Jobs and Economy

As the executive director of Oregon Tradeswomen, Kelly Kupcak wants to see other women — and people of color — have the same opportunities for apprenticeships that helped her raise two sons as a union heavy equipment operator. "I am living proof of what pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeships can do," Kupcak said at an online forum organized by U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici. Bonamici, a Democrat from Beaverton and the 1st District of northwest Oregon, is co-chairwoman of the Bipartisan Apprenticeship Caucus and a member of the House Education and Labor Committee.

Oregon Rep. Suzanne Bonamici visited shops in Northwest Portland to highlight Small Business Saturday on Nov. 27. Bonamici said she once worked at her mom's small business, so she understands the challenges in keeping a business going. "I know how hard small business owners and their employees work," Bonamici said. "Today is a day to celebrate that and give them support, because this has been a really tough couple of years for them."

This special edition of the All In: Student Pathway Forward podcast is focused on federal policy with a featured guest who is one of the strongest legislative champions in Congress for community colleges and workforce development, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, serving Oregon's 1st congressional district. Congresswoman Bonamici discusses how her federal policy work supporting community college students and workers has been shaped by her own community college student experience at Lane Community College.

Shortly after the vote, Oregon lawmakers began to react with statements, with some celebrating the passage of the bill, others condemning the proposed policies. "The Build Back Better Act is a victory for children, families, caregivers, early childhood educators, and our planet," said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. "It is past time that we provide the resources and support that working families and our communities need to thrive. This is an exciting day for our country, and I look forward to delivering these resources to Oregon."

The Protect Older Job Applicants Act (H.R. 3992) would allow job seekers age 40 or older—the threshold under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act—to allege an employer used a seemingly neutral hiring practice to discriminate against them. "It's an especially important step toward helping older workers re-enter the workforce as the nation recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic," Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) said on the House floor Wednesday. She also called the bill a "common sense fix" of the ADEA.