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As this year comes to a close and we prepare for a new presidential administration and Congress, I have been reflecting on what we’ve accomplished during the Biden-Harris administration.
After years of talking about infrastructure, in 2021 Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to invest in a safer transportation system, replace dangerous lead pipes, expand affordable broadband, rehabilitate critical ecosystems, and more. These infrastructure investments are already making a difference in Oregon. This year our state received close to $20 million for the purchase of clean school buses in Beaverton and nearly half a billion dollars to help reconnect the historically-Black Lower Albina neighborhood in Portland.
The Inflation Reduction Act is the largest climate investment in U.S. history, and the law is also lowering drug costs for seniors on Medicare and making our tax system more effective and efficient. In 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency announced close to $200 million from the IRA was coming to Oregon for efforts to address the climate crisis, reduce air pollution, advance environmental justice, and accelerate America’s clean energy transition.
The CHIPS and Science Act is growing the U.S. semiconductor industry and economy, building new factories, and spurring innovation. This Congress, the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, and Portland State University each secured $1 million federal research grants to study semiconductor, mass timber, and smart grid technologies.
I will continue building on this legislation and I’ll do everything I can to prevent our hard-earned progress from being rolled back under the next administration.
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