Dear friend,

It is unacceptable that President Trump and his administration are undermining the U.S. Postal Service. We are in the midst of a pandemic, and the election is rapidly approaching. People in Oregon and across the country rely on USPS for prescription deliveries, jobs, vote by mail, and so much more. The Trump administration’s changes to USPS operations have already resulted in delays. We cannot let this stand.

I helped the House pass the Delivering for America Act to save the USPS and protect our election and communities. I also called on Postmaster General DeJoy to keep his commitment to transparency and accountability, and to rescind orders that have unacceptably slowed mail delivery across Oregon and the nation.

On a tragic note, this weekend a man was killed in Portland. I denounce this criminal act and call for the person responsible to be held accountable under the law. Although we do not know all of the details about what happened, we do know that it followed days and weeks and years of hostile comments from President Trump that have divided our country. We must remember why the protests in Portland began – the need to come together and make systemic changes that address the centuries of racist policies and law enforcement actions that have taken countless Black lives too soon. The House has passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to help, and I will continue to work for the change our community needs.

Here’s more of what I’m working on:

Making Sure No Child Goes Hungry

Before the pandemic, school meals provided the primary source of nutrition for many children. Now even more families struggle to put food on their tables because of unemployment and unexpected financial distress. I’m fighting for students and their families, and have introduced legislation to provide all students with free school meals during the pandemic. I joined Marsai Martin from Blackish and other advocates to discuss the bill and how it will help students and families. Recently I met with the dedicated staff at the Beaverton School District’s largest school lunch summer program to hear their concerns about the upcoming school year.

Supporting Those Who Cared for Us

Older Americans are often at serious risk during the pandemic, and there has been a dramatic increase in demand for the support services they need. I’m leading a bipartisan call for $1.1 billion to fund critical programs that support seniors. This includes $750 million to support meal delivery through the Older Americans Act Nutrition Services program.

COVID-19 has magnified existing disparities for low-income older adults, underscoring the need for funding and programming to appropriately target those with the greatest need. As we work to address COVID-19 related racial and ethnic disparities, nutrition and supportive services must reach communities of color, including those with disproportionately high infection and death rates.

In Case You Missed It

• Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. I recently met with small business owners in Hillsboro to discuss what support they need, and I am also working to get information that will help immigrant business owners determine which programs they can access.
• As public schools face a decline in funding and increased costs because of the pandemic, we must give them as much support as possible so our students can continue to learn. I’m pushing back against Sec. DeVos’ attempts to divert funds, and joined a conversation about how to help schools reopen safely.
• I’ve heard from hundreds of Oregonians who have not yet received their Economic Impact Payment (EIP) and have not been able to get any information about the status of their direct payment. I’ve called on the IRS to immediately issue these long-overdue payments. If you need help with your EIP, please call my office at (503) 469-6010 and a member of my staff will get back to you right away.