Happy Holidays! I hope these last days of 2022 have been full of joy and quality time with friends and family. I also understand that this can be a difficult time of year for some, especially those who have lost a loved one. I wish peace and comfort for anyone grieving a loss during the holidays.

As we head into the new year, I’ve been reflecting on the progress we’ve made and the work that still needs to be done to make our country a better place for everyone. Congress has passed—and President Biden has signed—the biggest climate bill in our history, the most comprehensive bill to prevent gun violence in 20 years, a historic bill to invest in research and semiconductor manufacturing, and a bill that will protect interracial and same-sex marriage.

Unfortunately, the Senate has failed to act on several pieces of legislation the House passed, including bills to enshrine the right to reproductive health care, reinstate the assault weapons ban, protect LGBTQ+ individuals from employment discrimination, restore and expand the Voting Rights Act, and give Dreamers a long-term path to citizenship.

These are some of the priorities I will continue to advocate for, regardless of who holds a majority in Congress.

Celebrating the Respect for Marriage Act

I proudly helped pass the Respect for Marriage Act, and it was an honor to attend the signing of this important law. 

When I was serving in the state legislature in 2007, I helped pass the Oregon Family Fairness Act to give same-sex couples many of the rights afforded to married couples. But we knew then that full equality means that everyone in every state has the right to marry who they love. And our work continued. 

 In 2015, a year after a federal judge found that Oregon’s ban on same-sex marriages violated the Oregon Constitution, the United States Supreme Court held in Obergefell that all people have the right to marry who they love.

Congress must continue to pass legislation to protect our hard-won freedoms and privacy, especially with the willingness of this extremist Supreme Court to erode longstanding precedent.

Our Solving the Climate Crisis 2022 Report

In 2020, after more than a year of hearings, roundtable discussions, and feedback from Oregonians and people across the country, the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released our Climate Action Plan.

Last week we released a new report from our committee that highlights our key climate actions and accomplishments. As of today, more than 300 of our 715 policy recommendations have been adopted into rule or signed into law.

Our bold, comprehensive, science-based plan for climate action created a roadmap for our country to reach net-zero emissions no later than 2050 and net-negative thereafter. With the enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act, we are on the path to reduce our emissions by 40 percent in 2030.

The climate crisis is a reality, and we are living under a greater threat of wildfire, drought, flooding, sea level rise, and more frequent and intense extreme weather events. By acting now to dramatically cut emissions and build resilience, we can save lives and our planet. 

There is still more to do to reach our climate goals, but the progress we’ve made under this Congress and the Biden Administration shows that it can be done.

You can read “Solving the Climate Crisis 2022: Key Accomplishments and Additional Opportunities” here.

Securing Investments for Our Communities

I am thrilled to report that NW Oregon communities will receive more than $35 million for 15 projects I recommended for funding. The funding will go toward much needed road safety improvements in the Beaverton Downtown Loop, on Hall Boulevard in Tigard, and on the Newberg Dundee Bypass in Yamhill County. It will also support projects that expand affordable housing, support our local economy, improve equity in our health care system, and more.

These projects were included in the end-of-year funding bill, along with several other important provisions I led to protect retirement savings, help students access meals in the summer, and fund child care. I look forward to seeing how the funding from this legislation helps our communities thrive, and am committed to continuing work on these critical issues.

ICYMI

• I spoke with Politico LIVE about the need to support family caregivers
• I joined the incoming Congresswomen of Oregon and SW Washington on Straight Talk!
• I attended Speaker Pelosi’s portrait unveiling
• I introduced the Housing with Care Act to build affordable housing with child care supports
•  You can order additional free COVID-19 tests here