Dear Friend,

Too many Oregonians are feeling squeezed by rising costs and economic uncertainty. They deserve leadership focused on real solutions. I am focused on building an Oregon where everyone can afford to thrive, not just survive.

We need to build more in Oregon. This week, I met with the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council to talk about how I’m working hard to bring projects to the Willamette Valley that will provide jobs and ease the cost-of-living crisis. From airports and bus centers to sewer systems and technical education, I’m proud to have secured funding that will help put people to work. 

But we also need to cut through the red tape that's slowing down projects in the first place. I’m working in Congress to streamline processes, expand financing tools, and reduce the barriers that keep projects from getting off the ground. I’m also pushing back on the Trump tariffs that are driving up input costs because when building gets too expensive, projects stall and our workers pay the price.

Leaders from the Portland Metro Chamber raised similar concerns when I spoke to them on Capitol Hill. One of the biggest drivers of today’s affordability crisis is President Trump’s illegal tariffs, but the damage this Administration has done goes well beyond tariffs. We must correct course, and the choices we make will decide whether the next generation can afford to stay and build a life in Oregon. I am working to make sure families feel real relief in their wallets and that businesses can feel the stability needed to grow and invest in their companies.

You can count on me to call out what’s not working in Washington, D.C. This week, Republicans passed a laughable resolution congratulating themselves for supposedly having supported our rural communities. That doesn’t match reality. The Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans have made life unaffordable for rural Americans, cut health care and food assistance, and put family farmers out of business. As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, I will call out this nonsense for what it is, while actually fighting for our rural communities.

I also wasn’t afraid to speak out against the Trump Administration’s inhumane treatment of children in ICE detention centers. On the House Floor this week, I shared the story of 18-month-old Amalia, who suffered through life-threatening respiratory distress without proper care. In any other setting, this would be considered child abuse. The trauma that these children have experienced will linger for generations. We must put a stop to it.

I’ll keep fighting for you, and I’ll keep reporting back. In the meantime, please contact my office at salinas.house.gov or call us at (503) 385-0906 to share any questions or comments you may have.

Be well,




Andrea Salinas
Member of Congress