In the News
Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici could spread nationwide the work by the Beaverton School District and others to warn students about the dangers of fentanyl, a powerful drug that often masquerades in fake prescription pills.
BEAVERTON, Ore. — Oregon lawmakers introduced legislation on Thursday to replicate a Beaverton fentanyl awareness program in schools across the country.
If passed, the Fentanyl Awareness for Children and Teens in Schools (FACTS) Act would replicate local education programs — including one in Beaverton — that have successfully curbed student deaths from synthetic opioid overdoses.
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici wants to see school districts across the country have a fentanyl awareness curriculum that will help children and youth avoid the lethal, addictive drug that is cheap and easy to find.
“The emergency supplemental is for emergencies,” Bonamici said. “And if this funding ends, and kids across the country are losing their child care slots, that’s an emergency because people won’t be able to go to work if there’s no safe place for their child.”
Tens of thousands of childcare centers around the country could be forced to shut down in the coming months because the federal funding they rely on is about to run out.
“Millions of children will likely lose their childcare slots,” said Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.).
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici was in Tillamook on September 6, to visit Liberty Elementary School on its first day of classes.
Bonamici’s webinar last week was organized to answer questions from long-time borrowers anxious about continuing their repayment plans, and for people who graduated during the height of the pandemic and haven’t had to make a first payment.
Bonamici said she’s found herself trapped at a train crossing before and that in addition to the everyday frustration, the frequent jam-ups can create real challenges for people.
Rep. Bonamici said she sees hope and promise for the future when she speaks with students.
“The state of education is promising. We’ve had a lot of challenges, obviously, through the pandemic with school closures and the disrupted learning, but I’m very optimistic because we have such dedicated educators here," Rep. Bonamici said.