Dear Friend,

From empowering roundtables to sharing critical resources with our seniors, June was another jam-packed month working for families in Oregon’s Sixth District!

I hosted my second Senior Fair in Marion County! Supporting our seniors during their golden years is a top priority of mine, and I’m working hard to ensure they can access the full range of support and benefits they deserve. My team and I hosted dozens of vendors and local organizations who provided information and resources to seniors from across the district. Needless to say it was a great success, and I can’t wait for the next one.

Also in Marion County, I had the pleasure of touring Pacific Coast Producers in Salem and learning more about their delicious maraschino cherries. I’m grateful to these and all our local producers for the vital role they play in our local agricultural industry, delivering high-quality products while creating good-paying jobs. Thanks for helping Salem live up to its nickname as the “Cherry City” – you make our community that much sweeter!

I hosted not one – but two – roundtables with local leaders from across the district. First, I had an open and honest discussion with Latino leaders in Woodburn about the issues that are affecting our communities, from farmworker relief to affordable housing and health care. It was empowering to hear from so many leaders in our community, and I will keep working side-by-side with them to ensure Latinos and all Oregonians can thrive for decades to come.

It's also critical to we ensure that our rural communities have the tools they need to succeed–and that starts with improving coordination at all levels of government. This month, I hosted a roundtable with leaders from rural counties and cities in the Sixth District, as well as representatives from federal agencies, to talk about how we can partner together. Rural communities have been getting the short end of the stick for far too long, and I’m committed to changing that.

Another important issue that I am working to address is the growing fentanyl crisis. In Congress, I have been working to stop these dangerous drugs from entering our communities and provide law enforcement with the tools they need to keep us safe, while also expanding access to treatment and recovery services. And this month, I launched a new listening tour to gather perspectives from our police, local governments, and members of the recovery community about how we can move forward in a post-Measure 110 world and put an end to the addiction crisis once and for all.

Last but not least, I introduced new legislation to provide compensation for farmworkers who lose out on wages due to extreme weather, public health emergencies, and other disasters beyond their control. As the daughter of a former farmworker, I know how important it is to deliver this much-needed disaster relief for the hardworking men and women who grow and harvest our food. Climate change is only getting worse, and unexpected disasters can strike at any time. Yet despite their critical importance to our food system and economy, America’s farmworkers currently do not receive direct federal support when they are forced to miss out on work and lose wages as a result. The Disaster Relief for Farmworkers Act would finally right this wrong and ensure that – rain or shine – our farmworkers and their families can continue to pay the bills and put food on the table.

Check out these news clips from the past month to learn more about what I worked on in June:

• KOIN — Salinas launches ‘Life After Measure 110’ tour to curb Oregon’s addiction crisis
• Gray TV — Rep. Salinas wants to extend disaster relief for farm workers
• Oregon Capital Chronicle — Oregon Congresswoman introduces bill to provide disaster relief to farmworkers
• KPTV — Rep. Salinas talks 2025 budget proposals
• Statesman Journal — $2.7 million grant for Front Street could reshape future of north downtown Salem