Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici represents the First Congressional District of Oregon, which includes Washington, Yamhill, Clatsop, and Columbia counties and part of Multnomah County.
Strengthening public education is one of Suzanne's top priorities and one of the reasons she got involved in public service. Suzanne spent hundreds of hours volunteering in public schools before serving in the Oregon State Legislature, where she passed legislation to reduce duplicative testing. In Congress, she is a leader on the Education and Labor Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services.
Child care is an essential part of our economic infrastructure and an investment in our future. Yet parents and caregivers face an untenable set of demands. Women are being forced out of the workforce, families are struggling to pay for child care, and the pandemic has pushed providers to the brink of permanent closure. It’s time to provide working families with the solutions they need, and adequately compensate child care workers for the complex and demanding jobs they perform.
After speaking with parents and child care providers in Oregon about the need for more affordable child care, Congresswoman Bonamici advocated directly to President Biden for the American Rescue Plan to invest in child care. She helped secure $39 billion for child care, including $404 million for Oregon. This historic investment will go a long way to help families, educators, and providers. But child care is only one part of the caregiving work that has gone unrecognized for too long. As we move toward economic recovery, Congresswoman Bonamici will continue to call for investments in caregiving, because caregiving is part of the infrastructure that underpins our economy.
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici and national expert Dr. Myra Jones-Taylor of ZERO TO THREE recently discussed the challenges facing parents and caregivers of young children during the pandemic and how federal policy can make a difference. Dr. Jones-Taylor is an expert in the field of early childhood education and a passionate and effective advocate for babies, toddlers, and their families. This conversation is a great resource for parents and advocates.
A quality public education is a powerful force for economic and social mobility. As Chair of the Education and Labor Committee’s Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services, I am working to expand opportunities for people of all backgrounds. We must close the equity gap for students of color, who continue to face disparate outcomes in our public education system.
The Trump administration has been undermining, rather than protecting, the civil rights of students and workers. I take seriously the obligation of Congress to advance equity, hold institutions accountable, and provide meaningful oversight of the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, and the Trump administration. I will fight for all students and workers so they can learn and work in safe, inclusive, and welcoming environments.
LGBTQ Equality
All Americans should be free from discrimination, including discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. I have long advocated for LGBTQ rights. I challenged Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to reinstate protections for transgender students, and I’m leading the Ruthie and Connie LGBT Elder Americans Act, which would update the Older Americans Act to strengthen safeguards for LGBT elders.
I am an enthusiastic supporter of the Equality Act, H.R. 5, to amend our civil rights laws to clarify that prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of sex includes prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
Elections and Access to Voting
The right to vote is the core of our democracy, and it is critical that all Americans who qualify to vote have the opportunity to make their voices heard at the polls. For too long our nation did not allow minorities to vote; even after that right was afforded to all Americans, many jurisdictions engaged in shameful practices that effectively made it impossible for many citizens to exercise their rights.
In the 1960’s, the Voting Rights Act gave all citizens equal access to our election process, regardless of race. In the 1970’s, The Federal Election Campaign Act brought a new era of transparency and accountability in campaign finance, and thirty years later Congress passed the McCain-Feingold Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act to rid the system of unchecked corporate soft-money.
But the right of all citizens to fully participate in our democracy is under threat in ways we haven’t seen since the civil rights and post-Watergate eras. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision undermined that intent. There is no question that Citizens United has harmed our democracy, and it must be overturned. The Supreme Court further undermined voting rights by overturning key provisions of the Voting Rights Act in 2013, making it easier for states and localities to implement discriminatory practices that block access to the ballot box.
Voter suppression efforts and voter identification laws often restrict access for minority, military, disabled, and low-income voters, as well as seniors and college students. I am also deeply concerned about potential foreign interference in elections.
I am a strong supporter of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, which addresses campaign finance reform, voting rights, election security, accountability for government officials, and more. It includes many of the voting provisions that Oregonians have already adopted and appreciate, helping states across the country follow Oregon’s lead by expanding automatic voter registration, online registration, having paper ballots, and vote-by-mail to make it easier for millions of people to exercise their right to vote.
Access to Justice
Our democracy relies on an accessible and effective justice system to adjudicate rights and wrongs. When I was in law school, I helped low-income families access quality legal advice through Legal Aid. More than 60 million Americans qualify for legal assistance programs, and these attorneys assist the most vulnerable in our society, including military veterans seeking disability benefits, women seeking protection from their abusers, and families facing unlawful evictions. I have fought hard for full funding for Legal Aid, and I oppose efforts to eliminate funding for these vital programs.
It is an honor to serve on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. After more than a year of hearings, meetings, and briefings, we now present our report: “Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America.”
Watch me discuss the Climate Action Plan
Our committee was charged with crafting a bold, science-based, comprehensive climate action plan to address the climate crisis and reach net-zero emissions no later than mid-century and net-negative thereafter. We included a focus on the needs of frontline communities, opportunities to accelerate our transition to a 100 percent clean energy economy, and ways to create good-paying jobs. There was an outpouring of input from thousands of community members and leaders from Oregon and around the country. This work is a roadmap, and now is the time for action. I will keep working with my colleagues to enact these policies; the future of our planet depends on it.
My announcement of the comprehensive Climate Action Plan
Find Specific Factsheets Here from the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
Track Our Legislative Progress
As we know too well in Northwest Oregon, climate change is already our reality. The science is clear and alarming, and we must act immediately. According to an independent analysis and modeling, implementing this Climate Action Plan would:
Economic, environmental, and racial justice are intertwined, and equity is at the core of our Climate Action Plan. Addressing the climate crisis will create millions of good-paying, high-quality jobs that can help working families and displaced workers recover from the economic collapse caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Low-income communities, communities of color, and Tribal and Indigenous communities have not only been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic; they have also been disproportionately affected by the climate crisis. Building a resilient, clean economy using this climate action framework will boost our economic recovery and allow us to begin to repair the legacy of environmental racism and pollution that has burdened low-income communities and communities of color for decades.
Climate Action Now
The climate crisis demands immediate action. As we worked to develop the comprehensive Climate Action Plan, I continued to move forward legislation and concrete steps to address the climate crisis. Here are some of my climate actions this Congress:
As Co-Chair of the House Oceans Caucus and Congressional Estuary Caucus, I know that the health of our ocean reflects the health of our planet. For far too long the ocean has taken the brunt of our inaction to address the climate crisis. Investing in the restoration and resilience of our ocean and coastal ecosystems will jumpstart the economy and help capture the power of our ocean to mitigate the climate crisis. Check out these articles and videos to learn more about my work to advance ocean-centric climate solutions:
Capturing the Power of the Ocean to Help Solve the Climate Crisis
Working Wild Wetlands: How Our Coastal Communities Can Mitigate the Climate Crisis
Revitalizing Coastal Communities: World Oceans Day Webinar
The Climate Action Plan incorporates many of my bills, including:
How We Developed the Climate Action Plan
The process to develop our comprehensive climate action plan was robust. The Select Committee held 17 official hearings and six member-level round table discussions on a broad range of topics:
The Select Committee also requested information from experts and the public, receiving more than 700 substantive responses from stakeholders across the country.
I am deeply grateful to these stakeholders in the Pacific Northwest for sharing your expertise and knowledge with the Select Committee: Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, BlueGreen Alliance, City of Portland, Climate Solutions, Citizens' Climate Lobby, Coastal Universities Coalition, Consortium for Ocean Leadership, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, CREST, CRITFC, Ecotrust, IOOS Association, Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, Mayor Lucy Vinis of Eugene, Nuscale, NANOOS, NERRA, Oregon Association of Nurseries, Oregon Institute of Technology, Oregon Renewable Energy Center, Oregon Sea Grant, Dr. Jack Barth, Oregon State University, Dr. Timothy Cowles, Oregon State University, Oregon Wild, Oregon Winegrowers Association, Organic Materials Review Institute, Our Children's Trust, The PEW Charitable Trusts, Portland General Electric Company, Public Power Council, REI Co-op, Renewable Northwest, Restore America's Estuaries, Shellfish Growers Climate Coalition, State of Oregon, Strid Energy Report, The Nature Conservancy, Professor Greg Dotson and instructor Deb Mailander at the University of Oregon School of Law and students: Grace Brahler, Mari Galloway, Conor Harrington, Tom Housel, Whit Koch, Jake Miller, Catherine Pratt, Alexandria Roullier, Renee Seacor, and Sierra Waechter, University of Oregon: Sustainable Cities Institute, WildEarth Guardians, XPRIZE Foundation, and Zero Energy Ready Oregon.
What’s Next
This comprehensive Climate Action Plan is a roadmap for Congress. In the coming months I will continue to work with my colleagues to advance the legislation and recommendations. I also look forward to discussing the Climate Action Plan in depth with Oregonians and hearing your feedback. I will be convening roundtable discussions with stakeholders and planning a climate action tour to the places and people in Northwest Oregon who are leading the way on protecting our planet, creating good-paying jobs, supporting a just transition, and building more resilient communities.
You can follow along on social media using #OregonClimateAction.
As a consumer protection attorney at the Federal Trade Commission, I learned firsthand how strong consumer protection laws keep Americans financially secure and level the playing field for businesses. A thriving marketplace without deceptive practices is also essential to our economic recovery because it will help to restore consumer confidence. I have taken on predatory lending and other unscrupulous practices, and I have worked to prevent insurance companies from taking advantage of seniors. Recently I introduced the SAFE (Stop Abuse and Fraud in Electronic) Lending Act, a companion bill to legislation Senator Merkley introduced in the Senate, to protect consumers from abusive online payday lending practices.
As a member of the Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus, I am working to promote more personal financial education. With more education and understanding about personal finance and economics, consumers will be more knowledgeable in the marketplace and less likely to fall victim to scams.
Public schools play an important role in Oregon and across the country, and strengthening public education and improving access to higher education will grow our economy and benefit our communities. It was an honor to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass the Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaces No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The Every Student Succeeds Act will reduce high-stakes testing—which narrowed curriculum and stifled teaching and learning—and facilitate more decision-making at the local and state level. The law includes my commonsense provision to streamline testing in schools so educators can focus more of their time on teaching and helping students learn and thrive. As a member of the select panel of House and Senate members tasked with crafting the final version of the bill, I successfully added language to encourage STEAM, interdisciplinary educational programs that integrate arts and music into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses.
I worked my way through community college, college, and law school, so I know how important it is to make higher education available and affordable. I've consistently opposed efforts to cut financial aid for low-income students, and I support robust funding for Pell Grants and legislation to prevent the doubling of Stafford loan interest rates. The growing amount of loan debt and default faced by graduates is a serious problem, and I am working with my colleagues to improve loan counseling, curb rising costs, and make repayment manageable for millions of current loan borrowers.
The future of our economy will rely on an educated and innovative workforce to create and fill the jobs of the 21st century. As the founder and co-chair of the Congressional STEAM Caucus, I'm working to ensure that today's K-12 and higher education programs meet our country's future needs, especially in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and design, and math) fields that produce skilled workers and creative thinkers.
Oregon’s First Congressional District is known for its natural treasures — from the Pacific Ocean to the Columbia River to the Clatsop State Forest — and it is imperative that they be preserved for future generations. In Congress I am committed to working to protect our public lands and natural resources, address climate change, move toward a clean energy future, and defend science and protect the Environmental Protection Agency from political influence.
In Northwest Oregon, we are facing the challenges of our inaction on climate change, whether it be more acidic oceans, rising sea levels, raging wildfires, changing agricultural conditions, and extreme weather events. Climate change and pollution also disproportionately affect our most vulnerable, and we must do more to protect the public of health of our communities. It is past time for Congress and the country to take action and address the growing threat of climate change and protect our environment. The United States has the ability and the obligation to lead the world’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels, and transition to 100% clean energy. I will continue to work with my colleagues to implement adaptation and mitigation strategies as we fight to take meaningful action on climate change.
Climate change affects our entire economy and it’s more important than ever to develop a comprehensive national energy policy that shifts us toward a clean energy future. In Oregon, with our natural solar, wind, and wave resources, we have an opportunity to lead the nation in decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels. I’ve been proud to help secure federal funding for research and development of cutting-edge wave energy research in Oregon. By investing in renewable energy, we also have the opportunity to support new innovative, industries, and create more good-paying jobs for working families. I will also continue to advocate for rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure in sustainable and resilient manner and strengthen investments in clean and efficient transportation technologies.
Many Oregonians rely on our oceans to earn a living, and residents and visitors cherish our coastal communities. It is our responsibility to protect and sustain the oceans for the health of planet, our economy, and for the enjoyment of future generations. As co-chair of the House Oceans Caucus and Congressional Estuary Caucus, I am working to find commonsense solutions to critical problems like ocean acidification, harmful algal blooms, marine debris, tsunami preparedness, and illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing. I also advocate for robust federal funding for the cutting-edge science and research our oceans need.
Americans deserve the certainty of knowing their government will be funded and open tomorrow, next week, and next year. It is critically important that Congress set aside partisan differences when it comes to meeting our country’s financial commitments.
Americans also need to know that the earned benefits they have paid into — like Social Security, and safety net programs including food stamps and housing supports — will be there when they need them. I will always stand up for these programs, work to make sure they are fully funded, and fight against privatization. I oppose the Trump administration’s continued plans to cut these and many other programs. It is immoral and wrong when the President proposes steep cuts to programs that help put food on Oregonians’ tables and keep a roof over their heads.
Finally, we need a tax code that leads to better jobs, better wages, and a better future for all of us. Currently, our tax code exacerbates income inequality at a time when it is rising and threatening our nation’s prosperity. I opposed the partisan tax reform in 2017 because it provided unnecessary benefits and loopholes to wealthy corporations and billionaires at the expense of middle and low-income Americans. It is reprehensible to increase the debt by at least $1 trillion to give tax cuts to successful corporations and the wealthiest in our country while asking hard-working Americans to do more with less as costs rise and wages remain stagnant.
It is critical that we maintain America’s role as a leader in the international community. The use of force should always be a last resort and diplomacy must be emphasized in all of our relationships around the world. As a member of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, I understand the importance of working with other countries to find peaceful solutions wherever possible, maintaining a focus on diplomacy, democracy, human rights, and development.
We have the best military in the world and I am dedicated to supporting our troops. It is important, however, to be realistic about our defense spending and what is truly necessary for our national security. Our spending should focus on what our military needs to keep our country safe—like investments in intelligence and cybersecurity—not what makes good politics.
Terrorist attacks and the growth of ISIL across the globe demand action and collaboration with allies. Unfortunately, however, we have also seen an increase in hateful rhetoric toward refugees and immigrants. We must maintain our focus on keeping our nation safe and secure, but we cannot allow discrimination to dictate our nation’s policies. Any refugee seeking to come to the United States must go through an intensive and lengthy screening process. In our nation, diversity makes us stronger. With that strength we must summon our collective humanity to provide a place for refugees, many of whom are women and children, fleeing war and terrorism.
Oregon and a few other states have strong background check requirements, but unfortunately people can simply cross state lines and buy weapons in states with background check loopholes. That’s why Congress must take action. Universal background checks would help stop criminals from getting weapons they are not legally allowed to purchase.
Nationally, millions of guns are exchanged each year without a background check. In states like Oregon that require a background check for all gun sales, there has been a significant drop in domestic violence deaths and suicide.
Limit Gun Magazine Sizes
I support banning the sale of magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. In Orlando, the shooter who perpetrated the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history was able to fire twenty rounds in nine seconds. The shooter at Newtown fired 154 rounds. The shooter in Aurora came equipped with a 100-round drum magazine.
Reinstate the Ban on Military Style Assault Weapons
The shootings in Newtown, Clackamas Town Center, and Aurora all involved the use of weapons that would have been illegal under the Assault Weapons Ban that expired in 2004. Although the 1994 law was not flawless, I support efforts to stop future sales of military-style assault weapons. These guns and the ammunition they carry are designed for one thing: killing a lot of people very quickly. They don’t belong in our communities. Stopping future sales of these deadly weapons is a commonsense measure that will help save innocent lives.
Allow and Fund Gun Violence Research
Gun violence kills about 30,000 Americans every year, and it’s the second-leading killer of individuals ages 10-34. Americans are dying of gun violence at rates that far outpace the rest of the western world, but unfortunately Congress has used the appropriations process to effectively ban the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from studying gun violence. The American people deserve to have our nation’s leading researchers and scientists studying the effects of gun violence, and I am working to make this happen.
Uphold the Second Amendment
I support the rights of gun owners, the vast majority of whom are law-abiding citizens who understand the responsibilities that go along with gun ownership. Every step taken to reduce gun violence must be constitutional and consistent with the Second Amendment.
When I worked at Legal Aid, I worked with uninsured families who had been bankrupted by an illness and were experiencing financial hardship on top of poor health. The Affordable Care Act has significantly expanded access to health care, including children’s oral health services, and we must maintain its protections for people with pre-existing conditions and insurance subsidies for people who qualify financially. More must be done, however, to make sure everyone has access to affordable, quality health care. I am proud to be a member of the Medicare for All Caucus and will continue to work to expand coverage and make health care more affordable for all.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated and highlighted the inequities that exist in our health care system, with communities of color and low-income communities being hit the hardest. I helped secure needed relief to sustain our local health care system at the peak of the pandemic and increase access to essential care and vaccines. I’m committed to getting critical care providers the resources they need to respond to the COVID-19 crisis – and any future pandemics -- by making additional investments in public health infrastructure, community health systems, prevention efforts, vaccine development and distribution, and more.
It is critical that we build a health care workforce that can meet our country’s increasing needs. As a leader on the Congressional Nursing Caucus I helped craft bipartisan solutions to address the nursing shortage across the country, including making sure we have safe staffing in hospitals and providing additional funding for nurse training and workforce development.
Across the country and here in Northwest Oregon, communities are experiencing the tragic and often deadly emergency of opioid abuse. I have met with parents, health care professionals, community leaders, veterans, and people from all walks of life who have shared heart-wrenching stories about how the opioid crisis is taking lives and inflicting pain on Oregon families. My report on the opioid crisis includes what I learned, what steps we’ve already taken, and my priorities moving forward. One priority is making it as easy to dispose of unused opioids as it is to get a prescription. I introduced The Safe Disposal of Opioids Act to create a grant program to help pharmacies and other qualified locations install and maintain drug disposal bins. This bill requires opioid manufacturers to fund these grants through a small fee on the opioids they sell.
Rising prescription drug costs are a burden for many Americans, particularly seniors. I have heard too many stories of seniors forced to leave a prescription unfilled or cut pills in half because of high costs. We must do more to make prescription drugs more accessible and affordable to everyone. Current law prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from negotiating for lower drug prices in Medicare. We should reverse this unnecessary restriction and leverage the purchasing power of the government to negotiate better prices for medications.
I will continue to be a strong advocate for consumers and patients as we work to address prescription drug costs and improve access to affordable health care for all.
Stable housing is critical to rebuilding and strengthening our communities and to our economic recovery. Accordingly, I have voted for, and advocated on behalf of, full funding for these important programs:
As a member of the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness, I will continue to work to address the lack of access to affordable housing, and will continue fighting for the fair treatment of homeowners and renters.
If you are facing foreclosure, please visit www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov or call my Oregon Office at (503) 469-6010. Be wary of foreclosure consultants who make promises and make sure that any housing counselor you work with is HUD certified. More information is available at www.oregonhomeownersupport.gov.
The foreclosure crisis has caused devastation for many Oregonians. Too many families are underwater on their mortgages and many people, including families with children, have lost their homes. I am carefully monitoring the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as well as the work of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), to ensure that strong regulations prevent another financial crisis.
The economy won’t fully recover until the housing market is vital again. We need to explore policies that will help homeowners stay in their homes while the economy is recovering. I am committed to working with my colleagues in Congress and with advocates and the industry to address this important issue. I have joined with many of my colleagues in calling on the Acting Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to reconsider his decision that prohibits Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from reducing the principal owed on underwater mortgages. With so many mortgages underwater, this change could an immediate and constructive role in restoring confidence in the housing market.
Additionally I am supporting legislation to extend the availability of USDA home loans in rural communities. The USDA program has helped with homeownership in rural towns across the country and in Oregon for years, and communities that have qualified for the program in the past should be able to continue to participate if they have maintained rural characteristics.
When I travel around Northwest Oregon, I often hear from parents who struggle to pay for child care—which in Oregon can cost as much as a year of college tuition. I’ve heard from parents who don’t have access to paid family leave at work, and have to choose between caring for a new baby and earning a paycheck. Congress must do more to address the challenges facing our families.
Our economy will be stronger and people will be healthier when we acknowledge that families need policies that work for them, not against them. Equal pay for women, good wages, paid leave, and affordable child care will better support families in Oregon and across the country. When we open the doors of opportunity to everyone, we all succeed.
One of my top priorities in Congress is to grow our economy and implement policies that create more jobs in Oregon and across the country. As a leader on the Education and Labor Committee, I’ve introduced legislation to strengthen apprenticeships and paid, on-the-job training programs to provide workers with meaningful pathways to better paying jobs, and to connect businesses with workers who have the skills they need. I support the Raise the Wage Act, which would gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2024. I also helped pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to help to address the pay gap and provide workers with the tools they need to achieve equal pay for equal work.
It is essential that all women, regardless of income level, have access to family planning resources. Access to contraceptives and reproductive health care are proven to reduce health costs for both the individual and the health care system as a whole, as well as reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions. I will continue to be an outspoken voice to ensure that women are able to access the reproductive healthcare they need. As a member of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, I am committed to working for the rights of women to choose their own healthcare and method of family planning.
As the population of older adults continues to grow, programs that keep seniors healthy, active, and engaged in their communities are even more important.
The Older Americans Act (OAA) is a cornerstone of our nation’s commitment to seniors. In 2016, I helped pass a bipartisan reauthorization of the OAA. This law will support programs like Meals on Wheels for the next three years, and it will also provide additional resources. The OAA strengthens protections against elder abuse, improves nutrition services, and updates the Family Caregiver Support Program. Increasing investments in programs that support older adults helps them stay in their homes where they can remain connected to their communities and avoid costlier long-term care.
For the millions of Americans without retirement savings, the future can be uncertain. In the 21st century economy, more workers switch jobs frequently and they are less likely to be covered by a traditional employer-sponsored retirement savings plan.
Oregon is a national leader in helping workers save for retirement and transfer their retirement savings from job to job. I’ve introduced the American Savings Account Act to provide American workers with a new tool to help them save for a strong and secure retirement. Modeled after similar programs in Oregon and California, the legislation would provide every American worker with access to a personal, pre-tax retirement savings plan. Senator Merkley introduced the Senate version of the Act, which is designed to help working families around the country be more secure in their retirement by giving them the tools necessary to invest in their future regardless of where they work.
Social Security and Medicare are essential programs that provide financial security and allow older adults to age with dignity. Economic challenges are not an excuse to dismantle, privatize, or compromise these critical programs. The Social Security trust fund is solvent, and we must keep our promise to seniors by making sure it remains that way. There are sensible reforms that can be made to strengthen these programs while protecting and preserving Medicare and Social Security for current and future recipients. For example, I support raising the limit on income that is taxed for Social Security. I have cosponsored the Social Security 2100 Act, which would require our country’s highest wage earners—those making more than $400,000 per year—to contribute more to the program.
Cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) to Social Security payments are essential for making sure that beneficiaries can live their lives without the risk of falling into poverty. In the past few years, however, COLAs have been relatively small. In 2016, there was no increase in payments. I understand how difficult it can be to pay for prescription medications, housing, and other expenses when Social Security payments don’t keep pace with rising costs. I support tying future COLAs to the Consumer Price Index for the elderly (CPI-E), an index that more accurately measures the expenses of older adults.
Rising prescription drug costs are a burden for many Americans, particularly seniors. We have made some progress with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which made prescription drug coverage more affordable for many by reducing the gap in Medicare Part D known as the “donut hole.” However, more must be done to keep up with increasing costs. I have cosponsored the Prescription Drug Affordability Act, legislation that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices and provide better prescription drug coverage. I will continue working to make prescription drugs more accessible and affordable.
The First Congressional District is home to some of our country’s most innovative companies including technology leaders like Intel, which developed the world’s first microprocessor more than 40 years ago, Nike, a trailblazer in footwear innovation, and multiple, innovative small businesses. Companies in the First District are continually developing new and exciting products. As a Member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I will do everything I can to partner with our local innovators—in the tech sector and beyond—to support their efforts and advance projects that benefit our communities.
In 2013 I founded and now Co-Chair the bipartisan STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) Caucus to promote creativity and innovation by integrating art and design into STEM education programs. I frequently meet with business leaders and innovators and hear about the need for collaborative problem solvers who can communicate and come up with new ways to solve problems. Additionally, STEAM education builds a more inclusive environment that supports a greater diversity of students while fostering an entrepreneurial approach that strengthens our workforce.
Efforts to dismiss and disrespect science will have chilling consequences for every person who benefits from clean air and clean water, particularly and disproportionately young children, seniors, and the health-impaired. As a member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I am doing everything that I can to fight efforts to undercut scientific integrity and stand up for science and research.
Net Neutrality
Net neutrality is about keeping the internet open and fair for everyone. I’m fighting in Congress to protect net neutrality, and I’ll continue to urge the Federal Communications Commission to maintain Title II protections and a level playing field for consumers, innovators, and small businesses.
International trade agreements done right have the potential to create quality, high-paying jobs, and expand exports to help Oregon businesses innovate and grow. Around the world, Oregon’s berries, wine, hazelnuts, semiconductors, sportswear, and other quality products are in high demand. Thousands of small businesses already sell products overseas, and carefully crafted trade agreements would allow them to expand their customer base and hire more workers here in Oregon.
To earn my support, any trade agreement must be good for Oregonians. It must include strong labor and environmental protections, and must also contain rigorous enforcement provisions. The jobs we gain by expanding exports tend to pay high wages, but the globalized economy can put some American workers at risk of being displaced as our economy continues to grow and evolve. We must find ways to reinvigorate those communities and restore jobs to people who have been hurt by globalization, trade, and increased mechanization.
Making long-term investments in transportation and infrastructure stimulates the economy, creates jobs, and drives commerce. It is also an opportunity to rebuild systems in a sustainable and resilient manner, reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and support vulnerable communities. New infrastructure programs should invest in projects that reduce pollution and use natural infrastructure solutions.
The needs of surface transportation infrastructure are widely and rightfully recognized. But in the Northwest, we know that a comprehensive infrastructure package needs to go beyond roads and bridges. Investing in infrastructure must also include accessible public transit, building affordable housing, upgrading water systems, repairing ports, modernizing public schools, and strengthening decarbonized transportation systems in a resilient and sustainable manner. I’m focused on the federal responsibility to improve infrastructure and upgrade our multi-modal transportation system. Smart transportation projects, like the Newberg-Dundee Bypass and the Southwest Corridor Light Rail, will help more people get to work, school, and other destinations in the community more quickly and reliably while also reducing emissions by decreasing the number of vehicles on our roads. These projects also recognize the need to enhance our resiliency in advance of a Cascadia Subduction Zone event in the Northwest.
Finally, federal investment in infrastructure will create needed construction jobs in our communities. I’ll pursue every opportunity to make sure that all workers—especially women and people of color who traditionally haven’t worked in construction—have access to the training and supports needed to qualify for these jobs, and will work to make sure that minority and women owned small businesses can compete for these federal contracts.
Our veterans served and sacrificed for our freedom, and we must hold up our end of the bargain. As the proud daughter of a Navy veteran, I have a deep appreciation for those who have served our country. I am committed to protecting the benefits that our veterans have earned.
I also support efforts to aid veterans after they leave active service. We must do more to end veteran homelessness, increase employment opportunities for veterans, and help veterans access quality, affordable higher education.
Veterans also have unique health care needs. Women veterans need access to comprehensive health care, and veterans of all ages need access to mental health services. Veterans of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War may need different health care services than veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. And veterans in rural areas should be able to access the same services and benefits as those in urban areas.
When I visit with veterans at the Portland VA, at the North Coast Clinic in Warrenton, or over coffee in their communities, I am inspired by their deep love of country and commitment to service. If you or a family member are a veteran in need of assistance, my office is available to help: please call my Beaverton office at 503-469-6010 or email me here.