Education
"Such actions not only threaten to exacerbate existing structures of racism in the education system and broader society, but also infringe on an ideal the Department regularly invokes -- free speech," wrote Education and Labor Committee chairman Bobby Scott and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, chair of the panel's civil rights and human services subcommittee.
At the federal level, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills in July that would provide over $60 billion to support and stabilize the childcare industry, but the bills remain stalled in the Senate. "I've heard from many women in Oregon that the lack of child care during COVID-19 is forcing them – and women they know – to leave the workforce," said Bonamici in a statement. "That's extremely troubling.
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, a Democrat from Beaverton, issued this statement after the House vote: "The House passed critical legislation several months ago to stem the loss of life and blunt the worst effects of the pandemic, but the Senate failed to act. This update to the Heroes Act reflects what our country needs now — aid for schools, workers, businesses, childcare, testing and treatment, and more.
To assist working parents and children, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, who serves Oregon's 1st congressional district, launched the Oregon Child Care Advisory Board earlier this month. The board is composed of 12 members selected by Bonamici every two years. The board will advise the congresswoman on issues related to child care, including how federal legislation can be used to support children and working mothers effectively, such as the $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund, passed by the House of Representatives, which Bonamici introduced.