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Oregon will receive over $92 million to strengthen drinking and wastewater systems across the state, according to Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. The funds are the first of a five-year investment under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Jobs Act. Additionally, funds will be directed toward replacing dangerous lead service lines and pipes. "Access to safe and reliable drinking water is critical for our communities to stay healthy and thrive," Bonamici said.
More than 90,000 families, more than a million kids, that's how many people in the Northwest have been getting more money in the bank every month from the enhanced child tax credits that were part of the American Rescue Plan put into action earlier this year. U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, doesn't think one more year is enough. "I'm also supporting legislation called the American Family Act. That would permanently extend enhanced child tax credits. The Build Back Better Act as you know is pending in the Senate; it's a beginning, but this is a permanent extension," said Bonamici.
In the early days of the pandemic, I heard from seniors who were isolated and worried about how they would get their next meal. I helped to lead Congress with quick action to fund Older Americans Act programs through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and later through the CARES Act. Congress continued that support in the Spring of 2021 with the American Rescue Plan.
Provisions to standardize food date labeling were also included in Rep. Pingree's Agriculture Resilience Act, which was reintroduced in April 2021. Additionally, in September, Reps. Pingree and Newhouse, along with Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-Oregon) reintroduced the School Food Recovery Act, which would create a new program at the USDA to support schools working on food waste reduction projects.
Nearly 93,000 families across the Pacific Northwest are getting their final expanded child tax credit payment of this year Wednesday. Over the past six months, families have received up to $300 for every child they claimed on their 2020 tax returns. The Biden administration believes the advanced credit payments lifted millions of American kids out of poverty this year. Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici met with child advocates Wednesday morning to see how the payments are helping local families.
It's no secret that Oregon is in desperate need of bolstered childcare. Every single county in the Beaver State was deemed a childcare desert for infants and toddlers in a 2012 Oregon State University report, long before COVID-19 put the issue on the forefront. Childcare providers and advocates say the problem has only worsened in recent years. U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici reiterated this point during her quarterly Oregon Child Care Advisory Board meeting on Monday, Dec. 13.
Oregon's Congressional delegation recently sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Office of Management and Budget urging funding for the state's port infrastructure as the Army Corps implements the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA). The letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) and House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR), and U.S. Reps. Cliff Bentz (R-OR), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Kurt Schrader (D-OR).
Heidi Rahn is a lifelong wildlife advocate and director of the Oregon Zoo.
The Recovering America's Wildlife Act would help us create good jobs for today while protecting our state's wildlife heritage for tomorrow. This session, we hope the entire Oregon Congressional delegation from both sides of the aisle will join Representatives DeFazio, Blumenauer and Bonamici in championing this groundbreaking bill and helping it become the law of the land.