-tear-down", "ICYMI: House panel to probe Biden admin's negotiations with eco groups trying to tear down key power source", "2023-12-11", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-panel-probe-biden-admins-negotiations-eco-groups-trying-tear-down-key-power-source\n\nBy Thomas Catenacci - Fox News\n\nFIRST ON FOX: A top House panel is probing the Biden administration's negotiations with left-wing environmental groups seeking to remove four hydroelectric dams in Washington to protect salmon.\n\nThe House Natural Resources Committee's Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee will hold a hearing next week, on Dec. 12, where it will review efforts to effectively dismantle the dams \u2014 which are a key source of clean energy and which enable agricultural transport \u2014 and related litigation. Experts and industry groups will speak at the hearing about the importance of the four federally-managed dams.\n\n\"Pacific Northwest residents should be extremely concerned,\" Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., who chairs the subcommittee, told Fox News Digital in an interview. \"It's exactly what we've been saying for years \u2014 that we have unelected folks, bureaucrats, especially in the [Council on Environmental Quality], dramatically exceeding their authority and basically stepping outside the description of what they have the power to do reflected in National Environmental Protection Act.\"\n\nBentz said that he hopes witnesses will be able to highlight how removing, or breaching, the dams will impact electricity rates consumers pay and farmers who transport hundreds of thousands of tons of food, especially wheat, aided by the dams. The four dams are located on the lower Snake River, which winds through Idaho and Washington before feeding into the Columbia River and then into the Pacific Ocean.\n\nThe hearing next week is set to feature Scott Simms, the CEO and executive director of the Public Power Council; Neil Maunu, the executive director of the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association; and Humaria Falkenberg, the power resources manager at the Pacific County Public Utility District in Raymond, Washington.\n\nNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator Richard Spinrad and White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chairwoman Brenda Mallory both declined to attend the hearing. John Hairston, the administrator and CEO of the Bonneville Power Administration in Portland, Oregon, also declined to attend.\n\nThe four dams on the lower Snake River have been thrust into the spotlight in recent months and years as environmental organizations and some Democrats have argued the dams have decimated salmon and Steelhead populations, According to Columbia Riverkeeper, an Oregon eco group, the dams transformed the river into \"a series of warm, shallow lakes where predators, dam turbines and hot water kill too many migrating salmon.\"\n\nIn addition, such groups have filed litigation against the federal government in an effort to force the dams to be breached. In November, though, environmental plaintiffs agreed to pause litigation through mid-December after a mediation was crafted with federal defendants that states action must be taken to save fish in the Snake River.\n\n\"We agree that business as usual \u2014 and the consequential disappearance of salmon and other native fish populations in the Columbia River Basin \u2014 is unacceptable,\" the mediation, which was confidential until it was leaked last week, states. \"And while there is still time to save these fish, there is no time to waste.\"\n\nThe mediation notes that Democratic Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., released recommendations last year to quickly deploy green energy in the region to account for lost power were the four dams to be torn down. The document later notes the region must account for power to replace energy services currently provided by the dams.\n\n\"Instead of working with all interests, the U.S. Government chose for months to hold secret negotiations and refused to share any details with us, let alone allow our participation,\" said the executive directors of Northwest RiverPartners, the Public Power Council, and the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, which collectively represent power utilities, ports, agriculture companies and other businesses dependent on the dams.\n\n\"It is not surprising, then, that this proposal turns its back on over three million electricity customers as well as the farming, transportation, navigation, and economic needs of the region,\" they continued. \"By purposely excluding our respective organizations from the negotiations, literally millions of Northwest residents were deprived of fair representation in this process.\"\n\nThe American Public Power Association and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association also blasted the leaked mediation last week, saying \"it would jeopardize electric reliability and increase costs for millions of Americans throughout the Pacific Northwest.\"\n\nAfter the mediation was leaked last week, the White House CEQ told Fox News Digital that breaching the lower Snake River dams would require congressional authorization \"and is therefore not an action that could be agreed to through the mediation.\"\n\nHowever, Bentz said while the federal government isn't able to breach the dams without congressional action, it could \"operationally neuter\" the dams under a legal order.\n\n\"They're not talking about breaching,\" Bentz told Fox News Digital. \"They're talking about operating them in a fashion that doesn't generate power and doesn't allow navigation. They will just be a big block of concrete in the river, around which the water will run.\"\n\nThe dams were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers primarily to ensure the Snake River was passable for barge transportation. However, since then, the main benefit has been their reliable clean energy output. They still provide about 8% of the state's electricity, enough to serve millions of residents, and have a large total capacity of 3,000 megawatts.\n\nRemoving the dams would also likely chip away at U.S. climate goals since their energy production would likely need to be replaced by fossil fuel alternatives. According to federal data, replacing hydropower generated by the dams with natural gas generation would increase carbon emissions by up to 2.6 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of 421,000 passenger cars.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-fitzpatrick-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-boost-education-research", "Bonamici, Fitzpatrick Introduce Bipartisan Legislation  to Boost Education Research", "2023-12-11", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [12/11/23] \u2013 Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced bipartisan legislation to accelerate innovation in teaching and learning by establishing a national center to promote informed-risk, high-reward education research.\n\nThe New Essential Education Discoveries (NEED) Act of 2023 would create a National Center for Advanced Development in Education (NCADE) with the purpose of developing and disseminating effective practices and tools to improve students\u2019 academic performance and close longstanding achievement gaps. The NCADE would be the fifth center under the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and follow a successful model similar to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).\n\n\u201cInvesting in education research will support the development of literacy skills and other critical components of a well-rounded education, help students get back on track after the pandemic disrupted learning, and more,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cThe NEED Act will focus on innovative approaches and technologies in education and will improve implementation of education R&D. These critical investments are designed to strengthen teaching and learning to reach more students\u2014particularly students who face the greatest opportunity gaps.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongress has the responsibility to ensure that students across America have the resources available to reach their full potential,\u201d said Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick. \u201cOur bipartisan NEED Act will create a national center dedicated to developing innovative tools based on data and technological advances to help close learning gaps, and I am proud to join Congresswoman Bonamici on this important legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cEveryone should have the information they need to make informed decisions about their own education and workforce pathways, support individuals navigating these pathways, and create policies that might help others navigate smoother pathways,\u201d said Jennifer Bell-Ellwanger, president and CEO, Data Quality Campaign. \u201cData Quality Campaign applauds the efforts of Rep. Bonamici and Rep. Fitzpatrick to reimagine statewide longitudinal data systems as tools for providing better support, transparency, and high-quality data to individuals navigating their journeys through education and the workforce.\u201d\n\n\"For years, our nation has asked our teachers to innovate in a classroom environment that continues shifting - teachers have stepped up to meet that challenge,\" said Kira Orange Jones, CEO of Teach Plus. \"It is essential we stand alongside teachers and students by creating the infrastructure to use new data and research to meet the demands of a 21st century education and the learning challenges American children face. The NEED Act will create an infrastructure that helps to innovate schools and better serve our students.\"\n\nThe NEED Act would also update Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) and help states better track the progress and outcomes of students through K-12 and into the workforce.\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by: Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF); America Forward; American Educational Research Association; American Federation of Teachers; American Psychological Association Services; Association of Public Data Users (APDU); Beyond100K; CAST, Inc.; Coalition for Community Schools; Committee for Children; Common Sense Media; Data Quality Campaign; Digital Promise Global; EDGE Consulting Partners; Education Reform Now; Educators for Excellence; ExcelinEd in Action; Federation of American Scientists; Formation Ventures; Foundation for American Innovation; InnovateEDU; Institute for Educational Leadership; Knowledge Alliance; Kumar Garg; Schmidt Futures; LearningForge LLC; Lehigh University; Luminary Labs; National Alliance for Public Charter Schools; National Association of Secondary School Principals; National Center for Learning Disabilities; New Classrooms; New Leaders; North Dakota Department of Public Instruction; Results for America; SETDA; Teach Plus; The Education Trust; The Learning Agency; The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD); The Tech Interactive; Thomas B. Fordham Institute; TNTP; and Transcend.\n\nA summary of the legislation can be found here, and the full text of the legislation can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-porter-introduce-legislation-protect-student-borrowers-young", "Bonamici, Porter Introduce Legislation to Protect Student Borrowers, Young Consumers from Unscrupulous Lenders", "2023-12-08", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [12/08/23] \u2013 Today Congresswomen Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Katie Porter (D-CA) introduced legislation to restore the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) Office for Students and Young Consumers.\n\nBefore the Trump administration closed the Office for Students and Young Consumers in 2018, it helped return more than $750 million to students and student loan borrowers who had been cheated or misled by unscrupulous student loan companies and for-profit colleges. They assisted more than 60,000 borrowers who submitted complaints to the CFPB about the student loan industry. The Students and Young Consumers Empowerment Act will reopen the office and strengthen the CFPB\u2019s ability to protect students, prevent fraud, and preserve the integrity of the student loan marketplace and access to affordable higher education.\n\n\"Students and young consumers who are seeking to invest in their education should not be cheated by unscrupulous companies or for-profit colleges,\" said Suzanne Bonamici, senior member of the Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. \"The Biden administration has taken many important steps to improve the student loan system and compensate borrowers and students who have been duped or defrauded. But we can do more. Restoring the Office for Students and Young Consumers will provide a needed resource at the CFPB and help create a better, fairer, and more transparent system.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen young people get cheated by student loan companies or for-profit colleges, they should have a partner in the federal government they can trust to get them justice,\u201d said Katie Porter, a longtime consumer protection attorney. \u201cA dedicated Office for Students and Young Consumers will prevent student loan borrowers from being overlooked and will be empowered to act on their behalf to crack down on fraudsters. I\u2019m proud to work with Congresswoman Bonamici on this important legislation to hold bad actors accountable for harming our nation\u2019s young people.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the Students and Young Consumers Empowerment Act:\n\nEstablishes the position of the Assistant Director and Student Loan Borrower Advocate as head of a statutorily mandated Office for Students and Young Consumers (Office) charged with:\n\nempowering students, young consumers, and their families to make better informed decisions regarding consumer financial products and services;\n\nidentifying new risks to consumers and referring cases for enforcement; and\n\nmaking recommendations to Congress about how to protect young consumers;\n\nEmpowers the Office to work with private and Federal student loan borrowers to resolve complaints against lenders, servicers, and debt collectors;\n\nRequires information sharing between the head of the Office and senior officials across the federal government to allow the Office to carry out its duties and effectively protect student loan borrowers;\n\nGives the Office new tools to demand data from industry about risky practices, and requires annual reports about the student loan marketplace, campus banking, and risks to young consumers; and\n\nProvides Congress with new tools to hold CFPB accountable for the requirements in this Act.\n\nA summary of the legislation can be found here, and the text of the legislation can be found here. It is co-sponsored by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/chairman-bentz-lead-water-wildlife-and-fisheries-hearing-examining-biden", "Chairman Bentz to Lead Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Hearing Examining the Biden Administration\u2019s Efforts to Eliminate the Pacific Northwest\u2019s Clean Energy Production.", "2023-12-06", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington DC \u2013 Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-OR) announced that on Tuesday, December 12th, the Congressional Subcommittee of Natural Resources on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries will hold a hearing on the Biden Administration's destructive, politicized, unfair, and deceptive scheme to ultimately remove the four lower Snake River Dams.\n\nThe Biden Administration's scheme is a direct attack on clean energy production and navigation in the Northwest. These four dams are essential to energy production, navigation on the Snake River into Idaho, and the Northwest\u2019s agricultural industry. Removing or adjusting their operations to negate power generation and river commerce would be devastating. This hearing will expose this Administration's reckless and destructive policies and give the people most impacted by them an opportunity to be heard.\n\nThe hearing will feature expert testimony on the economic, environmental, legal, and inequitable impacts that would occur if these dams were removed or operationally destroyed. Witnesses will also discuss the Biden Administration's overreach and abuse of power as shown by its perversion of the court process by use of \u201csue and settle\u201d tactics.\n\nWhen: December 12th, 2:00 pm ET\n\nWhere to Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@NaturalResourcesGOP", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bipartisan-group-house-members-introduces-bill-protect-older-workers-age", "Bipartisan Group of House Members Introduces Bill to Protect Older Workers from Age Discrimination", "2023-12-04", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. \u201cBobby\u201d Scott (VA-03), Representative Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Workforce Protections Subcommittee Ranking Member Alma Adams (NC-12), and Representative Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02) introduced the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act(POWADA), a bipartisan proposal to strengthen anti-discrimination protections for older workers.\n\nIn 2009, the Supreme Court\u2019s decision in Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc. weakened protections against age discrimination under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Under Gross, plaintiffs seeking to prove age discrimination in employment are required to demonstrate that age was the decisive motivating factor for the employer\u2019s adverse action.\n\nPOWADA returns the legal standard for age discrimination claims to the pre-2009 evidentiary threshold, aligning the burden of proof with the same standards for proving discrimination based on based on race and national origin.\n\n\u201cDiscrimination should never be tolerated in the workplace. Yet too often, older workers encounter discrimination on the job or when seeking employment. And when they do, they face barriers to proving their case because workers who experience age discrimination have to meet a higher burden of proof than people claiming discrimination based on race, national origin, or religion. That\u2019s wrong, and it\u2019s time for a remedy. I\u2019m co-leading the bipartisan Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act to restore protections for older workers and give them the ability to hold employers accountable for age discrimination,\u201dsaid Ranking Member Bonamici (OR-01).\n\n\u201cEveryone\u2014regardless of their age\u2014should be able to go to work every day knowing that they are protected from discrimination. Unfortunately, age discrimination in the workplace is depriving older workers of opportunities and exposing them to long-term unemployment and severe financial hardship. More than a decade ago, the Supreme Court undermined protections for older workers by setting an unreasonable burden of proof for age discrimination claims. The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act is a bipartisan bill that would finally restore the legal rights of older workers by ensuring that the burdens of proof in age discrimination claims are treated in the same manner as other discrimination claims,\u201dsaidRanking Member Scott (VA-03).\n\n\u201cIn my mind, the one form of discrimination that is so widespread is age discrimination against older workers. This affects a whole generation of Americans. Countless people aged 50 and up get laid off at a time when they still have mortgages to pay and children to support, and they find it very difficult to find a job. Employers also let go of older individuals as companies look to avoid higher insurance costs. The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act is a crucial bipartisan initiative that aims to restore legal safeguards for older workers by ensuring that age discrimination claims receive just as much credibility as other claims of workplace discrimination,\u201dsaid Grothman (WI-06).\n\n\u201cAll Americans, regardless of age, should be protected from discrimination in the workplace,\u201dsaid Congressman Fitzpatrick (PA-01). \u201cOur bipartisan Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act will ensure that age discrimination claims are subject to an appropriate burden of proof, and I am proud to join my colleagues on this legislation to protect workers.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe must stand strongly against all forms of discrimination, which includes discrimination against older Americans. Labor law must protect the dignity of all workers and recognize that discrimination against older Americans is discrimination all the same. The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA) will ensure that older workers will be fairly treated in the job market, returning the legal standard for proving discrimination back to its original intent. Discrimination based on age has no place in our workforce,\u201dsaid Ranking Member Alma Adams (NC-12).\n\n\u201cIn America, we uphold the principle of individuals being judged on their abilities, free from discrimination. Everyone, regardless of their age, deserves that same freedom,\u201dsaid Congressman Van Drew (NJ-02). \u201cFor far too long, older workers have faced barriers to employment. This has not only kept capable individuals out of the workforce but has also forced many into unemployment and hardship. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act to ensure that individuals in South Jersey, and nationwide, have equal opportunities to challenge discrimination, just as younger people do.\u201d\n\nPOWADAamends four laws\u2014the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Rehabilitation Act. A similar version of the bill was passed in the House with bipartisan support during the 117th Congress.\n\nRead the fact sheet for the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act here.\n\nRead the section-by-section summary of the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-harshbarger-introduce-bipartisan-bill-expand-telehealth-services-rural", "Salinas, Harshbarger Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Telehealth Services for Rural Americans", "2023-11-30", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Diana Harshbarger (TN-01) introduced the bipartisan Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act, legislation that would expand access to remote mental health and substance use services in rural America, especially for individuals working in the farming, fishing, and forestry industries. U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Tina Smith (D-MN) are leading a companion bill in the Senate.\n\n\u201cAccessing mental health care shouldn\u2019t require an in-person visit, especially for Americans in rural areas who have to travel long distances to see a provider,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cOur bipartisan bill would expand telemental health services in rural Oregon, with an emphasis on those working in the farming, fishing, and forestry industries. This legislation would save folks time and resources and help more Oregonians get the care they need, when they need it.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a community pharmacist for over three decades in one of the country\u2019s most rural Congressional Districts, I understand the challenges patients face in underserved areas,\u201d said Rep. Harshbarger. \u201cBy expanding access to telemental health services, this common-sense legislation will help improve patient outcomes.\u201d\n\nThe Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Rural Health Liaison of the Department of Agriculture, to award grants to entities to establish mental health and substance use services for rural Americans in their homes, particularly those working in farming, fishing, and forestry occupations. It would also authorize up to $10 million for each fiscal year through 2027 using current funds.\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), NAMI Oregon, National Rural Health Association, Oregon Rural Health Association, American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, Oregon Council for Behavioral Health, Oregon Cattlemen\u2019s Association, Oregon Psychiatric Physicians Association, and Friends of Family Farmers.\n\n\u201cThe National Rural Health Association applauds Representatives Salinas and Harshbarger for their introduction of The Home Based Telemental Health Care Act of 2023,\u201d said Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Health Association. \u201cThis important legislation creates a telemental health demonstration program designed to address specific behavioral health and substance use needs for folks in farming, fishing, and forestry occupations. This bill will increase access to behavioral health and substance use services for our most rural and medically underserved populations.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Oregon Council for Behavioral Health, as a non-profit trade association with a wide representation of rural and frontier providers, greatly appreciates and supports the Home Based Telemental Health Act of 2023,\u201d said Heather Jefferis, M.A., Executive Director of the Oregon Council for Behavioral Health. \u201cThis bill will help expand access for communities and individuals who have significant barriers to care, including geographic distance, stigma, and a lack of providers in their community. We extend our gratitude to Congress for their attention to our rural and frontier communities\u2019 needs. Thank you for helping local providers save lives.\u201d\n\n\"The Friends of Family Farmers is so grateful to Representatives Salinas and Harshbarger for taking on this effort,\" said Alice Morrison, Co-Director of the Friends of Family Farmers. \"Expanding telemental health options is a vital, tangible way to improve access to mental health services for our farmers, ranchers and others in rural communities. Everyone should have equitable access to care, and this legislation will help make that possible.\u201d\n\nTo read the full text of this legislation, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-quantum-science-bill-passes-committee-moves-closer-becoming-law", "Salinas\u2019 Quantum Science Bill Passes Committee, Moves Closer to Becoming Law", "2023-11-29", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, a bipartisan bill led by U.S. Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Jim Baird (IN-04) passed unanimously out of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. The Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering Act, introduced last month by Reps. Salinas and Baird, would amend the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act and drastically accelerate quantum research and development in the United States. The legislation now awaits a vote by the full House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cI am deeply proud that my bipartisan bill, the Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering Act, unanimously passed out of committee today.\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cQuantum science has the potential to change lives for the better and vastly improve our communications capabilities. Investing in more research and building a stronger quantum workforce will allow us to fully harness the benefits of these technologies. I am grateful to Congressman Baird and my colleagues on the Committee for their support, and I will continue working to get this legislation to the finish line.\u201d\n\n\u201cLeading the world in quantum research will have huge implications for America\u2019s economy and national security,\u201d said Rep. Baird. \u201cThis legislation will elevate research facilities nationwide and facilitate cooperation that will supercharge the industry. I\u2019m incredibly excited to have such broad support for this bill in Committee, and I\u2019m confident we will enjoy similar consensus on the House floor.\u201d\n\nThe Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering Act would direct the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award grants to upgrade research facilities and improve access to research resources, such as equipment and instrumentation, to support research and development in quantum information science, technology, and engineering. This bill would also improve coordination to enable better access to these resources among researchers, students, and companies. Finally, it would help the scientific community access the equipment, instrumentation, materials and devices, and other critical services needed to enable cutting-edge research on quantum information science, train the next generation of quantum scientists and workers, and translate research into commercial products and services.\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by the Oregon Institute of Technology, University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Purdue University, and Indiana University.\n\nTo read the full text of this legislation, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/sullivan-baldwin-bonamici-joyce-lead-legislation-improve-harmful-algal-bloom", "Sullivan, Baldwin, Bonamici & Joyce Lead Legislation to Improve Harmful Algal Bloom Response", "2023-11-28", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Dave Joyce (R-Ohio), have introduced the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act (HABHRCA) of 2023, legislation to reauthorize the HABHRCA of 1998 and to improve monitoring, forecasting, prevention, and mitigation of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and hypoxia by requiring better coordination among task force agencies, and state and local entities, including Indian tribes.\n\nThis legislation comes in response to the increasing severity of harmful algal blooms in Alaska, with the 2022 algal bloom in the Bering Strait region being one of the largest and most toxic blooms ever observed nationwide. HABs directly threaten food security and subsistence in Alaska. Additionally, HABs can reduce oxygen levels in the water in events called hypoxia, killing fish and other marine life and harming coastal ecosystems and economies. HABs occur in all 50 states, in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters.\n\n\u201cHarmful algal blooms and hypoxia events are occurring with increasing frequency, threatening the health of our marine and freshwater ecosystems and communities,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cI\u2019m introducing the bipartisan Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act to help people in NW Oregon and across the country better protect against and respond quickly to these disasters.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs America\u2019s leading seafood producer and home to more coastline than the contiguous Lower 48 states combined, Alaska is particularly vulnerable to harmful algal blooms,\u201d Senator Sullivan said. \u201cUnchecked HABs can threaten our marine life and coastal ecosystems, the livelihoods of our commercial fisheries and coastal communities, and the health and well-being of Alaskans. It is critical that we develop and coordinate effective responses to harmful algal blooms and efficiently monitor the health of our oceans for the sake of coastal communities, especially subsistence communities, and ecosystems across the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur Great Lakes and abundant fresh waters are among Wisconsin\u2019s most valuable resources, supporting wildlife, our economy, and our way of life. I am proud to be a partner in protecting these critical ecosystems from harmful algal blooms that have the potential to endanger our Made in Wisconsin economy and public health,\u201d said Senator Baldwin. \u201cThe critical support provided by this bipartisan legislation ensures that we can monitor algal bloom and hypoxia growth in our fresh waters, while preventing and mitigating their spread. I am proud to lead this legislation with Senator Sullivan to ensure generations to come can enjoy and benefit from the Great Lakes and Wisconsin\u2019s inland waters.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe shallowest of all the Great Lakes, Lake Erie, is particularly vulnerable to harmful algal blooms, which have plagued the lake for more than 45 years. Any threat to Lake Erie is also a threat to the drinking water supply for 11 million people, our tourism industry, and all the plants and animals that are part of the lake\u2019s ecosystem,\u201d said Congressman Joyce. \u201cI am proud to introduce this bipartisan, bicameral bill to ensure Lake Erie and every state in America is protected from these dangerous threats to our bodies of water.\u201d\n\nA copy of the bill, S.3348, can be found here.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe original Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (HABHRCA) was passed in 1998 and established an interagency task force to assess the distribution of harmful algal blooms and their impacts on coastal waters and human health. HABHRCA has since been reauthorized three times, through FY 2023, and is currently due for reauthorization. This bill reauthorizes the original 1998 HABHRCA, and improves coordination among state and local entities, as well as Indian tribes, to improve monitoring, forecasting, prevention, and mitigation of HABs and hypoxia.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/wyden-merkley-bonamici-applaud-43-million-portland-business-contract-support", "Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici Applaud $43 Million Portland Business Contract to Support U.S. Antarctic Program", "2023-11-27", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley with U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici today welcomed the announcement that a Portland manufacturer secured a $43.5 million contract from the U.S. Army to develop equipment for research in the Antarctic.\n\nThe Portland manufacturer, Gunderson Marine, LLC, will design and build a steel pier barge to support operations at McMurdo Station for the National Science Foundation\u2019s U.S. Antarctic Program.\n\n\u201cThe Antarctic is one of the least explored regions in the world, and this contract between Gunderson Marine and the National Science Foundation matches a mainstay Portland business with cutting-edge scientific research,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cThis good news means jobs locally and groundbreaking research globally.\u201d\n\n\u201cFrom Northwest Portland to the South Pole, this partnership betweenGundersonMarineand the National Science Foundation will boost the local economy and lead to a greater understanding of one of the earth\u2019s final frontiers,\u201d Merkley said. \u201cIt\u2019s exciting to see a longtime Oregon business take the helm on this opportunity to further critical research in Antarctica and beyond.\u201d\n\n\u201cOregon manufacturing companies are at the forefront of innovation. This new contract between Gunderson Marine and the National Science Foundation will support research in the Antarctic and advance the development of vessels equipped to handle the extreme conditions of the region,\" Bonamici said. \u201cI had the opportunity to visit Antarctica with the National Science Foundation a number of years ago and know how important this research is to understanding our environment and world.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are thrilled to have the opportunity to work on this critically important project with great organizations like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Science Foundation. This is only the beginning of Gunderson Marine diversifying into other markets since the rail car operation is no longer operating at the facility,\u201d said Dee Burch, Gunderson Marine President.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/bentz-and-colleagues-demand-transparency-access-secret-package-columbia-river", "Bentz and Colleagues Demand Transparency, Access to Secret Package in Columbia River System Operations Mediation", "2023-11-21", "2023", "2023-11", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Oregon Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02) joined Representatives Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), and Russ Fulcher (ID-01) in demanding the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) grant immediate access to the \u201cpackage of actions and commitments\u201d recently negotiated in the mediation concerning the Columbia River System Operations.\n\nOn October 31, 2023, the legal stay in the long-running court litigation related to the Columbia River System Operations expired. A 45-day stay extension was approved to allow federal mediation to continue. Shortly thereafter, federal defendants and plaintiffs filed a report to the court regarding the future of the litigation. In the status update report, the document noted the following:\n\n\"During the extended stay, representatives from the United States, and staff teams for the National Wildlife Federation et al. Plaintiffs, the State of Oregon, the State of Washington, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, and the Nez Perce Tribe (collectively, \u201cParties\u201d), have developed a package of actions and commitments that they intend to discuss with the other regional sovereigns and litigation parties and, following conferral, present to the Parties\u2019 decision-makers for final review and approval. If approved, the Parties intend to ask this Court to enter a multi-year stay of the litigation to allow the Parties to implement this package of actions and commitments.\"\n\nIn a letter to Brenda Mallory, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, the lawmakers wrote:\n\n\"In addition to expecting the immediate transmittal of the proposed USG commitments, we find it necessary to remind you Congress alone has the authority not only to order the breach of the Lower Snake River Dams, but also exclusive authority to direct the study of breaching or to authorize replacement resources.\"\n\n\"This is statutory fact, and we warn the administration not to attempt to circumvent that fact through clever wordsmithing.\"\n\nThe letter is supported by stakeholders directly affected by the results of the mediation including TRIDEC, Washington Wheat Association, Public Power Council, and Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.\n\n\"The four lower Snake River dams, along with the energy, navigation, and irrigation benefits they provide, are critically important to the Tri-Cities and the entire Pacific Northwest,\" Karl Dye, President & CEO, TRIDEC stated. \"The many stakeholders who stand to be impacted by the outcome of this mediation deserve a seat at the table and to have their voices heard. This is a basic tenet of our system of government, and it is fundamentally unfair for select groups to be left out of the decision-making process on an issue that affects them directly. We sincerely appreciate Representatives Newhouse, McMorris Rodgers, Fulcher, and Bentz for their work to address this concern, and we hope that in the future all impacted parties will have an opportunity to participate.\"\n\n\"We are appreciative of the efforts of these Representatives, demanding transparency in federal processes that have broad-reaching impacts on stakeholder communities including, the Washington wheat industry,\" said Michelle Hennings, Executive Director, Washington Wheat Association. \"We have said all along that healthy salmon and dams can coexist, but this can only happen through cooperative work and the ability for all stakeholders to come together in a productive way. Lack of clear direction and transparency from the Federal government only hinders the ability of that progress.\"\n\nScott Simms, CEO & Executive Director, Public Power Council (PPC) stated, \"the people of the Pacific Northwest have really been let down by this so-called process being run by the Council on Environmental Quality. Our non-profit, community-owned member utilities and their customers were never given a real chance from the get-go, as we just recently learned a few parties in the litigation were working secretly with the federal government for more than six months on a \u2018package of actions and commitments.\u2019 We can\u2019t wait for the day when the current confidentiality gag order is lifted on those proposed actions and commitments and everyone gets to see for themselves the level of uncertainty and prospective new costs that are being proposed for Northwest citizens as a result of these secret dealings.\"\n\n\"We are deeply disappointed in the flawed process that resulted in the creation of the USG Actions and Commitments document, Neil Maunu, Executive Director, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association stated. \"Despite our organization\u2019s extensive efforts to contribute as industry and subject matter experts, our input was overlooked for months while the plaintiffs engaged in secretive negotiations with the Council on Environmental Quality. This failure to consider the expertise and perspective of our members who rely on the critical navigation services provided by the system has left us with grave concerns about the credibility and fairness of the resulting package of actions and commitments. We urge transparency and fairness in this process and call on this administration to do so.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-bentzs-statement-praising-speaker-johnsons-efforts-avert", "Congressman Bentz's Statement Praising Speaker Johnson's Efforts to Avert a Government Shutdown", "2023-11-17", "2023", "2023-11", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington D.C. \u2013 This week, Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02) voted for Speaker Mike Johnson\u2019s plan to fund the government and avert a shutdown.\n\n\u201cI voted with Speaker Johnson because I support his short-term funding plan which will give us the time we need to keep working on reductions in spending. As the Speaker knows, a shutdown would cause serious hardships to many who work in the military, the TSA, agencies charged with issuing permits, and even agencies who send out government entitlement payments,\u201d said Congressman Bentz. \u201cAdditionally, a government shutdown would be damaging to our economy and to our national security. I am fully committed to working with my colleagues to reduce spending while at the same time keeping the government open and operating.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-takano-bowman-hayes-call-divisive-parental-rights-language-be-removed", "Bonamici, Takano, Bowman, Hayes Call for Divisive \u201cParental Rights\u201d Language to Be Removed from NDAA", "2023-11-17", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [11/17/23] \u2013 Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Mark Takano (D-CA), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), and Jahana Hayes (D-CT) led 23 colleagues in calling for language imposing so-called \u201cparental rights\u201d requirements on public schools run by the Department of Defense to be removed from the proposed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24).\n\n\u201cThis section would impose burdensome, unnecessary, and redundant requirements on public schools funded and managed by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), an organization within the Department of Defense that provides military connected students and families with access to a high-quality public education,\u201d the Representatives wrote.\n\nThe Representatives outlined the following reasons for their opposition to Section 651 in the House-passed NDAA, titled, \u201cRights of parents of children attending schools operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity\u201d:\n\nDoDEA schools have a strong track record of high performance that should be recognized and supported.\n\nEffective family-school partnerships are best achieved by a collaborative, complementary relationship between educators, families, and community leaders to advance programs, practices, and policies that empower every parent to make their child\u2019s potential a reality.\n\nThe final Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) NDAA excluded similar language as the result of a thoughtful bipartisan compromise.\n\nIn addition to Bonamici, Takano, Bowman, and Hayes the letter was signed by Representatives Norcross, Carbajal, Norton, Grijalva, Wilson (FL), Sablan, Schakowsky, Porter, Williams, Trone, Chu, Adams, and Crockett.\n\nThe full text of the letter can be read here and below.\n\nEarlier this year Bonamici led more than 60 colleagues in introducing the Bill of Rights for Students and Parents, a resolution to advance an inclusive, aspirational, and affirmative vision for public education. Bonamici\u2019s resolution serves as a direct contrast to recent proposals that are unproductive, burdensome, and pit parents against educators. Statements in support of the resolution can be found here. Bonamici also led the Democratic response on the floor of the House of Representatives to H.R.5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-cliff-bentz-statement-israel", "Congressman Cliff Bentz Statement on Israel", "2023-11-16", "2023", "2023-11", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "I have long been a supporter of Israel and its people. The United States has consistently supported Israel, and I am proud to have been a part of that effort. Over the past three years, I have voted for a significant number of bills that help and support Israel. These bills include:\n\nH.R. 5323 - Iron Dome Supplemental Appropriations Act 2022\n\nH.Con.Res.57 - Expressing the sense of Congress supporting the State of Israel.\n\nH.R.3099 - Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords Act\n\nH.Res.771 - Standing with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists.\n\nH.Res.793 - Calling on Hamas to immediately release hostages taken during October 2023 attack on Israel.\n\nI believe that supporting Israel is not only the right thing to do, but it is also in America\u2019s national interest. Israel is the only democratic nation in the Middle East, and it shares our values of freedom, democracy, and human rights while being a vital ally. We have a long history of cooperation on a wide range of issues, including security, counterterrorism, and economic development.\n\nThe recent attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians are horrifying and have no place in a civilized world. Hamas is a terrorist organization that has repeatedly launched attacks against Israeli civilians, and I condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms. Israel has the right to defend itself, and I stand with Israel. Sadly, there are thousands of innocent victims in both Israel and Gaza who are being impacted by this senseless war started and perpetuated by Hamas and we must do what we can to help them.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-bentz-releases-statement-secretary-mayorkas-impeachment-vote", "Congressman Bentz Releases Statement on Secretary Mayorkas Impeachment Vote", "2023-11-14", "2023", "2023-11", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "There is no question that Secretary Mayorkas has failed to carry out his duties as cabinet secretary, putting the American people at serious and decades-long risk. His implementation of the Biden border policies has resulted in the worst mass illegal migration into the United States that we have ever experienced. As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, I have twice had the opportunity to personally question Secretary Mayorkas regarding his failure to protect our country.\n\nThe bottom line is this: if we actually want to impeach AND convict Secretary Mayorkas, we must proceed correctly, and go through \u201cregular order.\u201d \u201cRegular order\u201d means using the committee process to reach a solution.\n\nThe United States House of Representatives has the power to impeach, but not the power to convict. Articles of Impeachment are the equivalent of an indictment. To be removed from office, the impeachment resolution, once passed by the House, must be taken up by the Senate, a trial held, and then if there is a two-thirds affirmative vote in the Senate, the person is \u201cconvicted\u201d and only then would he be removed from office. The Senate is not obligated to take up articles of impeachment, and I can guarantee you that the current Senate would never take up a resolution that had not gone through committee (regular order). This failure to follow \u201cregular order\u201d is one of the reasons that the second Trump impeachment was flawed, and a reason, among others, that many of us used to justify our votes objecting to that impeachment effort. Mayorkas is currently the focus of an impeachment inquiry in our Republican Homeland Security Oversight Committee, and we are told that this committee will act soon. (This is the committee to which the resolution was referred).\n\nI will continue to do all that I can to hold Secretary Mayorkas responsible for his absolute failure to protect the American People. I will support conducting the impeachment process in a manner that maximizes our opportunity to have Mayorkas face trial in the Senate and prevents the Democrats from arguing that we failed to follow the Constitution, failed to follow regular order, and failed to properly develop the facts.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-cuellar-norcross-dingell-propose-child-care-stipends-union", "Bonamici, Cuellar, Norcross, Dingell Propose Child Care Stipends for Union Apprenticeship Programs", "2023-11-14", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 In recognition of National Apprenticeship Week, Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), Donald Norcross (NJ-1), and Debbie Dingell (MI-6) introduced the Apprentice-Related Child Care (ARCC) Act. The bill would establish a child care stipend pilot program available to Americans enrolled in Registered Apprenticeships and Pre-Apprenticeship programs.\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by North America\u2019s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), Laborers\u2019 International Union of North America (LiUNA), International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC), United Association of Union Plumbers & Pipefitters (UA), International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Operative Plasterers\u2019 and Cement Masons\u2019 International Association (OPCMIA) & Third Way.\n\n\u201cApprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships put workers on a path to quality, good-paying jobs that will support their family for years to come,\u201d said Representative Bonamici. \u201cIncreasing access to child care will encourage a more diverse workforce and foster inclusive economic growth by allowing more people to benefit from these programs while caring for their families. I\u2019m pleased to introduce the Apprenticeship-Related Child Care Act with my colleagues to make child care more affordable for apprentices and pre-apprentices and open the doors to opportunity.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve seen the benefits of the Registered Apprenticeship system first-hand in South Texas, where our local unions sponsor multi-year programs in a variety of trades,\u201d said Dr. Cuellar. \u201cDespite these successes, apprentices still face financial barriers to completion \u2013 particularly those with dependent children. The cost of child care has more than tripled in the last three decades. It\u2019s essential that we do more to address these costs and support American workers.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica will never reach peak workforce participation unless we as a country address the urgent and escalating issue of child care. It touches every office, business, and job site in the United States,\u201d said Sean McGarvey, President of North America\u2019s Building Trades Unions. \u201cThe lack of access to safe, quality, affordable child care prevents parents from being in the workforce, hurts our economy, and hurts families. All of us must do more. The building trades unions and our partners are stepping up to do our part, and we applaud those who are focused on exploring strategies to provide additional support. The Apprentice-Related Child Care (ARCC) Act does just this, and we thank Representatives Cuellar, Bonamici, Norcross, and Dingell for their leadership on this issue.\u201d\n\n\u201cUnion apprenticeships are the best tool we have to lift Americans into the middle class. But far too often, historically underrepresented communities run into obstacles that prevent them from accessing the careers that we provide \u2013 one of the most prominent being affordable child care,\u201d said Michael Coleman, General President of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART). \u201cThe Apprentice-Related Child Care Act would play a vital role in helping parents surmount that financial barrier, making it easier for unions like SMART to bring people of all backgrounds into our industries. This is a potentially life-changing piece of legislation for workers across the country, and we thank Representatives Cuellar, Bonamici, Norcross, and Dingell for introducing it.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen someone thinks of the building trades, they think of workers who build things, but we are also people who like to break down barriers,\u201d said Kevin Sexton, the General President of the Operative Plasterers\u2019 & Cement Masons\u2019 International Association of the United States and Canada (OPCMIA). \u201cToday, one of the biggest barriers to entering the workforce is the high cost of childcare. By providing childcare stipends, the Apprentice-Related Child Care (ARCC) Act will help parents pursue careers that will enable them to better provide for their families. We thank Representatives Cuellar, Bonamici, Norcross, and Dingell for introducing the ARCC Act and their leadership by supporting parents in their pursuit of the American dream. Together, we will pave the road to the middle class.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe burdensome cost of child care prevents too many parents, especially mothers, from reaping the benefits of our country\u2019s apprenticeship system,\u201d said Gabe Horwitz, Senior Vice President of the Economic Program at Third Way. \u201cThis legislation takes an important step in making our apprenticeship system reach more parents and have the support they need to balance the demands of work and family.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a former electrical apprentice, I know firsthand that registered apprenticeships are one of America\u2019s most successful job programs,\u201d said Representative Norcross. \u201cThe ARCC Act will expand access to apprenticeships and remove barriers to these highly successful programs by providing affordable childcare for hardworking Americans who are working to support their families. I am committed to making sure that all apprentices have the resources and opportunities they need to complete their programs, and I am proud to co-lead this bill that will strengthen America's workforce and expand pathways to the middle class.\"\n\n\u201cCaregiving is the foundation of our economy and allows all other work to be possible,\u201d said Representative Dingell. \u201cThe ARCC Act will help address the childcare crisis in this country, allowing Americans who would otherwise not be able to access apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships that lead to good-paying, high-value careers.\u201d\n\nThe ARCC Act would establish a two-year pilot program at the Department of Labor (DOL). Authorized at $200 million over Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025, the bill directs the DOL to establish a competitive grant program, awarding grants to ten geographically diverse states for the purposes of administering child care stipends to American workers enrolled in Registered Apprenticeships and Pre-Apprenticeship programs.\n\nStipends are paid directly to child care providers serving apprentices and must be at least $500 per month, per dependent child. When administering child care stipends, states must include groups that are historically underrepresented in apprenticeships, including women and people of color. At the conclusion of the pilot program, DOL must report to Congress on the impact of these stipends, including any effect on persistence and completion rates. The stipends are not subject to income tax and not counted toward eligibility for public benefit programs.\n\nFor more information on the ARCC Act, click here. To read the ARCC Act\u2019s bill text, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-wyden-crapo-valadao-slotkin-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-boost", "Bonamici, Wyden, Crapo, Valadao, Slotkin Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Exports of Fruit, Vegetables, Nuts and Other Specialty Crops", "2023-11-14", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., David Valadao, R-Calif., and Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich, along with Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Ranking Member Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, introduced legislation today to help farmers fight through trade barriers and sell more fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops in foreign markets.\n\nThe Specialty Crops Reporting on Opportunities and Promotion Act (Specialty CROP Act), responds to continued high tariffs, burdensome labeling requirements, and other trade barriers that restrict U.S. products from accessing foreign markets, threatening rural communities and agricultural producers who depend on customers overseas.\n\n\u201cOregon is world famous for our specialty crops, and products like blueberries and hazelnuts make up a significant portion of our state's export economy. Unfortunately, growers face many barriers to foreign markets, which limit their competitiveness,\u201d Bonamici said. \u201cThe Specialty CROP Act will improve the USDA\u2019s existing specialty crops trade report to better translate its findings into meaningful action and policy. I\u2019m pleased to introduce this important bipartisan legislation with Senator Wyden and several colleagues in the House and Senate.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe world is hungry for grown-in-the-U.S. blueberries, potatoes, wine and other produce. But all too often our farmers and producers are stymied by unreasonable blockades in foreign markets,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cOur bipartisan bill will help rural Americans by identifying unfair foreign trade barriers and creating specific plans to cut through that red tape.\u201d\n\n\u201cFrom high tariffs to onerous labeling requirements, America\u2019s specialty crop growers face a range of barriers imposed by foreign nations that hinder their ability to export their high-quality products around the world,\u201d Crapo said. Improving the USDA\u2019s Specialty Crop Report will arm producers and trade negotiators with detailed and up-to-date information, helping break down longstanding trade barriers, diversify export markets and expand export opportunities for Idaho\u2019s specialty crop producers.\u201d\n\n\u201cSpecialty crop producers in California have faced many challenges over the last few years \u2013 from supply chain backlogs at our ports, rising input costs, labor shortages, and drought,\u201d said Valadao. \u201cMany of our California-grown specialty crops rely on customers overseas, but too often face unfair trade barriers that make it difficult to stay competitive. This bill will better identify trade obstacles so that American-grown specialty crops have fair access to foreign markets.\u201d\n\n\u201cSpecialty crops \u2013 fruits, vegetables, nuts, and more \u2013 are vital to Michigan\u2019s economy and to the livelihoods of the farmers that grow them,\u201d said Slotkin. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m co-leading the Specialty CROP Act. This bipartisan bill will help growers access foreign markets, while also analyzing potential barriers to success \u2013 a straightforward, common-sense step that will support our agriculture community.\u201d\n\nThe legislation will help farmers by making key improvements to the annual U.S. Specialty Crops Trade Issues Report, in order to more effectively identify and combat unreasonable trade barriers, including to:\n\nExplicitly require participation and engagement from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR);\n\nHighlight specific trade barriers that limit the export competitiveness of specialty crops in specific markets, including tariff and non-tariff barriers;\n\nInclude an assessment of whether each trade barrier is subject to a U.S. FTA or international agreement;\n\nInclude specific information with respect to actions taken, or expected to be taken, by the U.S. government to address or resolve each trade barrier; and\n\nRequire a request for comment from both the public and the Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee (ATAC) for Trade in Fruits and Vegetables.\n\nRequire the report to be made public, while allowing for a classified annex in order to protect U.S. national security and economic strategy.\n\nContinue to define \u201cspecialty crop\u201d as \u201cfruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.\u201d\n\nStatements of Support\n\n\u201cU.S. specialty crops are increasingly challenged in foreign markets by creative protectionist tariff and non-tariff barriers. The legislation championed by Senators Wyden and Crapo seeks to call out and identify remedies for these impediments as a first step in eliminating them on behalf of U.S. family farmers. We strongly support this commonsense effort to level the playing field,\u201d said Kam Quarles, Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance Co-chair and National Potato Council CEO.\n\n\u201cMaintaining and expanding access to overseas markets is critical for apple, cherry, and pear growers in the Pacific Northwest. The legislation introduced by Senators Wyden and Crapo will help us understand the trade barriers in export markets and identify solutions to ensure growers remain competitive around the world,\u201d said Mark Powers, President, Northwest Horticultural Council.\n\n\"The North American Blueberry Council applauds Senators Wyden and Crapo for introducing the \u2018Expanding Agricultural Exports Act.\u2019 The global demand for blueberries continues to increase year-over-year. However, technical barriers and high tariff rates put U.S. blueberry producers at a competitive disadvantage in key export markets. This bill will not only help identify specific barriers affecting specialty crops, but also encourage productive engagement between the industry, Administration, and Congress on real solutions that will drive the growth of U.S. specialty crop exports,\u201d said Kasey Cronquist, President, North American Blueberry Council.\n\nRead the text of the legislation here.\n\nRead a one-page summary of the bill here.\n\nA web version of this release is here.\n\nThe bill is cosponsored by Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, Jim Risch, R-Idaho, Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Susan Collins, R-Maine.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-announces-winner-oregon-first-districts-2023-congressional-app", "Bonamici Announces Winner of Oregon First District\u2019s 2023 Congressional App Challenge", "2023-11-13", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. [11/13/23] \u2013 Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici announced that Aashna Nanal, a senior at Westview High School, won the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for Oregon\u2019s First Congressional District.\n\nHer app, AP Course Picker, helps high school students navigate the selection of Advanced Placement (AP) courses. After gathering information about the user\u2019s interests, strengths, and goals through a series of questions, AP Course Picker generates a plan with recommended AP classes for each school year. The app is intended for incoming freshmen who are interested in planning their AP course load over their time in high school.\n\n\u201cCongratulations to Aashna for winning the 2023 Congressional App Challenge,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cAashna\u2019s app is an innovative resource for students who attend high schools that offer AP classes. I wish Aashna well in her final year of high school, and I\u2019m excited to see what she accomplishes next.\u201d\n\n\u201cA lot of incoming freshmen in high school can be overwhelmed by the amount of AP classes offered as well as the progression of the courses,\u201d said Aashna Nanal. \u201cConsidering that AP classes can put students at a great advantage for college, it is very important that all students have accessible information and guidance about AP classes. The purpose of this app is to help high school students navigate choosing Advancement Placement courses by gathering information about their interests, strengths and goals to generate a four year AP course plan for the student.\u201d\n\nYou can view a video presentation of the app here.\n\nJudges gave an honorable mention to Lance Skarada for his app, Summit SAT: Math Made Easy. The app aims to make SAT math learning accessible and easy to understand. The app includes a custom study plan, formulas likely to appear on the SAT, tests, and flashcards. Skarada is a senior at West Salem High School and lives in the First Congressional District.\n\nYou can view a video presentation of Summit SAT: Math Made Easy here.\n\nExpert judges from Northwest Oregon selected the winning app. The judges evaluated submissions for creativity, originality, user experience, and design. The two judges are:\n\nCyreena Boston Ashby, CEO, Girls Inc.\n\nHazel Valdez, Executive Director, PDX Women in Tech (PDXWIT)\n\nBonamici joined participants from Oregon's First District at a virtual reception where the winning app, AP Course Picker, was announced. The app will be featured in the U.S. Capitol Building and on the House of Representatives website.\n\nBonamici is a founder and co-chair of the Congressional STEAM Caucus, which advocates for the integration of the arts and design into science, technology, engineering, and math education to encourage creative thinking and engage more students. By supporting and recognizing young coders, Congress is acknowledging the importance of these fields. The U.S. House of Representatives organizes the nationwide Congressional App Challenge each year.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-cortez-masto-introduce-bicameral-bill-support-affordable-manufactured", "Bonamici, Cortez Masto Introduce Bicameral Bill to Support Affordable Manufactured Housing Communities", "2023-11-09", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) introduced bicameral legislation with Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01) to help preserve and revitalize manufactured housing communities.\n\n\u201cWe have a severe shortage of housing across the country, and it\u2019s important to maintain and preserve the affordable options we have. Manufactured homes are often more affordable than other housing, but many manufactured housing communities do not have funds to upgrade and repair basic infrastructure such as water and sewer systems, and homeowners typically do not own the land beneath their homes,\u201d said Representative Bonamici. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to work with Senators Cortez Masto and Shaheen to introduce the PRICE Act, which will make the PRICE grant program permanent and protect a crucial source of funding for preserving manufactured housing.\u201d\n\n\u201cManufactured homes are critical for many families, and my legislation would help communities keep lot rents affordable and make vital infrastructure improvements,\u201d said Senator Cortez Masto. \u201cI\u2019ll keep working with my colleagues to address the affordable housing crisis and keep families in their homes.\u201d\n\n\u201cGranite State families shouldn\u2019t have to worry about losing the roof over their heads, but unfortunately, that\u2019s a reality that many face every day,\u201d said Senator Shaheen. \u201cNew Hampshire has more than 140 resident-owned manufactured housing communities (ROCs), and this crucial legislation would provide resources to those manufactured housing communities to make much-needed water and infrastructure upgrades and will keep working class families in affordable homes.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe housing crisis is impacting communities all across the country,\u201d said Senator Smith. \u201cManufactured housing is a key solution to this problem and a vital source of affordable housing all over Minnesota,\u201d said Senator Smith. \u201cWe need to be doing everything we can to preserve and improve housing security and affordability, and that includes supporting manufactured housing. This bill would help preserve these affordable housing options for residents and owners for years to come, particularly in rural and tribal areas.\u201d\n\n\u201cEverywhere I go in Montana, from Billings to Missoula to Polson, I hear about the need to tackle the lack of affordable housing in our state,\u201d said Senator Tester. \u201cAs a third-generation Montanan who is fortunate enough to live on the same plot of land my grandparents homesteaded over 100 years ago, making sure that folks can afford to live in the community they grew up in is personal. Our commonsense legislation will help preserve the supply of affordable housing across our state and revitalize units badly in need of repairs, and I\u2019ll keep fighting until it becomes law.\u201d\n\n\u201cU.S. Sens. Cortez Masto and Shaheen and U.S. Rep. Bonamici have heard the voices of low-income homeowners in \u2018mobile\u2019 home communities,\u201d said Resident Owned Communities (ROC) USA\u00ae President Paul Bradley. \u201cThese are the stories of hardworking families and retirees who simply want to live in resilient and healthy communities, which is something that most Americans take for granted thanks to public investment.\u201d\n\n\u201cNetwork for Oregon Affordable Housing strongly supports the PRICE program and the resources it will bring to states and local communities across the country,\u201d said Bill VanVliet, Executive Director, Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH). \u201cManufactured housing is America\u2019s largest source of unsubsidized affordable housing. The Price program will help preserve and improve existing manufactured housing communities and help create new affordable housing at a cost far below conventionally built housing.\n\nDemocrats created the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) grant program in 2022 to help preserve and revitalize manufactured housing in eligible communities. This legislation would make the PRICE program permanent, providing funding for home improvements and neighborhood upgrades for thousands of Americans each year.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-bill-amend-grand-ronde-reservation-act", "House Passes Bill to Amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act", "2023-11-09", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 On Wednesday, November 8, the House passed legislation that amends the Grand Ronde Reservation Act to restore the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde\u2019s right to pursue land claims and compensation. The legislation is co-led by U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas(OR-06) andU.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Val Hoyle (OR-04), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), as well as U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). It now heads to the Senate for further consideration.\n\n\u201cIt is fitting that during Native American Heritage Month we have moved a step further toward restoring a vital right held by members of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde,\u201d said Rep. Bonamici. \u201cThe passage of the Grand Ronde Reservation Act amendment in the House brings us closer to correcting historic wrongs, and I hope the Senate brings this needed legislation up for a vote soon.\u201d\n\n\u201cOregon\u2019s Indigenous peoples, including the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, have faced countless injustices at the hands of our government. Today, we took a historic step toward righting the wrongs of the past,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cI am very proud that my first bill to pass the House of Representatives would restore Grand Ronde\u2019s ability to pursue land claims and compensation\u2014a right already enjoyed by the rest of Oregon\u2019s federally recognized tribes. I am hopeful that the Senate will swiftly pass this bill and send it to President Biden for his signature. In the meantime, I am grateful for the continued support of Senator Merkley, my Oregon colleagues, and the many stakeholders who helped create the momentum we needed to make this legislation a reality.\u201d\n\n\u201cNearly three decades ago, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde sought to fix a historical surveying error within their reservation boundary, only for the federal government to make another error that relinquished the Tribe\u2019s rights to future land claims and compensation. This is just plain wrong,\u201d said Sen. Merkley. \u201cI am thrilled the House passed the legislation I\u2019ve been championing for years, which is a critical step forward in the Grand Ronde\u2019s fight to restore its right to pursue land claims in Oregon\u2014rights already available to other federally-recognized Tribes in Oregon. I will keep pressing for the Senate to do the same, so Congress can finally correct this historic injustice for the Grand Ronde.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor generations, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde have been working to restore its people\u2019s rights on ancestral lands,\u201d said Sen. Wyden. \u201cThis necessary bill is a critical step in correcting past injustices while protecting the rights of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the terms of the land exchange that it negotiated in good faith free from unfair legal restrictions.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday is a monumental day. We are grateful that the United States House of Representatives has helped pass legislation for the Grand Ronde Tribe that will help right a historic wrong,\u201d said Grand Ronde Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy. \u201cWords cannot express what this means to us and the gratitude that we have for Senator Merkley and to Representative Salinas, who championed this legislation from the beginning.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe federal government has a legal and moral obligation to correct the historic wrongs unleashed on Indigenous communities for centuries,\u201d said Rep. Blumenauer. \u201cThat includes restoring the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde\u2019s right to pursue land claims and revise surveying errors like the Thompson Strip. I\u2019m delighted that this critically overdue legislation will see to that.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to stand with the Oregon delegation in supporting this legislation to right a wrong, and I\u2019m thrilled that it has passed the House,\u201d said Rep. Hoyle. \u201cThis bill is not just a technical fix\u2014it's a step towards justice for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde by restoring their right to pursue land claims and compensation, which should not have been taken from them. I urge the Senate to swiftly pass this legislation as well so that it can be signed into law.\"\n\n\u201cThe Grand Ronde tribe shouldn\u2019t face barriers that don\u2019t apply to other tribes, and that\u2019s why I\u2019m honored to join my Oregon colleagues in support of amending the Grand Ronde Reservation Act,\u201d said Rep. Chavez-DeRemer. \u201cI\u2019ll continue working with my colleagues and the Grand Ronde tribe to get this needed fix signed into law.\u201d\n\nSalinas and Merkley\u2019s bill to fix the Grand Ronde Reservation Act would correct a drafting error in a 1994 legislative amendment to the Grand Ronde Reservation Act, which authorized a land exchange requiring the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to compensate the Grand Ronde Tribe for an 84-acre survey error by the federal government. The survey error occurred around 1871 and was not discovered by the Bureau of Land Management until 1988. In 1994, in pursuing federal legislation to rectify the error, an amendment was made to the bill at the time that further prohibited the Tribe from making any additional land claims if new errors were ever discovered. Salinas and Merkley\u2019s bill will end this inequitable restriction on the Tribe so that they may pursue recourse if additional survey errors are found. Currently, no other tribe in the State of Oregon is bound by this type of legal restriction and removing it will restore equity to the Grand Ronde Tribe. In case additional survey errors are discovered, this bill to amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act would replace the phrase \u201clands within the State of Oregon\u201d with the phrase \u201cthe 84 acres known as the Thompson Strip,\u201d clarifying that they are only prohibited from making additional land claims to the area known as the Thompson Strip.\n\nTo read the full bill text, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-merkley-bill-amend-grand-ronde-reservation-act-passes-house", "Salinas, Merkley Bill to Amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act Passes House", "2023-11-09", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 On Wednesday, November 8, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas(OR-06) successfully passed her first piece of legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\nThe bill, which was introduced by Rep. Salinas in March, amends the Grand Ronde Reservation Act to restore the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde\u2019s right to pursue land claims and compensation. The legislation is co-led by U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Val Hoyle (OR-04), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), as well as U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). It now heads to the Senate for further consideration.\n\n\u201cOregon\u2019s Indigenous peoples, including the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, have faced countless injustices at the hands of our government. Today, we took a historic step toward righting the wrongs of the past,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cI am very proud that my first bill to pass the House of Representatives would restore Grand Ronde\u2019s ability to pursue land claims and compensation\u2014a right already enjoyed by the rest of Oregon\u2019s federally recognized tribes. I am hopeful that the Senate will swiftly pass this bill and send it to President Biden for his signature. In the meantime, I am grateful for the continued support of Senator Merkley, my Oregon colleagues, and the many stakeholders who helped create the momentum we needed to make this legislation a reality.\u201d\n\n\u201cNearly three decades ago, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde sought to fix a historical surveying error within their reservation boundary, only for the federal government to make another error that relinquished the Tribe\u2019s rights to future land claims and compensation. This is just plain wrong,\u201d said Sen. Merkley. \u201cI am thrilled the House passed the legislation I\u2019ve been championing for years, which is a critical step forward in the Grand Ronde\u2019s fight to restore its right to pursue land claims in Oregon\u2014rights already available to other federally-recognized Tribes in Oregon. I will keep pressing for the Senate to do the same, so Congress can finally correct this historic injustice for the Grand Ronde.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor generations, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde have been working to restore its people\u2019s rights on ancestral lands,\u201d said Sen. Wyden. \u201cThis necessary bill is a critical step in correcting past injustices while protecting the rights of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the terms of the land exchange that it negotiated in good faith free from unfair legal restrictions.\"\n\n\u201cToday is a monumental day. We are grateful that the United States House of Representatives has helped pass legislation for the Grand Ronde Tribe that will help right a historic wrong,\u201d said Grand Ronde Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy. \u201cWords cannot express what this means to us and the gratitude that we have for Senator Merkley and to Representative Salinas, who championed this legislation from the beginning.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is fitting that during Native American Heritage Month we have moved a step further toward restoring a vital right held by members of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde,\u201d said Rep. Bonamici. \u201cThe passage of the Grand Ronde Reservation Act amendment in the House brings us closer to correcting historic wrongs, and I hope the Senate brings this needed legislation up for a vote soon.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe federal government has a legal and moral obligation to correct the historic wrongs unleashed on Indigenous communities for centuries,\u201d said Rep. Blumenauer. \u201cThat includes restoring the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde\u2019s right to pursue land claims and revise surveying errors like the Thompson Strip. I\u2019m delighted that this critically overdue legislation will see to that.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to stand with the Oregon delegation in supporting this legislation to right a wrong, and I\u2019m thrilled that it has passed the House,\u201d said Rep. Hoyle. \u201cThis bill is not just a technical fix\u2014it's a step towards justice for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde by restoring their right to pursue land claims and compensation, which should not have been taken from them. I urge the Senate to swiftly pass this legislation as well so that it can be signed into law.\"\n\n\u201cThe Grand Ronde tribe shouldn\u2019t face barriers that don\u2019t apply to other tribes, and that\u2019s why I\u2019m honored to join my Oregon colleagues in support of amending the Grand Ronde Reservation Act,\u201d said Rep. Chavez-DeRemer. \u201cI\u2019ll continue working with my colleagues and the Grand Ronde tribe to get this needed fix signed into law.\u201d\n\nSalinas and Merkley\u2019s bill to fix the Grand Ronde Reservation Act would correct a drafting error in a 1994 legislative amendment to the Grand Ronde Reservation Act, which authorized a land exchange requiring the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to compensate the Grand Ronde Tribe for an 84-acre survey error by the federal government. The survey error occurred around 1871 and was not discovered by the Bureau of Land Management until 1988. In 1994, in pursuing federal legislation to rectify the error, an amendment was made to the bill at the time that further prohibited the Tribe from making any additional land claims if new errors were ever discovered. Salinas and Merkley\u2019s bill will end this inequitable restriction on the Tribe so that they may pursue recourse if additional survey errors are found. Currently, no other tribe in the State of Oregon is bound by this type of legal restriction and removing it will restore equity to the Grand Ronde Tribe. In case additional survey errors are discovered, this bill to amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act would replace the phrase \u201clands within the State of Oregon\u201d with the phrase \u201cthe 84 acres known as the Thompson Strip,\u201d clarifying that they are only prohibited from making additional land claims to the area known as the Thompson Strip.To read the full bill text, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/chairman-bentz-and-chairman-massie-send-letter-environmental-quality-chair", "Chairman Bentz and Chairman Massie Send Letter to Environmental Quality Chair Demanding Answers on Lower Snake River Dams Interference", "2023-11-08", "2023", "2023-11", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington D.C. \u2013 Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Committee on the Judiciary, Thomas Massie (KY-04) joined Chairman of the Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee, Cliff Bentz (OR-02) in sending a letter to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Brenda Mallory requesting documents related to the CEQ's role in mediation and settlement discussions regarding the Lower Snake River Dams.\n\nThe letter expresses concern that the CEQ has exceeded its authority by actively participating in these discussions, favoring certain parties, and potentially violating the Administrative Procedure Act.\n\n\u201cThe Council on Environmental Quality appears to have dramatically overstepped its authority by interfering in ongoing litigation concerning operation of the Snake River Dams,\u201d said Congressman Bentz. \u201cThe CEQ is supposed to act as an advisory board to Federal agencies concerning process and not policy. Instead, it has become the environmental arm of the Biden Administration. This interference is a misuse of the CEQ\u2019s time and resources, extending far beyond its original mandate.\u201d\n\nRead the letter here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-introduces-bipartisan-bill-lower-costs-cancer-patients", "Bonamici Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Lower Costs for Cancer Patients", "2023-11-08", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Joe Morelle (D-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Brian Higgins (D-NY), and Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced the Cancer Drug Parity Act. This bill lowers costs for cancer patients prescribed oral medications by requiring that health insurers provide coverage for oral cancer treatments that is equivalent to conventional intravenous (IV) treatments.\n\nEvery year, approximately two million Americans are projected to receive a cancer diagnosis. For cancer patients, oral cancer treatments have proven to be a game-changer because they can be administered in the patient\u2019s own home and are overall less intrusive than IV treatments. Despite their proven success and reliability, oral medications have proved costly for patients. A study of patients prescribed oral cancer medications found that one in eight faced copayments of $2,000 or more for their first prescription.\n\n\u201cOral cancer treatments are an effective option for many patients and can allow for care at home and better disease management,\u201d said Bonamici. \u201cUnlike traditional IV treatments, oral chemotherapy is typically not covered by health insurance plans, leading to high costs and unaffordable co-payments for patients. I\u2019m glad to join my colleagues to introduce the bipartisan Cancer Drug Coverage Parity Act to level the playing field for cancer patients and expand access to lifechanging cancer treatments.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery American deserves the most effective cancer treatments available at the most affordable cost,\u201d said Grothman. \u201cAs oral medications increase in popularity among cancer patients, we cannot allow outdated health insurance plans to prevent patients from opting for their preferred method of treatment.\n\n\u201cI am glad both sides of the aisle have come together to lower costs for patients taking oral medications. Increased access to treatment, along with parity in the cancer drug marketplace, will improve patients\u2019 well-being and help save lives.\u201d\n\n\"Cancer patients should have access to whichever treatment gives them the best chance to fully recover. Technological advancements are improving patient outcomes while minimizing side effects. Patients deserve to benefit from these advancements. This important bill addresses this problem and enables patients to keep their primary focus on getting well,\" said Bilirakis.\n\n\u201cIt is expected that two million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in 2023 alone,\u201d said Fitzpatrick. \u201cI am proud to join my colleagues in leading the bipartisan Cancer Drug Parity Act to expand parity protections for cancer patients who previously could not afford these lifesaving treatments.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Cancer Drug Parity Act is a crucial step in ensuring health insurance coverage evolves alongside the remarkable advancements in cancer treatment,\u201d said Morelle. \u201cBy bridging the gap between outdated technology and cutting-edge therapies, this act empowers patients to access the best care available. I\u2019m grateful to my colleagues for joining me in prioritizing the well-being of individuals battling cancer\u2014offering hope and relief when they need it most.\u201d\n\n\u201cA cancer diagnosis is tough on any family and patients deserve to focus on receiving the best treatments without worrying about the cost,\u201d said Higgins. \u201cAs Co-Chair of the House Cancer Caucus I am proud to join my colleagues in supporting the bipartisan Cancer Drug Parity Act. Advancements in cancer care, like oral treatments, shouldn\u2019t place a greater financial burden on patients and families. Together we are making cancer care more affordable, accessible, and manageable, which will ultimately save lives.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs oral cancer medications continue to increase in number, affordable access to these less intrusive treatments is crucial to ensure the best possible care,\u201d said Matsui. \u201cFamilies and patients battling cancer should never have to forgo treatment or necessary care because of crippling costs. The bipartisan Cancer Drug Parity Act would end the disparity in coverage for oral treatments \u2013 putting power back in the hands of patients and providers to determine the best path to recovery.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs leaders of the Coalition to Improve Access to Cancer Care (CIACC), the International Myeloma Foundation proudly endorses the Cancer Drug Parity Act. This crucial piece of legislation would mark a significant stride towards increased access to life-saving treatments, particularly for patients reliant on orally administered anticancer treatments. By eliminating financial barriers, this act empowers individuals battling cancer and their healthcare providers to make informed treatment decisions without undue financial strain. It is imperative that we prioritize affordability and equal access to all forms of anticancer treatments chemotherapy, and the Cancer Drug Parity Act is a pivotal step towards achieving this goal,\u201d said the International Myeloma Foundation.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re thankful to Congressman Grothman for spearheading lifesaving policy that, for many patients, would equalize out-of-pocket costs for cancer drugs, whether they\u2019re taken orally or delivered intravenously,\u201d said Lisa Lacasse, President of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. \u201cMany new chemotherapies such as those in pill form can be easier to tolerate for patients and allow many to have a better quality of life. Ensuring health insurance plans cover cancer treatment at an affordable cost, regardless of how it\u2019s administered, is key to ensuring access to the most innovative therapies for patients across the country.\u201d\n\nBackground Information\n\nOral chemotherapy is becoming more common for many types of cancer, however, health insurance coverage for different types of cancer treatments is not uniform.\n\nUnder current law, traditional IV/injectable treatments are routinely covered under the medical benefit component of a health insurance plan, while orally administered anti-cancer medications are generally covered under the prescription drug component, which often results in a considerable disparity in cost and leaving patients responsible for paying high and often unaffordable copays.\n\nThis legislation accounts for the advancements in oral cancer treatments by prohibiting insurance companies from imposing pricier copayments on cancer patients compared to IV treatments.\n\nMore than 40 states and the District of Columbia have enacted \u201coral parity\u201d laws, which prevent health plans from creating separate cost-sharing requirements for oral versus IV cancer medicines. These laws have made a significant difference for those suffering from cancer. For example, an analysis of health plan claims from 2008 to 2017 found that the proportion of multiple myeloma patients initially charged $0 for oral medications nearly quintupled, rising from 11 percent to 49 percent, with the enactment of oral parity laws.\n\nThe Cancer Drug Parity Act will build on the success of state-level efforts to cancer patients whose health insurance is regulated at the federal level. The key provisions of the legislation include:\n\n\u00b7 Expanding oral parity protections to privately-insured patients under federal regulation.\n\n\u00b7 Preventing insurers from covering oral and self-administered medicines at different cost-sharing rates than IV chemotherapy.\n\n\u00b7 Implementing these requirements for health plans that already cover both oral and IV chemotherapy treatments.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-kaine-lead-colleagues-pushing-renew-expired-funding-child-care", "Bonamici, Kaine Lead Colleagues in Pushing to Renew Expired Funding for Child Care", "2023-11-08", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bob Casey (D-PA), along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-1), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), and Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), led a bicameral group of their colleagues in urging congressional leadership to renew expired funding for child care in any supplemental funding package. Funding the lawmakers passed in the American Rescue Plan Act to allow parents to afford child care and keep their jobs during COVID expired in September, but the child care crisis continues. Without this funding, many child care providers are struggling with how they\u2019re going to continue to operate and serve families. The lawmakers\u2019 letter comes after President Biden\u2019s supplemental funding request to Congress included $16 billion to address the child care crisis, which the members called forin August.\n\n\u201cWe write today to urge you to include robust funding for child care in any supplemental funding package considered by the Appropriations Committee. Child care is unaffordable and hard to find for working families, and child care providers across the country are struggling to stay afloat,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\n\u201cThe child care workforce has been one of the slowest sectors to recover from the pandemic, and wages for this critical workforce remain unacceptably low, further fueling the shortage of available child care options for families,\u201d the members continued. \u201cFamilies and child care providers are feeling increasingly squeezed following the expiration of COVID-19 relief funding for child care, as child care providers scramble to fill the gap in resources previously filled by federal funds.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers wrote, \u201cIt is essential that as supplemental funding to meet emergency needs is considered, Congress take action to address the child care crisis. We have an urgent need to further stabilize an industry that has been long underfunded, and Congress must provide robust funding for this sector through a supplemental package.\u201d\n\nKaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has been pushing to expand access to child care. Kaine has introduced the Child Care for Working Families Act, legislation that would expand access to child care, raise wages for providers, and lower costs for families by ensuring no family pays more than 7% of their income on child care. He has introduced the Child Care Stabilization Actto expand vital child care funding to help providers keep their doors open. He has also introduced bipartisan legislation to develop, administer, and evaluate early childhood education apprenticeships.\n\nIn addition to Kaine, Smith, Warren, Sanders, and Casey, the Senate letter is signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).\n\nIn addition to Bonamici, Jacobs, Sherill, and Castro the House letter was signed by Alma Adams (D-NC), Colin Allred (D-TX), Becca Balint (D-VT), Nanette Barrag\u00e1n (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Donald Beyer (D-VA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Shontel Brown (D-OH), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Cori Bush (D-MO), Yadira Caraveo, Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Tony C\u00e1rdenas (D-CA), Andr\u00e9 Carson (D-IN), Troy Carter (D-LA), Greg Casar (D-TX), Sean Casten (D-IL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Judy Chu (D-CA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Gerald Connolly (D-VA), Jose Luis Correa (D-CA), Angie Craig (D-MN), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Danny Davis (D-IL), Donald Davis (D-NC), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Bill Foster (D-IL), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jes\u00fas \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (D-IL), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Daniel Goldman (D-NY), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-AZ), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), James Himes (D-CT), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Val Hoyle (D-OR), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Henry \u201cHank\u201d Johnson (D-GA) Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), William Keating (D-MA), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Daniel Kildee (D-MI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Ann Kuster (D-NH), Greg Landsman (D-OH), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Summer Lee (D-PA), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Kathy Manning (D-NC), Matsui, Doris; McBath, Lucy; McClellan, Jennifer; McCollum, Betty; McGarvey, Morgan; McGovern, James; Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Grace Meng (D-NY), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ), Scott Peters (D-CA), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Katie Porter (D-CA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Patrick Ryan (D-NY), Gregoria Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-MP), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Linda S\u00e1nchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Mark Takano (D-CA), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Norma Torres (D-CA), Ritchie Torres (D-CA), Lori Trahan (D-MA), David Trone (D-MD), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez (D-NY), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Susan Wild (D-PA), Nikema Williams (D-GA), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL).\n\nThe letter is endorsed by All Our Kin; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy; Caring Across Generations; Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Child Care for Every Family Network; Children\u2019s Institute; Community Change Action; Early Care & Education Consortium (ECEC); Family Values @ Work; First Focus Campaign for Children; House Democratic Women\u2019s Caucus; Mom Congress; Moms First; MomsRising; National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC); National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC); National Education Association (NEA); National Women\u2019s Law Center (NWLC); Oxfam America; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Small Business Majority; YWCA USA; and ZERO TO THREE.\n\nA copy of the Senate letter is available here. A copy of the House letter is available here.\n\nFull text of the letter is available below:\n\nDear Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Chair Murray, and Vice Chair Collins:\n\nWe write today to urge you to include robust funding for child care in any supplemental funding package considered by the Appropriations Committee. Child care is unaffordable and hard to find for working families, and child care providers across the country are struggling to stay afloat. We are extremely concerned that this crisis will continue to worsen following the expiration of the Child Care Stabilization Grants provided under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), vital funding that sustained an estimated 220,000 child care providers, saved an estimated 9.6 million child care slots, and maintained more than 1 million child care jobs. President Biden acknowledged this urgent issue by requesting significant funding for child care in his domestic supplemental appropriations request to Congress.\n\nDuring the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress took important steps to protect the child care industry from collapse by delivering historic funding in the economic relief packages passed. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) with $3.5 billion, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act provided $10 billion in dedicated relief, and ARPA provided $15 billion for CCDBG and $24 billion for the stabilization grants. On September 30, 2023, the majority of this vital funding expired.\n\nPrior to the pandemic, the child care system was already in a crisis. In 2018, over 50 percent of counties in the United States were considered a child care desert \u2013 an area in which the demand for child care is far more than the supply. The broken child care market has resulted in an impossible tension between families, workers, and providers: child care providers cannot afford to run their businesses or pay adequate wages to their staff using revenue from parents alone, while child care costs are unaffordable and unsustainable for working families. For years, the situation has been far worse for families with low incomes, families of color, and families seeking infant and toddler care, care for children with disabilities, and care during non-traditional hours.\n\nThe child care workforce has been one of the slowest sectors to recover from the pandemic, and wages for this critical workforce remain unacceptably low, further fueling the shortage of available child care options for families. As of September 2023, the child care industry was missing more than 38,400 workers compared to pre-pandemic levels, and at the rate that child care jobs have been regained in 2023 so far, it could take almost 12 months\u2014until September 2024\u2014for the child care sector to recover pandemic-related job losses. This threatens America\u2019s economic stability and competitiveness. It is estimated that the lack of child care costs our economy $122 billion in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue annually.\n\nFamilies and child care providers are feeling increasingly squeezed following the expiration of COVID-19 relief funding for child care, as child care providers scramble to fill the gap in resources previously filled by federal funds. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that child care prices increased 1.7% in September 2023, while the Consumer Price Index for all items rose by only 0.2% over the same period. Child care providers in communities across the country are at risk of closure. Already, local news outlets are sharing stories about communities losing child care providers as 43 in Kansas and seven programs serving 300 children in North Carolina have closed following the loss of pandemic-era funding and supports.\n\nDue to your continued support, the fiscal year (FY) 2023 appropriations process yielded a total of $8 billion for CCDBG, which represented a 30 percent increase from FY 2022 funding. We also appreciate that you were able to provide a $700 million increase for CCDBG in the Senate\u2019s proposed FY 2024 spending bill. However, we understand that you are limited on discretionary spending with the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act in June. So, it is essential that as supplemental funding to meet emergency needs is considered, Congress take action to address the child care crisis. We have an urgent need to further stabilize an industry that has been long underfunded, and Congress must provide robust funding for this sector through a supplemental package.\n\nThe child care stabilization relief funds provided a much-needed lifeline to the child care industry, but it is crucial that, at minimum, we sustain that level of investment to ensure the industry\u2019s survival and prevent a new emergency. Our providers, workers, children, and families need your help. We urge you to utilize every possible tool to provide a robust investment to address the growing child care crisis. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-committee-advances-bonamici-legislation-improve-tsunami-warnings-address", "House Committee Advances Bonamici Legislation to Improve Tsunami Warnings, Address Harmful Algal Blooms", "2023-11-08", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [11/8/23] \u2013 Today the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology approved legislation led by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) to improve tsunami warning systems and address harmful algal blooms.\n\nThe Committee advanced the legislation as amendments to the Weather Act Reauthorization Act, which was co-sponsored by Bonamici and designed to improve the United States\u2019 ability to better forecast, understand, and communicate about weather. The two amendments were based on Bonamici\u2019s Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act and Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act.\n\n\u201cUpdating the Weather Act provides an important opportunity to make our communities safer,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cI\u2019m grateful that the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology approved my bipartisan amendments to improve our tsunami warning systems and help protect coastal, lake, and river communities from harmful algal blooms that can disrupt local ecosystems and threaten health and the economy. I urge House leadership to quickly bring this legislation to the House floor.\u201d\n\nThe Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Amendments Act of 2023 strengthens tsunami research, detection, and warning systems, improves response and resiliency efforts, and better protects communities that are vulnerable to tsunami. Video of Bonamici\u2019s remarks on the amendment can be found here.\n\nThe Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2023 (HABHRCA) helps coastal, lake, and river communities better prepare for, mitigate, and intervene in harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events. These events, which release toxins and create massive \u201cdead zones\u201d respectively, have deadly consequences for fish, shellfish, and local ecosystems. Video of Bonamici\u2019s remarks on the amendment can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-bentz-secures-amendment-prohibiting-funding-establishment-monument", "Congressman Bentz Secures Amendment Prohibiting Funding for Establishment of Monument", "2023-11-03", "2023", "2023-11", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02) announced that his amendment to H.R. 4821, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024, was adopted and included in the bill which passed out of the House of Representatives on November 3rd. The amendment prohibits the use of funds approved in the bill for the establishment of any National Monument in Malheur County, Oregon.\n\n\u201cWe don\u2019t want a 2.5-million-acre monument promoted by Portland-based environmental groups making decisions for land they have never seen and frankly, only care about in the abstract. We must have a land management process that is based on the people who live, work, appreciate and recreate in Malheur County,\u201d Congressman Bentz stated. \u201cThe Bureau of Land Management already controls 67% of our county, and a national monument designation would be damaging to the land and communities in Malheur. Our amendment sends a clear message to the President that we oppose a National Monument and that this would undermine the hard work that local groups have been doing for the better part of six years to protect this land.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-panetta-introduce-bill-connect-local-farmers-food-banks-keep-families", "Salinas, Panetta Introduce Bill to Connect Local Farmers with Food Banks, Keep Families Fed", "2023-11-02", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) introduced the Farmers Feeding America Act, a bill that would help food banks meet demand and ensure families stay fed and healthy by expanding the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) ability to purchase food directly from producers, including Oregon\u2019s small family farms.\n\n\u201cThe pandemic caused higher rates of food insecurity in Oregon and across the country, and food banks have struggled to keep up with the increased demand,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cThe Farmers Feeding America Act will address this problem by providing more funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program, ensuring our local food banks are fully stocked. Furthermore, this legislation will support local farms by giving USDA more resources to purchase food directly from producers. I\u2019m proud to introduce this bill today because it will connect farmers with our communities and help families put food on the table this holiday season.\u201d\n\n\u201cRising food insecurity around the country has put a strain on community food banks tirelessly working to meet the needs of some of our most vulnerable families,\u201d said Rep. Panetta. \u201cThe Farmers Feeding America Act tackles this pressing issue by doubling assistance to our local food banks and better supporting partnerships with local producers. California\u2019s 19th Congressional District is blessed with immense bounty, and as families share in our harvest over the holidays, this legislation would help us combat hunger throughout the year.\u201d\n\nLast year, 49 million people \u2013 or one in six Americans \u2013 received some form of food assistance. However, as higher prices continue to impact working families\u2019 ability to afford food and basic necessities, local food banks are often unable to meet supply and demand needs in their communities.\n\nThe Farmers Feeding America Act would significantly increase funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). TEFAP provides commodities like fruits and vegetables, as well as monetary support, to food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other types of emergency feeding organizations. In addition to serving individuals, TEFAP supports local agriculture by enabling USDA to purchase food directly from producers.\n\nIn addition to Reps. Salinas and Panetta, the Farmers Feeding America Act is supported by the following organizations: Feeding America, Alliance to End Hunger, Oregon Food Bank, Marion Polk Food Share, California Association of Food Banks, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County, Share Our Strength, DoorDash, and the CEA Alliance.\n\n\u201cIn every community across the U.S., people are working hard to provide for themselves and their families. Yet in 2022, 44 million people\u20141 in 7 people\u2014experienced food insecurity in the U.S., according to the USDA. The Emergency Food Assistance Program, or TEFAP, helps bridge the food gap for millions of families and individuals by moving nutritious foods from U.S. farmers to local food banks. But in recent years, TEFAP support has decreased as demand for food assistance has increased. Feeding America food banks have seen a 48% decline in TEFAP foods over the last two years. The Farmers Feeding America Act introduced by Reps. Andrea Salinas and Jimmy Panetta would strengthen TEFAP, a cornerstone of the charitable food system, and ensure equitable access to the program for noncontiguous states. We urge Congress to ease the strain on our nation\u2019s food banks by including this crucial provision in the final 2023 Farm Bill,\u201d said Vince Hall, Chief Government Relations Officer, Feeding America.\n\n\u201cThe recently reported increase in U.S. food insecurity shows what food banks have been keenly aware of\u2014food demand continues to be extraordinarily high. It is time to substantially increase our nation\u2019s investment in TEFAP to ensure community residents in need can access this vital support,\u201d said Minerva Delgado, Director of Coalitions & Advocacy, Alliance to End Hunger.\n\n\"Between rising food and housing prices and sharp reductions in federal support, far too many families are finding it hard to keep food on the table. The Farmers Feeding America Act is crucial to our efforts to meet the heightened need for food assistance here in Oregon and nationwide,\" said Oregon Food Bank President Susannah Morgan. \u201cWith increased funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program and new resources for food distribution and storage, this legislation will help our communities procure fresh produce and dairy products and address food deserts \u2014 especially in under-resourced and remote areas. No one should be hungry, and this investment will have resounding impact for millions of people facing food insecurity.\u201d\n\n\u201cFamilies and children are facing tough times right now. More than ever, our community needs the Farmers Feeding America Act to make sure children and families have the food they need to thrive,\u201d said Rick Gaupo, President & CEO, Marion Polk Food Share.\n\n\u201cWith the price of food continuing to climb and over one in five households in California experiencing food insecurity, food banks across the state are working nonstop to meet their communities\u2019 needs. TEFAP is the backbone of food banks\u2019 distributions, helping them to provide a steady variety of grocery staples. We are grateful to Rep. Panetta and Rep. Salinas for introducing this bill that will ensure robust funding for TEFAP, empowering food banks to prevent hunger for millions more people across the country,\u201d said Stacia Hill Levenfeld, Chief Executive Officer, California Association of Food Banks.\n\n\"Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, like so many food banks across the country, is serving almost the same number of people as during the height of the pandemic, but without the same level of community and government support,\u201d said Leslie Bacho, Chief Executive Officer, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. \u201cWith inflation in food and gas prices, and reductions in government benefits, many families are struggling to meet their basic needs and are turning to food banks to help close the gap. This additional TEFAP funding is crucial to support food banks in providing our communities with the food they need to thrive.\"\n\n\"Congressman Panetta's visionary leadership and this groundbreaking legislation are crucial for Central Coast food banks. In the wake of the pandemic's aftermath and the relentless surge in inflation, the demand for supplemental nutrition has soared. This bill would not just be a win; it would be a lifeline, bridging our agricultural partners to the tables of community members fighting food insecurity every single day,\" said Erica Padilla-Chavez, Chief Executive Officer, Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County.\n\nTo read the full text of this legislation, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-collins-durbin-introduce-bipartisan-bicameral-legislation-help", "Bonamici, Collins, Durbin Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Help Runaway and Homeless Youth", "2023-11-01", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Don Bacon (R-NE), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), and U.S. Senator Susan Collins and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2023. This bipartisan legislation will reauthorize key federal grant programs to provide states with funding to help thousands of homeless young people nationwide.\n\n\u201cYoung people thrive when they have a safe and stable home,\u201d said Rep. Bonamici, Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness. \u201cWe must help and protect youth experiencing homelessness and survivors of trafficking in their time of need. This bipartisan update to the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act will expand and improve the services many youth need when they do not have a place to call home, and it strengthens programs that can empower them to transition out of homelessness.\u201d\n\n\u201cHaving a caring and safe place to sleep, eat, grow, and study is crucial for any young person\u2019s development,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cOur bipartisan legislation would support young people who run away, are forced out of their homes, or are disconnected from their families, by extending basic social services to these most vulnerable youth in our communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis legislation is an investment in the future of our nation and a promise not to give up on any child,\u201d said Senator Durbin. \u201cIt will help us empower our youth\u2014especially those in underserved communities\u2014to realize their dreams for a better and brighter future, regardless of the traumatic experiences they may have faced.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs the number of homeless and runaway youth increases, we must increase our federal efforts to assist and protect these youth who are particularly susceptible to trafficking,\u201d said Rep. Bacon. \u201cThis bill provides agencies with the means to support youth who are in vulnerable positions and gives them the resources to address these problems.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery young person deserves a safe and secure environment to grow up in,\u201d said Rep. Nunn. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation ensures young people in vulnerable situations can receive the help they need to sleep, eat, study, and develop.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo child should ever be forced to live on the streets in fear of their wellbeing and safety,\u201d said Rep. McGarvey. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation is going provide critical resources to young people experiencing homelessness, especially LGBTQ+ and trans youth who are at a higher risk of being forced out of their homes. I\u2019m proud to continue former Congressman Yarmuth\u2019s fight to help young people in Louisville and across our country; it takes a village to care for our children, and I\u2019m committed to safeguarding our most vulnerable youth.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe applaud our congressional champions for introducing the important Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act, because our young people continue to face limited access to housing options, education, and living wage employment. This legislation makes critical expansions to meet the needs of today\u2019s youth, and continues the powerful legacy of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act program. Further, it builds on what we already know: ending youth homelessness prevents human trafficking,\u201d said Darla Bardine, Executive Director, National Network for Youth.\n\nThe landmark Runaway and Homeless Youth Act was first passed by Congress in 1974, providing nationwide support to address youth and young adult homelessness. This reauthorization would expand protections to youths who are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking and would authorize funding for state and local programs to help provide transitional housing, street outreach, and crisis intervention programs to address the needs of homeless and runaway youth.\n\nAmong other improvements, this legislation would:\n\nReauthorize, modernize, and increase authorization levels for programs under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act;\n\nCreate a new Prevention Services Program that would make additional resources available to organizations providing counseling, mediation, and other services aimed at preventing youth from running away or becoming homeless;\n\nIncrease annual competitive grants for rural youth demographics from $100,000 to $200,000;\n\nRequire the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a national estimate of the prevalence of homeless youth every three years; and\n\nIncrease the allowable length of stay in the Basic Center Program from 21 days to 30 days.\n\nThe legislation is supported by youth advocacy organizations including the National Network for Youth, which has supported the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act since it was first enacted in 1974.\n\nA complete list of organizations endorsing this bill can be read HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-torres-introduce-legislation-keep-pedestrians-vulnerable-road-users", "Bonamici, Torres Introduce Legislation to Keep Pedestrians & Vulnerable Road Users Safe", "2023-11-01", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Representatives Norma J. Torres (CA-35) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) announced today the introduction of the Pedestrian Hazard, Awareness and Safety Expansion (PHASE) Act to address rising pedestrian accidents and fatalities.\n\n\u201cOur country has experienced a significant increase in pedestrian fatalities, making us an outlier among peer nations. This is a personal issue for me\u2014earlier this year my husband and I were struck by a car as we walked across the street in a marked crosswalk with the light. We recovered, but too many people are not as fortunate. I\u2019m grateful to join my colleague Congresswoman Norma Torres in introducing the PHASE Act, which will direct needed federal resources to research and implement road safety strategies to prevent deaths and make streets safer for drivers and pedestrians,\u201d said Congresswoman Bonamici.\n\n\u201cWhether Americans are choosing to walk, bike, or even take a scooter to their next stop, they deserve the peace of mind and public policy forethought from Congress that we take their safety seriously. With rising pedestrian accidents and fatalities in California and across the nation, our current transportation infrastructure is clearly inadequate at keeping bike and pedestrian road users safe.. My PHASE Act is an important step toward developing stronger pedestrian safety policies and making our roads safer for all vulnerable road users,\u201d said Congresswoman Torres.\n\nA report released this year found the number of pedestrians who were struck and killed by vehicles in 2022 was the highest it has been since 1981. To reverse this dangerous trend, the\n\nPHASE Act:\n\nDirects the National Institute of Standards and Technology to devise solutions to better equip drivers and protect pedestrians, while ensuring its recommendations do not distract drivers.\n\nDirects the Department of Transportation to conduct a study on developing physical alternatives to better protect pedestrians.\n\nCreates a grant program for cities and municipalities to implement pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.\n\nThe PHASE Act is cosponsored by Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and is supported by the League of Conservation Voters, Safe States, League of American Bicyclists, California Bicycle Coalition, and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.\n\n\u201cVulnerable road user safety, which encompasses all road users outside the vehicle, is critically important and urgently in need of improvement. Pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities are at the highest levels in decades. Proven solutions must be advanced including roadway safety infrastructure upgrades and vehicle safety technologies that prevent or mitigate crashes. We commend Congresswoman Torres for her focus on enhancing safe roadway travel for all with the introduction of the PHASE Act,\u201d said Cathy Chase, President, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/merkley-wyden-bonamici-hoyle-announce-over-36-million-improve-coastal-ports", "Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici, Hoyle Announce Over $36 Million to Improve Coastal Ports in Oregon", "2023-11-01", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Oregon\u2019s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) and Val Hoyle (OR-04), announced a total of $36,489,508 in federal investments heading to the ports of Astoria, Coquille Indian Tribe\u2019s Ko\u2019Kwel Wharf, and Newport.\n\n\u201cPier 2 West in Astoria is crucial to the region\u2019s economy, but the structure has been deteriorating over the years,\u201d said Rep. Bonamici. \u201cI\u2019m thrilled that the Port of Astoria will receive close to $25.3 million from USDOT to make overdue repairs to this essential infrastructure.\u201d\n\n\u201cPorts play a crucial role in keeping the economies of Oregon and the entire Pacific Northwest running smoothly\u2014transporting goods, people, and services throughout our region\u2014and we rely on them to export our amazing, homegrown products around the world,\u201d Merkley said. \u201cThis funding will provide crucial support to Astoria, the Coquille Indian Tribe, and Newport to improve existing infrastructure, increase storage capabilities, and bolster security while improving operational capacity for these critical ports.\u201d\n\n\u201cOregon\u2019s ports produce jobs and act as economic linchpins for their communities as well as the entire state economy,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cI\u2019m glad these three ports have secured these significant federal infrastructure investments to ensure they can keep exporting our state\u2019s world-renowned products as well as generating economic opportunities for Newport, Astoria, the Coquille Indian Tribe and beyond.\u201d\n\n\u201cI'm thrilled that the Port of Newport will be receiving this important grant to upgrade its port infrastructure,\" said Rep. Hoyle. \u201cThis is exactly the type of support that the federal government should be providing to Oregon's ports, which are essential for local jobs and businesses on the Oregon coast. I will continue to strongly support investment in Oregon\u2019s coastal communities.\u201d\n\nThis past spring, Senators Merkley and Wyden and Rep. Bonamici sent a letter to U.S. Maritime Administration urging their support for the Port of Astoria\u2019s rehabilitation project application as well as a letter of support from Merkley and Wyden for the Newport operational capacity project application. Today\u2019s federal investments come from the Fiscal Year 2023 Port Infrastructure Development Program.\n\n\u201cThe Port of Astoria is extremely grateful to be a recipient of Port Infrastructure Development Program funding through MARAD for the rehabilitation of Pier 2 on the Astoria waterfront,\u201d said Will Isom, Port of Astoria, Executive Director. \u201cThe seafood processing cluster on Pier 2 is vital to the Port, the City of Astoria and the entire region. Federal investment into this infrastructure was critical for its future and will help provide a safe, economically viable pier for generations to come!\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Coquille Indian Tribe is proud to take part in the nationwide effort to rebuild our port infrastructure. With this funding, our Tribal One team will continue their work to rebuild Ko\u2019Kwel Wharf as a productive and reliable economic resource that will help secure the future of the Coquille Tribe and our North Bend community and become a valuable member of the nation\u2019s maritime industry,\u201d said Brenda Meade, Chairman, Coquille Indian Tribe.\n\n\"The Port of Newport greatly appreciates the support of our Federal Legislators and the Maritime Administration for this investment in our International Terminal. We are also grateful for our State Legislators, stakeholders and community for years of investment in our terminal. This will allow us to expand our operational capacity through the purchase of equipment and the improvement of a nine-acre parcel for lay-down purposes. These enhancements make the Port more attractive to prospective customers and support economic opportunity in Lincoln County,\" said Paula Miranda, Port of Newport, Executive Director.\n\nOregon projects funding and descriptions can be found below:\n\n$25,315,758 to Port of Astoria: This project funds the rehabilitation of the Port of Astoria\u2019s Pier 2 West \u2013 the region\u2019s hub for seafood processing and maritime commerce \u2013 which is in critical need of repairs and rehabilitation. Project elements include: (1) a new steel bulkhead wall with a 75 year lifespan and that will include a new fendering system, 50 ton double bitt bollards, and a cast-in-place concrete bullrail; (2) removal of the old timber dock; (3) backfill; (4) underpinning of the Pier 2 warehouse; (5) warehouse building concrete slab repairs; (6) new concrete pavement on the pier surface; (7) construction of a stormwater drainage system; and (8) replacement of a water line and fire hydrants adjacent to the warehouse for fire protection of Pier 2.\n\n$7,729,650 to Coquille Indian Tribe: This project funds the following three components: (1) repairs of the dock face along Lot 2 of Ko\u2019Kwel Wharf that will bring the entire dock area up to safe operating standards and open opportunities for new uses of the terminal and wharf facility; (2) bring 800-amp service and a shore power outlet box to the wharf to reduce or eliminate the need for idling diesel engines; and (3) support development phase activities leading to the construction of a 600\u2019-700\u2019 extension of the Ko\u2019Kwel Wharf dock.\n\n$3,444,100 to Port of Newport: This project and funding will support the Port of Newport in the grading of 9 acres of land adjacent to the port\u2019s existing Newport International Terminal to create additional laydown and storage space; fence three acres of land for increased security; and purchase two loaders to load, unload and move cargo within and around the port, especially breakbulk cargo, which the port's current cargo handling equipment is not well suited to safely and efficiently handle. These improvements to the Newport International Terminal enable the Port of Newport to continue to support the economic development and prosperity of the Oregon Coast.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-converts-town-hall-meetings-telephone-town-hall-meeting", "Bonamici Converts Town Hall Meetings to Telephone Town Hall Meeting", "2023-10-31", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [10/31/23] \u2013 Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) announced that she will hold a telephone town hall meeting on Monday, November 6 at 6 p.m. PT.\n\nThe U.S. House of Representatives has changed its schedule and representatives will now need to be in Washington, D.C. on dates that conflict with previously scheduled in-person town hall meetings. The meetings are cancelled for Portland on Nov. 6, St. Helens on Nov. 7, and Hillsboro on Nov. 9.\n\nBecause Rep. Bonamici will be in Washington, D.C. on those dates, she is offering an opportunity for constituents to participate in a town hall meeting by telephone.\n\nAnyone interested in participating in the telephone town hall meeting can sign up to receive a call here. The telephone town hall meeting will also be livestreamed here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-molinaro-introduce-bipartisan-bill-reduce-childhood-hunger", "Bonamici, Molinaro Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Reduce Childhood Hunger", "2023-10-26", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [10/26/23] \u2013 Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Marcus Molinaro (R-NY) introduced bipartisan legislation to increase access to healthy meals and snacks for children in care settings.\n\nThe Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act updates the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to allow an additional meal or snack for children in care for a full day, and streamlines the program to make it easier for early learning programs and child care providers to participate. CACFP currently serves 4.2 million low-income children in child care centers, Head Start and afterschool programs, homeless shelters, and other settings. Affordable child care and access to nutritious meals contribute to the health and economic vitality of working families.\n\n\u201cChild care providers play an essential role in the fight against hunger,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cUpdating and expanding CACFP will allow this effective program to reach more children, reduce food insecurity, and lower the cost of care. This bipartisan legislation is especially important as many providers struggle to keep their doors open amid rising costs. Child care is economic infrastructure, and removing unnecessary paperwork and boosting resources for child care businesses will help families afford the care and education their young children need. I\u2019m grateful to partner with Rep. Molinaro to provide more children with a healthy start to life.\u201d\n\n\u201cTo fight childhood hunger and combat our nation\u2019s childcare crisis, we are expanding the Child and Adult Care Food Program to adequately feed children in care facilities and make it easier for more providers to participate in the program,\u201d said Congressman Marcus Molinaro. \u201cAs a member of the Pre-K and Child Care Caucus, I am proud to lead this bipartisan effort with Rep. Suzanne Bonamici to ensure our nation\u2019s children don\u2019t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from.\u201d\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), American Heart Association, Bipartisan Policy Center, CACFP Roundtable, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Child Care Aware of America, Children\u2019s Institute, Early Care and Education Consortium (ECEC), Feeding America, First Children\u2019s Finance, First Five Years Fund, First Focus Campaign for Children, Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), Home Grown, Independent Restaurant Coalition, KidKare by Minute Menu, KinderCare, National Association for Family Child Care, National CACFP Sponsors Association, National Child Care Association, National Head Start Association, National Women\u2019s Law Center, Oregon Food Bank, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), YMCA of the USA, ZERO TO THREE, MomsRising and National Association of Counties (NACo).\n\n\u201cAcross the country, we continue to face an unprecedented shortage of child care workers, which will only worsen if providers don\u2019t receive critical federal investment,\u201d said to Lee Saunders, President of AFSCME. \u201cParents today are working longer hours and depend on child care providers to meet essential needs, including proper nutrition, which is expensive. The bipartisan Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act would alleviate this crisis by ensuring providers can afford to serve nutritious meals all day, including suppers. We applaud Representatives Suzanne Bonamici and Marcus Molinaro for leading on this issue and introducing this crucial bill.\u201d\n\n\u201cA quality meal is essential to the well-being and development of children, and like child care providers throughout the country, YMCAs are working to ensure every child in our care has regular access to nutritious meals and snacks,\u201d said Suzanne McCormick, President and CEO of YMCA of the USA. \u201cWe are grateful to Representatives Bonamici and Molinaro for their proposal, which would cut red tape and allow a third meal for children who are in our care all day. This bill would improve the CACFP program and enable more providers to participate, giving more children access to the nutrition they need to thrive.\u201d\n\nParticipation in CACFP provides essential nutrition guidance and significant support for quality child and adult care programs, a sector in which workers are underpaid and overworked. Unfortunately, many providers have struggled with overly burdensome requirements to participate in CACFP. Nationally, these outdated policies and the increased cost of food are cutting into the funds child care providers need to stay open and offer quality care.\n\nA summary of the bill can be found here, and the bill text is available here. Additional statements of support from the National CACFP Sponsors Association, Home Grown, and Bipartisan Policy Center\u2019s Early Childhood Initiative can be found here.\n\nIn addition to Bonamici and Molinaro, the Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act is cosponsored by Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Henry Cuellar (D-TX).\n\nBonamici is Ranking Member of the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee that has jurisdiction over the federal child nutrition programs. She is also Co-Chair of the bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus, where she is a leading voice to secure investments in child care that are fundamental for children, families, and the economy. Additionally, Bonamici and Congressman Greg Landsman are leading the Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act, which would further enhance CACFP by increasing reimbursement levels nationally and put family child care providers on equal footing with center-based providers.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-introduces-3-bipartisan-bills-expand-job-opportunities", "Bonamici Introduces 3 Bipartisan Bills to Expand Job Opportunities", "2023-10-25", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [10/25/23] \u2013 Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced a bipartisan package of legislation that will help people get quality jobs by increasing access to apprenticeships, workforce training programs, and youth career counseling programs.\n\nThe ACCESS Act \u2013 introduced with Rep. Glenn \u201cGT\u201d Thompson (R-PA) \u2013 would improve career counseling programs for youth to help them access high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand jobs.\n\nThe BUILDS Act \u2013 also co-led by Rep. Thompson \u2013 would provide workers with skills needed to fill infrastructure jobs by creating new grants for industry partnerships in the infrastructure sector. The bill includes funding for support services, such as child care and transportation, to help workers with program retention and completion.\n\nThe PARTNERS Act \u2013 co-led with Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Haley Stevens (D-MI), and Drew Ferguson (R-GA) \u2013 would establish a grant program to support the creation and expansion of industry partnerships to help small- and medium-sized businesses develop work-based learning programs and provide mentoring and support services for workers.\n\n\u201cInvesting in workers and workforce training improves lives, strengthens the economy, and offers Oregonians and Americans a path to the middle class,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cSupporting partnerships among businesses, colleges, and other organizations is vital to building a diverse pool of skilled workers. I\u2019m grateful to work with my colleagues to introduce this bipartisan package of legislation to support workers and create more opportunities for people to access good-paying, in-demand jobs.\u201d\n\n\"As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Career and Technical Education Caucus, I am proud to join Rep. Bonomici in introducing these two critical pieces of legislation that will help connect the next generation to in-demand jobs and support our nation's infrastructure,\" said Rep. Glenn \u201cGT\u201d Thompson. \"These bills continue to support Americans looking to climb the ladder of opportunity and develop skills to find high quality, family sustaining jobs.\"\n\n\u201cSmall and medium sized businesses are the backbone of our Commonwealth and the backbone of our national economy,\u201d said Congressman Brett Guthrie. \u201cAs I travel throughout my district, I hear from businesses far and wide that are facing increasing challenges due to rising costs and historically high inflation. This has made it increasingly difficult to fill workforce shortages across all industries. Apprenticeships are a great way for people to learn new applicable skills, while earning a paycheck, making apprenticeships a critical path into the workforce for many individuals. For these reasons, I am proud to once again co-lead the PARTNERS Act which will allow small and medium size businesses to join with community partners to create work-based opportunities for the individuals who need them the most.\u201d\n\n\u201cHelping smaller businesses build out their training capacity is a win-win; it provides companies with much needed skilled labor and Americans with paths to good-paying, secure jobs,\u201d said Rep. Haley Stevens. \u201cThe Promoting Apprenticeships through Regional Training Networks for Employers\u2019 Required Skills (PARTNERS) Act will give small- and medium-sized businesses access to funding for workforce training programs, such as apprenticeships. I am proud to co-sponsor the PARTNERS Act because creative steps like these are critical to ensuring every American has access to a quality job and that we retain our competitive economic edge with the best workforce in the world.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn order to stay competitive on the world stage, communities across the country need the flexibility and resources to create work-based learning opportunities catered to their local job markets,\u201d said Congressman Drew Ferguson. \u201cIn Georgia, employers are seeing the value of putting skills training directly in the workplace \u2013 and programs like the Central Education Center in Newnan have been implementing an innovative style of apprenticeship that prepares our young people for 21st century careers. I\u2019m proud to reintroduce the PARTNERS Act, which is an innovative solution that give every American the opportunity to live the American dream.\"\n\nThe ACCESS Act has been endorsed by: Jobs for the Future, National Association of Workforce Boards, National Skills Coalition, ACTE, Advance CTE, American Federation of Teachers, National Taskforce on Tradeswomen\u2019s Issues, and National Community Action Foundation. A summary of the ACCESS Act can be found here, and the full text can be found here.\n\nThe BUILDS Act has been endorsed by: Jobs for the Future, National Skills Coalition, ACTE, Advance CTE, National Taskforce on Tradeswomen\u2019s Issues, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and National Community Action Foundation. A summary of the BUILDS Act can be found here, and the full text can be found here.\n\nThe PARTNERS Act has been endorsed by: Jobs for the Future, National Skills Coalition, National Taskforce on Tradeswomen\u2019s Issues, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and National Community Action Foundation. A summary of the PARTNERS Act can be found here, and the full text can be found here.\n\n\"It is vital that the next generation of workers understand the educational and career opportunities available to them,\u201d said Bradford C. Turner-Little, CEO, National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). \u201cEqually as important is having access to professional assistance in navigating those opportunities. NAWB is proud to endorse the ACCESS Act, which will ensure our youth gain high-quality, in-demand jobs through the public workforce development system.\"\n\n\u201cThe bipartisan BUILDS, PARTNERS and ACCESS bills being introduced by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici are just what we need to support the workforce development efforts of our member organizations and the diverse women they are preparing to enter the construction workforce,\u201d said Connie Ashbrook and Janelle DeJan, Co-Chairs, National Taskforce on Tradeswomen\u2019s Issues. \u201cThese women will be important additions to the workers needed to repair and build our nation\u2019s infrastructure.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a country, we are making important investments in infrastructure, clean energy, and technology but the promise of these investments won\u2019t be fully realized without the support of workers with the skills required to do the work. These bills will help us meet our nation\u2019s workforce needs by bringing employers together, supporting workers\u2019 access to skills training and supportive services, and providing our nation\u2019s young people with awareness of the career opportunities available to them.\u201d \u2013 National Skills Coalition\n\nBonamici is a co-chair of the Congressional Apprenticeship Caucus and the Career and Technical Education Caucus.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-statement-speaker-mike-johnson", "Salinas Statement on Speaker Mike Johnson", "2023-10-25", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) released the following statement after House Republicans voted to elect Rep. Mike Johnson as Speaker as the House:\n\n\u201cAfter 22 days of chaos and disarray, House Republicans have elected a MAGA extremist who voted to overturn the 2020 election as Speaker of the House. Mike Johnson has consistently supported legislation that would rip away Americans\u2019 reproductive freedom and slash critical programs like Social Security and Medicare. I have deep concerns about Speaker Johnson\u2019s ability to govern responsibly. Nevertheless, I am hopeful that the new Speaker will set aside his extreme views and work to find a bipartisan path forward. It is past time for Congress to get back to work for Oregonians and for the American people.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-statement-israel-and-gaza", "Salinas Statement on Israel and Gaza", "2023-10-20", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2014 On October 18, 2023, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) released the following statement on the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza:\n\n\u201cI stand with Israel and unequivocally condemn Hamas\u2019 brutal war on the innocent people of Israel and Gaza. I am also devastated by the horrible destruction and loss of human life we are witnessing right now. It is imperative that we provide humanitarian aid to those who are suffering, in addition to the support Israel needs to defend itself. That is why we must elect a new Speaker of the House as soon as possible. Now more than ever, the United States must show leadership on the global stage.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-hoyle-introduce-bill-help-feed-kids-rural-communities", "Salinas, Hoyle Introduce Bill to Help Feed Kids in Rural Communities", "2023-10-19", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Val Hoyle (OR-04) introduced the Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act, legislation that would establish a summer meal delivery program to help feed kids in rural communities. U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.\n\n\u201cMany kids in rural Oregon rely on school meal programs to access healthy, nutritious foods. That shouldn\u2019t stop during summer break,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cThe FORK Act will deliver food directly to kids and families in our rural communities and ensure they always have enough to eat, no matter the season or time of year.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to cosponsor the FORK Act that will help ensure kids who rely on school meal programs don\u2019t go hungry during the summer,\u201d said Rep. Hoyle. \u201cFor our rural communities that are facing job shortages and families struggling to find work, I know how hard it can be to ensure kids have enough to eat, especially during summer break when school is out. The FORK Act will ensure every child, no matter where they live or what time of year it is, can have access to the essential meals they need\u201d.\n\nOver half a million people in Oregon, including one in five children, struggle with food insecurity. That rate is even higher in rural and immigrant communities. The FORK Act would create a grant program to help schools and Summer Food Service Program providers in rural districts purchase vehicles for home delivery of meals.\n\nIn addition to Reps. Salinas and Hoyle, the FORK Act is supported by the following organizations: UnidosUS, Hunger Free Oregon, School Nutrition Association, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Marion Polk Food Share, FoodCorps, and Lutheran Community Services Northwest.\n\n\u201cUnidosUS is proud to support Congresswoman Salinas\u2019s Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act, which promotes equitable access to nutritious food for children in rural areas across the country. Latinos living in rural communities often work on farms growing and producing our nation\u2019s food, yet they experience significant barriers to putting food on the table for their children and families. We applaud the Congresswoman for her leadership in tackling an issue disproportionately harming low-income communities of color. Our Latino and immigrant families face several challenges to their children accessing nutritious and affordable food, including barriers to reliable and affordable transportation. Children everywhere deserve healthy meals all year long, and the FORK Act creates a program to ensure that our rural children continue to get the meals they need no matter the time of the year or where they live,\u201d said Umailla Fatima, Health Policy Analyst for UnidosUS.\n\n\"With one in five children in Oregon facing hunger every day, we need to find creative solutions to address the problem. The FORK Act is an important step towards getting food to children in rural Oregon. Partners For a Hunger-Free Oregon is proud to endorse this bill,\u201d said Angelita Morillo, Policy Advocate for Hunger Free Oregon.\n\n\"Summer meals are critical to ensuring at risk students have consistent access to nutritious meals when school is out of session,\" said School Nutrition Association President Chris Derico, SNS. \"But too often, children in rural communities go hungry because of a lack of reliable transportation to summer meal sites. The Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act will help schools and summer meal sponsors overcome these barriers and deliver meals throughout their communities.\"\n\n\u201cJust as school kitchens need the right equipment to prepare and serve healthful meals, school foodservice programs need to make sure meals get to children who need them most,\u201d said registered dietitian nutritionist Lauri Wright, the 2023-2024 President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. \u201cFor some students, school meals provide up to half their daily nutritional needs, but this important food source may not be available during the summer, particularly in rural areas with high rates of food insecurity and lack of transportation to summer foodservice sites. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is proud to support the Feeding Our Rural Kids Act and urges Congress to pass this important bill.\u201d\n\n\u201cMaking sure that kids have access to healthy food year-round is a priority. We support the Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act, which is an important investment in providing equitable access to summer meals in rural communities,\u201d said Rick Gaupo, President and CEO of Marion Polk Food Share.\n\n\u201cFoodCorps is proud to support the Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act, introduced by Rep. Salinas, which provides resources to reach rural communities with summer meals. FoodCorps believes that every child should have access to nourishing meals, both at school and after the bell rings. The FORK Act is an important step forward to ensure every community has access to this critical program,\u201d said Laura Hath, Senior Director of Policy Partnerships for FoodCorps.\n\n\"Rural families with young children are often juggling multiple stressors with many demands on their time and pocketbook. Offering home-delivered meals would be a significant support ensuring that kids get the nutrition needed to thrive and families are relieved of the toxic stress associated with being unable to meet the nutritional needs of their children,\u201d said Jordan Robinson, Yamhill County District Director for Lutheran Community Services Northwest.\n\nTo read the full text of this legislation, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-chavez-deremer-schrier-newhouse-lead-bipartisan-call-support-pacific", "Bonamici, Chavez-DeRemer, Schrier, Newhouse Lead Bipartisan Call to Support Pacific NW Maple Growers", "2023-10-18", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON DC [10/18/23] \u2013 Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), Kim Schrier (D-WA), and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) led 10 Senators and Representatives in a bipartisan call for federal support for Pacific NW maple syrup producers.\n\nThe lawmakers urged the Department of Agriculture to maintain a level playing field in its Acer Access and Development (Acer) Program. The Acer program supports research, innovation, and resilience in the maple syrup industry, but it appears to favor the east coast Sugar Maple producers who already dominate the market. Maple syrup in the Pacific NW is produced from native Big Leaf Maples. Because of the difference in species, the Pacific NW producers are at risk of being excluded from the Acer program.\n\n\u201cThe Acer Program has been fundamental to the success of the burgeoning maple syrup industry in the Pacific Northwest,\u201d the Representatives and Senators wrote. \u201cOur constituents are entering this industry with the vital support of the Acer Program. Unfortunately, the Acer Program Request for Applications (RFA) published on March 1, 2023, includes language that may exclude maple growers in the Pacific Northwest from accessing resources available from Acer\u2019s research and development partnerships with universities.\u201d\n\nThe Representatives and Senators noted that prioritizing research and development activities to the established industry could exclude growers and syrup producers from many parts of the country and prevent them from accessing technical assistance and support under Acer. Relying on one species of maple tree could also make the industry vulnerable to blight, invasive species, and parasites.\n\n\u201c\u2026 Limiting opportunities to the parts of the country with established and widespread maple syrup producing trees runs contrary to the Acer Program\u2019s goal of innovation,\u201d they wrote.\n\n\u201cRemoving preference language for any particular species or region within the Acer Program will reestablish parity and continue Acer\u2019s legacy of helping new growers expand the maple syrup industry.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Bonamici, Chavez-DeRemer, Schrier, and Newhouse, the letter is signed by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Val Hoyle (D-OR), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Marie Glusenkamp Perez (D-WA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), and Marilyn Strickland (D-WA).\n\nThe full text of the letter can be read here and below.\n\nThe Honorable Tom Vilsack Secretary\n\nU.S. Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Ave. S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250\n\nDear Secretary Vilsack,\n\nAs Members of Congress from the Pacific Northwest, we write to urge you to maintain a level playing field within the Acer Access and Development (Acer) Program. The Acer Program can play a pivotal role in fostering innovation and resilience in the maple syrup industry nationally, and projects enhancing the use of various species of maple trees are critical to long-term sustainability of maple-based products in the United States.\n\nThe Acer Program has been fundamental to the success of the burgeoning maple syrup industry in the Pacific Northwest. Growers throughout our region are producing maple syrup from native big leaf maples or Acer macrophyllum. Our constituents are entering this industry with the vital support of the Acer Program.\n\nUnfortunately, the Acer Program Request for Applications (RFA) published on March 1, 2023, includes language that may exclude maple growers in the Pacific Northwest from accessing resources available from Acer\u2019s research and development partnerships with universities. In the Purpose section of the RFA, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) indicates that the agency \u201cmay prioritize funding for applications that support the promotion of research and education, natural resource responsibility, and market development and promotion, and that are from regions with sufficient distribution of Acer saccharum to support a commercially viable maple syrup industry\u201d.1 We urge you to remove this language and instead focus on implementing the Acer program with a level playing field for all species of maple trees.\n\nSugar maple trees, or Acer saccharum, are already the predominant tree in use by most maple syrup producers in the United States.2 But these trees are not native to the Pacific Northwest; here we have big leaf maple trees. Prioritizing research and development activities to the established industry could exclude growers and syrup producers from many parts of the country and prevent them from accessing technical assistance and support under Acer. For example, red maple trees or Acer rubrum are native to several regions of the United States that also lack sugar maples but are, like big leaf maples, potentially usable for maple syrup production. Further, relying solely on a single species of maple tree could make the domestic maple syrup industry vulnerable to widespread blight, invasive species, or parasites. Additionally, limiting opportunities to the parts of the country with established and widespread maple syrup producing trees runs contrary to the Acer Program\u2019s goal of innovation.\n\nRemoving preference language for any particular species or region within the Acer Program will reestablish parity and continue Acer\u2019s legacy of helping new growers expand the maple syrup industry. We appreciate your commitment to support all producers and your attention to this matter.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-pens-letter-opposing-gtn-xpress-pipeline", "Salinas Pens Letter Opposing GTN Xpress Pipeline", "2023-10-18", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Tigard, OR \u2013 On October 6, 2023, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) delivered a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) expressing her opposition to TC Energy\u2019s proposed Gas Transmission Northwest Express (\u201cGTN XPress\u201d) pipeline. The letter comes ahead of a planned FERC meeting on Thursday to consider TC Energy\u2019s request for a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) for the proposed expansion. Salinas joined several Oregon elected officials in opposing the project because of its potential negative impact on climate change and the environment.\n\n\u201cI join Governor Kotek, Senators Wyden, Merkley, Representative Blumenauer, and Attorney General Rosenblum in opposition to the proposed GTN XPress Project,\u201d writes Salinas. \u201cIt is antithetical to Oregon\u2019s ongoing efforts to transition away from fossil fuels and to combat climate change. This project, if approved, will increase the volume of fracked gas by 150 million cubic feet per day.\u201d\n\nSalinas emphasized concerns that the pipeline expansion likely fails to comply with Oregon\u2019s clean energy laws and ultimately does not serve the public interest.\n\n\u201cWe are witnessing the real impacts of climate change every year on the West Coast, characterized by severe heatwaves and an increase in wildfires,\u201d continues Salinas. \u201cGiven these circumstances, I cannot, in good conscience, support a project that would contribute to an increase in fossil fuel usage and potentially accelerate climate change.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter below or click here.\n\nDear Acting Chairman Phillips and Commissioners Christie, Clements, and Danly:\n\nI urge the Commission to reject TC Energy\u2019s request for a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) for the Gas Transmission Northwest Express (\u201cGTN XPress\u201d) pipeline. Based on the information presented in Docket No. CP22-2-000, it is evident that the proposed GTN XPress pipeline expansion does not serve the public interest.\n\nI join Governor Kotek, Senators Wyden, Merkley, Representative Blumenauer, and Attorney General Rosenblum in opposition to the proposed GTN XPress Project. It is antithetical to Oregon\u2019s ongoing efforts to transition away from fossil fuels and to combat climate change. This project, if approved, will increase the volume of fracked gas by 150 million cubic feet per day.\n\nThe state Attorneys General from Oregon, Washington, and California have collectively called upon the Federal Energy Regulation Commission to deny the proposed expansion over concerns about the inadequacy of the environmental review and the inability to demonstrate sufficient evidence of a public need. According to Governor Kotek, this project fails to comply with Oregon\u2019s clean energy laws and regulations.\n\nWe are witnessing the real impacts of climate change every year on the West Coast, characterized by severe heatwaves and an increase in wildfires. Given these circumstances, I cannot, in good conscience, support a project that would contribute to an increase in fossil fuel usage and potentially accelerate climate change.\n\nSincerely,\n\nAndrea Salinas\n\nMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/oregon-delegation-announces-approval-federal-fishery-disaster-declaration", "Oregon Delegation Announces Approval of Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration", "2023-10-13", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Oregon\u2019s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, with U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), announced today that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined a fishery disaster for 2018, 2019, and 2020 Oregon Chinook salmon ocean commercial fisheries in the state.\n\nThis determination, championed by the Oregon delegation, will make local fishermen eligible to apply for long overdue disaster assistance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Department of Commerce currently has fishery disaster assistance funding available and will determine the allocation for this disaster soon. Those federal resources will help the state\u2019s coastal economies recover from years of drought, changing ocean conditions, and critical habitat loss that have severely harmed salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest.\n\n\u201cThis declaration will benefit the Pacific NW\u2019s fishing industry, workers, and economy,\u201d said Bonamici. \u201cOregon\u2019s fisheries have worked hard to overcome numerous challenges in recent years, including decline in the salmon population, and this determination will provide support so they can sustain the industry and grow into the future.\u201d\n\n\u201cOregon\u2019s fishing industry is essential to our state\u2019s economy and creates good-paying jobs our communities rely on,\u201d Merkley said. \u201cThis federal disaster declaration the Oregon delegation pushed for recognizes the significant toll of declining salmon populations on our fishermen, and it cements our commitment to investing in the long-term recovery of Oregon\u2019s coastal communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cOregonians living and working on the coast know full well how crucial the fishing industry is to job growth and their communities\u2019 economic well-being,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cCoastal fishing\u2019s impact also ripples out statewide, and I\u2019m gratified the federal Commerce Department has agreed to the delegation\u2019s request for a fishery disaster declaration that will help support this iconic and productive Oregon industry.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is impossible to overstate the value of salmon to Oregon. This federal disaster declaration will be a lifeline for Oregon\u2019s fishing communities. As we continue to push to restore healthy and abundant salmon populations, it is also an important step forward for the federal government to honor its treaty obligations with Pacific Northwest tribes,\u201d said Blumenauer.\n\n\u201cSustainable fishing off of the Oregon Coast provides good paying jobs and is a major economic boon for Oregon\u2019s economy. However our fishermen need support to get through these bad years for Oregon Chinook salmon. A federal disaster declaration will provide much-needed relief and I\u2019ll keep working to get more resources back to Oregon\u2019s Fourth Congressional District,\u201d said Hoyle.\n\n\u201cSalmon are critically important to our culture, identity, and economy here in the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, climate change, drought, and a whole host of other factors are causing the salmon population to decrease every year,\u201d said Salinas. \u201cI am glad that Oregon\u2019s fisheries will now be eligible for federal assistance, allowing them to stay afloat while we work to find long-term solutions at the local, state, and federal levels.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m glad much-needed federal assistance will be coming to local fisheries,\u201d Chavez-DeRemer said. \u201cThis critical industry has suffered a number of setbacks in recent years, and I\u2019ll continue working with the Oregon delegation to ensure fishermen are able to recover and succeed.\u201d\n\nIn addition to the economic activity generated by Oregon\u2019s commercial fishing industry, salmon are an important part of the cultural heritage of Pacific Northwest Tribes, generate recreational activity, and are a treasured natural resource across the state. As a result, declining salmon populations hurt the state and the region on many levels.\n\nFrom 2013 to 2017, the commercial value of Chinook salmon was around $6.3 million annually for Oregon fisheries. But with the impacts of climate chaos impacting salmon populations, theeconomic value of Chinook fell sharply to $2.3 million in 2018, $2 million in 2019, and $1.4 million in 2020.\n\nIn response, Senator Merkley led the delegation in a series of letters to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, including one in 2021, detailing the critical need for federal support for this industry while local, state, and federal partners continue to work toward long-term solutions.\n\nAdditional efforts from the Oregon delegation seeking the U.S. Department of Commerce to determine a fishery disaster in the state for years following 2020 are ongoing. This includes the latest letter in April led by Senator Wyden in support of Governor Tina Kotek\u2019s request for a federal fishery resource disaster declaration.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-announces-new-pacific-northwest-hydrogen-hub", "Salinas Announces New Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub", "2023-10-13", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has selected the Pacific Northwest Regional Hydrogen Hub (PNWH2 Hub) as one of several planned Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs to be built across the United States. These clean hydrogen hubs will create networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier that can deliver or store tremendous amounts of energy. PNWH2 Hub\u2019s selection follows a competitive nationwide process and will now enter negotiations with DOE for initial federal funding.\n\n\u201cI am so excited to announce that the Pacific Northwest will soon be home to a brand-new hydrogen hub. This historic investment will accelerate the transition to clean energy and create thousands of good-paying jobs in Oregon and across our region,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cI want to thank Secretary Granholm and the Biden Administration for investing in Oregonians\u2019 livelihoods and futures. As the PNWH2 Hub advances to the next steps in this process, I will continue working to ensure this project is fully funded.\u201d\n\nThe PNWH2 Hub will span Washington, Oregon, and Montana, and plans to leverage the region\u2019s abundant renewable resources to produce clean hydrogen exclusively via electrolysis. It will create an estimated 10,000 direct jobs, including 8,050 in construction jobs and 350 permanent jobs, and remove approximately 1 million metric tons per year of CO2 emissions from the atmosphere\u2014equivalent to emissions from roughly 220,000 gasoline-powered cars annually.\n\nThe PNWH2 Hub is eligible to receive up to $1 billion in federal funding over four DOE-defined development phases spanning nine years, with $20 million allocated for Phase 1. DOE and the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association will negotiate the final funding and scope for the hub beginning this fall.\n\nFor more information and updates on the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association, visit pnwh2.com.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-baird-introduce-bipartisan-bill-accelerate-quantum-research-and", "Salinas, Baird Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Accelerate Quantum Research and Development", "2023-10-13", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. House Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Jim Baird (IN-04) introduced the Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering Act, bipartisan legislation that will accelerate quantum research and development in the United States.\n\n\u201cQuantum science has the potential to vastly improve computing speeds and performance, sensing capabilities, and secure communications. Yet much more research is needed before we can fully realize the benefits of these technologies,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cThis bipartisan bill invests in upgrades to research facilities and expands access to resources. It also builds the quantum workforce by encouraging universities to collaborate with community and technical colleges to provide meaningful hand-on learning experiences for their students. Ultimately, our legislation will help secure America\u2019s position at the cutting-edge of quantum research and development for decades to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cQuantum science is one of the world\u2019s fastest-growing areas of scientific research and has the potential to fundamentally change how we approach many aspects of academia, business, and national security,\u201d said Rep. Baird. \u201cThe United States has been innovating in this field for years, but we must invest more in quantum research to encourage innovation. By providing new grants for our research institutions, we can maintain our competitive advantage and ensure America doesn\u2019t fall behind in this crucial area of scientific development.\u201d\n\nThe Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering (QISE) Act would direct the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award grants to upgrade research facilities and improve access to research resources, such as equipment and instrumentation, to support research and development in quantum information science, technology, and engineering. This bill would also improve coordination to enable better access to these resources among researchers, students, and companies. Finally, it would help the scientific community access the equipment, instrumentation, materials and devices, and other critical services needed to enable cutting-edge research on quantum information science, train the next generation of quantum scientists and workers, and translate research into commercial products and services.\n\nIn addition to Reps. Salinas and Baird, the legislation is endorsed by the following universities: University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Purdue University, and Indiana University.\n\n\u201cThe University of Oregon applauds the introduction of the Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering Act,\u201d said Anshuman \u201cAR\u201d Razdan, Vice President of Research and Innovation at the University of Oregon. \u201cThe partnership between the federal government and research universities is the foundation for much of our nation\u2019s prosperity from innovation. UO\u2019s Oregon Center for Optical, Molecular, and Quantum Science and Lokey Labs provide education, research, and commercialization opportunities to students, faculty, and stakeholders.\u201d\n\n\u201cQuantum research and technology innovation is an exciting arena for university scientists and engineers, but there are real barriers to access the necessary state-of-the-art labs and instrumentation required to do this work,\u201dsaid Dr. Irem Tumer, Vice President of Research at Oregon State University. \u201cWe know from experience that investment in NSF to support the needed instrumentation and facilities for university-led research, as well as shared access to these resources, is critical to accelerate science and to grow the community of scientists who are able to contribute their expertise. OSU applauds Representative Salinas for introducing the Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering Act to directly address these barriers.\"\n\n\u201cOregon Institute of Technology (\u201cOregon Tech\u201d) is proud to support the introduction of the Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering Act,\" said Dr. Abdy Afjeh, Vice Provost for Research and Academic Affairs at Oregon Institute of Technology. \"As an emerging research institution with faculty working on quantum science, we know firsthand how important it is to increase access to equipment and instrumentation. Investments in NSF will advance the science and engineer new Quantum capabilities.\"\n\n\u201cIncreasing access to key equipment and instrumentation for faculty and students is key to maintaining U.S. leadership in quantum science,\u201d said Karen Plaut, Executive Vice President for Research at Purdue University. \u201cWe support the aim of the Quantum Instrumentation for Science and Engineering Act to invest more resources to advance the field and prepare the next generation of quantum scientists.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndiana University appreciates the focus on helping institutions upgrade research resources, including equipment and instrumentation, to help advance our knowledge in this exciting field,\u201d said Dr. Dave Baxter, Executive Director of the IU Quantum Science and Engineering Center. \u201cIU commits to working with Rep. Baird to ensure this promise is realized.\u201d\n\nTo read the full text of this legislation, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-merkley-wyden-introduce-legislation-invest-soil-health-education", "Salinas, Merkley, Wyden Introduce Legislation to Invest in Soil Health Education", "2023-10-12", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today,U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06), joined by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), introduced the Soil Conservation & Regeneration Education (Soil CARE) Act in the House of Representatives. This legislation would invest in regenerative agriculture education and help local farmers and producers be more resilient to extreme weather.\n\nSens. Merkley and Wyden introduced the Senate version of this bill last week. U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), and Val Hoyle (OR-04) are original cosponsors of the legislation.\n\n\u201cAs we continue to suffer the effects of extreme weather in Oregon, it\u2019s critical that our local farmers and producers have the tools they need to adapt. That includes helping them implement the latest regenerative agriculture and soil health management practices,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cThis legislation will ensure USDA personnel and third-party service providers are properly trained and equipped to help producers rebuild degraded lands and increase profitability and resilience.\u201d\n\n\u201cDynamic lands and ecosystems have defined Oregon for ages and have supported Oregon\u2019s world-class agriculture industry,\u201d said Sen. Merkley. \u201cAs climate chaos continues to make the West hotter and dryer, it\u2019s important our farmers, ranchers, and land stewards have the resources and tools needed to keep their lands adaptable and resilient. This bill is a necessary step in keeping supporting farmers and ranchers across America.\u201d\n\n\u201cFarmers across the country continue to feel the devastating effects of the climate crisis. It is essential they be equipped with the tools they need to fully benefit from existing federal programs that will help,\u201d said Sen. Wyden. \u201cAs the author of the Soil Health Demonstration Trial program in the last Farm Bill, I am all in for providing more tools to improve the resiliency of crops and the health of our planet.\u201d\n\nEducation and technical support are crucial for the successful implementation of conservation priorities in the US. Unfortunately, due to under-investment in training, as well as rapid advances in regenerative agriculture and soil health management systems, there is a knowledge gap that exists in supporting producers in building resilient and profitable agriculture systems. The Soil CARE Act would invest in more training and education for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) personnel and technical service providers (TSPs), ensuring they can offer adequate technical assistance to farmers and producers.\n\nSpecifically, the Soil CARE Act would:\n\nDevelop and deliver curriculum within one year of passage;\n\nDevelop a nationally-available online training curriculum;\n\nEncourage all relevant USDA personnel (NRCS and TSPs) to complete online training within three years of the Farm Bill passage;\n\nHold annual soil health workshops and training sessions;\n\nDedicate resources to providing required continuing education for all NRCS and TSPs; and\n\nRequire NRCS to use the training curriculum to develop soil health education materials for producers.\n\nThe Soil CARE Act is endorsed by over 180 organizations and businesses, including OrCAN (Oregon Climate and Agriculture Network) and Oregon Association of Conservation Districts (OACD), as well as members of the Regenerate America coalition which includes Kiss the Ground, the American Sustainable Business Network, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Green America, and Earthjustice.\n\n\u201cFarmers and ranchers across the country are proving that through biological soil health management and regenerative practices such as cover crops, no-till, and holistic grazing, they can build healthy soil faster than ever thought possible\u2013reducing costly chemical inputs, sequestering carbon, lessening impacts from floods and droughts, and increasing biodiversity. But while producers are ready to adopt these approaches, they don\u2019t have access to the education and training needed to do so. The Soil CARE Act would provide the much-needed training to NRCS staff and technical service providers, so they can better support and train farmers and ranchers. We are grateful to Senators Merkley, Wyden, and Congresswoman Salinas for their leadership on soil health as a key solution to the climate, health, and water crises we face,\u201d said Finian Makpeace, co-founder of Kiss the Ground, convener of the Regenerate America Coalition.\n\n\u201cFarmers and ranchers that have adopted soil health management and regenerative practices are not only restoring healthy soils, they are building resilience on working lands. As a changing climate creates increasingly difficult growing conditions, and the U.S. continues to lose 4.6 tons of soil per acre each year, it is imperative that we invest in common sense solutions to ensure a strong future for American agriculture. The Soil CARE Act would put the USDA-NRCS on track to be an accessible source of education and training for farmers and ranchers across the country looking to successfully regenerate their land, and we are grateful to Congresswoman Salinas, Senator Merkley, and Senator Wyden for their leadership on this important issue,\u201d said Ayesha Ali, Policy Manager at Kiss the Ground.\n\nIn July, Salinas introduced another bill that would encourage farmers to adopt innovative soil health practices, bolstering their land\u2019s resiliency and reducing carbon emissions.\n\nTo read the full text of this legislation, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/davis-bonamici-moore-plaskett-horsford-champion-bill-expand-guaranteed-child", "Davis, Bonamici, Moore, Plaskett, Horsford Champion Bill to Expand Guaranteed Child Care Funding while GOP Fails to Help Working Families", "2023-10-03", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.- On October 3, 2023, Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI), Representative Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI), and Representative Steven Horsford (D-NV) introduced the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act to dramatically increase guaranteed child care funding to address child care needs and create grants to enhance child care workforce, supply, quality, and access. The long-term solutions in this bill complement the Democratic Child Care Stabilization Act that addresses the immediate child care cliff created by Republican inaction so that no cliff occurs in the future.\n\nHigh-quality, affordable child care is essential to the economic well-being of families, businesses, and our country. Yet, child care places a major financial burden on American families. The price of child care can range from $5,357 to $17,171 per year depending on location and type of care. Astoundingly, the cost of center-based care for two children is more than the average mortgage in 41 states and more than the average annual rent in all 50 states plus DC. Households under the poverty line spend nearly one third of their income on child care, and increases in median childcare prices are connected to lower maternal employment rates. Further, the child care crisis hits families of color disproportionately hard. For a single parent who has never been married who is Black, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or American Indian/Alaska Native, child care can cost 36%, 41%, or 49% of the median income, respectively, compared to only 31% for single White parents. Further, Latino and American Indian and Alaska Native parents disproportionately live in child care deserts.\n\nThe Building Child Care for a Better Future Act addresses the child care needs of families and long-term stability of the child care system. Specifically, the bill:\n\nHelps working families with their child care needs by expanding guaranteed child care funding by increasing the Child Care Entitlement to States to $10 billion per year, almost tripling this funding from the current $3.55 billion per year. Further, the bill increases funding for tribes, tribal organizations, and territories. The bill builds on the Democrats\u2019 permanent increase in guaranteed child care funding to states in 2021, which also provided the first-ever guaranteed funding allotments for the U.S. territories in the Child Care Entitlement to States.\n\nCreates new grants to improve child care workforce, supply, quality, and access in communities experiencing child care shortages. Funds could be used for any purpose under the Child Care Development Block Grant to address local needs, including: increasing child care slots; supporting workforce training and expansion; expanding operations of community or neighborhood-based family child care networks; and recruiting providers and staff.\n\n\u201cHigh-quality, affordable child care is essential to the economic well-being of families, businesses, and our country,\u201d said Rep. Davis. \u201cThe Building Child Care for a Better Future Act would provide $10 billion in guaranteed grants to states, tribes, and territories to make child care affordable. Further, the bill would create $5 billion in new grants to improve child care workforce, supply, quality, and access in communities experiencing child care shortages. It is critical that Congress acts now to help working families by stabilizing our nation\u2019s child care system.\u201d\n\n\u201cInvesting in child care is good for children, families, and the economy,\u201d said Rep. Bonamici. \u201cThe Building Child Care for a Better Future Act will expand access to quality, affordable child care and make overdue investments in the child care workforce. This legislation recognizes the value of child care workers and early childhood educators by dedicating $5 billion to enhance child care supply and support the child care workforce. Thank you to Reps. Danny Davis and Gwen Moore and to Senator Ron Wyden for partnering on this important bill. I\u2019ll continue to advocate for the resources and policies families and children need and the living wage caregivers deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cAll working families benefit when high-quality childcare is both accessible and affordable,\u201d said Rep. Moore. \u201cIt\u2019s clear we need to make equity-centered investments that make high-quality childcare more affordable and secures a living wage for childcare workers, so we can build a more inclusive economy that better supports women and people of color.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs part of the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, we expanded the Child Care Entitlement to States program to include U.S. territories like my district for the first time,\u201d said Rep. Plaskett. \u201cIn this bill, we are significantly increasing this investment in childcare for American families living in U.S. territories and enhancing our commitment to equity. I am proud to see this legislation put forward to respond to the needs of all families struggling for childcare right now, and to the importance of having childcare available, accessible, and affordable. Overall, this is an unprecedented investment in childcare everywhere in the United States.\u201d\n\n\u201cWorking families across Nevada and the country struggle to balance the cost of child care with the need to work to provide for their family,\u201d said Rep. Horsford. \u201cThe poorest households spend more than a third of their income on child care than on their rent or mortgage. If we truly value the ability to live the American dream for all of our residents, we should remove the barriers that hold back our families from economic mobility and progress. This bill will boost our nation\u2019s childcare infrastructure, providing grants to make it more affordable to working families and improving the workforce and quality of childcare in our communities.\u201d\n\nThe Building Child Care for a Better Future Act is championed by Senator Ron Wyden in the Senate and supported by multiple organizations, including: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); American Federation of Teachers; Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Child Care Aware of America; Child Welfare League of America; Family Forward Oregon; First Five Years Fund; First Focus Campaign for Children; Home Grown; National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC); National Association for Family Child Care; National Education Association; National Women\u2019s Law Center; Prevent Child Abuse America; Save the Children; SEIU; and ZERO TO THREE.\n\nOrganizational Quotations:\n\nCenter for Law and Social Policy\n\n\u201cReliable and affordable child care is essential not only to working parents but to their employers and the larger economy. Yet, as the first round of pandemic-era child care funding expires on September 30, millions of families will experience increased financial hardship in paying for this vital care. Working and middle-class families throughout the country, especially families of color and families with low incomes, will be harmed by the rising costs of accessible, high-quality child care,\u201d said Indivar Dutta-Gupta, President and Executive Director of the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). \u201cThe Building Child Care for a Better Future Act would help address these disparities by creating a child care system that\u2019s more equitable than today\u2019s. We applaud Representatives Davis, Bonamici, Moore, Plaskett, and Horsford for introducing this bill and providing a path forward to a child care system that\u2019ll truly meet the needs of families, the child care workforce, and the nation\u2019s economy.\u201d\n\nFamily Forward Oregon\n\n\u201cChild care is the work that makes all other work possible, and just like roads and bridges it is a part of our nation\u2019s essential infrastructure. Every family deserves access to high quality, affordable, and culturally relevant child care, and every child care provider should be paid a wage that reflects the essential work they do. The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act moves us toward this vision and is the type of bold action that parents and child care providers are calling on Congress to take.\u201d \u2013 Candice Vickers, Family Forward Oregon Executive Director\n\nNational Association for the Education of Young Children\n\n\u201cAs the federal relief funding that has helped sustain the sector in recent years expires this week, providers are increasingly struggling to attract and retain high-quality early educators to meet the child care and early education needs of young children and their families. NAEYC is grateful to Representatives Davis, Bonamici, Moore, Plaskett, and Horsford for recognizing that a well-compensated, well-supported early education workforce is critical for growing the supply of high-quality care needed to help young children and their families thrive, and for investing sustained, significant resources to help states address these key goals.\u201d \u2013Michelle Kang, CEO ofNational Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)\n\nNational Women\u2019s Law Center\n\n\u201cAt a time when the United States is teetering on the edge of a severe child care crisis, the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act invests in this critical sector, providing funding to help states continue to strengthen their child care programs, retain high-quality educators, and expand access and affordability to families,\u201d said Whitney Pesek, Director of Federal Child Care Policy at The National Women\u2019s Law Center.\n\nPrevent Child Abuse America\n\n\u201cHigh-quality childcare is foundational to the health and well-being of our children, families, and communities,\u201d said Melissa Merrick, President and CEO of Chicago-based Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America). \u201cWhen parents have the resources and supports they need to care for their children, we can alleviate significant parental stressors and help parents to foster positive home environments where their young children can thrive. PCA America is pleased to support the Building Child Care for the Future Act. This will help to strengthen our workforce by ensuring more parents can access childcare services and stay employed.\u201d\n\nSave the Children\n\n\u201cInvestments in child care are investments in an essential infrastructure that makes it possible for families to work and children to thrive. That\u2019s why Save the Children is so pleased to endorse the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act, and applauds Representatives Davis, Bonamici, Moore, Plaskett, and Horsford for their leadership in introducing this important piece of legislation,\u201d saidRoy Chrobocinski, Managing Director of Domestic Federal Policy at Save the Children. \u201cNot only would this bill increase the overall level of child care funding to the states, but it would also provide much needed grants for child care facilities and the early education workforce.\u201d\n\nZERO TO THREE\n\n\u201cThe child care crisis in America isn\u2019t new. Families \u2013 especially families with low income and in poverty and families of color \u2013 have long struggled to find high-quality, affordable care,\u201d said Miriam Calder\u00f3n, Chief Policy Officer at ZERO TO THREE. \u201cThe child care system is facing a steep loss of public funding that will further harm babies, families, and early educators. The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act recognizes the important role stable federal investments play in building a stronger supply of high-quality care and provides much needed resources to strengthen our child care system. ZERO TO THREE thanks Representatives Davis, Bonamici, Moore, Plaskett, and Horsford for their long-standing leadership in supporting these critically needed investments.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-announces-new-dates-town-hall-meetings", "Bonamici Announces New Dates for Town Hall Meetings", "2023-10-02", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) released new November dates for the town hall meetings previously announced in Portland, St. Helens, and Hillsboro. The new dates are necessary because changes to the schedule of the U.S. House of Representatives now require the Congresswoman to be in Washington, D.C. during the previous town hall dates and times.\n\nThe date and times for the weekend town hall meetings in Seaside and Tillamook are unchanged and will go forward as scheduled on Saturday, October 7th.\n\nMembers of Bonamici\u2019s staff will be at the town hall meetings to assist anyone who is experiencing problems with federal agencies such as the VA, Social Security Administration, or IRS.\n\nUPDATED: Portland Town Hall Meeting\n\nMonday, November 6, 2023 \u2013 6 p.m.\n\nMultnomah Arts Center\n\n7688 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219\n\nUPDATED: St. Helens Town Hall Meeting\n\nTuesday, November 7, 2023 \u2013 6 p.m.\n\nSt. Helens Sr. Center\n\n375 S 15th St, St Helens, OR 97051\n\nUPDATED: Hillsboro Town Hall Meeting\n\nThursday, November 9, 2023 \u2013 6 p.m.\n\nEvergreen Middle School\n\n456 NE Evergreen Rd, Hillsboro, OR 97124\n\nNOTE: There are no changes to the October 7, 2023 Town Hall Meetings\n\nSeaside Town Hall Meeting\n\nSaturday, October 7, 2023 \u2013 11 a.m.\n\nBob Chisholm Community Center\n\n1225 Avenue A, Seaside, OR 97138\n\nTillamook Town Hall Meeting\n\nSaturday, October 7, 2023 \u2013 3 p.m.\n\nTillamook Bay Community College\n\n4301 Third Street Tillamook, OR 97141", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-torres-bonamici-davids-delbene-and-sens-heinrich-lujan-lead-bicameral", "Reps. Torres, Bonamici, Davids, & DelBene and Sens. Heinrich & Luj\u00e1n Lead Bicameral Bill to Commemorate Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day", "2023-10-02", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Representatives Norma J. Torres (CA-35), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Sharice Davids (KS-03), and Suzan DelBene (WA-01), along with Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), announced the reintroduction of the bicameral Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day Act to replace Columbus Day as a federal holiday and designate the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day.\n\n\u201cOur country has long failed to recognize and acknowledge its dark history of erasure and harm brought upon the first inhabitants of the Americas,\u201d said Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35). \u201cThe Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day Act celebrates the 600+ tribes that inhabited the Americas for hundreds of years before the arrival of Western explorers. By designating Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day a federal holiday, we take a small but important step toward recognizing the injustices in our nation\u2019s history and uplifting the vibrant traditions, history, and culture of all Indigenous communities \u2013 an integral part of the cultural fabric of the United States.\u201d\n\nThe Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day Act has garnered 56 House cosponsors. In the U.S. Senate, the legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).\n\n\u201cEstablishing Indigenous Peoples Day as a federal holiday is an opportunity to acknowledge the painful legacy of colonization that continues to be felt to this day and celebrate the countless contributions of Indigenous communities to our country,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01). \u201cI\u2019m grateful to join my colleagues in this effort to honor Indigenous people, history, and culture.\u201d\n\n\"Indigenous Peoples' Day is an opportunity to commemorate Indigenous peoples' vibrant cultures and significant contributions to our nation \u2014 from before we became a union to today \u2014 and a day to acknowledge the persecution and discrimination that Native peoples have faced for centuries. As one of the first Native American women ever elected to Congress and a proud member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, I am honored to join my colleagues in calling for the national celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day,\u201d said Representative Sharice Davids (KS-03).\n\n\"Indigenous Peoples' Day is an opportunity for us to unite in celebration of the rich tapestry of tribal nations, their diverse cultures, and the important contributions they have made to our communities,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01). \u201cCementing this observance also acknowledges the current and historical injustices Indigenous communities face and renews our commitment to preserving their rights as we work toward a more inclusive and equitable society.\"\n\n\u201cFederally designating Indigenous Peoples' Day honors the strength and resilience of Tribal Nations while we continue our efforts to uplift Tribal communities and support Tribal sovereignty,\u201d said Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM). \u201cI'm proud to stand with Tribes and Pueblos who have led the way to re-frame this national holiday to honor all of the significant contributions and diverse cultures of Tribal communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to help lead the effort to officially designate the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day,\u201d said Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM). \u201cJust as we celebrate Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day in New Mexico, I hope to see Congress pass this legislation to do the same across the country. Native people play a vital role in society and in our nation\u2019s history, especially in New Mexico \u2013 from serving in the military, teaching in the classroom, to running small businesses. Let Indigenous Peoples' Day serve as a celebration of Tribal Nations and serve as a reminder of the work ahead to fulfill the federal government\u2019s trust responsibility to Tribes and Pueblos.\u201d\n\nThe Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day Act is endorsed by the Cherokee Nation, Navajo Nation, Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe, Barona Band of Mission Indians, National Congress of American Indians, All Pueblo Council of Governors, Indigenous Peoples' Initiative, National Council of Urban Indian Health, Association on American Indian Affairs, and the Pocahontas Project.\n\n\u201cCherokee Nation supports legislation replacing \u2018Columbus Day\u2019 with \u2018Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day\u2019 and applauds Congresswoman Torres and Senators Heinrich and Lujan for their continued leadership on this issue. It is past time for the United States to recognize the integral role Native people play in the history, economy, and future of our country. The second Monday of October will be a day for people across the United States to celebrate and honor the significant contributions of Native tribes as well as the beautiful culture of our Native people,\u201d said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr.\n\n\"Recognizing and celebrating the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of indigenous peoples is an essential step towards promoting understanding, equality, and respect. By replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, we acknowledge the resilience, wisdom, and enduring presence of indigenous communities, fostering unity and honoring the diverse tapestry of our nation's heritage. My thanks go out to Senator Heinrich and Congresswoman Torres for the introduction of the Indigenous Peoples Day Act in their respective houses,\u201d said Navajo Nation President Dr. Buu Nygren.\n\n\u201cLong before Christopher Columbus stumbled upon this continent, many nations of Native people sustained thriving societies across this country,\u201d said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. \u201cNCAI applauds Senator Heinrich, Senator Luj\u00e1n, and Representative Torres for re-introducing legislation designed to officially recognize Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day and create space dedicated to acknowledging the rich histories, vibrant cultures, and resilience of contemporary tribal nations and their citizenry, and NCAI urges Congress to pass this bill and sign it into law as expeditiously as possible.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndigenous Peoples' Day celebrates the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous People and recognizes our inherent sovereignty. While the story of America is one of slow and uneasy steps forward, the celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day validates the ideas of this nation's founding. As a nation, I hope we can right wrongs and take another step toward a more perfect union,\u201dsaid Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Initiative Chairman Dylan O. Baca.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-votes-keep-government-open-avoid-shutdown", "Salinas Votes to Keep Government Open, Avoid Shutdown", "2023-09-30", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the continuing resolution to keep the government open and avoid a shutdown:\n\n\u201cAs I have been saying for weeks, a government shutdown would be disastrous for the people of Oregon\u2019s Sixth District and for our entire country. A shutdown would interrupt critical services and benefits for thousands of Oregonians, hurt our economy by delaying investments in Oregon\u2019s semiconductor manufacturing industry, and prevent our servicemembers from getting paid. That is why I voted in favor of the continuing resolution to keep our government open and ensure working families can continue to put food on the table. At the same time, I recognize that this legislation is flawed. For starters, it does not include more assistance for Ukraine. We cannot abandon our allies, and I will continue working to ensure Ukraine gets the financial support they need to defend their democracy. The legislation also lacks additional funding to protect student loan borrowers\u2014something I specifically called on leadership to include. While not perfect, it is my hope that by avoiding a shutdown today, we can work together to address these priorities and pass bipartisan, good-faith proposals that will fund the government through next year.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-armstrong-lead-bipartisan-call-increase-federal-defender-funding", "Bonamici, Armstrong Lead Bipartisan Call to Increase Federal Defender Funding", "2023-09-27", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [09/27/23] \u2013Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici [D-OR] and Kelly Armstrong [R-ND] led several of their colleagues in urging House and Senate Appropriations Committees to update the funding levels for Federal Defenders in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24).\n\nBoth the Senate and House Financial Services and General Government bills for FY24 rely on the Fiscal Year 2023 enacted funding level for Defender Services, which ignores that Defender Services had a carryforward of $110 million from the Fiscal Year 2022 budget.\n\nThe bipartisan letter calls for providing at least $108 million higher than the House mark and $136 million more than the Senate mark to Defender Services. Without this update to the funding level, the Federal Defenders would likely have to cut their workforce by an estimated 9 - 12 percent. The loss of public defenders would ultimately have serious and expensive consequences on the administration of justice.\n\n\u201cPreserving [the Federal Defenders] workforce as much as possible is essential to our justice system,\u201d the Representatives wrote. \u201cAnd as you are aware, an overwhelming majority of federal defender budgets are dedicated to personnel and space, with limited funds afforded for other case basics. Cuts to federal funding will have devastating effects, primarily, on vital personnel \u2013 paralegals, investigators, and attorneys.\u201d\n\nThe Federal Defenders, funded through Defender Services, are essential to the function of the federal court system. This critical program guarantees that indigent defendants are afforded their full Constitutional right to an attorney in federal criminal prosecutions. Importantly, if a federal defender is not available, attorneys are assigned from a Criminal Justice Act panel, which often results in higher cost.\n\nThe letter is supported by: National Legal Aid and Defender Association, Due Process Institute, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Drug Policy Alliance, Americans for Prosperity, Prison Fellowship, Arnold Ventures LLC, R Street Institute, FreedomWorks, Project On Government Oversight, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, and Justice Action Network.\n\nIn addition to Bonamici and Armstrong, the letter was signed by Reps. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Laurel Lee (R-FL), Henry \u201cHank\u201d Johnson (D-GA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Jenniffer Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n (R-PR).\n\nThe full text of the letter can be found here and copied below.\n\nBonamici and Armstrong lead a bipartisan letter advocating for Defender Services funding annually. Additionally, they, along with Reps. Gonz\u00e1lez-Col\u00f3n and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), introduced H.R. 3758, the Ensuring Quality Access to Legal (EQUAL) Defense Act. The EQUAL Defense Act is a bipartisan proposal to improve access to counsel nationally by addressing some of the problems that contribute to the shortage of public defenders at the state and local level.\n\nDear Chair Murray, Vice Chair Collins, Chairwoman Granger, and Ranking Member DeLauro,\n\nFederal defenders are fundamental to the function of federal courts across the country. To preserve the operation of our justice system, we urge you to, at a minimum, pass funding for Defender Services that is $108 million higher than the House mark and $136 million more than the Senate mark. Although achieving a funding level of $1.519 billion is critical, this would only maintain current operations after cuts to training and needed information technology (IT) improvements. Instead, Congress should be passing full funding for Defender Services in line with the President\u2019s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2024.\n\nNotably, both the Senate and House Financial Services and General Government bills, as currently proposed, rely on the Fiscal Year 2023 enacted funding level for Defender Services. This enacted level, however, does not take into account that Defender Services had a significant carryforward of $110 million from Fiscal Year 2022. Any funding legislation Congress passes for Fiscal Year 2024 should adequately compensate for this carryforward and address inflationary cost pressures. Without addressing this gap in funding, Federal Defenders in correspondence with our offices have estimated that this could, conservatively, result in a nine to 12 percent reduction in their current workforce.\n\nNearly ninety percent of everyone charged with a federal crime cannot afford a lawyer and thus is constitutionally entitled to representation by a federal defender. Without enough federal defenders to fulfill this critical Sixth Amendment function, federal courts may come to a standstill. Preserving their workforce as much as possible is essential to our justice system. And as you are aware, an overwhelming majority of federal defender budgets are dedicated to personnel and space, with limited funds afforded for other case basics. Cuts to federal funding will have devastating effects, primarily, on vital personnel \u2013 paralegals, investigators, and attorneys.\n\nBecause the Constitution requires the court to appoint counsel for individuals who cannot afford counsel, if there are fewer public defenders available the court must employ private attorneys. Although private Criminal Justice Act panel attorneys are dedicated to the public defense function and play a crucial role in guaranteeing conflict-free representation and preserving an experienced federal criminal defense bar, sending excess cases to the panel often incurs higher costs. Nearly 90 percent of federal criminal cases are handled by either a federal defender or a panel attorney hired under the Criminal Justice Act. The budgets and rates of panel attorneys must be approved before the case, and an unexpected increase in cases assigned to the panel\u2014the inevitable consequence of underfunding the federal public defense system\u2014may in fact increase costs on the federal judiciary. Panel attorneys are overwhelmingly small businessowners\u2014solo practitioners and small-firm attorneys\u2014who cannot afford the potential deferment in Criminal Justice Act payments that Defender Services may be forced to implement under the current Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations marks. They may also hold contracts with state and local governments to provide public defense services, which may be more demanding and generate more revenue should we not properly fund Criminal Justice Act defense services nationally. Instead, Congress should follow through on its Constitutional responsibility to adequately fund federal public defense.\n\nNationally, we have seen a crisis at the state and local level of underfunded public defense. Accordingly, we urge you to provide adequate funding for Defender Services in both chambers\u2019 Financial Services and General Government legislation or through supplemental appropriations legislation Congress may consider. Correcting the potential shortfall by providing at least $108 million higher than the House mark and $136 million more than the Senate mark to Defender Services will, at a bare minimum, maintain the right to counsel in federal court and continue the bipartisan support this program has historically received.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-announces-federal-grant-salem-police-department", "Salinas Announces Federal Grant to Salem Police Department", "2023-09-27", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded $99,759 to the City of Salem Police Department. This federal funding will be used to help support the City\u2019s community service officer (CSO) program and reduce wait times for emergency services.\n\n\u201cPolice officers work tirelessly to keep our community safe. But they shouldn\u2019t have to do it all, especially when it comes to calls that don\u2019t involve life-or-death situations,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cI\u2019m glad to see this funding will go toward supporting the City of Salem\u2019s community service officer program. Putting more trained CSOs on the ground will help reduce response wait times and ensure law enforcement is on the scene when they\u2019re needed.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Salem Police Department is grateful for the continued support of the community service officer (CSO) program,\u201d said Salem Police Chief Trevor Womack. \u201cThe grant opportunities through the Bureau of Justice Assistance have been essential in supplementing the capacity of our field operations. Our CSOs balance the work done by our patrol officers by handling requests for public assistance which do not require a police officer, which in turn, frees our sworn personnel to handle higher priority calls. Moreover, the CSO program is essential to our efforts to achieve efficiency and effectiveness within our field operations given our limited resources.\u201d\n\nThe City of Salem\u2019s CSO program was created to help relieve sworn police officers of their duties where enforcement action and arrest powers are not required. CSOs are trained to process crime scenes for physical evidence and typically respond to non-emergency calls for service, including non-injury accidents, traffic control, cold burglaries, stolen vehicles, animal complaints, noise complaints, found property, and other events of a similar low priority.\n\nThis grant was awarded as part of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, which provides law enforcement with critical funding needed to support a wide range of programs\u2014from mental health to crisis intervention and victim assistance.\n\nClick here to read more about the JAG program.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bipartisan-oregon-representatives-urge-mccarthy-avert-shutdown-protect-oregon", "Bipartisan Oregon Representatives Urge McCarthy to Avert Shutdown, Protect Oregon Chips Industry", "2023-09-26", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. House Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Val Hoyle (OR-04), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), delivered a bipartisan letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, urging him to avert a shutdown to protect Oregon\u2019s semiconductor manufacturing industry.\n\n\u201cThe CHIPS and Science Act has ignited a technological revolution \u2013 one that Oregon\u2019s workers, business, entrepreneurs, and consumers will reap the benefits of,\u201d the members write. \u201cAs members of Congress, we have been working with federal, state, and local partners to ensure the implementation of this law serves our communities. However, the prospect of a needless, costly government shutdown threatens to upend all that good work, putting Oregon\u2019s status as a hub of innovation and progress in immediate peril.\u201d\n\nSemiconductor manufacturing is Oregon\u2019s top manufacturing sector in terms of employment, exports, and contribution to the state\u2019s gross domestic product. On Tuesday, September 19, 2023, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo testified before the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology about the consequences that a shutdown could have on the rollout of CHIPS and Science Act funding. In her testimony, Secretary Raimondo emphasized that even a brief shutdown would be \u201ccrushing.\u201d Government funding is set to run out on September 30, 2023.\n\n\u201cA government shutdown would be an unforced error of the highest magnitude that would undermine the already tenuous credibility of this Congress and, worse still, inflict serious pain on Oregon\u2019s economy,\u201d the members continue. \u201cAs the September 30 deadline fast approaches, we urge you to seek a bipartisan, bicameral resolution that will ensure that our government remains open and operating for Oregonians and all Americans.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter below or click here:\n\nDear Speaker McCarthy,\n\nAs members of the Oregon delegation, we write to express our profound concern regarding the catastrophic impact that a government shutdown could have on America\u2019s semiconductor manufacturing sector.\n\nWhen President Biden signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act into law last year, he\n\nreversed a decades-old trend of offshoring critical manufacturing roles at the expense of the American worker. Now, thanks to this transformative legislation, federal and state incentives are paving the way for sweeping private investment in this crucial sector, which happens to be Oregon\u2019s top manufacturing sector in terms of employment, exports, and contribution to our state\u2019s gross domestic product.\n\nPut simply, the CHIPS and Science Act has ignited a technological revolution \u2013 one that\n\nOregon\u2019s workers, business, entrepreneurs, and consumers will reap the benefits of. As members of Congress, we have been working with federal, state, and local partners to ensure the implementation of this law serves our communities. However, the prospect of a needless, costly government shutdown threatens to upend all that good work, putting Oregon\u2019s status as a hub of innovation and progress in immediate peril.\n\nOn Tuesday, September 19, 2023, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo testified before the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology about the consequences that a shutdown could have on the rollout of CHIPS and Science Act funding. In her testimony, Secretary Raimondo emphasized that even a brief shutdown would be \u201ccrushing\u201d and significantly \u201churt America\u2019s national security,\u201d by preventing federal agencies from investing in our semiconductor manufacturing sector and domestic supply chain.\n\nThe COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the disastrous ramifications of disinvesting in our domestic semiconductor manufacturing supply chain. Oregonians watched as new cars languished on lots, forced to wait months for the chips they rely on to function, all while prices for used cars went through the roof. We cannot afford to go back. A shutdown would interrupt American progress in research and development of critical emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, giving our competitors a leg up. It will erode trust from industry and researchers, spreading doubt that the United States is truly committed to leading the world in research and technology \u2013 a dangerous message to send to our international adversaries at a time of fierce global competition.\n\nAll told, a government shutdown would be an unforced error of the highest magnitude that would undermine the already tenuous credibility of this Congress and, worse still, inflict serious pain on Oregon\u2019s economy. As the September 30 deadline fast approaches, we urge you to seek a bipartisan, bicameral resolution that will ensure that our government remains open and operating for Oregonians and all Americans.\n\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-leads-oregon-colleagues-bipartisan-call-avert-shutdown-protect-oregon", "Salinas Leads Oregon Colleagues in Bipartisan Call to Avert Shutdown, Protect Oregon Chips Industry", "2023-09-26", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06), joined by U.S. House Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Val Hoyle (OR-04), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), delivered a bipartisan letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, urging him to avert a shutdown to protect Oregon\u2019s semiconductor manufacturing industry.\n\n\u201cThe CHIPS and Science Act has ignited a technological revolution \u2013 one that Oregon\u2019s workers, business, entrepreneurs, and consumers will reap the benefits of,\u201d the members write. \u201cAs members of Congress, we have been working with federal, state, and local partners to ensure the implementation of this law serves our communities. However, the prospect of a needless, costly government shutdown threatens to upend all that good work, putting Oregon\u2019s status as a hub of innovation and progress in immediate peril.\u201d\n\nSemiconductor manufacturing is Oregon\u2019s top manufacturing sector in terms of employment, exports, and contribution to the state\u2019s gross domestic product. On Tuesday, September 19, 2023, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo testified before the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology about the consequences that a shutdown could have on the rollout of CHIPS and Science Act funding. In her testimony, Secretary Raimondo emphasized that even a brief shutdown would be \u201ccrushing.\u201d Government funding is set to run out on September 30, 2023.\n\n\u201cA government shutdown would be an unforced error of the highest magnitude that would undermine the already tenuous credibility of this Congress and, worse still, inflict serious pain on Oregon\u2019s economy,\u201d the members continue. \u201cAs the September 30 deadline fast approaches, we urge you to seek a bipartisan, bicameral resolution that will ensure that our government remains open and operating for Oregonians and all Americans.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter below or click here:\n\nDear Speaker McCarthy,\n\nAs members of the Oregon delegation, we write to express our profound concern regarding the catastrophic impact that a government shutdown could have on America\u2019s semiconductor manufacturing sector.\n\nWhen President Biden signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act into law last year, he reversed a decades-old trend of offshoring critical manufacturing roles at the expense of the American worker. Now, thanks to this transformative legislation, federal and state incentives are paving the way for sweeping private investment in this crucial sector, which happens to be Oregon\u2019s top manufacturing sector in terms of employment, exports, and contribution to our state\u2019s gross domestic product.\n\nPut simply, the CHIPS and Science Act has ignited a technological revolution \u2013 one that Oregon\u2019s workers, business, entrepreneurs, and consumers will reap the benefits of. As members of Congress, we have been working with federal, state, and local partners to ensure the implementation of this law serves our communities. However, the prospect of a needless, costly government shutdown threatens to upend all that good work, putting Oregon\u2019s status as a hub of innovation and progress in immediate peril.\n\nOn Tuesday, September 19, 2023, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo testified before the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology about the consequences that a shutdown could have on the rollout of CHIPS and Science Act funding. In her testimony, Secretary Raimondo emphasized that even a brief shutdown would be \u201ccrushing\u201d and significantly \u201churt America\u2019s national security,\u201d by preventing federal agencies from investing in our semiconductor manufacturing sector and domestic supply chain.\n\nThe COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the disastrous ramifications of disinvesting in our domestic semiconductor manufacturing supply chain. Oregonians watched as new cars languished on lots, forced to wait months for the chips they rely on to function, all while prices for used cars went through the roof. We cannot afford to go back. A shutdown would interrupt American progress in research and development of critical emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, giving our competitors a leg up. It will erode trust from industry and researchers, spreading doubt that the United States is truly committed to leading the world in research and technology \u2013 a dangerous message to send to our international adversaries at a time of fierce global competition.\n\nAll told, a government shutdown would be an unforced error of the highest magnitude that would undermine the already tenuous credibility of this Congress and, worse still, inflict serious pain on Oregon\u2019s economy. As the September 30 deadline fast approaches, we urge you to seek a bipartisan, bicameral resolution that will ensure that our government remains open and operating for Oregonians and all Americans.\n\nSincerely,\n\nMembers of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/representative-salinas-uaw-strike", "Representative Salinas on UAW Strike", "2023-09-23", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "\u201cI stand firmly with the United Auto Workers members currently on strike \u2013 including those who live and work in Oregon\u2019s Sixth District.\n\n\u201cWhen the federal government bailed out the Big Three in 2008, the UAW agreed to temporarily freeze their wages and forgo certain pension and health care benefits to keep these manufacturers afloat. Their sacrifice saved the auto industry from certain collapse. Yet, these workers were never made whole.\n\n\u201cThat kind of greed is intolerable. It is why I\u2019m proudly in solidarity with my UAW brothers and sisters, and will be until their struggle is won. We must restore fairness for all workers in Oregon and across the United States. We are in this together.\u201d\n\nOregon\u2019s Sixth District includes the Stellantis Facility in Beaverton, where UAW Local 492 members are currently on strike.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-colleagues-launch-bipartisan-rural-health-caucus", "Salinas, Colleagues Launch Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus", "2023-09-22", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "On Wednesday, September 20, 2023, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.) joined her colleagues for the first meeting of the Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus, a new legislative caucus that aims to provide a forum for Members of Congress to advocate for legislation and policy actions that increase access to quality, affordable health care and mental health services for all rural Americans.\n\n\u201cNo one should have to travel for hours through treacherous terrain to see a doctor. But for so many in rural Oregon, this is simply reality,\u201d said Salinas, a founding member of the caucus. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to be a founding member of the Rural Health Care Caucus. Together, we will find ways to increase access to quality, affordable health care \u2013 including mental health care \u2013 for our rural communities.\u201d\n\n33% (1,405,705) of Oregon\u2019s population lives in rural areas. According to the Oregon Office of Rural Health, Oregon\u2019s Sixth District encompasses 20 officially designated rural communities: Amity, Aumsville, Aurora, Carlton, Dallas, Dayton, Donald, Dundee, Falls City, Gervais, Hubbard, Lafayette, McMinnville, Monmouth, Newberg, Sheridan, St. Paul, Willamina, Woodburn, and Yamhill.\n\n\u201cAs Oregon continues to experience an unprecedented mental health and substance use crisis, it\u2019s even more critical that we address these issues now,\u201d Salinas continued. \u201cI\u2019m excited to get to work, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to unite behind this caucus and its important mission.\u201d\n\nThe Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus is chaired by U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii) and Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.). Members of the caucus include U.S. Representatives Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), Sam Graves(R-Mo.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), Mike Turner (R-Ohio), Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Adrian Smith (R-Neb.), G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.), Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-CNMI), Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.), Ann Kuster (D-N.H.), Mike Bost (R-Ill.), John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Susan Wild (D-Pa.), Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Susie Lee (D-Nev.), Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), John Rose (R-Tenn.), Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), Tracey Mann (R-Kan.), Troy Carter (D-La.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Nikki Budzinksi (D-Ill.), Yadira Caraveo (D-Colo.), Donald Davis (D-N.C.), Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), and James C. Moylan (R-Guam).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-kiley-introduce-bipartisan-bill-protect-students-fentanyl-poisoning", "Bonamici, Kiley Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Students from Fentanyl Poisoning", "2023-09-21", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Click here to watch a conversation about the FACTS Act with Reps. Bonamici and Kiley, Song for Charlie, Beaverton School District\n\nWASHINGTON, DC [9/21/23] \u2013 On National Opioid Awareness Day Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Kevin Kiley (R-CA) introduced legislation to save lives by educating students about the dangers of accidental fentanyl poisoning.\n\nThe Fentanyl Awareness for Children and Teens in Schools (FACTS) Act will replicate local education programs that have successfully curbed student deaths from synthetic opioid overdose. The bill will also develop a federal interagency task force to fight the synthetic opioid crisis through education and prevention and improve federal education and health data collection efforts to understand and highlight the effects of synthetic opioids on youth.\n\nThe FACTS Act was inspired by the Beaverton School District\u2019s Fake and Fatal fentanyl awareness curriculum in Oregon, which has successfully prevented student deaths since its launch. Jon and Jennifer Epstein, who lost their son Cal to fentanyl poisoning when he mistakenly took a fake pill, have been instrumental in creating the curriculum and advocating for its expansion.\n\n\u201cWe can save lives by educating students, families, and educators about the dangers of fake pills laced with fentanyl,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cJon and Jennifer Epstein turned their grief into action after they lost their son Cal, helping create an educational program to keep students safe. I\u2019m introducing the bipartisan FACTS Act with Congressman Kiley to make effective awareness programs like Fake and Fatal available to more students across the country and put a stop to tragic deaths from accidental fentanyl poisoning.\u201d\n\n\u201cAwareness saves lives. Educating our young people about the fentanyl crisis and the perils of fake pills will go a long way towards stopping further tragedies in our communities,\u201d said Rep. Kiley. \u201cI want to thank Laura Didier of Song For Charlie. After losing her son Zach, Laura has worked tirelessly to raise awareness and has undoubtedly saved lives through her efforts. I am grateful to Representative Bonamici for partnering with me on this vital legislation and am hopeful it receives strong bipartisan support in the House.\u201d\n\n\u201cAn accidental fentanyl poisoning forever changed our family,\u201d said Jon and Jennifer Epstein. \u201cLike many youth still today, Cal had no idea that something 50x more powerful than heroin was being made into fake pills that look exactly like real pharmaceuticals and sold on social media for a few bucks. Cal shouldn\u2019t have bought what he thought was prescription medicine online, which was a horrible mistake; however, had no idea the risk he was taking which sadly turned out to be fatal. The FACTS Act is sure to reduce the number of families from suffering the devastation ours did by giving youth the latest facts and information about today\u2019s drug landscape, delivered by trustworthy sources. We\u2019re incredibly grateful to Rep. Bonamici and the other members for bringing forward and supporting this valuable legislation; closing the knowledge gap will undoubtably save young lives and lessen the future burden of harmful substance use. There are no magic wands in this crisis and this is far from the only thing needed, but this will certainly make a significant difference.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a mother who lost a child to this scourge, I am grateful to see two members of Congress from opposite sides of the aisle introduce this legislation. I want to thank Representative Kiley and Representative Bonamici for introducing the Fentanyl Awareness for Children and Teens in Schools (FACTS) Act, which will bring awareness to this issue and save lives,\u201d said Laura Didier, Outreach Coordinator at Song for Charlie.\n\nOnly 2 in 5 young Americans consider themselves knowledgeable about fentanyl, according to Song for Charlie. The organization, which is dedicated to raising awareness about fake pills, also found that only 36 percent of teens are aware that fentanyl is being used to create counterfeit pills.\n\nThe FACTS Act is endorsed by: Song for Charlie; American Federation of Teachers (AFT); National Education Association (NEA); National PTA; National Association of School Psychologists (NASP); AASA, The School Superintendents Association; National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP); National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP); National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI); American Psychological Association (APA); National Association of Counties (NACo); and US Conference of Mayors.\n\n\u201cFentanyl and counterfeit pills are putting our school-age youth at higher risk of overdose than ever before,\u201d said Ed Ternan, President of Song for Charlie, a nonprofit that educates kids and families about the fentanyl crisis. \u201cCollaboration between public health and education is key to designing effective programs, and this bill provides the resources for these local partnerships.\u201d\n\n\u201cNational PTA applauds Representative Bonamici for introducing the FACTS Act. We are pleased that this legislation would provide funding for professional development and to establish and strengthen partnerships between public health agencies, nonprofit organizations and state and local education agencies to help raise awareness and prevent the use of fentanyl by children and teens,\u201d said Yvonne Johnson, president of National PTA, the nation\u2019s oldest and largest child advocacy association. \u201cThe solution to the problem of substance use by youth requires a collaborative effort, and this bill is a step in the right direction toward bringing interested parties together.\u201d\n\n\"Fentanyl education works,\" said Dr. Gustavo Balderas, Superintendent of the Beaverton School District, where a robust fentanyl awareness program, called Fake & Fatal, has been in practice since April 2021. \"When you intentionally and consistently inform students and their families about the dangers of fake pills made from deadly fentanyl, you equip them with the knowledge to make life-saving decisions. It is my hope that this legislation will provide other school districts around the country with the tools and encouragement to implement curriculum and support systems that save lives.\"\n\nA fact sheet on the FACTS Act can be found here, a section-by-section summary can be found here, and the full text can be foundhere. The legislation:\n\nCreates a pilot grant program at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for partnerships between local or state educational agencies (LEAs or SEAs), local or state public health agencies, and nonprofit organizations to provide education, awareness, and prevention regarding the misuse of synthetic opioids;\n\nConvenes an interagency task force led by the Secretaries of HHS and Education (ED) to coordinate and improve federal responses to synthetic opioid overdose and misuse in youth. The task force will also include officials from HHS, ED, and subagencies within each respective agency; parents of youth who died from an overdose of fentanyl or another synthetic opioid; and representatives from national nonprofit organizations working to raise awareness about and prevent misuse of synthetic opioids by youth;\n\nMakes amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to provide professional development for school personnel regarding synthetic opioid misuse and overdose, and make amendments to LEA and SEA plans required under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to describe how they will engage teachers, school leaders, parents, and other entities to address and prevent the misuse of synthetic opioids by youth;\n\nMakes amendments to key federal education data collection efforts, including the Civil Rights Data Collection and the National Center for Education Statistics\u2019 School Crime and Safety Data, to identify the prevalence of synthetic opioids in public secondary schools and disciplinary outcomes for students using or in possession of synthetic opioids in public secondary schools;\n\nAllows school-based health centers to use their funding for Naloxone to increase the availability and accessibility of a critical overdose reversal drug in school settings; and\n\nMakes amendments to the National Institute on Drug Abuse\u2019s Monitoring the Future Survey, and conducts an evaluation of the effectiveness and reach of the CDC\u2019s State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System.\n\nThe FACTS Act is cosponsored by Representatives Joe Neguse (D-CO) and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR).\n\nBonamici also reintroduced her bipartisan Safe Disposal of Opioids Act, which would make it easier for people to safely get rid of unnecessary prescription medication. With this legislation, approximately 10,000 prescription disposal bins would be placed in community pharmacies and other health care settings where patients receive medication.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-announces-5-town-hall-meetings-october", "Bonamici Announces 5 Town Hall Meetings in October", "2023-09-20", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "UPDATE [10/02/23]: New dates for town hall meetings in Portland, St. Helens, and Hillsboro have been announced.\n\nWASHINGTON, DC [9/20/23] \u2013 Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) announced five town hall meetings across the First Congressional District, which includes large portions of Washington and Multnomah counties, along with Clatsop, Tillamook, and Columbia counties.\n\nBonamici will answer questions from residents and provide an update about her work in Congress. The town hall meetings will be in St. Helens, Hillsboro, Seaside, Tillamook, and Portland.\n\n\u201cTown hall meetings give me an opportunity to hear directly from the people of NW Oregon about what matters to them,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to meeting with constituents in each of the counties I represent, and encourage all who are able to attend.\u201d\n\nMembers of Bonamici\u2019s staff will be at the town hall meetings to assist anyone who is experiencing problems with federal agencies such as the VA, Social Security Administration, or IRS.\n\nSt. Helens Town Hall Meeting\n\nWednesday, October 4, 2023 \u2013 6 p.m.\n\nSt. Helens Sr. Center\n\n375 S 15th St, St Helens, OR 97051\n\nHillsboro Town Hall Meeting\n\nThursday, October 5, 2023 \u2013 6 p.m.\n\nEvergreen Middle School\n\n456 NE Evergreen Rd, Hillsboro, OR 97124\n\nSeaside Town Hall Meeting\n\nSaturday, October 7, 2023 \u2013 11 a.m.\n\nBob Chisholm Community Center\n\n1225 Avenue A, Seaside, OR 97138\n\nTillamook Town Hall Meeting\n\nSaturday, October 7, 2023 \u2013 3 p.m.\n\nTillamook Bay Community College\n\n4301 Third Street Tillamook, OR 97141\n\nPortland Town Hall Meeting\n\nTuesday, October 10, 2023 \u2013 6 p.m.\n\nLincoln High School\n\n1750 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR 97205", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-landsman-introduce-commonsense-legislation-increase-funding-child", "Bonamici, Landsman Introduce Commonsense Legislation to Increase Funding for Child Care Providers, Improve Child Care Nutrition", "2023-09-19", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01) and Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH-01) introduced commonsense legislation endorsed by more than 40 national organizations to increase funding for child care providers and improve child care nutrition.\n\nTheir Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Actwould address financial challenges faced by child care providers across the country who utilize the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) \u2013 a key federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that reimburses child care providers for meals and snacks they serve to more than 4.2 million children each day in participating family child care homes, child care centers, Head Start programs, and after school programs.\n\nChild care providers are facing significant financial barriers in operating the Child and Adult Care Food Program owing to insufficient reimbursement rates and outdated policies \u2013 issues that further exacerbate the ongoing child care crisis in the country. For example, some family child care providers currently receive as little as 59 cents in reimbursement through the Child and Adult Care Food Program for each breakfast they serve to children in their care. The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act would increase the reimbursement for that breakfast to $1.75.\n\nIncreasing reimbursements is essential to filling the gap between food preparation costs that child care providers incur and the reimbursements they currently receive through the Child and Adult Care Food Program.\n\nIn real dollars, the Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act would mean:\n\nA family child care provider serving 7 children could receive an additional $475 a month or $5,700 a year in reimbursements\n\nA Head Start program or child care center serving 100 children could receive an additional $600 a month or $7,200 a year in reimbursements\n\nTo achieve these results, the Child Nutrition Enhancement Act would modify the Child and Adult Care Food Program by:\n\nEliminating a two-tiered reimbursement rate system for family child care providers where reimbursement rates vary depending on the level of local poverty\n\nProviding a 10-cent increase \u2013 tied to inflation \u2013 to existing reimbursement rates for all eligible meals and snacks provided through the program\n\nAllowing family child care providers to serve reimbursable meals and snacks to their own children when serving meals and snacks to children in their care\n\n\u201cChild care providers play an essential role in feeding millions of children healthy meals and snacks,\u201d said Congresswoman Bonamici. \u201cUnfortunately, outdated policies and the rising cost of food are cutting into the funds child care providers need to stay open and offer quality care. The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act is a commonsense way to support child care providers as we face a national crisis in care and help more children access healthy foods.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are facing a child care crisis in this country, and we need commonsense leadership and solutions to address these challenges,\u201d said Congressman Landsman. \u201cWorking with more than 40 national organizations that are dedicated to improving children\u2019s lives and outcomes, we\u2019re putting forward a responsible legislative solution that will invest real dollars that will help child care providers remain open, while improving the meals we serve to children every single day.\u201d\n\n\"The National CACFP Sponsors Association applauds Congressman Greg Landsman and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici for introducing this important legislation supporting the Child and Adult Care Food Program community,\u201d said Lisa Mack, President and CEO of the National CACFP Sponsors Association. \u201cThe CACFP is critical for the infrastructure and nutrition security of child and adult care. Eliminating tiering and increasing reimbursement is needed to mitigate the challenges of the increased food and operational costs facing providers and will help combat food insecurity and support small business. Without these changes, providers will likely continue to drop out of the program, close their child care altogether or pass the meal burden on to parents.\"\n\n\"Rising costs are putting immense pressure on our already strained child care system, leading many providers to consider closing their doors,\u201d said Lee Saunders, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). \u201cThe Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act can ease the burden. The bill will boost funding for essential programs like the Child and Adult Care Food Program, getting providers the investments and reimbursements they need to continue to deliver nutritious meals to our children. Thank you to Congressman Landsman and Congresswoman Bonamici for leading on this crucial legislation to get much-needed relief to our hardworking child care providers and the families they serve.\"\n\n\u201cFRAC applauds the introduction of the Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act, introduced by Congressman Landsman and Congresswoman Bonamici,\u201d said Luis Guardia, President of the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). \u201cThe bill would help strengthen the support provided by the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program to child care centers, homes and Head Start. This would be a game changer for improving nutritional and health outcomes for infants and young children. FRAC urges Congress to pass this bill to ensure that all children, especially in households with low incomes, have access to quality care and nutritious meals and snacks.\u201d\n\n\u201cChild care providers, at risk afterschool programs, adult day health programs, and emergency shelters work hard to provide meals through CACFP,\u201d said Samantha Marshall, Director of Programs and Policy for CACFP Roundtable. \u201cThe partial reimbursement is not enough to keep pace with the continued rising cost of food, gas, and labor. We often hear that the meals served in these settings are the only meals the children and adults receive. Eliminating tiering and adding the 10 cents as proposed in this legislation will ensure the nutritional quality of the meals served and create a pathway for increased participation as directors can better justify the program participation in their budgets and family child care providers are less likely to pay out of pocket for the meals served in their care. Thank you, Congressman Landsman and Congresswoman Bonamici, for championing this impactful legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cGroceries simply cost so much more than the current partial reimbursement, and families and child care providers are struggling to ensure that children are not hungry while in care,\u201d said Alexandra Patterson, Director of Policy and Strategy at Home Grown. The two-tier payment system has been deeply damaging to the field, and contributed to a historic reduction in the number of family child care homes participating in CACFP. Eliminating payment disparities and increasing the subsidy is essential to keeping family child care homes open and addressing the child care crisis. We are thrilled to have Congressman Landsman and Congresswoman Bonamici championing this important change.\u201d\n\nThe Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act has been endorsed by 40+ national organizations:\n\nAbriendo Puertas\n\nAll Our Kin\n\nAmerican Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)\n\nCACFP Roundtable\n\nCaring Across Generations\n\nCenter for Law and Social Policy\n\nChild Care Aware of America\n\nChild Welfare League of America\n\nChildren\u2019s Defense Fund\n\nCoalition on Human Needs\n\nCommunity Change Action\n\nCouncil of Administrators of Special Education\n\nDivision for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children\n\nEarly Care and Education Consortium\n\nEarly Learning Ventures\n\nEducare Learning Network\n\nFirst Children\u2019s Finance\n\nFirst Focus Campaign for Children\n\nFood Research and Action Center\n\nHome Grown\n\nIDEA Infant and Toddler Coordinators Association\n\nKidKare by Minute Menu\n\nKinderCare Learning Companies\n\nNational Association for Family Child Care\n\nNational Association for the Education of Young Children\n\nNational Association of Counties\n\nNational Black Child Development Institute\n\nNational CACFP Forum\n\nNational CACFP Sponsors Association\n\nNational Child Care Association\n\nNational Education Association\n\nNational Health Care for the Homeless Council\n\nNational Women\u2019s Law Center\n\nNurture\n\nOpportunities Exchange\n\nParentChild+\n\nRESULTS\n\nSave the Children\n\nSchool Nutrition Association\n\nService Employees International Union (SEIU)\n\nStart Early\n\nZERO TO THREE\n\nThe full text of Congressman Landsman and Congresswoman Bonamici\u2019s Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-introduces-legislation-increase-access-arts", "Bonamici Introduces Legislation to Increase Access to Arts", "2023-09-15", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [9/15/23] \u2013 During National Arts in Education Week, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced legislation to increase access to the arts for students.\n\nBonamici\u2019s Arts Education for All Act \u2013 introduced with Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (D-NM) \u2013 will help close gaps in access to arts education by supporting and encouraging arts education and programming for young children, K-12 students, and youth and adults involved in the justice system.\n\n\u201cThe arts spark creativity, critical thinking, and empathy in students,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cThese skills benefit and enrich students throughout their lives regardless of what path they take. It is unacceptable that there is less access to arts education for students from Black, Latino, and low-income families, especially when research shows that students who have arts education perform better in math, reading, and writing. I wrote the Arts Education for All Act to help address these disparities. And with student mental health as a top concern, the arts can help bring healing and wellness.\u201d\n\n\u201cDespite the positive impact arts education has on children\u2019s lives and well-being, the arts are often the first programs to be cut in schools. As ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees arts and humanities funding, and as co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus, I am continuously advocating for the arts in Congress. And while I\u2019m grateful for existing federal support for arts education, programs should be more accessible for students and educators to get more involved,\u201d said Congresswoman Pingree. \u201cFortunately, Mainers recognize that the arts are powerful tools for development and creativity\u2014which is exemplified by our thriving and vibrant communities. Our Arts Education for All Act will help ensure our educators have the resources they need to maintain and expand arts programming so every American child \u2013 no matter their zip code or background \u2013 has access to an enriched, creative learning experience.\u201d\n\n\"Art teachers across my district shared stories of the power that arts education has on our youngest children. It opens up a love for learning and allows them to thrive in new and exciting ways. The arts also help us celebrate our cultures, our identities, and communities,\" said Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez. \"I'm proud to join Rep. Bonamici on the Arts Education for All Act to give educators the support they need to expand arts programming experiences for children of all ages. It will ensure they can foster a learning environment that promotes creativity, expression, and healing through art.\"\n\nThe Arts Education for All Act has been endorsed by more than 100 national, state, and local organizations and individuals, including Americans for the Arts and Grantmakers in the Arts. Supporters from Oregon include the City of Portland.\n\n\u201cThe Arts Education for All Act will help bring the power of arts education to early childhood programs, low-income K12 students and systems-involved youth on a scale we haven\u2019t seen before,\u201d said Eddie Torres, President and CEO, Grantmakers in the Arts. \u201cBy empowering childcare, K12 schools, and programs serving systems-involved youth, this bill has the potential to enrich lives and expand educational opportunities for millions,\u201d said Eddie Torres, President and CEO of Grantmakers in the Arts. \u201cThe arts community, but most importantly the children of our nation, owe a great deal of thanks to the innovative and continued leadership of Congresswoman Bonamici on this critical legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe National Association for Music Education is proud to endorse the Arts Education for All Act, introduced by Representative Suzanne Bonamici,\u201d said NAfME President Scott R. Sheehan. \u201cAs an association, we work towards a future where every child has access to a high-quality music education that helps foster their creative potential. The Arts Education for All Act brings us closer to that future, by increasing the number of arts educators in schools, ensuring arts instruction is standards based and sequential, and offering a pathway for evaluating existing arts courses in schools. The Arts Education for All Act would also expand arts programming to youth in the juvenile justice system, bringing the positive benefits of an arts education to students who previously lacked access to this vital resource.\u201d\n\n\u201cSchool budgets often don't include much \u2013 if any \u2013 funding for related arts classes and programs. There simply isn't enough support for these offerings \u2013 even though research has shown that the arts stimulate the mind. The Carnegie Center especially promotes the literary arts. When school children engage in creative writing classes, their overall writing skills and self-expression also improve. This bill would help ensure that students get access to related arts classes, like creative writing, that will help them explore and express their voices.\u201d \u2013 Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning\n\nThe full list of endorsements can be found here.\n\nThe Arts Education for All Act will support and encourage arts education and programming for youth and adults in early learning centers, K-12 schools, and juvenile justice facilities by:\n\nImproving arts programming in caregiving and early education\n\nProviding support for arts access in K-12 schools\n\nMaking professional development for arts educators a priority\n\nIncreasing the usability and accessibility of data on access to arts education\n\nIntegrating the arts in afterschool and summer learning programs\n\nFacilitating arts education in the justice system\n\nAllowing arts education to be used in reentry and recidivism reduction efforts\n\nA summary of the Arts Education for All Act can be found here, and the full text can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/representative-salinas-celebrates-first-day-hispanic-heritage-month", "Representative Salinas Celebrates First Day of Hispanic Heritage Month", "2023-09-15", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06), a leader in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and one of the first Latinas to represent Oregon in Congress, released the following statement in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month:\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to commemorate the start of Hispanic Heritage Month today. For Latinos in Oregon and across the country, this is a month of recognition, celebration, and reflection. We recognize the struggles and contributions of our community. We celebrate our ancestry and rich cultures. And we reflect on the sacrifices Latinos have made throughout history.\n\n\u201cOregon\u2019s Sixth District is home to the largest Latino population in our state \u2013 a fact I\u2019m tremendously proud of. Across our community, Latinos are starting families, opening businesses, and putting down roots, bringing with them a strong work ethic and incredible breadth of talents that will help our state and our society flourish.\n\n\u201cYet for all our success, there is still so much work to be done to move our community forward. We must break down barriers to education, health care, and housing. We must level the economic playing field for Latino workers and entrepreneurs. We must finally create a path to citizenship for Dreamers and other immigrants who contribute so much to this country\u2019s success. And to achieve that and more, we must elect more Latinos to public office and encourage the next generation to get involved. Because Latinos deserve to have their voices heard wherever decisions are made. Not just today, not just this month, but every single day of the year.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-celebrates-us-forest-service-grants-salem-oregon-department-forestry", "Salinas Celebrates U.S. Forest Service Grants to Salem, Oregon Department of Forestry", "2023-09-15", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced that the United States Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) Forest Service will award two essential grants for Oregon\u2019s Sixth District: $1 million to the City of Salem, and $22,857,196 to the Oregon Department of Forestry. These grants will be used to help plant and maintain more trees, combat extreme heat and climate change, and improve access to green spaces in our communities.\n\n\u201cMaking our communities more resilient to climate change is existentially important, and I\u2019m proud to see more funding coming to Oregon that will help us accomplish that goal,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cThanks to these investments, the City of Salem and Oregon Department of Forestry will be able to plant more trees and expand our green spaces. I am also glad to learn that native trees grown in Oregon nurseries will be prioritized. All in all, these grants represent a win not only for greener cities and healthier people, but also for Oregon\u2019s vital nursery industry and our state\u2019s economy as a whole.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re incredibly grateful to Congresswoman Salinas for fighting for our community and for her work to curb the catastrophic effects of climate change. These funds will be instrumental in helping our local efforts,\u201d said Salem Mayor Chris Hoy.\n\nStudies show that trees in communities are associated with improved physical and mental health, lower average temperatures during extreme heat, and increased food security, and create new economic opportunities. This historic funding will help the Forest Service support projects that increase tree cover in disadvantaged communities, provide equitable access to the benefits of nature, and deliver tangible economic and ecological benefits to urban and Tribal communities in Oregon and across the country.\n\nTo learn more about this funding opportunity, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-introduces-hope-and-mental-wellbeing-act", "Salinas Introduces HOPE and Mental Wellbeing Act", "2023-09-15", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06), a member of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus, introduced the Helping Out Patients for Emotional (HOPE) and Mental Wellbeing Act. This legislation requires the Medicare and Medicaid programs to provide three behavioral health visits per year at no cost to participants in the program.\n\n\u201cLike so many other states, Oregon is facing an unprecedented mental health crisis right now. And it\u2019s past time for Congress to take action on this critical issue,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m so excited to introduce the HOPE and Mental Wellbeing Act, a bill that would grant three free annual mental health care visits to all those insured by Medicare or Medicaid. More than half of all adults with a mental illness receive no treatment. In Oregon alone, that comes out to nearly 450,000 adults. By requiring Medicare and Medicaid to cover three annual mental health visits, we can help chip away at the number of untreated adults in this country.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the HOPE and Mental Wellbeing Act provides three behavioral health care visits at no cost sharing (no copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance) to beneficiaries of Medicare (Parts B and C) and Medicaid. These visits can be used for outpatient behavioral health services, non-specialty medical services, and care coordination services for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or management of a behavioral health condition.\n\n\u201cSeeking help takes tremendous courage,\u201d continued Rep. Salinas. \u201cWhen you\u2019re struggling with your mental health, the last thing you should have to worry about is how much it\u2019s going to cost you to get care. My hope is that this bill will help get someone in the door and out of a crisis, without them having to worry about yet another potential point of mental stress.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a provider of mental health and addiction treatment services in Salem, Oregon Bridgeway supports Congresswoman Salinas\u2019 HOPE and Mental Wellbeing Act as it will work to reduce stigma and increase access to necessary treatment services,\u201d said Tim Murphy, CEO of Bridgeway Recovery Services.\n\n\u201cToo often, people forgo needed mental health care because of high out-of-pocket costs,\u201d said Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). \u201cWe thank Rep. Salinas for introducing the HOPE and Mental Wellbeing Act, which would allow people covered by Medicaid and many on Medicare to access up to three behavioral health care visits a year without any cost sharing \u2013 making mental health care more in reach for many Americans. NAMI is proud to support this crucial legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cNew Narrative is grateful for Congresswoman Salinas' championing efforts in mental health. We are optimistic that the HOPE and Mental Wellbeing Act is the next right step toward mental health recovery for Oregonians,\" said Julie Ibrahim, CEO of New Narrative. \u201cThis measure will provide access to critical healthcare for the most vulnerable populations we serve.\u201d\n\n\u201cOlder adults and people with disabilities continue to suffer from heightened issues in behavioral health and challenges to access. The HOPE and Mental Wellbeing Act will begin to bring needed options to help seniors and people with disabilities find the services and supports they need,\u201d said Rebecca Miller, Chair of the Oregon Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Disabilities (O4AD).\n\nThe HOPE and Mental Wellbeing Act is cosponsored by Representative Grace Napolitano (CA-31), chair of the Mental Health Caucus. It is supported by the Oregon Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Disabilities (O4AD) and Bridgeway Recovery Services.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-colleagues-introduce-bill-extend-vital-child-care-funding-and-save", "Bonamici, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Extend Vital Child Care Funding and Save Millions of Families' Child Care Spots as Funding Cliff Looms", "2023-09-13", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Representative Bobby Scott (VA-3), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), and Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16) introduced the Child Care Stabilization Act to extend vital federal child care stabilization funding\u2014which is set to expire at the end of this month\u2014and ensure that child care providers can keep their doors open and continue serving children and families in every part of the country.\n\nWhen the pandemic pushed the already-fragile child care sector to the brink of collapse, Democrats in Congress responded by delivering historic federal investments to save the sector from collapse and prevent families from losing their child care spots\u2014including $24 billion in child care stabilization funding. The funding has made an enormous difference for families across the country\u2014keeping 220,000 child care providers afloat over the last few years and saving child care slots for up to 10 million kids nationwide\u2014but it is set to run out on September 30, 2023, threatening to once again push the sector to the brink, with dire consequences for families and our nation\u2019s economy.\n\nThe Child Care Stabilization Act would prevent a potential crisis when funding expires at the end of the month by providing $16 billion in mandatory funding each year for the next five years to continue the successful Child Care Stabilization Grant program. This investment would ensure child care providers continue to receive a stable and reliable source of funding to help them deliver high-quality and affordable child care for working families across the country.\n\n\u201cDuring the pandemic, Democrats answered the call of parents and providers and invested $39 billion into our child care system. This historic relief funding allowed parents to return to work, businesses to survive, and our economy to recover,\u201d said Democratic Whip Clark. \u201cWe can\u2019t turn back now. Child care is economic infrastructure\u2014it is critical to growing the economy by growing the middle class. We must urgently enact the Child Care Stabilization Act to protect the financial security of families and workers and maintain our progress in the fight for affordable, high-quality care for all.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere was a child care crisis even before the pandemic\u2014and failing to extend these critical investments from the American Rescue Plan will push child care even further out of reach for millions of families and jeopardize our strong economic recovery,\u201d said Senator Murray. \u201cThis is an urgent economic priority at every level: child care is what allows parents to go to work, businesses to hire workers, and it\u2019s an investment in our kids\u2019 futures. The child care industry holds up every sector of our economy\u2014and Congress must act now.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe have a child care crisis in America that we have got to address. If Congress does not act soon, over 3 million kids are in danger of losing their child care slots, over 230,000 child care workers could lose their jobs, and child care facilities all over our country could be forced to close their doors,\u201d said Senator Sanders. \u201cThat would be unacceptable. In the richest country in the history of the world, we can and we must make sure that every kid in America has access to high quality, affordable child care. If we can afford to spend over $1 trillion on tax breaks for the top one percent and large corporations making record-breaking profits, we can afford to provide working class families with the child care they desperately need. This legislation is needed now more than ever.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s families are facing a child care crisis \u2013 and is imperative that we step up to stop it. Ensuring access to affordable and accessible child care is essential; as our economy strengthens under President Biden, we need to continue to ensure all Americans \u2013 especially women \u2013 can access the workforce, a critical aspect of which is reliable access to dependable child care,\u201d said Leader Schumer. \u201cThe Child Care Stabilization Act will avert the nightmare scenario too many American families stay up at night worrying about by providing mandatory funding to support high-quality childcare. As Majority Leader, I will always fight for America\u2019s children and families.\u201d\n\n\u201cToo many families are struggling to find reliable, affordable child care or preschool and feel like they\u2019re on their own. The child care crisis predated the pandemic, but the funding provided in the American Rescue Plan kept centers afloat during their darkest hours,\u201d said Senator Casey. \u201cWithout new investments, parents will have a harder time finding care, which in turn impacts businesses and local economies. It\u2019s time for the government to step up and set up our kids and families for success by making a meaningful investment in child care and the child care workforce.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe lack of affordable child care in America is holding our families, workers, and economy back,\u201d said Senator Kaine. \u201cParents are locked out of the workforce because they can\u2019t find care for their kids. Workers who are passionate about child care are being squeezed out of their field because they can\u2019t pay their bills. If we let critical child care stabilization funding expire, things are only going to get worse. Millions of families who will otherwise lose their child care are depending on Congress passing this legislation to extend these urgently-needed funds.\u201d\n\n\u201cAcross the country, affordable child care is out of reach for too many families, stopping parents from getting back to work, hurting our economy, and preventing kids from getting the strong start they deserve,\u201d said Senator Baldwin. \u201cI was proud to help address this crisis and expand access to child care with the American Rescue Plan, delivering long-overdue relief for providers and middle-class families. But now, that progress is on the line. We must pass this legislation to lower costs for working families, help Wisconsin businesses meet the demand for workers, and grow our economy.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen parents go to work, they need affordable and reliable child care,\u201d said Ranking Member DeLauro. \u201cAs the Top Democrat on the Labor Health and Human Services Subcommittee on Appropriations, I understand this intimately and have worked hard to increase the annual appropriation to the Child Care and Development Block Grant by more than 52 percent over the last 4 years. We must work to safeguard and strengthen these investments so families can thrive. That is why I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Child Care Stabilization Act, legislation that will extend grants to help support the child care industry and ensure that children and families have access to the child care they need.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress provided critical funding to save the child care sector from collapse and ensure access to affordable child care for working families. This essential relief was a powerful reminder that, when we invest in affordable child care, we improve the strength and future of children, workers, and our economy,\u201d said Ranking Member Scott. \u201cRegrettably, the lack of affordable child care often forces Americans to choose between their careers and caring for their children. The most recent poverty data from the Census Bureau underscore the importance of continuing policies that help families make ends meet. Now is not the time for Congress to abandon the federal investments that kept child care centers afloat and helped families find affordable care. We must pass the Child Care Stabilization Act and provide sustained funding that will support child care workers, expand access to high-quality learning, and empower parents to pursue rewarding careers.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is an emergency,\u201d said Representative Bonamici. \u201cChild care stabilization grants have been essential for child care providers and the families they serve, and without the grants hundreds of providers will likely close and millions of children could lose their child care slots. This funding demonstrated that federal investment can increase access to quality, affordable child care. We cannot let this funding expire. I\u2019m helping to lead the Child Care Stabilization Act to extend these grants because it\u2019s a good investment for children, families, and the economy.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs the federal child care funding cliff quickly approaches, the Child Care Stabilization Act will protect economic security for New Jersey parents and help keep the doors open for more than 1,000 child care centers across the Garden State,\u201d said Representative Sherrill. \u201cWe know that child care isn\u2019t just a women\u2019s issue \u2014 it\u2019s an economic issue for families and businesses alike. As a mother of four school-age children, I know firsthand many of the challenges parents navigate when searching for affordable child care, and I\u2019m going to continue fighting for them to bring costs down and keep doors open across New Jersey.\u201d\n\n\u201cAsk any parent in America, and they'll tell you that the cost of child care is expensive and out of reach for too many families, disproportionately burdening women who often bear the primary responsibility for childcare. I founded the first-ever Congressional Dads Caucus to do our part to bring fathers' voices to the fight for legislation that uplifts working families\u2014and affordable, accessible, and high-quality child care is an essential part of our agenda,\u201d said Representative Gomez. \u201cOur bill would prevent looming child care funding cliffs that could cause 3.2 million children to lose child care and jeopardize the jobs of 232,000 child care workers. For families' economic success and stability, and for our nation's economy as a whole, we call on House Republicans to join us in extending this funding and making child care affordable for every parent.\u201d\n\n\u201cHouse Republicans\u2019 silence and inaction on the impending child care cliff is deafening. In San Diego, it\u2019s already incredibly hard to find and afford child care, but allowing this crucial funding to expire would worsen the already-dire crisis and hurt women the most,\u201d said Representative Jacobs. \u201cIt would force caregivers to leave the workforce and child care providers to close their doors, stifling the economic progress that we\u2019ve made since the pandemic. That\u2019s why we need to immediately pass the Child Care Stabilization Act to protect these jobs, this essential care, and our economic recovery. This is so much bigger than politics and I hope our Republican colleagues will join us in immediately passing our bill and extending this emergency child care support.\u201d\n\n\u201cThanks to the American Rescue Plan we were able to save thousands of child care programs and maintain the support and access that they offered for families, but those programs are at risk yet again,\u201d said Representative Bowman. \u201cWe know how critical child care is for supporting our kids\u2019 cognitive development and unlocking their brilliance over the long-term, as well as for strengthening whole families and communities. As we continue to recover from the pandemic and build an America that works for all people, we must prioritize the programs that millions rely on so that our kids, families, and economy can thrive. That means maintaining and expanding our investments in child care so that we are not faced with a social and economic disaster caused by leaving 3 million kids without care. I\u2019m proud to join Whip Clark in protecting American families by introducing the Child Care Stabilization Act. With this legislation, we can continue to grow the child care sector and prevent a crisis for families and care workers alike.\u201d\n\nUnless action is taken to extend funding for the child care sector, families, providers, and our entire economy will feel the consequences\u2014with fewer families able to find and afford the child care they need to go to work and thrive. A report released by Senators Sanders and Murray in May details how, when stabilization funding expires at the end of the month, child care programs may have to serve fewer children or be forced to raise tuition for families or cut wages for child care workers, who are already paid poverty-level wages.\n\nA separate analysis from The Century Foundation finds that if Congress does not provide additional funding for the nation\u2019s child care sector, more than 70,000 child care programs\u2014one-third of those supported by stabilization funding\u2014could close, causing approximately 3.2 million children to lose their child care spots and jeopardizing jobs for 232,000 child care workers. The loss in tax and business revenue could cost states $10.6 billion in economic activity per year. Additionally, millions of parents will likely leave the workforce or reduce their hours, which could cost families an estimated $9 billion each year in lost earnings.\n\n35 Senators are original cosponsors of the legislation, including: Senators Murray, Sanders, Schumer, Baldwin, Blumenthal, Booker, Brown, Cardin, Casey, Cortez Masto, Duckworth, Durbin, Fetterman, Gillibrand, Heinrich, Hirono, Kaine, King, Klobuchar, Luj\u00e1n, Markey, Menendez, Merkley, Murphy, Padilla, Reed, Shaheen, Smith, Stabenow, Van Hollen, Warnock, Warren, Welch, Whitehouse, and Wyden.\n\n78 Representatives are original cosponsors of the legislation, including: Representatives Katherine Clark, Rosa DeLauro, Bobby Scott, Suzanne Bonamici, Jamaal Bowman, Jimmy Gomez, Sara Jacobs, Mikie Sherrill, Alma Adams, Becca Balint, Nanette Diaz Barrag\u00e1n, Shontel Brown, Julia Brownley, Nikki Budzinski, Cori Bush, Yadira Caraveo, Salud Carbajal, Troy Carter, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Yvette Clarke, Gerald Connolly, Angie Craig, Jasmine Crockett, Henry Cuellar, Danny Davis, Donald Davis, Veronica Escobar, Lois Frankel, Josh Gottheimer, Ra\u00fal Grijalva, Jahana Hayes, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Sheila Jackson Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Andy Kim, Annie Kuster, Greg Landsman, Barbara Lee, Zoe Lofgren, Stephen Lynch, Seth Magaziner, Kathy Manning, Lucy McBath, Jennifer McClellan, Betty McCollum, Morgan McGarvey, Rob Menendez, Gwen Moore, Jared Moskowitz, Kevin Mullin, Jerrold Nadler, Richard Neal, Donald Norcross, Scott Peters, Brittany Pettersen, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Katie Porter, Ayanna Pressley, Jamie Raskin, Deborah Ross, Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Andrea Salinas, John Sarbanes, Mary Gay Scanlon, Jan Schakowsky, Adam Schiff, Terri Sewell, Mark Takano, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Paul Tonko, Lori Trahan, David Trone, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Jennifer Wexton, Susan Wild, and Nikema Williams.\n\nThe Child Care Stabilization Act is endorsed by: National Women\u2019s Law Center (NWLC), Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), ZERO TO THREE, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Children\u2019s Defense Fund, Save the Children, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Association for Family Child Care, Child Care for Every Family Network, Family Values at Work, Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, MomsRising/MamasConPoder, Oxfam America, All Our Kin, Community Change Action, Prevent Child Abuse America, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, Small Business Majority, First Focus Campaign for Children, Parents Together Action, Prevent Child Abuse America, United Parent Leaders Action Network (UPLAN), YWCA-USA.\n\n\u201cThe entire country depends on child care. The clock is ticking. Congress must act before stabilization grants expire on September 30,\u201d said Lorella Praeli, Co-President at Community Change Action. \u201cThe situation will worsen when another round of ARPA funds for child care expire in 2024. If Congress doesn't act now, child care slots will disappear, child care providers and parents will be at risk for losing their jobs, and there will be more instability in every facet of our lives. As always women, especially women of color, and our kids will be hit the hardest. Our families, youngest kids, and the childcare workforce need a lifeboat. These grants saved nearly 10 million child care slots and protected more than 1 million child care jobs. The choice to pass the Childcare Stabilization Act should be easy.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe initial childcare stabilization funds were a lifeline for entrepreneurs working to keep their doors open during the pandemic,\u201d said John Arensmeyer, Founder & CEO, Small Business Majority. \u201cThese funds proved critical for small business childcare providers, as well as small employers struggling to maintain their workforce. Allowing these childcare investments to expire will disrupt the entire small business community, disproportionately impacting under-resourced and rural small businesses. We proudly support the Child Care Stabilization Act, which will allocate the funding needed to stave off the looming childcare crisis while supporting working parents and small business owners alike.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur nation\u2019s child care system is on the verge of collapse and after years of underinvestment, and the stress of the pandemic, millions of working families will be left with few or no options for quality child care. This is not a situation where we can or should simply accept that fate,\u201d said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. \u201cWorking people need solutions and lawmakers must come together immediately to take action and pass the Child Care Stabilization Act now.\u201d\n\n\u201cSEIU members are proud to stand with Senator Murray and Senator Sanders who are listening to early childhood educators and families across the country,\u201d said SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry. \u201cThe Child Care Stabilization Act can help our country avert the worst of disasters looming over working families by ensuring that children and those caring for them have the child care they need and can avoid disruptions to their lives. This bill also helps ensure childcare workers can continue to use their power to push states to raise standards for the workforce and quality of care.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are grateful to Sens. Murray and Sanders and Rep. Clark and their colleagues for introducing the Child Care Stabilization Act, a bill that tackles head-on the challenges facing our nation\u2019s child care system,\u201d said Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus Campaign for Children. \u201cThis bill would provide a solid foundation for high-quality, affordable and accessible child care \u2014 the kind of system that supports children, families and child care professionals. The kind of system we all want \u2014 and know we can have, if Congress makes the good choices that support the best interests of children.\u201d\n\n\u201cInvestments in the child care sector during COVID led states to make critical improvements in child care affordability, access, and support to providers. But that progress is at risk unless Congress provides additional funding,\u201d said Indivar Dutta-Gupta, President and Executive Director at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). \u201cWithout added resources, we will further exacerbate long-standing inequities in the child care system and compromise positive improvements. We welcome the Child Care Stabilization Act as an essential solution that would prevent working families from losing access to care and allow states to continue building toward a system that really works for children, families, and providers\u2014and the economy as a whole.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Child Care Stabilization Act would help families across the country escape some of the most devastating impacts of the child care cliff and extend a lifeline to parents and providers,\u201d said Julie Kashen, Director of Women\u2019s Economic Justice and Senior Fellow at the Century Foundation. \u201cWe know how important it is for children and families, not to mention our economy, to have reliable, affordable child care in every community\u2014and to pay the people who do that vital work a living wage because without them, there is no child care system. I am grateful for Senator Murray, Chairman Sanders, Leader Schumer, Representatives Clark and DeLauro for their leadership on this bill and their partnership in fighting for federal child care investments that our children and their families need to thrive.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Child Care Stabilization Act is direly needed by families all over the country, to protect the child care of three million children and keep 70,000 child care providers open,\u201d said Nicole Jorwic, Chief of Campaigns and Advocacy at Caring Across Generations. \u201cWe deserve to live in a country where children and caregivers have community, support, and fully funded solutions for all their care needs. Supporting the Child Care Stabilization Act and investing in a better child care system will help millions access the care they deserve, provide good child care jobs, contribute to family stability and financial security, and benefit the economy.\u201d\n\n\u201cEarly educators, including those caring for children in home-based settings, are facing a crippling loss of funding at the end of this month of September. The Child Care Stabilization Act would provide much-needed resources to prevent millions of families from losing access to child care and thousands of programs from being forced to close their doors,\u201d said Erica Phillips, Executive Director of the National Association for Family Child Care. \u201cThe National Association for Family Child Care is grateful to Senators Patty Murray and Bernie Sanders as well as Representatives Katherine Clark and Rosa Delauro for their unwavering support and especially leading this legislation that would make critical investments in our nation\u2019s child care system and prevent a crisis.\u201d\n\n\u201cLast fall, more than 12,000 early educators and providers shared with NAEYC the widespread and critical impact that child care stabilization funding had in sustaining their programs and supporting their staff, as well as their anxieties about what would happen to their programs and the families they serve when that funding ran out. With stabilization funding officially expiring at the end of this month, and with many programs having already received their last round of support, we are already seeing their fears play out in real time\u2014early educators are leaving to find other jobs as wages stagnate, programs are closing their doors for good, and families are facing increased challenges in accessing affordable, high-quality care,\u201d said Michelle Kang, NAEYC Chief Executive Officer. \u201cThe Child Care Stabilization Act addresses these concerns head-on by extending funding for a program that we already know has worked to keep high-quality early educators open and equipped to serve young children and their families in communities across the country. We thank Senators Murray and Sanders, and Representatives Clark, DeLauro, Scott, Bonamici, Bowman, Gomez, Jacobs, and Sherrill for their leadership in introducing this critically needed legislation, and we look forward to working with them and all Members of Congress who care about the needs of young children and their families to ensure early educators have the supports they need to help families and communities thrive.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe $52 billion in pandemic-era federal supplemental funding helped hundreds of thousands of child care educators, including family child care educators and small business owners, keep their doors open and serve working families with high-quality, flexible care in recent years,\u201d said Jessica Sager, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of All Our Kin. \u201cIf these resources are allowed to expire without any sort of remedy, millions of children and their families around the country will lose access to care, as many of these small businesses will be forced to close. The Child Care Stabilization Act would ensure families, especially those from low-income backgrounds, have access to care for their families, and therefore the ability to stay in the workforce. Our leaders must step up and ensure children and families have access to the crucial high-quality early education opportunities that are key to their development and empower them for success later in life.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerican families are already feeling the pinch of rising costs. Unfortunately, when federal funding for child care runs out this month, parents are going to be forced to pay more or cut back at work, hurting families and our economy,\u201d said Sondra Goldschein, Executive Director of the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy. \u201cThe Child Care Stabilization Act would stave off the worst impacts of the child care funding cliff and make sure working families have the tools and opportunities they need to build a good life. We\u2019re thankful to those who have championed this critical legislation and urge Congress to send it to the president\u2019s desk.\u201d\n\n\u201cNow is not the time to play politics with our children\u2019s futures. When the COVID childcare stabilization funds expire, this nation will go over a childcare cliff that will see 3.2 million children lose their child care and 70,000 child care centers closed,\u201d said Josephine Kalipeni, Executive Director of Family Values @ Work. \u201cWe are at a pivotal moment in this nation\u2019s history. Will Congress make permanent investments in child care to show working families they value them and their contributions? Or will they refuse to act, displaying a cowardice that will cost children, their families, and the economy? Care work is everyone\u2019s work. We demand that all of our legislators promote care in policy and practice; that they demonstrate the power of care by prioritizing the needs of children and working families. The Child Care Stabilization Act is a strong first step to prevent the childcare cliff, but we also need the creation of a stronger social support network that ensures that all of the resources needed to take time to care\u2013\u2013including paid leave with job security and progressive wage replacement, and affordable childcare\u2013are available to all. We call on all political leaders to take action. This is an issue that impacts all families\u2013no matter how they vote, where they work, or where they live.\u201d\n\n\u201cYWCAs around the country can attest to the disastrous consequences child care providers and the families they care for will face if Congress fails to invest the resources needed to avert the child care cliff and stabilize funding for this essential sector of our economy and our communities,\u201d said Margaret Mitchell, CEO of YWCA USA. \u201cChild care providers are the backbone of our economy, and it is time we recognize their value by swiftly passing the Child Care Stabilization Act.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Child Care Stabilization Act will ensure that the most vulnerable families across the country can continue to access critical child care services, without interruption,\u201d said Javier Mart\u00ednez, Managing Director of National Policy, Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors. \u201cThe risk of more than 3 million families losing child care overnight will reverberate throughout the economy and result in unspeakable hardship to American families, far and wide.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccess to high-quality childcare is a significant stressor for parents of young children across our country,\u201d said Melissa Merrick, President and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America. \u201cThis is especially true for families with less access to resources. The Child Care Stabilization Act will ensure that childcare is available to more parents so they can stay employed without the worry of their children being nurtured and cared for.\u201d\n\nA one-pager on the Child Care Stabilization Act is available HERE.\n\nLegislative text is available HERE.\n\nEvent photos and livestream are available HERE and HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-announces-youth-mental-health-substance-use-prevention-grant-tualatin", "Salinas Announces Youth Mental Health, Substance Use Prevention Grant to Tualatin Together", "2023-09-13", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $375,000 to Tualatin Together as part of its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) grant opportunity for projects of regional and national significance.\n\n\u201cAs a member of Congress and the mother of a teenager, protecting our children is of paramount importance to me,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cThe co-occurring substance use and mental health crises pose an imminent threat to young people in every corner of our state, and the federal government must intervene before more of our children have their lives cut short by preventable tragedies. This grant will allow Tualatin Together to continue doing its critical work to educate and empower young people across Oregon\u2019s Sixth District. We must make prevention a priority.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis opportunity to combine the much-needed focus on mental health with programs to prevent the first time a youth might use alcohol or substances is pivotal for our community,\u201d said Cyndy Hillier, Executive Director of Tualatin Together. \u201cThe impacts of the pandemic have altered the way we need to serve our youth. This grant affords us the time and funds to look holistically at youth in the Tigard-Tualatin School District and partner with schools, parents, community partners and other key leaders to ensure we are supporting the protective factors and reducing risk factors for youth to live their best lives.\u201d\n\nAccording to Mental Health America, Oregon has the highest percentage of youth who have experienced at least one major depressive episode, and the third highest percentage of youth who have reported a substance use disorder in the past year.\n\nIn April, Salinas joined her Oregon colleagues in calling on the U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to work with local school districts to combat the opioid overdose crisis among youth, as the rate of Oregon teens who die after overdosing on drugs continues to grow faster than any other state. She also hosted U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra for a roundtable discussion on tactics to mitigate the spread of fentanyl in Oregon.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-calls-mccarthy-reject-partisanship-prioritize-funding-fight-fentanyl", "Salinas Calls on McCarthy to Reject Partisanship, Prioritize Funding to Fight Fentanyl Crisis", "2023-09-13", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.) delivered a letter to Speaker Kevin McCarthy, calling on him to reject attempts by the far-right House Freedom Caucus to politicize the Appropriations Process. Specifically, Salinas points out that partisan attempts to inject the Fiscal Year 2024 Defense Appropriations Bill with anti-LGBTQ2SIA+ and anti-choice \u201criders\u201d will stall the passage of critical funds needed to combat the fentanyl crisis in Oregon and across the U.S.\n\n\u201cInjecting the FY 2024 Defense Appropriations Bill, and other key funding bills, with anti-LGBTQ2SIA+ and anti-choice riders isn\u2019t just morally reprehensible \u2013 it\u2019s downright dangerous,\u201d writes Salinas. \u201cIt diminishes the likelihood of this bill\u2019s passage, jeopardizing much-needed funds and resources that could be put to good use in the most at-risk communities.\u201d\n\nFentanyl and other highly-addictive, synthetic opioids accounted for nearly 88% of all opioid-involved deaths in 2021, up by more than 22% from 2020 to 2021. In Oregon alone, the amount of seized fentanyl in high intensity drug trafficking areas increased from 690 counterfeit pills in 2018 to more than 2 million in 2022.\n\n\u201cNow more than ever, we must unite behind bold, bipartisan efforts to curb the spread of fentanyl and the synthetic opioids at the heart of this disturbing trend,\u201d continues Salinas. \u201cCongress cannot afford to delay \u2013 nor can it afford to be hijacked by partisan extremists who continue to stand in the way of progress.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-announces-federal-grant-health-clinics-salem-portland", "Salinas Announces Federal Grant to Health Clinics in Salem, Portland", "2023-09-07", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued awards to two local health centers as part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s (CDC) Bridge Access Program, which aims to ensure that uninsured and underinsured American adults continue to have access to free COVID-19 vaccinations. The awardees, Northwest Human Services in Salem and Neighborhood Health Center in Portland, will receive $20,694 and $40,572 respectively.\n\n\u201cAs fall fast approaches, we must ensure that our communities are protected against a potential spike of COVID-19 cases,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cThe CDC\u2019s Bridge Access Program will guarantee that uninsured and underinsured Oregonians can access the COVID-19 vaccine at no-cost to them or their family. By providing crucial support to local health centers, we can meet people where they are and strengthen the overall health and wellbeing of our communities.\u201d\n\nAccording to the Oregon Health Authority\u2019s 2021 Health Insurance Survey, approximately 4.6% of people in Oregon are uninsured. The lack of health insurance is highest among Latino and Indigenous communities, with approximately 10.8% of Oregon\u2019s Latino community uninsured during the time of the survey.\n\nClick here to learn more about the CDC\u2019s Bridge Access Program.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:35:26Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/wyden-merkley-bonamici-hoyle-announce-boem-hold-public-meetings-comments", "Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Hoyle Announce BOEM to hold Public Meetings for Comments on Offshore Wind Energy", "2023-09-06", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley along with U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Val Hoyle today announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will host public meetings on two draft proposals for wind energy off the Oregon coast and opened a 60-day public review and comment period.\n\n\u201cRenewable energy is an essential piece of the strategy to combat the climate crisis. However, local communities and fishermen have to be at the center for decisions about offshore wind projects that affect their livelihoods,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cI have repeatedly urged the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to do a better job of including all Oregonians\u2019 voices while considering the potential for siting wind energy options off the Oregon Coast, and I\u2019m gratified to see it\u2019s making good on that promise. I encourage Oregonians to voice their concerns so a workable solution can be reached.\u201d\n\n\u201cOffshore wind holds significant potential to boost much needed renewable energy, but it must be deployed in partnership with our existing fishing industries,\u201d Merkley said. \u201cThese consultations provide an opportunity for BOEM and existing stakeholders to share their vision and concerns and to work out a plan that will make wind deployments highly compatible with existing maritime industries.\u201d\n\n\u201cOffshore wind has great potential to help address the climate crisis with clean energy while creating thousands of good construction and technician jobs,\u201d Bonamici said. \u201cWe have an opportunity to get this right, but all perspectives must be considered as we transition. I\u2019m grateful that BOEM will be holding public meetings on the proposed floating offshore wind energy areas, and I encourage everyone who cares about this issue to make your voices heard.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe must transition away from fossil fuels to clean energy, but we need to do it right,\u201d Hoyle said. \u201cI believe local communities need to be at the table when plans are made. I'm glad the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is hosting public meetings to ensure they are hearing directly from Oregon\u2019s coastal communities.\"\n\nToday\u2019s announcement follows Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici and Hoyle pushing BOEM to extend the public comment period and to hold open public meetings on the draft wind energy areas.\n\nThe draft wind energy areas cover about 219,568 acres offshore southern Oregon with their closest points ranging from about 18 \u2013 32 miles off the coast. A map can be found on BOEM's website.\n\nA 60-day public comment period is underway, and BOEM has scheduled several public meetings to outline information used to inform the draft areas and to present next steps in BOEM\u2019s offshore wind leasing area identification process.\n\nVirtual Oregon Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force Meeting\n\nMonday, Sept. 18, 2023; 9:00 a.m. \u2013 2:00p.m.\n\nRegistration link is posted on BOEM\u2019s website.\n\nInformational Fishing Webinar (fishing data focus):\n\nThursday, Sept. 21, 2023: 5:00 pm \u2013 8:00 p.m.\n\nRegistration link to be posted on BOEM\u2019s website soon.\n\nIn-person public meetings:\n\nGold Beach, Oregon\n\nTuesday, Sept. 26, 2023; 4:00p.m. \u2013 8:00 p.m.\n\nEvent Center at the Beach Docia Room\n\n29392 Ellensburg Avenue\n\nCoos Bay, Oregon\n\nWednesday, Sept. 27, 2023; 4:00p.m. \u2013 8:00 p.m.\n\nCoos Bay Public Library, Myrtlewood Room\n\n525 Anderson Avenue\n\nBrookings, Oregon\n\nThursday, Sept. 28, 2023; 4:00p.m. \u2013 8:00 p.m.\n\nSouthwest Oregon Community College - Curry Campus, Commons Room\n\n96082 Lone Ranch Pkwy\n\nAdditional information, including registration and details on how to submit written comments on the draft WEAs can be found at www.boem.gov/Oregon.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-national-suicide-prevention-month", "Salinas on National Suicide Prevention Month", "2023-09-01", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) issued the following statement on the first day of National Suicide Prevention Month:\n\n\u201cSeptember is National Suicide Prevention Month \u2013 a time to spread awareness about the resources and treatment options available to those struggling with their mental health. Oregon has the 17th highest rate of suicide in the nation, despite being the 27th most populous state in America. This disparity paints a grim picture of the prevalence of suicide in our communities and underscores the pressing need to take further action.\n\n\u201cFor the last several months, I\u2019ve championed my HOPE and Mental Wellbeing Act, bold legislation that would make mental health care more accessible to some of the most at-risk individuals in our communities. I\u2019ve also dedicated myself to raising awareness and shattering stigma by speaking openly about the many mental health challenges that Oregonians face. Today, I commit to continuing to seek solutions to the mental health crisis in our state, including the devastating and disproportionately high number of suicides we suffer each year. I will work with federal, state, and local partners, as well as stakeholders, health care providers, and those directly impacted by this epidemic to ensure that suicide prevention and other important mental health issues don\u2019t fade into the background of our political dialogue. This month and every month, we must speak out and step up \u2013 it\u2019s the only way we\u2019re going to save lives.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-celebrates-grant-tipsu-palach-park-dundee", "Salinas Celebrates Grant to Tipsu Palach Park in Dundee", "2023-08-29", "2023", "2023-08", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced that the National Park Service will award $287,175 to the Tipsu Palach Park Development project. The City of Dundee, through Oregon\u2019s Parks and Recreation Department, will utilize this grant to complete the development of Tipsu Palach Park including the construction of a restroom building, concrete walkway, picnic shelter, overhead canopies, tables and benches, bike work-station, water fill station, water garden, landscaping, and interpretive signage.\n\n\u201cWhen we invest in our local parks, we invest in the quality of life for the entire community,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cThe National Park Service\u2019s grant to Dundee\u2019s Tipsu Palach Park will ensure its successful completion with high-quality amenities for all to enjoy. The park\u2019s name, derived from the Grand Ronde\u2019s spoken Chinuk Wawa language, means plant gift \u2013 and it\u2019s certainly true that this park will be a gift to all, from our local flora and fauna to the many thousands of individuals who will enjoy it for years to come. I cannot wait to visit this historic park, a living embodiment of the deep bond between the City of Dundee and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.\u201d\n\nThe National Park Service\u2019s investment will directly benefit the 3,300 people who call Dundee home, as well as the 27,500 individuals who reside in the Chehalem Parks District. The Tipsu Palach Park will also be especially beneficial to the estimated 400 individuals who live in nearby low-income housing and aren\u2019t currently served by a neighborhood park.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:30:18Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/oregon-lawmakers-announce-more-6-million-statewide-enhance-cybersecurity", "Oregon Lawmakers Announce More than $6 Million Statewide to Enhance Cybersecurity", "2023-08-17", "2023", "2023-08", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle and Andrea Salinas today announced Oregon would receive more than $6 million from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for crucial cybersecurity upgrades for state and local governments.\n\n\u201cThe Bipartisan Infrastructure Law we passed made clear that infrastructure is more than roads and bridges; it\u2019s also cybersecurity,\u201d said Rep. Bonamici. \u201cAs state and local governments increasingly provide online services, it\u2019s important that the information of families and individuals \u2014especially sensitive personal information\u2014is secure. This $6+ million grant will help state and local governments in Oregon better serve their constituents and protect privacy and sensitive data.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe constant and ever-evolving threat of cyberattacks demands a rigorous and unflinching commitment to protect privacy and preserve safety in Oregon and nationwide,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cI\u2019m gratified to see dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I worked to pass go toward protecting essential services for Oregonians with enhanced cybersecurity for state and local governments.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe must be prepared to take on the threat of cyberattacks on our critical infrastructure at the local level, as these attacks pose a significant security risk not only to Oregon, but to our nation,\u201d said Sen. Merkley. \u201cInvesting in managing and reducing systemic cyber risk will only help to strengthen and safeguard Oregon\u2019s critical infrastructure systems to ensure we\u2019re able to stand up to this growing security challenge.\u201d\n\n\u201cCybersecurity, like roads, bridges and transit is infrastructure essential to the safety of our communities. FEMA\u2019s investment in cybersecurity infrastructure is essential to help Oregon prepare for and protect against the reality of cybercrime in the 21st century,\u201d said Congressman Blumenauer.\n\n\u201cFrom retirement savings to credit accounts, health data to driver\u2019s license information, cyberattacks pose a serious risk to every Oregonian,\u201dsaid Rep. Salinas. \u201cAs these incidents become more common, the federal government must step up its efforts to protect our communities and mitigate the danger. FEMA\u2019s $6 million award to Oregon will help our state improve its ability to anticipate, prevent, and respond to future cybersecurity threats, and I\u2019m grateful to the Biden Administration for doing its part to crack down on cybercrime.\u201d\n\n\u201cJust this year Curry County was victim to a ransomware attack. I\u2019m pleased that this funding will go toward helping local governments in Oregon protect against cyber attacks, particularly in our rural and coastal communities,\u201d said Hoyle. \u201cWe need to be reinvesting in our local communities to protect Oregonians\u2019 privacy and ensure that important services are not sabotaged.\u201d\n\nState and local governments are facing increasingly sophisticated threats to their critical infrastructure and public safety. These funds protect communities across the nation from these persistent threats by helping governments build the skills, knowledge, and capabilities to manage cyber risk. The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program was created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It provides $1 billion in funding to program partners over four years to assist with managing and reducing systemic cyber risk.\n\nA web version of this release is here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:30:18Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/representative-salinas-senators-wyden-and-merkley-announce-300000-grant", "Representative Salinas, Senators Wyden and Merkley Announce $300,000 Grant to Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde to Combat Opioid Epidemic", "2023-08-15", "2023", "2023-08", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (D-Tigard) and U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $300,000 to the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde for opioid overdose response. These funds are part of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), an initiative aimed at reducing substance use disorder fatalities in high-risk rural communities.\n\n\u201cAs the federal government works to combat the spread of opioids, it cannot afford to overlook rural and tribal communities,\u201d said Representative Salinas. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m glad the Department of Health and Human Services will award $300,000 to the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde for opioid overdose response programs. Indigenous communities face significant obstacles to substance use disorder care, and these funds will help break down barriers to ensure our most at-risk communities get the help they urgently need.\u201d\n\n\u201cOregonians in every nook and cranny of the state have had their lives torn apart by the opioid crisis, and that includes members of the tribes that have inhabited this land since time immemorial,\u201d said Senator Wyden. \u201cI\u2019m gratified to see these funds go to help the Grand Ronde people prevent and respond to opioid overdoses, but this scourge demands a comprehensive response and this federal investment in prevention, treatment and more will help. I\u2019ll keep battling to provide all the resources needed to address this crisis with the urgency it requires.\u201d\n\n\u201cAcross our state, I\u2019ve heard heart-wrenching stories from Oregonians who have lost loved ones and lacked the support needed to prevent overdoses,\u201d said Senator Merkley. \u201cThis critical funding will help the Grand Ronde community with the resources they need to combat this crisis. This is just the start of what Oregonians need to eventually end the opioid crisis.\u201d\n\nAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of drug overdose deaths nationwide has quintupled since 1999. Between 2019 and 2020, opioid-involved death rates increased by 38% and synthetic opioid-involved death rates increased by 56%. In 2021, Oregon saw 779 opioid overdose deaths, which accounted for 67% of all drug overdose deaths in the state.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:30:18Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/wyden-merkley-bonamici-hoyle-press-feds-provide-more-opportunities-oregon", "Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Hoyle Press Feds to Provide More Opportunities for Oregon Coast to Weigh in on Draft Wind Energy Areas", "2023-08-11", "2023", "2023-08", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley along with U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Val Hoyle said today they are urging federal officials -- if draft wind energy areas for the Oregon Coast are released -- to schedule three public meetings on the Coast for public review, and also to double the comment period from 30 days to 60 days.\n\nThe letter with those requests from the four Oregon lawmakers to Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Elizabeth Klein comes in response to concerns from coastal communities, the fishing industry and Tribes that their voices have been left out of the process to develop wind energy areas along the South Coast.\n\n\u201cDeploying clean energy is imperative to move our country forward and meet our climate goals, but it\u2019s also important to have robust community engagement throughout the entire process to ensure any project is done responsibly,\u201d wrote Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici and Hoyle. \u201cIn order to facilitate meaningful engagement, we ask that you specifically plan and facilitate in-person meetings in communities that would be impacted by the development of wind energy off of Oregon\u2019s South Coast if you move forward with the leasing process.\u201d\n\nMembers of the Oregon delegation wrote the agency in June 2022 with their concerns that Tribes, coastal communities, and fishing communities had been left out of the initial planning process \u2013 and reiterated those same concerns last month.\n\n\u201cWhile your response letter in July of 2023 explained a number of efforts BOEM is working on to engage and inform the public, we remain concerned the process is not adequately engaging all voices in the planning process,\u201d they wrote. \u201cIt is critical that BOEM develops a deep appreciation of all community interests and fully studies every opportunity to reduce conflict with all ocean users before making substantial development decisions.\u201d\n\n\u201cFollowing the release of the draft wind energy areas, we urge you to proactively solicit input on the draft plan during the formal comment period and answer questions in a timely fashion to allow for informed comments,\u201d the Oregon lawmakers wrote. \u201cWe also request that you extend the comment period to 60 days. We request that you set up three public, in-person meetings in Oregon coastal communities to hear directly from them.\n\nThe entire letter is here.\n\nA web version of this release is here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:30:18Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-schrier-introduce-legislation-upgrade-food-bank-infrastructure", "Bonamici, Schrier Introduce Legislation to Upgrade Food Bank Infrastructure", "2023-08-09", "2023", "2023-08", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [8/9/23] \u2013 Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA) introduced a bill to address infrastructure needs for food banks and other emergency food organizations that serve vulnerable Americans.\n\nThe Supporting Transportation Organization and Refrigeration Expansion (STORE) Act would improve The Emergency Food Assistance Program\u2019s (TEFAP) Infrastructure Grant program to better support food banks, soup kitchens, and food pantries serving rural communities. It would also provide additional resources for infrastructure and outreach to underserved communities, including low-income and Tribal communities.\n\n\u201cWe provided resources for food bank infrastructure and outreach capacity in the American Rescue Plan, but food banks across Oregon and the country still have unmet capital improvement needs,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cIn my conversations with food banks across NW Oregon, I\u2019ve heard about the need to upgrade refrigerators and freezers to add cold storage capacity that would allow for food banks to distribute more fresh and healthy produce while reducing waste. I\u2019m introducing the STORE Act with my colleague, Congresswoman Schrier, to help food banks better serve our communities and address food insecurity.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to join Rep. Bonamici in the introduction of the STORE Act to strengthen the infrastructure support for food banks in Central Washington and beyond,\u201d said Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. \u201cThis bill works in tandem with The Expanding Access to (EAT) Healthy Foods from Local Farmers Act we introduced earlier this year, seeking to improve TEFAP and put more emphasis on procuring produce from local farmers. This bill compliments TEFAP by funding refrigeration and transportation of fresh and frozen foods. If enacted, this bill will be a huge win for our communities battle against food insecurity and a win for our farmers.\u201d\n\nThe legislation is supported by Feeding America and MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger.\n\n\"The Emergency Food Assistance Program, or TEFAP, moves nutritious food from U.S. farms to local food banks to families facing hunger,\u201d said Vince Hall, Chief Government Relations Officer at Feeding America. \u201cBut food banks are often left to fill the gap in funding for the hefty costs of storing and distributing these foods. In fiscal year 2022, the funds provided by Congress covered, on average, only 34% of the total projected cost for Feeding America food banks to store and distribute TEFAP foods. The STORE Act, introduced by Reps. Bonamici and Schrier, would help food banks offset the rising costs of refrigeration and fuel to distribute food throughout their local communities, especially rural and under-resourced communities. Strengthening TEFAP is a win-win for people experiencing food insecurity, food banks and farmers. We urge Congress to help ensure food banks have the infrastructure and resources they need by including this important legislation in the final 2023 Farm Bill.\"\n\nTEFAP provides direct support to emergency food organizations, including federally purchased foods and administrative funding. Within TEFAP, the Emergency Food Program Infrastructure Grants program is intended to bolster the capacity of food banks located in underserved communities, primarily rural areas, to serve those who most need access to food. Despite this serious need for assistance, TEFAP Emergency Food Program Infrastructure Grants have not been fully funded for several years.\n\nTo combat hunger and address overdue infrastructure needs, the STORE Act would:\n\nUpdate the TEFAP Infrastructure Grants program through Fiscal Year 2028 and increase annual funding by $10 million;\n\nInclude mobile and home delivery options and assessments of outreach activities as allowable activities;\n\nAlign the structure of the TEFAP Infrastructure Grants program with the TEFAP Reach and Resiliency Initiative by distributing funds through state TEFAP agencies;\n\nDirect USDA to issue a report on cold storage needs for all emergency food organizations nationally; and,\n\nProvide that Tribal, remote, and low-income communities get preference in distributing this funding.\n\nA summary of the bill can be found here, and the bill text is available here.\n\nAs a member of the Congressional Hunger Caucus, Congresswoman Bonamici has long supported evidence-based solutions to end hunger, expand access to nutritious foods, and bolster our nation\u2019s food system. Bonamici and Schrier also introduced the Expanding Access to (EAT) Healthy Foods from Local Farmers Act, which would provide additional funding and flexibility for the TEFAP Farm to Food Bank program. Food banks are on the frontline in the fight to end hunger, but often lack the funding to make significant infrastructure upgrades. Fully funding TEFAP, which supports local food banks, is one of the recommendations in the report Congresswoman Bonamici submitted to the 2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:30:18Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-smith-beatty-introduce-legislation-expand-service-coordinator", "Bonamici, Smith, Beatty Introduce Legislation to Expand Service Coordinator Workforce and Strengthen Federally Assisted Housing", "2023-08-09", "2023", "2023-08", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Adam Smith (D-Wash.), and Representatives Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) today issued the following statement after introducing the Expanding Service Coordinators Act. This legislation would increase funding for and make reforms to service coordinator programs to expand the national service coordinator workforce, which is currently strained. Service coordinators connect individuals and families living in federally assisted housing with a wide range of social services, including health care, meals, transportation, job training, and education.\n\n\u201cService coordinators help older adults, adults with disabilities, and families in federally subsidized housing navigate everyday challenges and reach long-term stability,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cIncreasing the role of service coordinators can improve quality of life, address isolation, and help the most vulnerable stay housed. I\u2019m pleased to introduce the Expanding Service Coordinators Act with Reps. Smith and Beatty to make more service coordinators available and provide them with the support they need to be successful.\u201d\n\n\u201cFederally assisted housing offers individuals and families permanent and supportive housing and supportive services they need to lead stable and productive lives. Service coordinators are essential to these programs, but unfortunately, federal programs that employ service coordinators are severely underfunded. The legislation I\u2019m introducing today would increase federal funding for service coordinator programs and make important reforms to these programs to improve the capacity and retention of service coordinators,\u201d said Rep. Adam Smith. \u201cThere are many incredible organizations in Washington\u2019s Ninth and across the country providing crucial social services, and service coordinators help people navigate this system. The Expanding Service Coordinators Act is a significant step towards ensuring we have the service coordinator workforce we need for residents of federally assisted housing to thrive.\u201d\n\n\u201cInvesting in service coordinator programs will ensure that older adults and those living with disabilities in my district and across the country have access to pivotal services that for too long have gone overlooked and underfunded,\u201d said Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. \u201cI\u2019m proud to partner on this essential bill, the Expanding Services Coordinators Act, with my colleagues Reps. Smith and Bonamici to increase the funding needed to adequately support service coordinator programs, which will ultimately improve housing stability and prevent residents from falling into homelessness.\u201d\n\nThe Expanding Service Coordinators Act is endorsed by American Association of Service Coordinators, LeadingAge, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, King County Housing Authority, Seattle Housing Authority, Tacoma Housing Authority, Public Housing Authority Directors Association, B\u2019nai B\u2019rith, Compass Housing Alliance, CSI Support & Development, Life Steps, Local Initiatives Support Coalition, New England Resident Service Coordinators Inc., Wesley Housing Corp., Massachusetts Association of Resident Service Coordinators in Housing, HumanGood, Sage Advocacy and Services for LGBTQ+ Elders, United Church Homes, Volunteers of America National Services, MJ Housing Services, National Church Residences, National Centers for Assisted Living, New Hampshire Association of Professional Service Coordinators, Embrace Living Communities, WinnCompanies, National Affordable Housing Managers Association, USAging.\n\nStatements of Support for the Expanding Service Coordinators Act\n\n\u201cThis historic federal funding bill prioritizes the needs of older adults, empowers families with the resources they need to become self-sufficient, and grows supportive affordable housing across the country \u2013 in short, it is everything that a bill from Congress should strive to do. Service Coordinators are essential to the health and safety of older adults by connecting them with vital resources and allowing them to age in their own communities. They provide families the tools they need to become and remain self-sufficient, reducing other costly taxpayer-funded programs. Finally, Service Coordinators are a crucial part of solving our nation\u2019s affordable housing crisis \u2013 by helping break down the barriers so many face while trying to access the necessary services and supports that keep them healthy, happy, and housed. With this legislation, and the continued leadership of Representative Smith, we are one step closer to changing the narrative and making a substantial difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country.\u201d \u2013 Michelle Missler, President & CEO, American Association of Service Coordinators\n\n\u201cService coordinators are the linchpin connecting low-income older residents living in federally assisted housing to such critical services as transportation and physician appointments. The work they do helps to reduce older adults' need for emergency room visits, longer stays in the hospital or transfers to higher levels of care. Mission-driven affordable senior housing providers, including thousands of LeadingAge members, are eager to hire more service coordinators. The Expanding Service Coordinators Act would help to achieve that goal by expanding the number of service coordinators in Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-assisted homes, creating the first pool of federal funding for service coordinators in Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) communities, and supporting service coordinator training and education. LeadingAge is grateful to Representative Smith for being a champion of service coordinators and recognizing their critical role in affordable housing communities.\u201d \u2013 Katie Smith Sloan, President and CEO, LeadingAge\n\n\u201cI applaud Congressman Smith for introducing this critical legislation, which recognizes the need to provide supportive and connecting services to people living in federally assisted housing. The extra support provided by a service coordinator can make all the difference for a family taking that next step toward economic independence, improved health, or maintained social wellbeing.\u201d \u2013 Robin Walls, Executive Director/CEO, King County Housing Authority\n\n\u201cThe Seattle Housing Authority appreciates Representative Smith introducing this legislation to increase funding for support service coordinators. We are continuing to see an increasing need for this type of service for our residents. We have first-hand experience that shows these types of partnerships, personal connections and culturally appropriate services make a difference in whether our residents struggle or thrive. We provide these services but resources fall far short of the need.\u201d \u2013 Rod Brandon, Executive Director, Seattle Housing Authority\n\n\u201cWe are happy to continue supporting the Congressman\u2019s efforts to increase and incentivize the supportive services needed to stably house households. Placing a high value on the critical work that Service Coordinators perform while supporting their education is an admirable step.\u201d \u2013 April Black, Executive Director, Tacoma Housing Authority\n\n\u201cNew England Resident Service Coordinators Inc. (NERSC) supports the Expanding Service Coordinator Act, as it would make critical investments and expansions to the Service Coordinator Program.\u201d \u2013 Jannel Satterwhite-Williamson, Board President, New England Resident Service Coordinators Inc.\n\n\u201cWe thank Representative Adam Smith for re-introducing this important legislation that will help support and better fund our nation\u2019s service coordinator programs. Service coordinators play a critical role in ensuring seniors and individuals with disabilities have access to affordable assisted living and other social services. At NCAL, increasing the availability of affordable assisted living is one of our main priorities. We look forward to working with Congress on advancing the Expanding Services Coordinators Act and streamlining access to quality care.\u201d \u2013 Christopher Donnellan, Senior Director, American Healthcare Association\n\n\u201cI write to express my support and that of Wesley Living for the Expanding Service Coordinator Act. Through my 25 plus years of affordable housing, I have found that the most beneficial program for our resident\u2019s welfare is the service coordinator program. Our service coordinators assist our residents in health care management, transportation, nutrition, smoking cessation, fitness, dementia support, fall prevention, and wellness as well as assisting residents in personal needs when necessary. Our service coordinators find outside organizations and volunteers who provide resources, money, time, and education which allow our seniors to age in place. There is a great return on investment for this program and the dollars that the government puts into the program are returned three-fold in savings on things like Medicare and Medicaid, and local funds expended on unnecessary ambulance and fire calls. Additionally, service coordinators prevent evictions which can be devastating to an elderly person and balloon operating costs for housing operators.\n\n\u201cOn the personal side, our service coordinators allow our residents to have a quality of life they otherwise would not experience. The programing that results in better health lifestyles provides for reduced falls, preventive health screening and timely treatment of disease before becoming debilitating. The program prevents large numbers of seniors from becoming prematurely institutionalized or in most cases, institutionalization at all. Service coordinators allow for the dignity of life our elderly residents deserve.\n\n\u201cSo, we strongly and enthusiastically recommend and support the passing of the Expanding Service Coordinator Act and appreciate Representative Smith\u2019s work to enhance this program.\u201d \u2013 Ron Budynas, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Wesley Housing Corporation\n\n\u201cAs an agency that provides Resident Services to over 100,000 individuals in more than 39,000 homes, LifeSTEPS supports expanding Service Coordinator legislation. Not only do Service Coordinators save millions by providing much needed housing stabilization services to those in poverty, they are a lifeline to saving billions in healthcare costs. Service coordination has proven that with proper support seniors can maintain their dignity and prevent premature placement in a Skilled Nursing Facility. Seniors want, need, and deserve to maintain their home and age in place.\u201d \u2013 Beth Southorn, Executive Director, LifeSTEPS\n\n\u201cOn behalf of The Massachusetts Association of Resident Service Coordinators in Housing (MARSCH) we strongly endorse your legislation to expand funding for Service Coordination.\u201d \u2013Donna L. Coyle, President, Massachusetts Association of Resident Service Coordinators\n\n\u201cOnce again, I am writing in support and to endorse the Expansion of the Service Coordinator Act. HumanGood began employing resident service coordinators in our affordable housing communities in the 1990\u2019s beginning with approximately 5 resident service coordinators. With our continued growth, we now employ 70+ resident service coordinators in almost all of our 100+ communities in California, Washington, Oregon and Pennsylvania. As an organization, we have come to know resident services as an invaluable component of property management. Our services team not only links our residents to supportive and medical services, but also provide case management to our most vulnerable population. The program has evolved in the last fifteen years where the demands of the health and well-being of our residents has grown substantially and we are striving to meet their needs so they can continue to age in place. Necessary training on entitlement programs, dementia, mental health conditions, adult protective services, hospitalization and nursing home admission, mitigating isolation are some of the required trainings that enable our service coordinators to be equipped to empower residents to live independently and increase self-sufficiency. Resident services provides a positive financial impact by reducing turnovers, evictions, property damage and helps address compliance issues. We continue to find creative ways to expand our partnerships with county providers, educational institutions, health care providers to allow us to develop new approaches and resources to address our residents\u2019 needs.\u201d \u2013 Linda Coleman, VP of Resident Services, HumanGood\n\n\u201cI am the President of MJ Housing & Services, an Affordable Housing company that services over 20K seniors and families in 16 states. We are fully endorsing this bill which is scheduled to be reintroduced next week. This additional funding will help aid in the independence of such a vulnerable population. Seniors, in particular, are living longer and yet our systems are not growing equally to sustain their needed services. It is with enthusiasm that on behalf of MJ Housing & Services that I offer our endorsement. Thank you for leading the charge in the much-needed area.\u201d \u2013 Charles A. Brown, President, MJ Housing Services\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the New Hampshire Association of Professional Service Coordinators, I am writing to inform you our Association\u2019s support and endorsement of the Expanding Service Coordinators Act.\u201d \u2013 Karen Graveline, President, New Hampshire Association of Professional Service Coordinators\n\n\u201cOn behalf of Embrace Living Communities, we fully support the Expanding Service Coordinators Act. Embrace Living Communities is an owner/manager of 30 affordable housing properties in Illinois, Missouri and Florida which serve 2,500 older adults and persons with disabilities. We are fortunate to have at least one service coordinator in assisting residents within our communities - however, it is not nearly enough. Service coordinators are needed in more areas to assist vulnerable populations and expanding this opportunity is desperately needed.\u201d \u2013 Jennifer Truppa, Director of Social Services and Quality Assurance, Embrace Living Communities\n\nBackground\n\nThe Expanding Service Coordinators Act would make critical investments and reforms to service coordinator programs to aid those in federally assisted housing. Specifically, the bill would:\n\nAuthorize an additional $100 million each year for five years to the Multi-Family Housing Service Coordinator program.\n\nAuthorize a total $45 million each year for five years for the Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency service coordinator program.\n\nAuthorize a new $37 million grant program through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to award 150 grants to eligible properties to fund service coordinators.\n\nEstablish a training set aside to improve capacity and retention of service coordinators.\n\nExtend qualification for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to service coordinators.\n\nDirect GAO to report on the availability and work of service coordinators in rural areas.\n\nService Coordinators are a critical and underfunded resource in federally assisted housing. They help individuals navigate a complex network of social services that can make a difference in an individual\u2019s ability to thrive. It is crucial now more than ever to invest in this critical workforce.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:30:18Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-salinas-anniversary-chips-and-science-act", "Congresswoman Salinas on Anniversary of CHIPS and Science Act", "2023-08-09", "2023", "2023-08", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (D-Tigard) issued the following statement to mark the one-year anniversary of the CHIPS and Science Act becoming law:\n\n\u201cOne year ago, President Biden signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act into law and, with the stroke of a pen, helped America take a massive step into the future. This landmark legislation championed by Democrats in the 117th Congress made historic investments in the world\u2019s most cutting-edge, lucrative industries \u2013 and its wide-reaching benefits are already echoing across our state. From Intel to Analog Devices, Oregon is experiencing a semiconductor revolution as our most productive manufacturing sector continues to enjoy exponential growth. Even before the CHIPS and Science Act, semiconductor manufacturing was Oregon\u2019s top manufacturing sector in terms of employment, exports, and contribution to our state\u2019s gross domestic product. Now, thanks in part to sweeping federal investments, our state is well-positioned to maintain dominance in this vitally important and profitable industry. I look forward to working with federal, state, and local partners to ensure Oregon reaps the benefits of the transformative CHIPS and Science Act. It\u2019s in every Oregonian\u2019s best interest to cement our status as a hub of innovation and progress for generations to come.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:30:18Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-fitzpatrick-introduce-bipartisan-bill-increase-access-recovery", "Bonamici, Fitzpatrick Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Access to Recovery Housing", "2023-08-08", "2023", "2023-08", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [8/8/23] \u2013Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced bipartisan legislation to expand access to transitional housing for individuals in recovery from a substance use disorder or mental health crisis.\n\nThe Supporting Transition And Recovery Through (START) Housing Act strengthens and expands the Department of Housing and Urban Development\u2019s Recovery Housing Program (RHP) to all states. This important program, which funds transitional drug or alcohol-free housing with peer support for people in recovery, is currently limited to 24 states and the District of Columbia.\n\n\u201cStable housing plays an essential role in recovering from substance use disorders, but there are too many barriers that put people in recovery at risk of homelessness,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cIncreasing access to recovery housing will make a difference to people in recovery and to our communities. I\u2019m grateful to work with my colleague Rep. Fitzpatrick to introduce the bipartisan START Housing Act to make the successful Recovery Housing Program available to people in Oregon and across the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cTo encourage the chance of recovery from substance use disorders, individuals facing these mental health challenges must have access to safe and affordable housing,\u201d said Congressman Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force. \u201cOur bipartisan Supporting Transition And Recovery Through (START) Housing Act reauthorizes critical funding for the Recovery Housing Program (RHP), further expanding access to housing for Americans in recovery from substance use disorders, and I am grateful for Congresswoman Bonamici\u2019s partnership on this important mental health issue.\u201d\n\nThe legislation is supported by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Council for Mental Wellbeing, National Alliance to End Homelessness, and Bipartisan Policy Center Action.\n\n\u201cToo often, individuals in substance use recovery experience housing insecurity. The Recovery Housing Program is a crucial program assisting people in recovery to help them receive secure, stable transitional housing. Rep. Bonamici and Fitzpatrick\u2019s START Housing Act will reauthorize and strengthen this crucial program,\u201d said Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). \u201cNAMI is proud to support this important legislation that will support people in their recovery.\u201d\n\n\u201cHealth and housing are intimately linked and we know that stable housing improves outcomes for people in recovery. Expanding the Recovery Housing Program to more states like Oregon will serve as a catalyst for improving health outcomes,\u201d said Andrea Bell, Director of Oregon Housing and Community Services. \u201cWe fully applaud Congresswoman Bonamici for championing this important legislation to address this urgent need and we will continue to be relentless in advocating for all Oregonians to have a stable, safe and welcoming place to call home.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Recovery Housing Program, initially enacted as part of the SUPPORT Act of 2018, has proven invaluable in fostering a safe and healthy living environment for individuals on the path to recovery from substance use disorders,\u201d said Michele Stockwell, Executive Director of BPC Action. \u201cBPC Action commends the efforts of Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) in introducing the START Housing Act, which would reauthorize and build upon the Recovery Housing Program. By extending the program's reach to encompass more states and incorporating provisions to address the needs of chronically unsheltered individuals, the START Housing Act is poised to amplify the program's achievements and disrupt challenges of addiction recovery for many Americans. The START Housing Act also echoes the position of BPC\u2019s J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy, that bipartisan policies are needed to ensure that homelessness in the United States is a rare, brief, and one-time occurrence; and BPC\u2019s Health Program\u2019s position to further expand access to addiction treatment and recovery.\u201d\n\nA summary of the legislation can be found here, and the full text of the legislation can be found here.\n\nBonamici is a Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:30:18Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-kaine-smith-warren-jacobs-lead-bicameral-call-avert-child-care", "Bonamici, Kaine, Smith, Warren, Jacobs Lead Bicameral Call to Avert Child Care Funding Cliff", "2023-08-01", "2023", "2023-08", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON DC [08/1/23] \u2013 Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Sara Jacobs (D-CA), along with Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) called on President Joe Biden to support efforts to provide needed funding to prevent a national wave of child care closures.\n\nCongress secured historic funding through the American Rescue Plan Act to stabilize child care amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but that relief funding is set to end at this September. In a recent report, The Century Foundation (TCF) estimates that more than 70,000 child care programs will likely close when the Child Care Stabilization Funds and other child care relief funding expires.\n\n\u201cWe urge you to join us in supporting an investment of $16 billion a year by any and all means possible \u2013 including supporting Congress in efforts to extend the Child Care Stabilization grants passed in ARPA\u2013 and through emergency funding for child care in any supplemental appropriations package put forth by the Administration,\u201d the Members wrote.\n\nThe Members noted that the child care system was already in crisis before the pandemic, and that it has been one of the slowest sectors to recover from the pandemic with wages remaining unacceptably low for the child care workforce.\n\n\u201cThe broken child care market has resulted in an impossible tension between families, workers, and providers: child care providers cannot afford to run their businesses or pay adequate wages to their staff using revenue from parents alone, while child care costs are unaffordable and unsustainable for working families,\u201d the Members wrote. \u201c\u2026The impending fiscal cliff will be devastating to child care programs, children and their families, the child care workforce, and the nation\u2019s economy.\u201d\n\nThe letter is supported by National Women\u2019s Law Center, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), Child Care for Every Family Network, Community Change Action, Family Values at Work, Caring Across Generations, First Focus Campaign for Children, Oxfam America, MomsRising, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), and ZERO TO THREE.\n\n\u201cWithout an immediate investment of at least $16 billion, early educators across the country will be forced to close their doors or raise their rates, which will leave millions of children and their families without the care that they need,\" said Whitney Pesek, Director of Federal Child Care Policy for the National Women\u2019s Law Center. \"We are grateful for Senators Kaine, Smith, and Warren, as well as Representatives Bonamici and Jacobs, for their leadership in helping to prevent this looming child care crisis, and we join them in urging President Biden to support this critical funding that will provide a much-needed lifeline to the child care industry.\"\n\nThe full text of the House letter can be found here, and Senate letter can be found here.\n\nIn addition to Bonamici and Jacobs the House letter is signed by Representatives Alma Adams, Colin Allred, Becca Balint, Nanette Barrag\u00e1n, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Jamaal Bowman, Shontel Brown, Julia Brownley, Nikki Budzinski, Cori Bush, Yadira Caraveo, Salud Carbajal, Andr\u00e9 Carson, Troy Carter, Greg Casar, Sean Casten, Joaquin Castro, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Judy Chu, Yvette Clarke, Angie Craig, Jasmine Crockett, Jason Crow, Henry Cuellar, Danny Davis, Donald Davis, Madeleine Dean, Chris DeLuzio, Mark DeSaulnier, Debbie Dingell, Lloyd Doggett, Veronica Escobar, Anna Eshoo, Dwight Evans, Lois Frankel, Sylvia Garcia, Jimmy Gomez, Josh Gottheimer, Ra\u00fal Grijalva, Jahana Hayes, Jim Himes, Val Hoyle, Sheila Jackson Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Henry \"Hank\" Johnson, Syndey Kamlager-Dove, Bill Keating, Robin Kelly, Andy Kim, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Annie Kuster, Rick Larsen, Barbara Lee, Teresa Leger Fernandez, Mike Levin, Ted Lieu, Zoe Lofgren, Stephen Lynch, Seth Magaziner, Kathy Manning, Lucy McBath, Jennifer McClellan, Betty McCollum, Morgan McGarvey, James P. McGovern, Robert Menendez, Grace Meng, Gwen Moore, Seth Moulton, Kevin Mullin, Jerrold Nadler, Grace Napolitano, Joe Neguse, Donald Norcross, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Donald Payne Jr., Scott Peters, Brittany Pettersen, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Katie Porter, Ayanna Pressely, Delia Ramirez, Jamie Raskin, Deborah Ross, Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Andrea Salinas, Linda S\u00e1nchez, John Sarbanes, Mary Gay Scanlon, Jan Schakowsky, Adam Schiff, Hillary Scholten, Terri Sewell, Mikie Sherrill, Elissa Slotkin, Melanie Stansbury, Hayley Stevens, Marilyn Strickland, Mark Takano, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Norma Torres, Ritchie Torres, Lori Trahan, David Trone, Juan Vargas, Marc Veasey, Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Jennifer Wexton, Susan Wild, and Nikema Williams.\n\nIn addition to Kaine, Smith, and Warren, the letter was signed by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:30:18Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/amid-historic-heat-sens-markey-padilla-sinema-and-reps-bonamici-strickland", "Amid Historic Heat, Sens. Markey, Padilla, Sinema and Reps. Bonamici, Strickland, Gallego Announce Legislation to Direct $100 Million to Combat Health Risks of Extreme Heat", "2023-07-28", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington (July 28, 2023) \u2013 Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety, Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and Ruben Gallego (AZ-03) today reintroduced the Preventing Health Emergencies And Temperature-related (HEAT) Illness and Deaths Act to address the rising health risks of extreme heat. The announcement follows Earth\u2019s hottest day on record, the predicted hottest day in the past 125,000 years, and new national and local responses to extreme heat.\n\nAs climate change continues to worsen, extreme heat events in the United States are becoming more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe. Earlier this month, nearly one in three Americans were under an extreme heat advisory or warning. Prolonged exposure to this kind of heat can have dangerous consequences for human health, including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and even death. The Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act would improve and expand interagency efforts, provide $100 million in financial assistance for community projects to reduce exposure to extreme heat, and issue recommendations for federal action on heat-health issues.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s no coincidence that we\u2019ve seen back-to-back record-breaking heat this summer\u2014it\u2019s the climate crisis announcing it\u2019s at our doorstep. We need to take bold and aggressive action to combat the climate crisis, but we also need to act fast to protect Americans from the health risks of extreme heat that we are experiencing right now,\u201d said Senator Markey. \u201cMy legislation would direct $100 million in federal funding to help local communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis stave off the worst outcomes of heat-related illness. As unprecedented waves of sweltering heat persist, I will keep calling on my colleagues in Congress to pass the Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act and create a national response to save lives.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs Americans continue to face extreme, record-breaking heat waves, we must do everything in our power to prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths,\u201d said Senator Padilla. \u201cThis legislation will address the rising health risks of extreme heat by providing critical funding for community projects and enhancing interagency coordination so we can ensure our communities are prepared and protected \u2013 particularly low-income communities and communities of color who are bearing the brunt of this escalating crisis.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re protecting Arizonans from heat-related illnesses and deaths as our communities face dangerous heat,\u201d said Senator Sinema.\n\n\u201cHeat-related deaths are preventable, tragic, and too common,\u201d said Representative Bonamici. \u201cJuly is on track to be the hottest month ever recorded. Many states are seeing record temperatures, and the Pacific Northwest is experiencing unseasonably warm weather and bracing for the possibility of another deadly heat dome. We can save lives, and we must do so quickly. The Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act would strengthen interagency response efforts to address extreme heat and protect Oregonians and Americans, especially workers, seniors, and marginalized groups who are at the greatest risk from these heat emergencies.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs we learned from the 2021 Heat Domes, we must actively pursue short-term solutions to save lives during heat waves, in conjunction with long-term steps towards saving our planet,\u201d said Representative Strickland. \u201cThe Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act will address the dangers of extreme summer temperatures on human health and equip communities with the ability to combat the heat-health crisis.\u201d\n\n\u201cArizonans are used to the heat, but this summer\u2019s rising temperatures underscore the pressing need to assist our communities in reducing heat-related emergencies,\u201d said Representative Gallego. \u201cCombatting extreme heat remains one of my top priorities, and that\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to co-lead the Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act. This bill builds on my continued efforts to keep Arizonans cool and safe.\u201d\n\nA copy of the legislation can be found HERE.\n\nSpecifically, the Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act would:\n\nCreate the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Interagency Committee to enhance interagency efforts to address extreme heat;\n\nFormalize and expand the existing NIHHIS within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which was initiated under President Barack Obama;\n\nCommission a National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine study on federal action on heat-health issues and response; and,\n\nEstablish and authorize a $100 million financial assistance program to provide federal funding to community projects that reduce the health impact of extreme heat events, prioritizing projects in historically disadvantaged communities, communities with significant heat disparities associated with race or income, and communities with large gaps in heat preparedness.\n\nExtreme heat poses more serious health impacts in low-income communities, communities of color, and Tribal communities. In urban areas, residents are particularly vulnerable due to the \u201curban heat island\u201d phenomenon, which can cause some neighborhoods in cities to be more than 20\u00b0F warmer than the surrounding area. These communities have less tree coverage and more pavement, in part due to historic practices of redlining, which lead to higher temperatures. Residents of these communities may also lack access to air conditioning, health care, and other tools to mitigate extreme heat, increasing the risks of heat-related illness.\n\nCosponsors in the Senate include Senators Rob Wyden (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).\n\nCosponsors in the House include Representatives Nanette Barragan (CA-44), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Bonnie, Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Alma Adams (NC-12), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Dina Titus (NV-01), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Doris Matsui (CA-07), and Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Mike Levin (CA-49), Tony C\u00e1rdenas (CA-29).\n\nThe Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act is endorsed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), League of Conservation Voters (LCV), American Public Health Association, Public Health Institute, American Academy of Pediatrics, Adrienne Arsht -Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, Climate Psychiatry Alliance, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action.\n\n\"This brutal summer makes clear that we need to do much more to protect communities and workers from crushing heatwaves. This legislation would help build just that by strengthening coordination across the federal government and unlocking assistance for communities that need it most. It will be a critical tool for protecting lives and livelihoods from preventable harm, in a world that is only getting hotter,\" said Juanita Constible, Senior Climate and Health Advocate at Natural Resources Defense Council.\n\n\u201cThe extreme heat the world is suffering right now is an all-of-society problem that requires an all-of-government response. That is why we are pleased to support Senator Markey\u2019s HEAT bill. It will create an interagency taskforce to devise a comprehensive plan and provide the funding to implement it. Ultimately it will help protect the most vulnerable people and reduce preventable deaths. Thank you, Senator Markey for your leadership \u2013 we have no time to waste in taking action on heat,\u201d said Kathy Baughman McLeod, Executive Director of the Adrienne Arsht - Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center.\n\n\u201cGiven the severity and intensity of our heating planet, national legislation and policies that improve preparedness and response is essential to protect our communities. We urge rapid passage of this important legislation to be part of the solution to managing the changing world we are facing,\u201d said Robin Cooper of the Climate Psychiatry Alliance.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-wyden-duarte-gluesenkamp-perez-introduce-bill-restore-forests-boost", "Salinas, Wyden, Duarte, Gluesenkamp Perez Introduce Bill to Restore Forests, Boost Rural Economies by Supporting Wood Product Innovation", "2023-07-28", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. House Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06), John Duarte (CA-13), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), along with U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), this week introduced bipartisan legislation that would improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk, sequester more carbon, and boost rural economies by supporting innovative timber products, such as mass timber. Representative Chellie Pingree (ME-01) is an original cosponsor of the legislation.\n\n\u201cAs Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee\u2019s Subcommittee on Forestry, I\u2019m proud to be introducing the bipartisan Timber Innovation for Building Rural Communities Act with my colleagues today,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cThis legislation would build on the 2018 Farm Bill\u2019s support for wood innovation and forest products, fostering rural prosperity by maximizing the economic and environmental benefits of working forests. Private working forests and the forest products sector are essential drivers of many American industries, and they bolster rural jobs and communities around the nation. This bill will ensure that working forests and the forests products sector have the tools needed to continue to drive market innovation, sustainably manage their lands, and create new jobs.\u201d\n\n\u201dOregon\u2019s cutting-edge leadership in wood products innovations strengthens rural economies by generating fresh job opportunities, all while paying for restoration work that\u2019s key to creating healthier, more fire-resistant forests statewide, and adding timely tools in the climate crisis battle,\u201d said Sen. Wyden. \u201cThe Timber Innovation for Building Rural Communities Act would build much-needed federal support for that triple crown of economic, firefighting and environmental goals. And I\u2019ll fight hard to get this legislation passed into law.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur country relies on our working forests. I am proud to have joined a bipartisan, bicameral coalition in introducing the Timber Innovation for Building Rural Communities Act,\u201d said Rep. Duarte. \u201cThis legislation makes it easier to track forest health, trains the next generation of engineers and architects, expands the Wood Innovation Grant program, and builds rural infrastructure with American-grown wood products. By investing in our timber communities, we can both create jobs and properly manage our forests.\u201d\n\n\"Keeping the woods working for the next generation requires making sure we keep the timber industry thriving through innovation,\u201d said Gluesenkamp Perez. \"Our bipartisan bill makes critical investments in the workforce that use these novel wood innovations and the important programs that do the research to move the wood product economy forward.\"\n\nThe Timber Innovation For Building Rural Communities Act would:\n\nRequire the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in consultation with Tribes, State Foresters, and private sector partners, to establish a platform for measuring, monitoring, verifying and reporting data about the carbon impacts from forest management and wood products.\n\nReduce the match requirement for the existing Wood Innovation Grant Program and direct that priority be given to proposed projects in communities with higher-than-average unemployment, that recognize or enhance carbon reduction strategies in building design, or report on the resilience and economic benefits of the proposal.\n\nEstablish the Wood Building Accelerator Grant Program to fund programs that support the critical elements of designing and building with wood, including traditional wood products, mass timber and other advanced wood products.\n\nEstablish the Rural Infrastructure and Building Pilot Program to fund pilot programs that demonstrate the use of innovative wood products in the construction and renovation of rural infrastructure and building projects, such as affordable, modular housing.\n\n\"We commend Senator Wyden for introducing the Timber Innovation for Building Rural Communities Act, a bill that will bolster our nation's private working forests and the rural communities that depend on them for clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and jobs,\u201d the National Alliance of Forest Owners said in a statement. \u201cThis bill provides comprehensive support to the climate-smart forest supply chain through enhancing forest and wood product data, new education grants to train the next generation of engineers and architects in wood and mass timber construction, the expansion of the Wood Innovation Grant program, and the piloting of American-grown wood products' integration into rural infrastructure. These provisions collectively advance climate action via market mechanisms and investments in rural communities. We eagerly anticipate collaborating with Senator Wyden and the entire Senate to pass this essential legislation.\"\n\n\"Sustainable Northwest commends Senator Wyden and Representatives Salinas, Duarte, and Gluesenkamp Perez for introduction of the Timber Innovation for Building Rural Communities Act,\u201d said Dylan Kruse, Vice President, Sustainable Northwest. \u201cThis legislation will provide essential resources and data supporting the diverse benefits of building with wood, spur innovation to restore forest health, and foster the next generation of green building professionals. We thank Senator Wyden for his continued leadership and vision to provide environmental and economic benefits to rural communities in Oregon and across the country.\"\n\n\u201cThe Timber Innovation for Building Rural Communities Act builds upon the significant achievements in the 2018 Farm Bill, and further promotes the development of advanced wood products, tall mass timber buildings, and more,\u201d said Jackson Morrill, CEO, American Wood Council. \u201cWood products are 50% carbon by weight, and increasing the use of these products can reduce the climate impacts of our built environment, all while supporting jobs across rural America. This legislation, if enacted, would continue to build on the successes of the Wood Innovations Grant Program, train the next generation of architects and engineers in the use of advanced wood products, and help address the affordable housing crisis in the rural communities that manufacture sustainable wood products.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Forest Resources Association (FRA) strongly supports the introduction of this important legislation,\u201d said Tim O\u2019Hara, Vice President, Government Affairs, FRA. \u201cIncluded in the bill is funding for the Wood Innovation Grant (WIG) program that has proven to be a catalyst for meaningful investment in rural communities around the country that are increasingly reliant on the good paying jobs that the forest products sector creates. We applaud Senator Wyden for his effort and his ongoing leadership in helping sustain these jobs and the working forests that are the lifeblood for these operations.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe National Wooden Pallet & Container Association is proud to support the Timber Innovation for Building Rural Communities Act, which supports critical research and innovation to advance wood products' uniquely positive environmental qualities,\u201d said Jason Ortega, VP of Public Affairs, National Wooden Pallet & Container Association. \u201cThis legislation builds upon our work with the Forest Products Lab to produce the first Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) in the distribution packaging space. Our EPD is third-party verified and provides verifiable data showing that wooden pallets can have a potential net carbon-positive impact. A tool like the MMRV platform will provide the public with transparent environmental impact data from a trusted source to help make informed decisions. We thank Senator Wyden for supporting the forestry and wood products sectors and the rural economies that depend on them.\u201d\n\nTo read the full text of this legislation, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-wyden-salinas-casten-introduce-legislation-improve-soil-health-crop", "Bonamici, Wyden, Salinas, Casten Introduce Legislation to Improve Soil Health, Crop Resilience and Address the Climate Crisis", "2023-07-27", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., Andrea Salinas, D-Ore., and Sean Casten, D-Ill., and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore. today introduced legislation to help address the climate crisis by encouraging farming practices that improve soil health and crop resilience and lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere \u2013 with a strong focus on supporting the nation's small, rural and underserved farmers in this transition.\n\n\u201cFarmers rely on healthy soil to grow crops and feed our communities,\u201d said Bonamici. \u201cEncouraging agricultural methods that absorb carbon in soil will not only increase soil health and crop resilience, but also reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. I am glad to join my colleagues to support our farmers by increasing access to proven strategies that promote healthy soil. Building on the success of this program from the 2018 Farm Bill is increasingly important as we face more extreme weather and a changing climate, and has the benefit of incorporating sustainable farming practices that reduce carbon.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s farmers are essential to the economy, and in the climate fight. Right now, farmers in Oregon and around the country are on the frontlines innovating new soil health practices to capture carbon and improve crop outcomes \u2013 adding up to a healthier climate and a boost to rural communities,\u201d said Wyden. \u201cMaking these investments is a win for our farmers and a win for our planet.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhether you\u2019re a blueberry farmer in Oregon or a cattle rancher in Nebraska, healthy soils are essential to your success,\u201d said Salinas. \u201cUnfortunately, the climate crisis is fueling extreme weather that threatens the soil quality of farmers\u2019 working lands and, by extension, their farms\u2019 viability. Farmers across the U.S. are well-aware of this worrying trend, and many of them are eager to adopt innovative soil health practices to bolster their land\u2019s resiliency and reduce carbon emissions. The Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act will reward farmers already implementing meaningful soil health practices and encourage new adopters by expanding existing incentives that are proven to promote on-farm resilience. Advancing soil health will safeguard not only the viability of individual farms, but the long-term future of our food system and our planet.\u201d\n\n\u201cSupporting our farmers in building strong and healthy soil across the United States will safeguard our food and agricultural system against the climate crisis by bolstering land resiliency, reducing erosion, and maintaining vital nutrients,\u201d said Casten. \u201cI\u2019m proud to join Senator Wyden, Rep. Salinas, and Rep. Bonamici in introducing the Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act to both improve soil health and lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere at the same time.\u201d\n\nThe Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act \u2013 which Wyden first introduced in 2021 \u2013 builds on a 2018 Farm Bill provision authored by Wyden and creates a permanent soil health program through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program would provide funding to producers who adopt practices designed to improve soil health through increasing carbon levels in soil, prioritizing funding for underserved farmers. By promoting farming practices that capture carbon in soil, producers will improve soil health and crop resilience, while lowering the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.\n\nThe bill establishes protocols for measuring soil organic carbon levels before and after these practices begin in order to determine which farming practices store the most carbon. This is critical because there is a significant need for more science and data to determine which conservation methods are most effective at storing carbon in the soil to improve soil health.\n\nThe bill would also provide funding to expand the On-Farm Trials for soil health through EQIP\u2019s Conservation Innovation Grants. These projects support widespread adoption and evaluation of practices that producers can implement to improve soil health.\n\nThe Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act will also establish a Soil Health and Carbon Science Research Program at Agriculture Research Stations that would provide grants to land-grant colleges and universities to conduct research relating to soil health and carbon science and conduct research relating to soil health and carbon science at Agriculture Research Stations of the Department of Agriculture.\n\nBill text can be found here.\n\n\"Improving our soils through healthy, organic farming practices is a complex, multi-year effort that yields significant ongoing rewards to our annual food production,\u201d Willamette Valley, Oregon, farmer, and Managing Partner of Farmland LP, Craig Wichner. By providing access to research, technical experts, and financial support to explore new practices, the Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act reduces risks and benefits farmers, consumers, and our state agriculture research institutions.\"\n\n\u201cWe want to thank Senator Wyden and Representatives Salinas, Bonamici, and Casten for championing the Healthy Soils, Healthy Climate bill,\u201d said Nicole Lederer, Chair and Co-founder of E2. \u201cThis bill promotes innovation, cutting-edge research on carbon and soil health and greater economic resilience for farmers. It is a win for rural America and for our economy and environment more broadly.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Healthy Soils Healthy Climate bill supports game-changing soil health practices that are turning working farms into in-field laboratories of the future,\u201d said Matthew Kaplan, Deputy Director, Federal Affairs Water and Agriculture. \u201cHealthy Soils Healthy Climate will help farmers innovate toward climate resilience. Representatives Salinas, Bonamici and Casten and Senator Wyden have shown important leadership as Congress writes the 2023 Farm Bill. \u201c\n\nClick herefor additional statements in support of the Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-wyden-bonamici-casten-introduce-legislation-improve-soil-health-crop", "Salinas, Wyden, Bonamici, Casten Introduce Legislation to Improve Soil Health, Crop Resilience and Address the Climate Crisis", "2023-07-27", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. House Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and Sean Casten (IL-06), along with U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), introduced legislation to help address the climate crisis by encouraging farming practices that improve soil health and crop resilience and lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere \u2013 with a strong focus on supporting the nation's small, rural and underserved farmers in this transition.\n\n\u201cWhether you\u2019re a blueberry farmer in Oregon or a cattle rancher in Nebraska, healthy soils are essential to your success,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cUnfortunately, the climate crisis is fueling extreme weather that threatens the soil quality of farmers\u2019 working lands and, by extension, their farms\u2019 viability. Farmers across the U.S. are well-aware of this worrying trend, and many of them are eager to adopt innovative soil health practices to bolster their land\u2019s resiliency and reduce carbon emissions. The Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act will reward farmers already implementing meaningful soil health practices and encourage new adopters by expanding existing incentives that are proven to promote on-farm resilience. Advancing soil health will safeguard not only the viability of individual farms, but the long-term future of our food system and our planet.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s farmers are essential to the economy, and in the climate fight. Right now, farmers in Oregon and around the country are on the frontlines innovating new soil health practices to capture carbon and improve crop outcomes \u2013 adding up to a healthier climate and a boost to rural communities,\u201d said Sen. Wyden. \u201cMaking these investments is a win for our farmers and a win for our planet.\u201d\n\n\u201cFarmers rely on healthy soil to grow crops and feed our communities,\u201d said Rep. Bonamici. \u201cEncouraging agricultural methods that absorb carbon in soil will not only increase soil health and crop resilience, but also reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. I am glad to join my colleagues to support our farmers by increasing access to proven strategies that promote healthy soil. Building on the success of this program from the 2018 Farm Bill is increasingly important as we face more extreme weather and a changing climate, and has the benefit of incorporating sustainable farming practices that reduce carbon.\u201d\n\n\u201cSupporting our farmers in building strong and healthy soil across the United States will safeguard our food and agricultural system against the climate crisis by bolstering land resiliency, reducing erosion, and maintaining vital nutrients,\u201d said Rep. Casten. \u201cI\u2019m proud to join Senator Wyden, Rep. Salinas, and Rep. Bonamici in introducing the Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act to both improve soil health and lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere at the same time.\u201d\n\n\"Improving our soils through healthy, organic farming practices is a complex, multi-year effort that yields significant ongoing rewards to our annual food production,\u201d said Craig Wichner, a Willamette Valley, Oregon, farmer and Managing Partner of Farmland LP. \u201cBy providing access to research, technical experts, and financial support to explore new practices, the Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act reduces risks and benefits farmers, consumers, and our state agriculture research institutions.\"\n\n\u201cWe want to thank Senator Wyden and Representatives Salinas, Bonamici, and Casten for championing the Healthy Soils, Healthy Climate bill,\u201d said Nicole Lederer, Chair and Co-founder of E2. \u201cThis bill promotes innovation, cutting-edge research on carbon and soil health and greater economic resilience for farmers. It is a win for rural America and for our economy and environment more broadly.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Healthy Soils Healthy Climate bill supports game-changing soil health practices that are turning working farms into in-field laboratories of the future,\u201d said Matthew Kaplan, Deputy Director, Federal Affairs Water and Agriculture. \u201cHealthy Soils Healthy Climate will help farmers innovate toward climate resilience. Representatives Salinas, Bonamici and Casten and Senator Wyden have shown important leadership as Congress writes the 2023 Farm Bill.\n\nThe Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act creates a permanent soil health program through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program would provide funding to producers who adopt practices designed to improve soil health through increasing carbon levels in soil, prioritizing funding for underserved farmers. By promoting farming practices that capture carbon in soil, producers will improve soil health and crop resilience, while lowering the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.\n\nThe bill establishes protocols for measuring soil organic carbon levels before and after these practices begin in order to determine which farming practices store the most carbon. This is critical because there is a significant need for more science and data to determine which conservation methods are most effective at storing carbon in the soil to improve soil health.\n\nThe bill would also provide funding to expand the On-Farm Trials for soil health through EQIP\u2019s Conservation Innovation Grants. These projects support widespread adoption and evaluation of practices that producers can implement to improve soil health.\n\nThe Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act will also establish a Soil Health and Carbon Science Research Program at Agriculture Research Stations that would provide grants to land-grant colleges and universities to conduct research relating to soil health and carbon science and conduct research relating to soil health and carbon science at Agriculture Research Stations of the Department of Agriculture.\n\nClick here for additional statements in support of the Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act.\n\nTo read the full text of this legislation, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-wyden-merkley-blumenauer-salinas-applaud-15m-investment-pacific-nw", "Bonamici, Wyden, Merkley, Blumenauer, Salinas Applaud $1.5M Investment in Pacific NW Urban Farmers", "2023-07-24", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [7/24/23] \u2013 Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), Earl Blumenauer (OR-3), Andrea Salinas (OR-6), and Senators Ron Wyden (OR) and Jeff Merkley (OR) applaud the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s nearly $1.5 million investment in a new Urban Service Center to help urban farmers and strengthen local food systems in the Pacific Northwest.\n\nThe Urban Service Center will be located in Portland, Oregon, and administered by staff from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The Center will offer farm loan, conservation, disaster assistance, and risk management programs. Ecotrust, a Portland-based environmental nonprofit organization, will partner with the Center to improve the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) outreach to urban producers, provide education and technical assistance, and increase program enrollment. The Urban Service Center in Portland will serve Oregon and parts of Washington and is one of 17 that will be opened across the country.\n\n\u201cUrban farms in Northwest Oregon connect more people to locally grown, healthy food,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cUnfortunately, many urban area producers face barriers to getting their products on the market and often lack the resources that large-scale producers enjoy. This new Urban Service Center will help level the playing field for urban producers and foster new opportunities for beginning farmers. Our entire region will benefit from this investment, which will build resiliency in our food system, increase access to healthy and fresh food, enhance sustainability, and boost local economies.\u201d\n\n\u201cUrban farms can play a significant grow-local role in fighting hunger as a perfect complement to Oregon\u2019s traditional rural farms, both of which benefit from our state\u2019s many natural advantages for growing world-renowned fruits and vegetables,\u201d Senator RonWyden. \u201cI\u2019m glad my hometown has secured this federal investment that will reap huge gains for farmers in Portland and other cities throughout Oregon as well as the entire Northwest.\u201d\n\n\u201cOregon-grown products are healthy, fresh, and support local jobs,\u201d said Senator Jeff Merkley. \u201cThis crucial funding will ensure farmers are able to access regional markets, and families can buy healthy food grown nearby.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe pandemic demonstrated the immense value and resilience of the local food system,\u201d said Congressman Earl Blumenauer. \u201cWhile large agribusiness was completely stymied by brittle supply chains, local food economies with shorter supply chains thrived. This funding is a worthy investment that will pay for itself many times over in benefits to human health and local food businesses.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m grateful that the Biden Administration will invest in Ecotrust,\u201d said Congresswoman Andrea Salinas. \u201cOrganizations like these are critical to creating economic opportunity, protecting our environment, and ensuring food access for all. This grant will make key investments in that important mission, allowing Ecotrust to continue to innovate and reimagine a truly equitable Oregon.\u201d\n\nMore than 2,300 USDA Service Centers currently provide farmers and ranchers one-stop access to programs through the FSA, NRCS, and the Rural Development agencies. The Urban Service Centers will now extend this essential outreach and assistance to urban agriculture.\n\nIn the 2018 Farm Bill, Congress first recognized the need to foster this growing sector within USDA by establishing the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. Continuing this commitment in the American Rescue Plan, Congress and the Biden-Harris Administration have secured $40 million in investments to expand agricultural innovation and strengthen our food supply chain with urban farming.\n\nMore information about the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s investments in urban agriculture can be found here.\n\nAs a member of the Congressional Hunger Caucus, Congresswoman Bonamici has long supported evidence-based solutions to end hunger, expand access to nutritious foods, and bolster our nation\u2019s food system. Urban farms can help reduce food insecurity and combat food waste, which is especially important for those who live in low-income and historically marginalized communities where food deserts exist and access to affordable and healthy food is limited. You can learn more about Congresswoman Bonamici\u2019s work to end hunger here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-dingell-lead-introduction-bipartisan-legislation-remove-pfas", "Bonamici, Dingell Lead Introduction of Bipartisan Legislation to Remove PFAS from Firefighter Gear", "2023-07-20", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Sam Graves (R-MO), Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ), Dina Titus (D-NV), Anthony D\u2019Esposito (R-NY), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) today introduced the bipartisan Protecting Firefighters and Advancing State-of-the-Art Alternatives Act (PFAS Alternatives Act), to support development of next-generation PFAS-free turnout gear for firefighters and better protect firefighters from the dangers of their work.\n\nRecent studies have shown that all three layers of fire fighter turnout gear contain Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), a class of fluorinated chemicals known as \u201cforever chemicals.\u201d PFAS chemicals are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic, and are linked to harmful human health effects, including reproductive and developmental harms, weakened immune systems, and cancer \u2013 the leading cause of firefighter death.\n\n\u201cFirefighters engage in high-risk work to keep us all safe, and we have a responsibility to do all we can to protect them,\u201d said Bonamici. \u201cThe PFAS Alternatives Act will speed up the development of turnout gear for firefighters that is free from dangerous PFAS chemicals and promote safer practices. I\u2019m grateful to be working on this bipartisan legislation with my colleagues.\u201d\n\n\u201cFirefighters\u2019 jobs are already dangerous enough without worrying about the long-term health risks of being exposed to dangerous PFAS in their turnout gear,\u201d said Dingell. \u201cThe PFAS Alternatives Act will remove this unnecessary occupational hazard and help protect firefighters as they work every day to protect us.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s firefighters charge into danger to save the lives of others,\u201d said Graves. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation will help develop the next generation of firefighting gear to keep them safe\u2014while they work to protect our families, our communities, and our country.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe health and safety of firefighters and those who keep our communities safe should be a priority for all of us,\u201d said Kean. \u201cThese brave men and women risk their lives to protect us, and it is our duty to provide them with the safest possible gear. I am proud to co-lead the PFAS Alternative Act, to ensure that firefighter gear is free from harmful chemicals that pose long-term health risks. We owe it to our firefighters to prioritize their well-being and to equip them with the highest quality gear.\u201d\n\n\u201cFirefighters put their health and safety on the line every day to protect our communities. They run in as others run out,\u201d said Titus. \u201cThey shouldn't have to worry about hazardous substances in their own turnout gear. I'm working with my colleagues to support the development of next-generation gear that is more resistant to soot and other chemicals while eliminating exposure to dangerous toxins like PFAS.\u201d\n\n\u201cFirefighters go above and beyond day after day to save the lives of their neighbors, and it is vital that these brave community protectors are equipped with the highest quality gear to help them effectively carry out their mission,\u201d said D\u2019Esposito. \u201cAs ex-Chief of the Island Park Fire Department, I am particularly glad the issue of firefighter safety is being addressed through legislative action in this Congress via legislation I have co-sponsored, and I will continue to do everything in my power to safeguard my brothers and sisters in the fire service from dangerous \u2018forever chemicals\u2019 found in outdated protective gear.\u201d\n\n\u201cFirst responders deserve first rate gear. They put their lives on the line every day to save ours. We must not make those who risk their lives wear even riskier equipment and handle even more dangerous materials,\u201d said Ivey. \u201cPFAS are directly linked to cancer. And as a kidney cancer survivor, I know the hardship, uncertainty and fear any family would experience being exposed to cancer causing materials. This bill will save our firefighters from this exposure and is a good way to show our appreciation to the men and women who are ready to rush into danger when others dodge it.\u201d\n\n\u201cFirefighters are heroes in communities across the nation, and we owe it to them to prioritize their health and safety,\u201d said Fitzpatrick. \u201cAs co-chair of both the PFAS Task Force and the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, I am proud to lead this bipartisan effort to streamline the development of high-quality gear for our firefighters on the frontlines that is free of harmful \u2018forever chemicals,\u2019 further protecting them as they engage in high-risk situations to keep our families safe.\u201d\n\nThe PFAS Alternatives Act would:\n\nAccelerate the development of PFAS-free turnout gear through research, development, and testing of PFAS-free turnout gear materials.\n\nFacilitate the development of safer turnout gear materials that reduces the dangers firefighters face, including enhanced protection against primary and secondary exposure to particulates and byproducts of combustion; reduced maintenance that includes contamination resistance and greater ease of cleaning; visible warning indicators to alert firefighters to hazardous exposures or the need for decontamination; and consideration of body composition in turnout gear design.\n\nSupport guidance and training for firefighters on best practices for reducing harmful exposures through the proper wearing, cleaning, and caring for next-generation turnout gear.\n\nInvolve the firefighting industry in the development process by requiring grant applicants to utilize the leadership, experience, and knowledge of firefighters to ensure the next-generation turnout gear will be both effective and practical for the everyday demands of firefighting.\n\nThe PFAS Alternatives Act would authorize $25 million annually for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to support the development of new materials, and an additional $2 million annually to support guidance and training.\n\nThe PFAS Alternatives Act is endorsed by the International Association of Fire Fighters and Globe Manufacturing Company, a New Hampshire-based turnout gear manufacturer.\n\n\u201cCancer is the number one killer of fire fighters, and the IAFF will pursue all means to drive the disease from our ranks. For too long, fire fighters have been needlessly exposed to cancer every day simply by putting on the protective gear necessary to respond to emergencies in our communities,\" said IAFF General President Edward Kelly. \"Chemical companies, who have known for years about the cancer-causing properties of PFAS, have seen increased earnings while fire fighters face repeated exposure to toxins directly linked to illness and death. The PFAS Alternatives Act can change this sad fact by putting fire fighters \u2013 not corporate interests \u2013 at the center of the research for next-generation gear, guaranteeing we have a voice in developing the products we rely on for safety. Our membership is grateful to Reps. Dingell, Graves, Kean, Bonamici, D\u2019Esposito, Ivey, Fitzpatrick, and Titus, and we applaud their courage in sponsoring this bill. Our work continues, and the full weight of the IAFF will be used to ensure its passage into law.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-bonamici-plan-extend-aviation-consumer-advocate-encourage", "House Passes Bonamici Plan to Extend Aviation Consumer Advocate, Encourage Development of Low-Carbon Fuel Alternatives", "2023-07-20", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [7/20/23] \u2013 Today the House passed bipartisan legislation to update America\u2019s aviation system that included provisions led by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) to aid consumers and reduce airlines\u2019 carbon footprint.\n\nThe Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act is a comprehensive reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration that will make flying safer and smoother and grow the aviation workforce while fostering innovation. It contains an extension of the Aviation Consumer Advocate position, which was first created based on an amendment Bonamici led to help consumers resolve problems that arise with airlines.\n\nThe legislation also features an amendment Bonamici introduced to help address the climate crisis by encouraging the research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of low-carbon alternative fuels like next-generation feedstocks, biofuels, and bioderived chemicals, to facilitate the United States\u2019 sustainability and competitiveness in aviation.\n\n\u201cWe have an opportunity to make flying easier for consumers and better for our planet,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cI\u2019m glad this bipartisan update of the Federal Aviation Administration includes provisions I led to spur the development of new alternative fuels that have the potential to reduce carbon emissions, and extend the Aviation Consumer Advocate\u2019s position to secure travel with dignity for everyone. Flying is essential to our economy and lives, and these improvements will help our aviation system meet the needs of our future.\u201d\n\nMore information about the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/representative-salinas-house-passage-faa-reauthorization", "Representative Salinas on House Passage of FAA Reauthorization", "2023-07-20", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (D-Tigard) issued the following statement after voting in favor of a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for five years:\n\n\"Today, I voted in favor of H.R. 3935, a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). While imperfect, this package contained several key wins for Oregon\u2019s Sixth District. It will increase funding to the Airport Improvement Program which would allow small airports like those we have in Salem and Aurora to better access funds for infrastructure projects, including to improve environmental resiliency and noise suppression. It will also improve wildland firefighting in Oregon and across the United States by directing the FAA to work with the Forest Service to expand the use of drones to put out these devastating blazes, and making sure small wildfire-critical airports can access federal funds. More broadly, this reauthorization expands protections for travelers, addresses serious workforce challenges, and doubles down on research and development \u2013 allowing us to take yet another step into the future of air travel.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/representatives-salinas-and-blumenauer-senator-booker-introduce-insuring", "Representatives Salinas and Blumenauer, Senator Booker Introduce Insuring Fairness for Family Farmers Act", "2023-07-20", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. House Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), along with U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), introduced the Insuring Fairness for Family Farmers Act, legislation that would reform current crop insurance policy to incentivize crop insurance agents to provide coverage to small and specialty crop farmers.\n\n\u201cThe vast majority of farms in Oregon are small family farms, and crop insurance is one of their most valuable tools against bad weather, natural disasters, and volatile markets,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cUnfortunately, specialty crops have consistently lagged behind commodity crops in crop insurance coverage levels, and small farms are much less likely than large farms to have crop insurance, leaving them without a safety net when times get hard. In an ordinary year, 89% of the Farm Bill supports approximately 150,000 farms, while the other 2 million farms in the U.S. are forced to fight for that remaining 11%. Small family farms are too often left out of the Farm Bill process, despite being the backbone of Oregon agriculture. The Insuring Fairness for Family Farmers Act will help restore fairness to this process and ensure that these farms remain viable not just in the near term, but for years to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cSpecialty crop farmers and small farmers are not able to take advantage of crop insurance if they are not given the opportunity to understand it and purchase it,\u201d said Senator Booker. \u201cMy bill will fix the current inequities in federal subsidies, so that insurance agents are adequately compensated for selling policies to these producers. By ensuring access to crop insurance for all types of producers, we can promote a more resilient agriculture sector.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Farm Bill has historically called fruits, veggies, nuts, and berries \u2018specialty crops,\u2019\u201d said Rep. Blumenauer. \u201cIn Oregon, we call these crops \u2018food.\u2019 Farmers who grow them should be able to access adequate insurance coverage to guard against disaster. I appreciate Congresswoman Salinas\u2019 partnership on this issue.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerican farmers of all sizes deserve a strong, robust safety net that allows them to withstand tough years, keeping them on their land so they can feed their neighbors and their communities,\u201d said Joe Van Wye, Policy and Outreach Director at Farm Action Fund. \u201cUnfortunately, as it stands today, the federal crop insurance program incentivizes agents to provide the lion\u2019s share of policies to the largest farms, often at the expense of fruit and vegetable growers who struggle to secure insurance. We applaud Representative Salinas, Representative Blumenauer, and Senator Booker, and urge passage of their \u2018Insuring Fairness for Family Farmers Act\u2019 so that federal crop insurance will work better for the family farmers and specialty crop growers who need it the most.\u201d\n\nThe under-coverage of small farms and those that grow specialty crops is driven by current rules that incentivize crop insurance agents to write policies only for the largest farms. For each insurance policy that is sold, insurance companies and crop insurance agents are compensated with Administrative and Operating (A&O) subsidies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These subsidies are currently based on a percentage of the premium of the policy sold. Crop insurance policies for larger farms have larger premiums, making it more profitable for agents to seek out and write policies for these big farms.\n\nThe Insuring Fairness for Family Farmers Act would revise how A&O subsidies are calculated and level the playing field for small farms. It would change agent compensation from being based on a percentage of the premium of the policy sold to being based on how complex the policy sold is. Under this framework, agents would receive compensation relative to how much effort selling or servicing the policy requires. The bill would also give bonuses to agents writing policies for farmers that have not purchased insurance before, small farmers, and farmers that sell certain types of specialty crops that have historically been under-covered.\n\nOregon has a uniquely large percentage of small and specialty crop farms \u2014 and these farms are disadvantaged under the current system. According to 2019 data, 33.3% of all Oregon farms are small farms with less than 10 acres, compared to 13.4% of all US farms. Moreover, small farms with less than 10 acres are the fastest growing farm size in Oregon, and increased by 7.6% from 2012 compared to 2.8% nationally.\n\nThe Insuring Fairness for Family Farmers Act is supported by Farm Action Fund, Environmental Working Group, and National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.\n\nTo read the full text of this legislation, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bill-led-bonamici-chavez-deremer-help-upgrade-portland-va-medical-center", "Bill Led by Bonamici, Chavez-DeRemer to Help Upgrade Portland VA Medical Center Signed into Law", "2023-07-19", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, President Joe Biden signed S.30, the Fiscal Year 2023 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act, into law. The proposal was led in the House by Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), where it passed with broad bipartisan support last month. The legislation authorizes several projects that will help expand health care services to veterans across the country, including for Portland VA Medical Center to build a new specialty care facility and make other upgrades to improve accessibility and safety for Oregon veterans.\n\n\u201cThis new bipartisan law is good news for veterans in Oregon and across the country,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cI\u2019m grateful that veterans will soon receive the improved care they deserve, including at the Portland VA Medical Center, through safety updates and the construction of a new specialty care facility.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis bipartisan legislation will ensure VA medical facilities across the country, including in Oregon, are able to provide more high-quality health care services to our veterans. I was honored to lead this legislation in the House with Congresswoman Bonamici, and I\u2019m glad President Biden quickly signed it into law. I\u2019ll continue working in a bipartisan manner to ensure those who have served our country receive the care they deserve,\u201d Chavez-DeRemer said.\n\nThe Veterans Health Administration\u2019s (VHA) primary mission is to provide health care services to eligible veterans. In 2022, the VHA provided more than 115 million clinical encounters, with the VA serving over six million patients. This included roughly 40 million in-person appointments, more than 31 million telehealth and telephone appointments, and approximately 38 million community care appointments.\n\nHowever, many VA facilities are outdated, making it difficult to provide the most advanced and best care for veterans. The Fiscal Year 2023 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act authorizes the VA to construct, renovate, or repair seven major medical facilities this fiscal year. Specifically, it authorizes $3.716 billion in previously appropriated funds to carry out these activities.\n\nThe Portland VA is authorized $523 million to construct a new specialty care facility and to complete seismic resilience upgrades and other roadway, parking, and site improvements. The facility plans to house several outpatient clinics in the new specialty care building, including primary and mental health care and a women\u2019s clinic.\n\nFull text of the bill is available HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-pettersen-bonamici-and-senate-colleagues-lead-new-manufactured-housing", "Reps. Pettersen, Bonamici, and Senate Colleagues Lead New Manufactured Housing Tenant\u2019s Bill of Rights", "2023-07-12", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014This week, U.S. Representatives Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced legislation alongside U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and John Fetterman (D-PA) that would provide tenants and owners of manufactured (mobile) homes with enhanced protections against predatory landowners in federally backed Manufactured Housing Communities (MHC).\n\n\u201cMy parents struggled with housing insecurity, often finding it difficult to identify or qualify for places to stay that were affordable and safe. Manufactured housing, or mobile homes, can be an instrumental tool as we work to expand affordable options in Colorado and the country, but we have to ensure tenants in these communities have protections,\u201d said Pettersen. \u201cBy creating the Manufactured Tenant\u2019s Bill of Rights, my colleagues and I are working to protect hardworking families from exploitation, skyrocketing rents, and an increased risk of eviction.\u201d\n\n\u201cManufactured housing can be a more affordable option for families and individuals, and in some communities it is their only affordable housing option. Unfortunately, residents in manufactured housing communities typically lack basic protections and often face the risk of eviction,\u201d said Bonamici. \u201cI\u2019m introducing the Manufactured Housing Tenants\u2019 Bill of Rights with my colleague Congresswoman Pettersen to establish federal minimum standards for manufactured home residents and prevent further housing instability.\u201d\n\n\u201cAll too often, tenants are faced with predatory practices meant to deprive them of their homes and hard-earned savings. Mobile home tenants deal with an increased risk of eviction as their housing costs soar without adequate legal protections, and to make matters worse, the communities they live in are often bought with federally-backed financing,\u201d said Shaheen. \u201cThe Manufactured Tenant\u2019s Bill of Rights would directly address that concern, ensuring that tenants receive equitable protections under the law to provide them with housing stability and peace of mind.\u201d\n\n\u201cMobile home owners deserve rights\u2014real, enforceable protections against rising rents, unfair practices, and exploitative evictions,\u201d said Blumenthal. \u201cOur measure will assure security to tenants who own their mobile homes but not the underlying land.\u201d\n\n\"The bottom line is that Pennsylvania needs more good, affordable housing options \u2014including manufactured housing,\u201d said Fetterman. \u201cBut right now, too many people are taking advantage of the system and lining their own pockets. This critical bill will help protect residents of manufactured housing communities and keep more Pennsylvania families in stable affordable homes.\u201d\n\nFor the full text of the bill, click here.\n\nCurrently, more than 3 million Americans live in MHCs, which often represent one of the few naturally occurring sources of affordable housing. However, because residents typically own the home itself, but not the land it sits on, they often struggle with unexpected cost increases and face a heightened risk of evictions. Outside investors have often purchased MHCs and pushed residents out, raising rents as much as 70%. Because of the unusual ownership structure, manufactured housing residents can fall through the cracks, where residents often lack the protections of either homeowners or other renters.\n\nThe Manufactured Housing Tenant\u2019s Bill of Rights would establish a set of minimum standards for tenants in MHCs that receive federal financing through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or the Federal Housing Administration. These protections include:\n\nThe right to a one-year renewable lease absent good cause for nonrenewal\n\nA 5-day grace period for late rent payments\n\nA minimum 60-day written notice of rent increases or new added charges like water or sewer of up to 5% of the prior rent, with longer notice for larger rent increases (an additional 30 days required for each 2.5% rent increase above 5%)\n\nRights for the tenant to:\n\nSell the manufactured home without having to relocate it\n\nSublet the home or assign the lease to a buyer of the home provided the buyer meets the MHC\u2019s rules and regulations\n\nPost \u201cfor sale\u201d signs on the home\n\nSell the manufactured home in place within 45 days after eviction, to prevent the homeowner from losing their equity\n\nReceive at least 60 days advanced notice of the MHC\u2019s planned sale or closure. Giving tenants the opportunity to purchase the community in the event of a sale.\n\nThe bill also requires public disclosure of MHCs that receive federal backing to ensure residents are aware of their rights. FHFA would also be required to create a standard lease agreement which allows Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to finally begin purchasing manufactured home leases through their single-family mortgage programs, which could significantly lower interest rates.\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by All Parks Alliance for Change, Colorado Coalition of Manufactured Home Owners, Connecticut Manufactured Home Owners Alliance, Housing Assistance Council, Manufactured Home Owners\u2019 Association of NJ, Inc., National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), National Housing Law Project, National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Manufactured Home Owners Association, Prosperity Now, Resident-Owned Communities \u2013 New Hampshire, ROC USA, and WorkMoney.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/seec-climate-jobs-task-force-leaders-urge-good-jobs-principles-doe", "SEEC Climate Jobs Task Force Leaders Urge Good Jobs Principles at DOE", "2023-07-11", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Climate Jobs Task Force Co-Chairs \u2014 Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Nikki Budzinski, and Mark DeSaulnier \u2014 along with four of the Task Force members, sent a letter to Secretary Granholm urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to incorporate the Good Jobs Principles as it implements the historic investments from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. By proactively retaining and creating good union jobs during the implementation phase of these climate-forward bills, DOE can give workers across the nation the opportunity to participate in the American clean energy future.\n\n\u201cWe write to congratulate you on the Department of Energy\u2019s (DOE) proactive implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). These laws will retain and create family sustaining union jobs that will give all workers in the United States the opportunity to enter the middle-class, while simultaneously preventing the worst impacts of climate change and lowering energy costs for consumers. As implementation continues, it is crucial that the \u201cGood Jobs Principles\u201d developed and published by the Departments of Labor and Commerce are consistently applied across agencies and programs, including DOE,\u201d the Task Force members wrote.\n\n\u201cBoth BIL and IRA represent landmark policy victories that set the stage for major economic transformation if implemented correctly. To achieve the Biden Administration\u2019s goal of bringing the benefits of these investments to workers and communities, we ask DOE to fully apply these Good Jobs Principles, adopt a discerning approach with applicants who newly moved facilities to Right to Work states, and work across federal agencies to make worker protections and good-paying jobs priorities in the implementation of historic investments in domestic manufacturing.\u201d\n\nThe letter can be found here.\n\n###\n\nThe Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) is a coalition of 92 members of the U.S. House of Representatives that was founded in January 2009 to be a focused, active, and effective coalition for advancing policies that address climate change, promote clean energy innovation and domestic manufacturing, develop renewable energy resources, create family-sustaining clean jobs, protect our nation\u2019s air, water, and natural environment, and promote environmental justice.\n\nSEEC Co-Chairs are Reps. Doris Matsui (D-CA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), and Paul Tonko (D-NY).\n\nSEEC Vice Chairs are Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Sean Casten (D-IL), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), and Katie Porter (D-CA).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/bonamici-invites-students-participate-congressional-app-challenge-0", "Bonamici Invites Students to Participate in Congressional App Challenge", "2023-07-06", "2023", "2023-07", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC [7/06/23] \u2013 Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) invited middle and high school students who live in or attend school in Oregon's First Congressional District to compete in the ninth annual Congressional App Challenge.\n\nThe First Congressional District of Oregon includes all of Tillamook, Clatsop, and Columbia counties, and large portions of Washington and Multnomah counties.\n\n\"Learning to code can help students find new and creative ways to solve problems,\" said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \"The Congressional App Challenge provides students with an opportunity to build their skills and showcase their ingenuity. I am always impressed by the diversity and thoughtfulness of the students and their submissions.\"\n\nThe Congressional App Challenge is a competition for students to use coding and computer science to create and exhibit a software application, or \"app,\" for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice. The competition is an example of STEAM education, which is art and design integrated with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).\n\nStudents who participate in the competition must submit their app by November 1, 2023, and provide a video demo uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo explaining their app and what they learned through the competition process.\n\nA panel of local experts will select the winner for Oregon\u2019s First Congressional District. Winners from each participating congressional district will be acknowledged in a district awards ceremony and featured on the House.gov website. There will also be a display in the U.S. Capitol Building to honor the winners from each Congressional district.\n\nMore information about the competition, including how to register, is available here.\n\nBonamici is a founder and co-chair of the Congressional STEAM Caucus, which advocates for the integration of the arts and design into science, technology, engineering, and math education to encourage creative thinking and promote student engagement in school. By supporting and recognizing young programmers, Congress is acknowledging the growing importance of these fields. The U.S. House of Representatives organizes the nationwide Congressional App Challenge each year.\n\n###\n\nWASHINGTON, DC [7/06/23] \u2013 Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) invited middle and high school students who live in or attend school in Oregon's First Congressional District to compete in the ninth annual Congressional App Challenge.\n\nThe First Congressional District of Oregonincludes all of Tillamook, Clatsop, and Columbia counties, and large portions of Washington and Multnomah counties.\n\n\"Learning to code can help students find new and creative ways to solve problems,\"said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \"The Congressional App Challenge provides students with an opportunity to build their skills and showcase their ingenuity. I am always impressed by the diversity and thoughtfulness of the students and their submissions.\"\n\nThe Congressional App Challenge is a competition for students to use coding and computer science to create and exhibit a software application, or \"app,\" for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice. The competition is an example of STEAM education, which is art and design integrated with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).\n\nStudents who participate in the competition must submit their app by November 1, 2023, and provide a video demo uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo explaining their app and what they learned through the competition process.\n\nA panel of local experts will select the winner for Oregon\u2019s First Congressional District. Winners from each participating congressional district will be acknowledged in a district awards ceremony and featured on theHouse.gov website. There will also be a display in the U.S. Capitol Building to honor the winners from each Congressional district.\n\nMore information about the competition, including how to register, is availablehere.\n\nBonamici is a founder and co-chair of the Congressional STEAM Caucus, which advocates for the integration of the arts and design into science, technology, engineering, and math education to encourage creative thinking and promote student engagement in school. By supporting and recognizing young programmers, Congress is acknowledging the growing importance of these fields. The U.S. House of Representatives organizes the nationwide Congressional App Challenge each year.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:18:03Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/all-8-members-oregon-delegation-call-us-department-state-address-passport", "All 8 Members of Oregon Delegation Call on U.S. Department of State to Address the Passport Application Backlog for Oregonians", "2023-06-29", "2023", "2023-06", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04) called on the U.S. Department of State with U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, and Representatives Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) to continue working to address the passport backlog for Oregonians by driving down wait times, increasing communication with Oregon applicants, and informing Congress of any additional resources the Department needs.\n\nOver the last year, passport requests have increased by 30 to 40 percent, with routine processing times increasing to 10 to 13 weeks and expedited processing times increasing to 7 to 9 weeks. The bipartisan coalition sent a joint letter to Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Consular Affairs Rena Bitter, urging immediate action to alleviate the delays.\n\n\u201cI appreciate the steps the State Department has taken to help address the backlog. However, without an Oregon-based passport agency, many of my constituents must travel hours across state lines in order to help expedite their applications. We need increased communication and transparency for Oregonians,\u201d Hoyle said. \u201cThat's why my office organized an event today at the University of Oregon to help answer questions, ensure people know how to avoid the most common application mistakes that can lead to additional delays in processing, and to let people know that we are here to help people navigate this system.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve been hearing from Oregonians from all walks of life that they are waiting months for a routine passport renewal, and even then, they are often faced with application corrections that could have been easily prevented with a more transparent process,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cIn the midst of summer travel, more needs to be done to increase transparency, clear the backlog and drive down wait times in Oregon and nationwide.\u201d\n\n\u201cA major concern I\u2019ve heard during my town halls this year is the complications caused by lengthy, unprecedented passport delays,\u201d Merkley said. \u201cWith a drastic uptick in international travel, it\u2019s urgent that Congress, the State Department, and other agencies work together to do all they can to help ease the logjams related to passports for Oregonians and all Americans needing to travel internationally.\u201d\n\n\u201cPassport processing delays deter travel and cause real frustration for our constituents. The State Department has taken steps to remedy this situation, but the ongoing delays clearly necessitate more action,\u201d Blumenauer said. \u201cThe State Department and Congress must be partners as we work to restore this basic service for Oregonians and Americans across the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy dedicated staff are working hard to assist as many people seeking passports as possible, but unusually long delays make it difficult to help Oregonians get where they need to go in time,\u201d Bonamici said. \u201cI\u2019m grateful for the work State Department employees are doing to process application requests, but we need more information about the current backlog and transparency about what Oregonians can expect. We stand ready to work with the State Department to reduce wait times.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s extensive, unprecedented backlog of U.S. passport requests threatens to upend travel plans for hundreds of thousands of Oregonians,\u201d Salinas said. \u201cMy staff has been working diligently to help constituents in need of support, but the State Department can and must do more to address this growing challenge. Restoring efficiency and transparency must be a top priority.\u201d\n\n\u201cOregonians are ready and excited to contribute to our travel economy following a long pause due to the COVID 19 pandemic, but long passport renewal wait times have kept them from taking off,\u201d Chavez-DeRemer said. \u201cI appreciate our federal employees diligently working to help Oregonians reach their destinations, but more accountability is needed to ensure all systems are being run efficiently. Oregonians must be able to navigate their passport renewal process on a reasonable timeline.\u201d\n\nFull text of the letter can be found here.\n\nOregonians who are applying or renewing a passport prior to international travel should keep the following in mind:\n\nDemand for post-pandemic travel has resulted in a surge of passport applications, leading to a passport application backlog.\n\nPassport applications should be submitted BEFORE an international trip is booked.\n\nApplicants should visit the U.S. State Department\u2019s website to apply for a passport application at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply.html.\n\nApplicants should ensure their application is accurate and make sure paperwork and forms are complete.\n\nRoutine processing time for passport applications right now is 10-13 weeks.\n\nExpedited processing time for passport applications is currently 7-9 weeks.\n\nApplicants can check the status of their passport at https://passportstatus.state.gov/.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:08:25Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/representative-salinas-senators-wyden-and-merkley-celebrate-6-million-federal", "Representative Salinas, Senators Wyden and Merkley Celebrate $6 Million Federal Transit Administration Grant to Salem", "2023-06-27", "2023", "2023-06", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced that the Federal Transit Administration has awarded $6,586,104 to the Salem Area Mass Transit District (SAMTD) for the construction, expansion, and enhancement of zero-emission electric buses and related facilities.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve all experienced the dirty exhaust fumes of old diesel buses,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cThe toxic air pollutants emitted by these vehicles are not only unpleasant, but unsafe as they\u2019ve been scientifically shown to negatively impact human health. This $6 million award to Salem Area Mass Transit District will help improve air quality in communities around Salem and the transition to electric buses will substantially reduce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Every zero-emission bus on our streets marks an exciting step forward in the fight to protect our planet.\u201d\n\n\u201cEnergy-efficient public transit systems are a huge step critical to economic growth and combatting climate change in Oregon,\u201d said Senator Wyden, who authored historic clean energy provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, which could cut national carbon emissions by upwards of 40%. \u201cThese resources for the Salem Area Mass Transit District infrastructure to transition to zero-emission vehicles will be a game-changer for cleaner air and increased transit services in a fast-growing region.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs climate chaos intensifies, we must act boldly and quickly to transition to clean and renewable strategies,\u201d said Senator Merkley. \u201cLow- and no-emission buses mean better health for our communities and less pollution in the environment. This federal investment will turn regular transit updates into opportunities for safer air and combatting climate chaos.\u201d\n\n\u201cBy replacing our oldest vehicles with zero-emission buses, this grant is a significant step toward enhanced service and modernization of our vehicle fleet,\u201d said Ian Davidson, Board President of Cherriots. \u201cWith these funds, we will be able to double down on the transition of our fleet to zero emission vehicles by 2040. I would like to thank Senator Wyden, Senator Merkley, and Congresswoman Salinas for their support in securing the funding to make this project a reality.\u201d\n\nAccording to the Department of Transportation, every zero-emission bus eliminates 1,690 tons of CO2 over its 12-year lifespan. This is equivalent to taking 27 cars off the road. To learn more about the grant to this project and others across the country, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:08:25Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/representative-salinas-anniversary-dobbs-v-jackson-womens-health-organization", "Representative Salinas on Anniversary of Dobbs v. Jackson Women\u2019s Health Organization", "2023-06-26", "2023", "2023-06", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "On Saturday, June 24, 2023, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (D-Tigard) issued the following statement to mark one year since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade:\n\n\u201cOne year ago, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and robbed millions of their fundamental right to make deeply personal health care decisions. The catastrophic Dobbs ruling was the inevitable outcome of former President Donald Trump\u2019s mission to pack the Supreme Court with as many far-right justices as possible \u2014 justices who, despite what they testified to under oath, leapt at the first opportunity to overturn Roe.\n\n\u201cThe year since the Dobbs decision has been defined by needless suffering, tragedy, and pain. Women have been forced to carry fetuses with fatal conditions to term, only to watch their babies die seconds after taking their first breath. Survivors of rape or incest have endured the unimaginable trauma of delivering their abuser\u2019s child. Reproductive care providers have faced threats of violence and criminal prosecution. Yet despite all of this harm and despair, Republican attacks on reproductive freedom are far from over.\n\n\u201cOregonians overwhelmingly believe that abortion should remain legal and safe. It is with them in mind that I pledge to soldier on in the fight to restore reproductive freedom for all. I will continue to champion bills like the Women\u2019s Health Protection Act, which would restore the protections once held in Roe, and the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act, which would protect the constitutional right to travel for an abortion. I will continue to speak out against unscientific attacks on safe abortion medication, like mifepristone. And I will continue to fight with everything I have to ensure that my daughter inherits an America that fully recognizes her rights as a woman. The next generation deserves nothing less.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:08:25Z"], ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-bipartisan-lawmakers-introduce-civilian-conservation-center", "Salinas, Bipartisan Lawmakers Introduce Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act", "2023-06-26", "2023", "2023-06", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Andrea Salinas", "S001226", "salinas.house.gov", "salinas", "https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, U.S. House Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced the introduction of the Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act, legislation to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to offer specialized wildland firefighter training to Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center students. Salinas is joined by three co-leads, Representatives Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chuck Edwards (NC-11), and Val Hoyle (OR-4).\n\n\u201cEvery year, Oregon\u2019s wildfire season becomes more dangerous and deadly with the climate crisis exacerbating the conditions that spark these blazes,\u201d said Rep. Salinas. \u201cAs our planet continues to warm and devastating fires become more routine, it\u2019s imperative for the Forest Service to recruit, train, and retain skilled wildland firefighters who can help protect our communities. That\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to introduce the Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act, which would break down barriers that prevent the Forest Service from adequately expanding its wildland firefighting capacity. Now more than ever, we need all hands on deck.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn Kentucky and across the U.S., it\u2019s important to have specialized firefighters, who can improve forestry management, prevent wildfires, and address wildfires when they occur,\u201d said Rep. Guthrie. \u201cI\u2019m proud to support specialized wildland firefighter training at Great Onyx Job Corps and other Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers. Strengthening the workforce of brave wildland firefighters is critical to protecting people and their homes and businesses from devastating wildfires.\u201d\n\n\u201cWestern North Carolina is home to three Civilian Conservation Centers, and the Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act will provide another avenue for young folks in our district to finish their high school education and go through training that prepares them for a meaningful career,\u201d said Rep. Edwards. \u201cBy offering specialized training and helping to obtain employment through our CCCs, this bipartisan bill will be a boon to job creation and increase our forestry and wildland firefighter workforce through students graduating from the Schenk, Oconaluftee and Lyndon B. Johnson CCCs, and CCCs all over the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Forest Service needs help to tackle its project backlog and combat wildfires. I\u2019m proud to co-lead the Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act with Rep. Salinas, Rep. Edwards, and Rep. Guthrie to increase specialized job training for wildland fire and forestry at Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers, like the one in Yachats, Oregon,\u201d said Rep. Hoyle. \u201cThis bill will give Job Corps students the knowledge and skills they need to work in our national forests, and it will make it easier for them to secure good-paying jobs when they graduate.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act would:\n\nDirect the U.S. Forest Service to offer and pilot specialized training for wildland fire, forestry, and rangeland management at Civilian Conservation Centers (CCC);\n\nDirect the U.S. Forest Service to conduct an assessment of workforce needs at public land agencies and related industries to determine necessary curriculum, develop marketing and recruitment materials, and provide specialized staff;\n\nSet a goal for the U.S. Forest Service to hire 300 CCC graduates each per year into wildland firefighter or other critical workforce needs and allows the agencies to offer signing bonus to graduates;\n\nProvide a direct hire authority to the U.S. Forest Service for graduates of CCC programs and direct both agencies to identify career pathways for graduates at their agencies;\n\nClarify the U.S. Forest Service\u2019s authority to pay students at CCC for work they do to improve federal lands; and\n\nCreate a pilot program to deploy CCC students to repair or construct workforce housing to house wildland firefighters and other agency employees.\n\nClick here to read the full text of the legislation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:08:25Z"], ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/amid-republican-silence-democratic-womens-caucus-leads-hearing-looming-child", "Amid Republican Silence, Democratic Women\u2019s Caucus Leads Hearing on Looming Child Care Funding Cliffs", "2023-06-22", "2023", "2023-06", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "June 22, 2023\n\n***WATCH A RECORDING OF THE HEARING HERE***\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 This week, the Democratic Women\u2019s Caucus (DWC), held a shadow hearing, \u201cThe State of Child Care in America: Addressing the Looming Funding Cliffs for Women and Families,\u201d chaired by Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12). Despite the steep impact the child care crisis and funding cliffs have on families, no House Republican-led Committee has held a hearing on child care this Congress.\n\nThis hearing examined how critical emergency stabilization funds that Democrats passed via the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) helped save the child care industry, kept child care providers open, and ensured working families had the child care they needed to go to work. But these critical funds will run out on September 30, 2023\u2014and the ongoing and projected impact for states, child care providers, families, and working women will be devastating. At the hearing, witnesses and members highlighted the impact ARPA funds had on the child care industry and families, the need for immediate action to address the looming funding cliffs and the urgent fight to solve the child care crisis, once and for all.\n\nThe hearing included expert testimony from Laura Valle Gutierrez, Fellow at The Century Foundation, Melissa Boteach, Vice President for Income Security and Child Care/Early Learning of National Women\u2019s Law Center, Carolina Reyes, Owner and Director of Arco Iris Bilingual Children\u2019s Center, and Laura Weeldreyer, Executive Director of Maryland Family Network.\n\n\u201cOregon families in urban and rural areas have told me that child care costs more than their housing. This is unacceptable,\u201d said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. \u201cDemocrats recognized the need to invest in affordable, high-quality child care and early learning in the American Rescue Plan. But the care economy is facing a fiscal cliff when the American Rescue Plan Act stabilization grants end on September 30th. I hope today\u2019s hearing will encourage our colleagues across the aisle to join us in building an economy that will leave no one behind.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s time for national childcare policy and funding that works for all our families. No family, child, educator, or childcare provider should be left behind and we must act now to provide equitable access to early learning and care for our families and communities. We must invest in programs that support and uplift early childhood learning, create incentives to help with workforce retention for our care economy by decreasing the income gap for workers, and create equitable and decent living wages for working families so they don\u2019t have to choose between childcare or work,\u201d said Congresswoman Tlaib.\n\nAdditional testimony from the witnesses includes:\n\nThe pandemic amplified an already precarious child care crisis.\n\nMelissa Boteach: \u201cEven prior to COVID-19, more than half of Americans lived in a child care desert, or a neighborhood with an insufficient supply of licensed child care.\u201d\n\nLaura Valle Gutierrez: \u201cAll told, the United States lost an estimated 20,000 child care programs in the first two years of the pandemic, nearly 10 percent of its pre-pandemic amount of child care programs.\u201d\n\nLaura Weeldreyer: \u201cThe pandemic proved, as if more proof were needed, that child care is an essential public good that cannot thrive in a broken private market. For child care to do its indispensable job, it needs substantial and sustained public investment.\u201d\n\nThe American Rescue Plan Act played a crucial role in stabilizing and saving child care services.\n\nMelissa Boteach: \u201cThese resources were a lifeline\u2026over the course of the pandemic, the relief dollars reached 220,000 child care programs \u2013 serving up to 10 million children and their families\u2026 ninety-two percent of surveyed child care programs that received stabilization grants said the grants helped keep their program open, and one third said that without these relief dollars, their program would have closed permanently.\u201d\n\nLaura Valle Gutierrez, citing a testimonial from a family child care owner: \u201cParents cannot pay for the actual cost of child care services. The stabilization grant subsidized some operation costs in my program to keep tuition affordable and to attract and retain staff.\u201d\n\nCarolina Reyes: \u201cARPA funding was absolutely crucial and fundamental for my center's survival. Without ARPA grant money, my center would have closed in 2020 or 2021.\u201d\n\nThe loss of funding will result in a devastating impact on the child care sector and workers.\n\nLaura Valle Gutierrez: \u201cWe found that when the funds expire at the end of September, 3.2 million children could lose their child care slots, as programs close, staffing shortages grow, and tuition costs rise.\u201d\n\nMelissa Boteach: \u201cToday, the median pay for child care workers is $13.7127 and a 2018 study from the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment showed that a majority of child care workers are paid so little that they are eligible for public assistance programs.\u201d\n\nLaura Weeldreyer: \u201cThe economic impact of child care issues affecting working parents with children under the age of five is staggering. In Maryland alone, the loss of $1.28 billion annually in economic output and $2.41 billion annually for employers underscores the urgent need for systemic change.\u201d\n\nPrioritizing child care is an investment in our economy, our infrastructure, and American families.\n\nLaura Valle Gutierrez: \u201cThe stakes are high: 70,000 child care programs; 200,000 early education jobs; 3 million children and their parents; and nearly $11 billion in state economic revenue. When America decides something is a priority, we find the funding. It\u2019s time to prioritize child care to ensure all our families are able to thrive.\u201d\n\nMelissa Boteach: \u201cChild care is infrastructure. It holds up our economy. It bridges workers and jobs. And similar to physical infrastructure, child care is a public good, with investments resulting in immediate and long-term positive externalities.\u201d\n\nCarolina Reyes: \u201cWe are professionals that love what we do because we strongly believe that the education of small children will better ensure successful leaders for our nation. But we aren\u2019t just a field of a love. We are a field that is relevant and needed for all. And we can\u2019t do this alone. We need you. We need support: financial and moral.\u201d\n\nLaura Weeldreyer: \u201cLet\u2019s be clear: child care is infrastructure \u2013 laying the groundwork for stronger, more resilient Americans that can withstand the challenges that lie ahead. Think of this funding as the scaffolding that supports the construction of a better future for our young children and their families; an investment as essential as the roads, bridges, and the power grid.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:08:25Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 189, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "House", "p1": "OR", "p2": "2023"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=OR&year=2023", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 169, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=OR&year=2023&party=Democrat", "selected": false}, {"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 20, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=OR&year=2023&party=Republican", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=OR&year=2023", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 189, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=OR&year=2023", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=OR&year=2023", "results": [{"value": "OR", "label": "OR", "count": 189, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&year=2023", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=OR&year=2023", "results": [{"value": "2023", "label": "2023", "count": 189, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=OR", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2023-06-22,https~3A~2F~2Fbonamici~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia~2Fpress-releases~2Famid-republican-silence-democratic-womens-caucus-leads-hearing-looming-child", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=OR&year=2023&_next=2023-06-22%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fbonamici~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia~2Fpress-releases~2Famid-republican-silence-democratic-womens-caucus-leads-hearing-looming-child&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 198.49195191636682, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}