Foreign Affairs and National Security

Still, Bonamici said Thursday (Oct. 25) at a Westside Economic Alliance forum, "Our side of the aisle is taking steps that if we are in the majority, we will respect minority rights."

During the past eight years, she said, Republican majorities have rammed through key bills — such as the 2017 tax-code overhaul, which cost $1.5 trillion over 10 years — without consideration for the Democratic minority.

Bonamici gave a general overview of issues that surfaced at other town hall meetings, ranging from healthcare and immigrant family separations, to the environment, Social Security, Medicare and the Trump administration.

Bonamici began by explaining her view on healthcare, a topic she said many are worried about. "I'm interested in strengthening access to health care, not taking it away," she said. "We need to work together to find a way to make sure that people have access to health care."

Bonamici, a Democrat, held the meeting as part of a swing through the district she represents, Oregon's First Congressional District in the northwestern part of the state. After being introduced by Banks Fire Chief Rodney Linz — the meeting was held at the Banks Fire District's station in downtown Banks — she talked for a few minutes about her legislative priorities before taking questions from constituents.

Bonamici discussed the Family Case Management Program, a pilot program created in 2016 that aimed to keep families seeking asylum together. Former President Barack Obama created the program in response to a refugee crisis in Central America, and it was shut down last year.

"A lot of them are seeking asylum for religious persecution," Bonamici said. "Isn't that what United States is about?"

WASHINGTON (Circa) — Several House Republicans said Wednesday they accepted President Donald Trump's explanation that he misspoke at a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin when he said he saw no reason why Russia would have interfered in the 2016 election.

WASHINGTON (Circa) — Several House Republicans said Wednesday they accepted President Donald Trump's explanation that he misspoke at a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin when he said he saw no reason why Russia would have interfered in the 2016 election.

WASHINGTON (Circa) — House Republicans applauded President Donald Trump's meeting with Kim Jong Un, but they displayed significantly less confidence than the president that North Korea's denuclearization is now a foregone conclusion.

U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) issued the following statement on President Trump's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un:

"I will always support efforts to seek peace rather than wage war, and the dialogue begun at the Singapore Summit may eventually yield positive results. But North Korea has repeatedly failed to uphold prior agreements, and it remains to be seen whether Kim Jong-un is truly willing to denuclearize.