Education
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici said her office has been flooded with calls from constituents, hospital administrators and food banks who are “overwhelmingly opposed” to the plan. “This is one of the worst pieces of policy I’ve ever seen as a lawmaker,” Bonamici said, speaking from just off the House floor during a virtual press conference on Wednesday. “It’s going to have devastating consequences for Oregonians and people across the country.”
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici argued for changes in the President’s Bill:
“Stop the harm that will come from these devastating cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. I met with hospital leaders, the hospital association, the leaders of the community health clinics. The word that they agreed was applicable is catastrophic. 97% of Oregonians have insurance, and that is because we have been very innovative and forward with Medicaid expansion and one in three Oregonians, including many children get their healthcare through Medicaid.”
As the situation plays out in court, Bonamici said she’s using every tool at her disposal to protect Job Corps — whether it’s questioning Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer or signing onto a letter of support for the program with nearly 200 other Democrat and Republican colleagues.
“My way of looking at education in this country is that we need to have a path for everyone, and not everybody’s on the same path, right? And so having those paths available, like the path of Job Corps, it’s life changing,” Bonamici told staff and students.
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, ranking member of the subcommittee, said that “without bold and sustained federal investment, child care costs will continue to rise and the workforce that provides the care will continue to struggle.”
The Oregon Democrat blasted the proposed cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, as part of congressional Republicans’ reconciliation package.
Bonamici described Medicaid and SNAP as “programs that support children, families, child care centers and the child care workforce.”
For those who have found their path to success through Job Corps and others who will need that path in the future, let’s tell the Labor Department that we care about every student, and let’s save Job Corps.
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) is a longtime champion of public education, arts funding, and student equity. She's been fighting for Title IV-A - that vital program that helps schools fund things like music, art, technology, and school safety - for years. She literally ran for Congress to replace No Child Left Behind.
“You’ve made a starkly abrupt shift from a champion to a destroyer of this important program,” said Democratic Rep. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon, adding that students in her district were distraught.