GETTING BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW TO SUPPORT VETERANS’ HEALTH CARE, ADDRESS THE FENTANYL CRISIS

The first bill I had signed into law was a bipartisan proposal that authorized over $500 million for the Portland VA Medical Center, which will support a new specialty care facility to expand health care services for Oregon veterans. To ensure our nation’s heroes can access the care they need, I held a forum with Central Oregon veterans to learn more about the challenges they face due to a lack of VA facilities in the area. I quickly wrote to Secretary Denis McDonough urging the VA to bolster community care options in underserved areas. I’ll always fight to ensure Oregon veterans are well cared for, no matter where they live!

While fentanyl overdose deaths have declined across the nation, Oregon has seen a 22 percent increase. I’ve worked with my colleagues to address the fentanyl crisis by introducing and passing legislation like the FEND Off Fentanyl Act. This proposal, which was adopted in the National Security Supplemental that was signed into law earlier this year, declared a national emergency to open up critical resources for federal agencies to support local law enforcement efforts.

I also led the bipartisan Poison Control Centers Reauthorization Act, which was just signed into law last month by President Biden. Earlier this year, the Oregon Poison Center sounded the alarm on rising fentanyl overdoses among children. There were 16 children younger than six who were poisoned by fentanyl in Oregon in 2023 – up from zero in 2020. Poison control centers play a vital role in preventing accidental deaths and offer important educational resources to raise awareness about dangerous substances, including fentanyl.

BRINGING FEDERAL INVESTMENTS TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITIES

Reinvesting Oregonians’ tax dollars back into the district has been a top priority. I’ve secured over $27 million in funding for projects that will improve infrastructure and public safety in every corner of the district, from West Linn down to Albany and over to Bend.

For example, Clackamas County is receiving $750,000 to upgrade its Emergency Operations Center, which will support our hardworking 911 dispatchers, improve emergency response operations, and protect public safety. Redmond is receiving $1.25 million to complete their constructed wetlands wastewater management project, and Albany is receiving $1.25 million for similar wastewater improvements. Learn more about the local projects receiving federal funding here.

WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE TO MAKE LIFE MORE AFFORDABLE

As I travel the district, the number one issue constituents tell me they are concerned about is affordability. I hear it in regard to housing, child care, taxes, and more. Whether it’s advocating for federal dollars or working across aisle on bipartisan legislation, I’ve kept my promise to address these problems.

For example, I was honored to help the city of Bend secure a $5 million HUD PRO Housing Grant, which will help Bend create a housing development fund to support construction of affordable homes. I’ve also introduced bipartisan proposals like the Choice in Affordable Housing Act and the Rural Homeownership Continuity Act to improve housing access for low-income and rural Oregonians. Learn more about my efforts to address housing and homelessness here.

Currently, the cost of care for one infant takes up 22 percent of an average Oregon family’s income. From economic impacts to educational outcomes, child care is a fundamental pillar of our communities – a pillar that is unfortunately on shaky ground. That’s why I’m proud to lead the bipartisan Child Care Investment Act, which has been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The proposal would improve a tax credit aimed at helping employers provide child care options to their employees, allow multiple businesses to partner to create a new child care option, and expand federal tax write-offs that already exist to offset child care expenses.

To address accessibility challenges in rural areas, I helped lead the Expanding Child Care in Rural America Act. This bipartisan proposal, which would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to authorize and prioritize projects that address the availability, quality, and cost of child care, was adopted in the Farm Bill.

I penned an op-ed on the importance of improving child care affordability earlier this year, which you can read in the Bend Bulletin here.

Allowing Oregonians to keep more of their hard-earned money has also been a priority of mine. For example, I strongly supported the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, another bipartisan proposal that will help parents pay for things like child care, groceries, and utilities.

My office has also returned over $4 million to taxpayers through federal casework, helping constituents get money they are owed by the IRS, overdue Social Security payments, and more. If you need help with a federal agency, please don’t hesitate to let me know: chavez-deremer.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency

SUPPORTING FARMERS, RANCHERS, AND FORESTERS

I’m proud to serve on the Agriculture Committee, where I’ve made it a priority to be an outspoken voice for Oregon agriculture as we have worked to craft an effective Farm Bill. I’ve gathered ideas and priorities from our farmers, ranchers, and foresters – including during a Farm Bill listening session with the Ag Committee’s chairman in Albany last year.

In the bipartisan Farm Bill that passed our committee earlier this year, several pieces of legislation that I have led on behalf of our farmers were adopted. The priorities I secured would help improve workforce training opportunities in the forestry and timber industries; reduce wildfire risks; support specialty crop growers, including new and beginning farmers; strengthen broadband; expand child care options for families in rural areas; and bolster the farm safety net and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Some of the bipartisan bills I secured include my Jobs in the Woods Act, the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act, the Specialty Crop Security Act, and the Expanding Child Care in Rural America Act. Learn more by clicking here or on the graphic below.

I'm frustrated that this bill hasn’t been considered on the House floor – and I recognize the importance of getting an effective Farm Bill passed to provide certainty to our ag community. That’s why I recently joined a group of my colleagues in urging House leadership to bring it up for a vote as soon as we return in a couple of weeks. As a member of the Agriculture Committee, I’ll keep pushing to get the Farm Bill across the finish line -- and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to do the same.

SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND EXPANDING OUR WORKFORCE TO GROW THE ECONOMY

I have experience running a small business, and I know that health care costs can make or break main street businesses. The House of Representatives passed legislation, known as the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, which included my bipartisan Health DATA Act. It would increase fiduciaries’ access to data on different health insurance plans, bolstering transparency to streamline employers’ ability to compare plans and provide workers with high-quality, more affordable health benefits. I'll continue working to bring much-needed transparency to the health insurance industry to help lower costs for Oregonians.

To continue growing the workforce and ensure workers are able to meet today’s economic demands, investing in education and training programs must be a priority. The National Apprenticeship Act and the Youth Workforce Readiness Act are two bipartisan proposals that I helped introduce to expand apprenticeship opportunities and prepare the next generation to enter the workforce.

As I travel the 5th District, I’ve had the opportunity to stop at union training centers and community colleges to see training programs in action. It’s clear that they are effective and continued support is essential to protect good-paying jobs. Unfortunately, many students pursuing technical careers aren't eligible to receive Federal Pell Grants to help pay for their education. I support the PELL Act, which would expand Federal Pell Grant eligibility to short-term programs that prepare workers for skilled labor and high-demand fields. I’ve pressed the Secretary of Education on this issue and will continue working to expand these grants to help more students succeed.

PASSING LEGISLATION TO PROTECT VULNERABLE VETERANS, RETIREMENT BENEFITS

The first bill that I passed through the House was my bipartisan HOME Act, which provides critical support for veterans experiencing homelessness. On any given night, there are around 1,400 Oregon veterans who go to sleep without a roof over their heads. We owe it to our veterans to do better.

They stepped up to serve our country, and it is our responsibility to ensure they are cared for in return. That's why I've also always fought to fully fund the VA, including health care and other benefits.

By supporting transitional housing services and creating a stipend to provide them with direct financial assistance, the HOME Act will provide much-needed assistance to veterans in need. Now that this bill has passed the House, we are one step closer to ensuring every veteran has a place to call home.

I’ve also successfully pushed for legislation to protect Social Security and Medicare for retirees.

I’m committed to keeping my promise to protect Social Security and Medicare, which is backed up by my strong record of always voting to support these critical programs. I’m not afraid to stand up and do what’s right for the 5th District, and that’s why I’ve been named the 2nd-most bipartisan member of Congress.

For example, I’m honored to help lead legislation like the Protecting Social Security and Medicare Act to ensure payments are always made in full. During last year’s budgeting process, I was proud to support bipartisan legislation that provided an extra $100 million to the Social Security Administration and fully funded Medicare.

I was an early cosponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act last year, and I'm proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in ensuring this critical legislation receives a vote to protect retirement for teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public employees. It’s now the most cosponsored bill in Congress and will receive a vote in the House when we return later this month. I’m joining my colleague leading the push, Congressman Graves from Louisianna, in urging Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to schedule a vote in the Senate immediately so we can get this bill to the president’s desk after passing it in the House.

I have never voted to cut Social Security or Medicare, and I will always fight to protect Oregonians' retirement and health care.

SUNDAY SCENERY

For this weekend’s Sunday Scenery, check out this picturesque fall scene from Freepons Park, submitted by Jerry from Lake Oswego!

Thank you for the picture, Jerry! Submit your own today: chavez-deremer.house.gov/sunday-scenery

ONE MORE THING – FEEL GOOD FRIDAY!

For our first November Feel Good Friday, take a look at this story from KTVZ about the Boys and Girls Club of Bend getting new tires for their transit vans!

Les Schwab Tires put the new wheels on as part of the Boys and Girls Club’s Workforce Wednesday program, which helps introduce Central Oregon youth to potential future career paths.

Thank you to Les Schwab for hosting the Boys and Girls Club, and thank you to KTVZ for highlighting this story!

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,