I hope you are enjoying the official start to summer! As the days continue to heat up, you may be considering home improvements and appliances that can help keep your home cooler and save money on energy costs. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), homeowners can save up to  $1,200 annually on improvements like insulation, air sealing, energy efficient windows and doors, and up to $2,000 for a heat pump. That’s a combined maximum savings of $3,200, in addition to the lifetime savings from lower energy costs. Better insulation and air sealing can also help protect you from wildfire smoke.

The Department of Energy has a great video series that introduces the various appliances and technologies covered under the IRA, including weatherization and insulation and heat pumps. You can also view a recording of a webinar I hosted with representatives from the IRS and Portland’s Community Energy Project on IRA incentives  -- you can use the time stamps in the video description to skip to specific topics.

It's also worth looking at resources from local organizations like Energy Trust of Oregon and Community Energy Project (Portland-area). 

Responding to the Supreme Court’s Latest Rulings

The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan is deeply disappointing for the more than 490,000 Oregonians who would have received forgiveness, most of whom were low-income students. Loan forgiveness, which was part of pandemic relief, would have put more than 40 million people across the country on a path to financial stability while boosting the economy. The facts speak for themselves: the benefits of President Biden’s student debt forgiveness would have largely been felt by low-income borrowers, borrowers making less than $75,000 per year, and borrowers who fell behind on their payments and needed some support to get back on track.

The economic security and peace of mind of these borrowers is now even more uncertain. I will continue working to reduce the cost of college and make student loan repayment more manageable, and I strongly urge the Biden Administration and my colleagues in Congress to explore all options to provide hard-working Oregonians and Americans relief from the crushing burden of student loan debt.

You can read my statement on the affirmative action ruling here, and the web design ruling here.

Build Housing with Care

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The cost of housing and child care are significant burdens on the budgets of Oregon families. I’ve spoken with many Oregonians who tell me the cost of child care is more than what they pay for mortgage or for rent. And that’s if they can find a spot for their child at all—waitlists can be years-long and out of reach for too many.

Connecting child care centers and home-based child care providers with affordable housing developments—known as co-location—is a commonsense practice that addresses the need for affordable housing and affordable child care. I joined Senator Wyden and housing and child care advocates at Stephens Creek Crossing in SW Portland to highlight this proven solution and our bill to encourage co-location, the Build Housing with Care Act. I’ve seen the difference this strategy makes for Oregon families, and it was especially meaningful to hear from a Stephens Creek Crossing resident about how co-location has helped her family.

Expanding Broadband

Broadband access is critical to strengthening the economy, improving access to health care, supporting education, and more. Last Congress, I helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has funding for broadband expansion. Recently we learned that Oregon is receiving more than $688 million to expand access to broadband across the state.

 Protecting Access to Health Care

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The end of June marked one year since the disastrous and dangerous Dobbs decision, which stripped away reproductive rights from millions of Americans. Because of an extremist Supreme Court majority, too many in our country have experienced the tragic outcomes of abortion care restrictions and bans. Thankfully, Oregon has strong protections for abortion care and hardworking health care providers and advocates who are doing everything they can to provide needed care and expand access to services.

This month I visited Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette (PPCW) to learn more about their new surgical center and to discuss what they’re experiencing post-Dobbs. I also learned more about the gender-affirming care that PPCW offers.

As extremist politicians continue to interfere with and restrict the types of care people receive, I will continue to stand up for people to have freedom to make their own personal health decisions.

Standing Up for Trans Rights

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Pride Month is coming to a close, and it’s important we remember its roots as a protest. When the first Pride celebration was held in 1970, it was in commemoration of the thousands who demonstrated against government-backed discrimination and repression.  Although we have made progress toward securing equality for all, recently we have seen a campaign of hate against LGBTQI+ people—in particular, harmful legislation targeting trans people.

Trans people are part of our community and they deserve to live freely without being the targets of bigotry and discrimination. It was meaningful to meet with and hear from trans advocates at Basic Rights Oregon about the challenges and opportunities they see for trans rights.

Pride is a celebration of the LGBTQI+ community, but it also is a time to recommit to protecting the rights of everyone, no matter who they are or who they love.

ICYMI

 

   

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