Fall has arrived and rain has returned to NW Oregon. I hope all of the trick-or-treaters and their chaperones stay dry this Halloween!

In addition to Halloween, the end of October also brings another holiday dear to many in our community—Día de Los Muertos—which is observed on November 1st and 2nd. During Día de Los Muertos, families remember and pay respects to deceased friends and family members. Traditions include constructing an ofrenda (altar) to honor the departed, eating pan de muerto, and sharing calaveras (candy sugar skulls), among others.

No matter what festivities you observe, I wish everyone a safe and joyful time spent in the company of friends and loved ones.

Adelante Mujeres was celebrating Dia de Los Muertos when I visited.

Welcoming President Biden

It was an honor to welcome President Biden back to Oregon for a second time this year (and he even brought me a cupcake for my birthday!).

Our work in Congress and at the White House is to build a better future for people here in NW Oregon and across the country, and the Inflation Reduction Act is doing just that.

I’ve spoken with people across NW Oregon about what the savings in the Inflation Reduction Act means for them and their neighbors. A Portland homeowner, Sammie, told me about how she received help from the Community Energy Project to upgrade her home and make it more energy efficient. It did more than just lower her energy costs – she now has a credit on her electric bill! The Inflation Reduction Act will make it possible for many more homeowners to follow in Sammie’s footsteps.

The Inflation Reduction Act also means annual prescription drug costs and the cost of insulin will be capped for seniors, and Medicare will finally be able to negotiate for lower drug prices. This has the potential to save many families in NW Oregon thousands of dollars.

It’s putting more money back into the pockets of people and families, making health care more affordable, creating quality jobs, and helping to address the climate crisis. And this is just the start of what we aim to accomplish.

Hosting NEA Chair, Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson

Oregon has a rich and vibrant arts community, and I was glad to have the opportunity to show National Endowment for the Arts Chair Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson the amazing work being done here—as well as the opportunity to make the arts truly accessible to all.

Our first stop was Beaverton’s Arts and Communication Magnet Academy, where we met with students brimming with confidence and joy. Arts education nurtures creativity and innovation, and even if these students don't go on to a career or higher education in the arts, the lessons they are learning today have lifelong benefits.

We also visited several arts venues in our community: the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton, Bag & Baggage Productions at the Vault in Hillsboro, Portland Center Stage, and the Portland Art Museum. Chair Jackson and I saw arts organizations striving to be more inclusive and welcoming, especially to those that have been historically left out of arts spaces. We also learned that many arts organizations are struggling to come back from the pandemic and need capital to rebuild and recover.

I recently introduced the CREATIVE Act to help put artists and support personnel back to work, allow organizations and arts agencies to increase access to the arts, and revitalize local economies. I was pleased to discuss my important new legislation with Chair Jackson and arts stakeholders in Oregon and look forward to continuing to work to help the creative economy build back and be the best we can be.

Learning from the University of Oregon

Quality education is a good investment, and we need to support students at every step of their academic journey. Earlier this month I spoke with University of Oregon administrators, faculty, and students about their research programs and how we can better prepare students for success.

I toured the Knight Campus, a world-class research facility complete with equipment for microchip development and advanced fabrication. Faculty emphasized the need to work across disciplines and conduct research that solves the issues facing us now—like the climate crisis. I also learned about a potential regional Hydrogen Hub and future plans for mass timber construction.

At lunch with students in the Knight Campus Graduate Internship program, I heard how students are placed in internships and get paid while also gaining valuable real-world experience that prepares them for rewarding careers.

Before leaving Eugene, I met with Churchill High School students and their teacher, Jennifer Scurlock. The students asked about the climate crisis, abortion rights, gun safety, and how they can make their voices heard in government.

There is important and exciting work being done in our schools. As a senior member of the Education and Labor Committee, I will continue to advocate for the resources and policies that help our students and educators thrive.

ICYMI

The student loan debt relief application is live! Apply here.
I secured funding for landslide mitigation in Astoria and ocean acidification monitoring in the Columbia River estuary
I spoke at a roundtable discussion about why we need affordable, accessible child care for all
I saw several wonderful murals in Vernonia
President Biden moved to correct harmful federal policies on cannabis

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