Dear Friend,

For the past two weeks, I’ve been hard at work in Oregon. I’ve visited new housing and infrastructure projects, farms, and research labs. Keep reading to hear more about the work I am doing for our community. 

Spring has sprung, and like so many of you, I was excited to visit Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm’s world-renowned Tulip Festival. I got to chat with Emily, a third-generation farmer, who helps run the farm. Like many farmers and producers, her family is facing rising costs and uncertainty that make it harder to pass their operation from one generation to the next. I will keep fighting for farmers and producers to ensure that farms like Emily’s can thrive for many years to come.

Right now, we are in a housing crisis, and there is not enough affordable housing to meet growing demand. That is why I was proud to speak at the grand opening of Stratus Village, an affordable housing community that will provide 175 affordable housing units in McMinnville. This is a great start, but we need to think even bigger. I have called for over a trillion dollars of investment over the next decade to bring our federal housing programs up to date because everyone deserves access to quality housing. 

I also had a great time at Oregon State University, where I toured state-of-the-art facilities advancing research from forestry to artificial intelligence to food science. They are conducting groundbreaking research, but these endeavors require support at the federal level. As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I’m working to keep Oregon at the forefront of these fields. 

Rising costs are also putting pressure on everyone, especially our seniors. The other week, I hosted the latest stop on my affordability tour — this time discussing the issues that matter most to our seniors, such as access to affordable health care and protecting Social Security. I gave updates on my work to protect and expand seniors’ benefits and support their financial stability so they can focus on enjoying their golden years rather than worrying about their finances. 

I also spoke with Diana, a senior, and her granddaughter, Jay, on how I’m working to ensure Social Security is there for future generations. Take a listen to our conversation! 

FUNDING SECURED: In Turner, I delivered $1 million for agricultural and cultural education to Indigenous and Latino communities across the Willamette Valley. The money will be used to process traditional crops, provide meals for families in need, and support instructional programming. 

FUNDING SECURED: In Dallas, I brought home another $1 million in federal funding to the city to extend sewer service, unlocking hundreds of acres for housing and economic development. Afterwards, I met with the Dallas Rotary to give an update on my work. 

Nearly 20 million Americans show signs of problem gambling. Congress has a responsibility to ensure people struggling with addiction are not left behind. During my visit to Bridgeway’s Santiam House — a residential treatment facility for problem gambling — I spoke with them about my new bill that invests gambling tax revenue into programs like theirs to expand care, raise awareness, and connect people to help. If you or someone you know is struggling with problem gambling, help is available at www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/help-by-state/oregon/. 

Getting to meet with so many of you is one of the most meaningful parts of my job. Those conversations shape my work for you and keep me laser-focused on the issues that matter most to our communities. If you have thoughts to share or need help navigating a federal agency, please reach out to my office at salinas.house.gov. 

Be well,




Andrea Salinas
Member of Congress