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Dear Friend,
March was busy! Here's a look at what I've been up to for you and our communities.
This month, I hosted two events, and if you missed them, make sure to stay subscribed to my email newsletter to learn about future events or visit salinas.house.gov/about/events. On March 23, I held a telephone town hall with Attorney General Dan Rayfield, where over 4,000 of our neighbors tuned in to hear updates on our work and how we are fighting to safeguard your rights from President Trump’s overreach of power. One big example of that work is the lawsuit AG Rayfield filed opposing Trump's tariffs. I filed an amicus brief in support of that lawsuit, and the Supreme Court recently sided with us and ruled that it was illegal for Trump to declare a national emergency to impose tariffs.
I also hosted a virtual roundtable with the U.S. Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle, Secretary of State Tobias Read, and Marion County Clerk Bill Burgess where we discussed protecting our elections and how all levels of government are working together to push back against Trump’s unlawful attacks on our ballot system. If you missed my roundtable, you can click the link here or down below to listen to our full conversation.
At the beginning of the month, I joined my colleagues on the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture to mark up the Farm Bill. I voted no because it was a partisan bill that failed to meet the needs of our farmers, families, and rural communities. It failed to address the cuts to SNAP in Republicans' One Big, Ugly Bill and lacked the real support and relief our rural communities rely on. While I was glad to see a provision from my Timber Innovation for Building Rural Communities Act included, the overall bill falls short. We need a Farm Bill that truly supports Oregon’s farmers and families — not one that leaves them behind.
Right now, we are in a partial government shutdown, which only impacts the Department of Homeland Security. Last week, the Senate passed a unanimous bill that would fund parts of DHS, including TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard, without giving any additional money to ICE and CBP. House Republicans rejected this bipartisan deal. They are set on giving more money to ICE – even after they gave $150 billion to ICE and CBP in their Big, Ugly Bill, which also cut Medicaid and food assistance for Oregon families. Along with many of my House Democratic colleagues, I support the bipartisan deal passed in the Senate, and I’m committed to finding a path to end this chaotic shutdown without providing a cent to ICE and CBP until there are major reforms to those agencies. Now, the ball is back in House Republicans’ court. There’s a clear path forward to ending this chaotic shutdown. They just need to take it.
Back home and in D.C., I’ve met with so many of our neighbors, local leaders, and organizations. I spoke with Oregon Food Bank and Marion Polk Food Share about the urgent need for stronger federal support. I also toured Marquis Tualatin with the Oregon Health Care Association to discuss improving care for seniors and people with disabilities. Additionally, I met with city leaders from across the district through the League of Oregon Cities to hear their priorities for our communities.
GOOD NEWS: I secured $3 million for Cherriots to help build a new transit center in Salem. This means safer, more reliable service for riders who depend on public transit to get to work, school, and appointments every day. I'll keep delivering for our communities.
I made sure to work hard to find solutions to some of the problems that we face. Take a moment to learn more about some of the work I did this month.
- POINTS Act: I introduced bipartisan legislation to expand prevention, treatment, and recovery services for individuals experiencing gambling addiction.
- No Getting Rich in Congress Act: I introduced a bill to crack down on insider trading in Congress and the White House to ensure public service is about serving the American people, not personal profit.
- No ICE Facilities In Oregon: ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons confirms there are no plans to build any ICE detention facilities in our state. To read his full response, click here.
- Demanding the Trump Administration to Prepare for Wildfire Season: I sent a letter to the Trump Administration urging them to make every effort to prepare for wildfire season.
- Spoke about ICE Traumatizing Children: I delivered remarks about Trump's attacks on children through ICE operations in the Willamette Valley.
REMINDER: I am taking submissions for the Congressional Art Competition. All high school students who live in Oregon’s Sixth District are invited to enter their original art. Applications must be submitted by April 20, 2026. Visit salinas.house.gov/services/art-competition to learn all about the finer details!
As always, please contact my office at salinas.house.gov or call us at (503) 385-0906 to share any questions and or comments you may have.
Be well,
Andrea Salinas
Member of Congress
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