Friend,

It’s an honor to serve you in the U.S. House of Representatives. On day one, I promised to represent you with transparency, authenticity, and integrity, and I’m committed to upholding that promise. Every week, I’ll be sending “Lori’s Letter” to keep you updated on my work. If you know someone who would like to receive my regular updates, please have them visit this link to sign up today!

Continue reading this week’s edition to learn more about a new homelessness bill I helped introduce, my questions for FAA Administrator Whitaker, and much more.

PROTECTING HEALTH CARE FOR ALL PATIENTS ACT PASSES HOUSE

On Wednesday, the House passed legislation to protect health care access for Americans with pre-existing conditions and disabilities. The Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act would ban federal health care programs and federally funded state health care programs from using prices that are based on quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) to determine thresholds for coverage.

Put simply, QALYs put a dollar value on the life of a patient to decide if a certain treatment is cost-effective, oftentimes discounting an individual’s worth and need for care solely because of their disability or chronic illness.

No patient should face worse health care options due to their disability or pre-existing condition. By prohibiting discriminatory measures, the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act is commonsense legislation that will help ensure all Americans can access high-quality health care.

MEETING OREGONIANS

I always enjoy visiting with Oregonians who are in D.C. advocating for their priorities! This week, I met students from Oregon community colleges, the Oregon Association of Water Utilities, and Special Olympics Oregon.

If you plan on visiting our nation’s capital, I’d love to have you stop by my office. We can also help arrange tours and tickets – visit my website to learn more.

ADDRESSING THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS BY EXPANDING DUAL DIAGNOSIS CARE

I helped introduce new legislation this week that seeks to reduce homelessness by expanding access to treatment for substance use and mental health disorders. Similar to my DIRECT Care for the Homeless Act, this bill would help connect homeless Americans with dual diagnosis care to break the cycle of addiction and poverty.

At the end of 2023, a report published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) found that Oregon has the second-highest percentage of unsheltered homeless individuals. Many of these individuals, approximately one in three, face substance use or mental health disorders that go untreated in part due to a lack of accessible, affordable health care options.

Ensuring people experiencing homelessness can receive the health care services they need is an important first step toward helping them access transitional or permanent housing.

QUESTIONING FAA ADMINISTRATOR ON SAFETY OF BOEING MAX 9 PLANES

A lot of Oregonians, including myself, fly Alaska Airlines out of PDX. Like many of you, I was surprised and alarmed by the news that a door came flying off a Boeing Max 9 jet shortly after takeoff in early January.

On Tuesday, I questioned FAA Administrator Whitaker on federal oversight of Boeing following the accident. He expressed confidence in FAA's thorough inspection process of the Max 9 planes – and even told me directly he'd feel comfortable flying on them himself.

It's concerning that an NTSB report published after this hearing found that bolts were completely missing from the plane. As a member of the Aviation Subcommittee, passenger safety will continue to be a top priority of mine. I'll keep monitoring this closely to ensure necessary oversight is being conducted so Oregonians, and all Americans, can fly with peace of mind.

Watch our exchange:

WORKING TO IMPROVE DROUGHT PREPAREDNESS

I was proud to support the Drought Preparedness Act, which passed the House on Monday evening with broad bipartisan support. This legislation reauthorizes the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act through 2028, allowing the Bureau of Reclamation to continue to minimize drought damages and losses and improve water availability for those harmed by drought.

As Oregon continues to face serious droughts year after year, this bill will ensure our communities have the federal resources needed to prepare and recover.

ONE MORE THING!

It's Super Bowl weekend, and I want to know who you'll be cheering for on Sunday! Let me know by taking the survey below -- and next week, we'll see if the champions match the winner of our poll ⬇️⬇️

Thank you for reading my weekly newsletter. It's an honor to be your voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. Your thoughts, concerns, and comments are very important to me. Always feel free to get in touch by calling (202) 225-5711 or by visiting my website at chavez-deremer.house.gov.

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer

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