Civil Rights

U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici prefers comprehensive legislation, but she and other Oregon Democrats voted to pass House bills to create a path to citizenship for young people who were brought to the United States illegally as children, and to give more security to migrant farmworkers and their families. Both bills head to the Senate, where their fate is uncertain in a chamber split evenly between Democrats and Republicans. Although Vice President Kamala Harris holds the tie-breaker, it takes 60 votes under current rules to break a potential filibuster.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., stated, "The last thing sexual assault victims should have to think about is whether their own words could be used against them when they seek help." These incidents raised red flag warnings for survivors of sexual assault, racism and other protected class violations to be wary of what they tell any employee of an institution in which they have been harmed.

In 2016, there were 45,567 youth placed in 1,772 behavioral facilities nationwide, according to a U.S. Justice Department report. In Oregon, the once popular Sequel Youth and Family Services facility which operated from 2016 to 2018 faces potential child abuse investigations by U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon.