{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["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"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["https://salinas.house.gov/media/press-releases/salinas-colleagues-launch-bipartisan-rural-health-caucus"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9153299033641815, "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"}