Jobs and Economy

Thankfully, Oregon has a number of strong leaders fighting for these investments, including Sen. Ron Wyden and Congressman Peter DeFazio, who have key committee leadership roles in bill negotiations. Likewise, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici continue to champion priority proposals on climate change, job creation, and childcare, remaining steadfast on the need to enact the top-level $3.5 trillion funding amount.

NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad told a House panel last week that the agency has already made history on the hiring front this year, with women now occupying half of all the assistant administrator jobs. At last week's virtual hearing before the Subcommittee on Environment, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) told Spinrad that diversifying the workforce would go a long way in helping NOAA address the issue, particularly with women assigned to research vessels. "It's getting women in the field, but also keeping them there," she said.

Columbia County is on its way to having a small business resource center. CET has secured part of the funding for a four-year, $175,000-per-year startup phase through the SBDC network, which includes $75,000 per year in state funds and $33,000 per year from U.S. Small Business Administration funds, according to Oregon SBDC network director Mark Gregory. More requests are still pending, including the appropriations bill currently in the U.S. Senate, which passed the House with $175,000 for the project, earmarked by Rep. Suzanne Bonamici.

Rural fire departments in Clatsop County will receive more than $1.2 million in federal grants to buy new tools and resources that are in compliance with the National Fire Protection Association, U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici announced. Warrenton will receive $160,952. Knappa will receive $200,000. Cannon Beach will receive grants of $574,571 and $46,380. Hamlet will receive grants of $268,571 and $44,761. The money comes from the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program, part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Bonamici said she was "thrilled" to be standing inside something that has, for years, been talked about with growing enthusiasm in Beaverton. "This is going to be a wonderful addition to the community here, not just for Beaverton, but for the whole area," she said. "It's a remarkable accomplishment for the city and for the arts, and I'm very excited for the potential." "That's a real key part of this as well, is to make sure that everyone in the community is welcome here and will benefit from the programs, the art and the space," she said.