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"Some schools in Northwest Oregon have been able to reopen, but many have not," said Bonamici, who represents much of the metro area's west side, including Newberg and Dundee. "We all want students and educators back in schools, but they need resources to make sure everyone is safe."

Bonamici represents the First Congressional District of Oregon. She answered voters' questions for more than 45 minutes. One caller asked how small business owners could afford the proposed minimum wage of $15 an hour, especially in the wake of the pandemic. The caller said the minimum wage was never meant to support families.

The House passed it early Saturday, Feb. 27, on a 219-212 vote. Oregon's Kurt Schrader and Maine's Jared Golden were the only Democrats to oppose HR 1913, along with all 210 Republicans voting. Schrader, a Democrat from Canby, also voted against a much smaller plan that cleared Congress and was signed by then-President Donald Trump at the end of December. The earlier plan contained money for $600-per-person stimulus checks to individuals; the latest plan proposes to add $1,400.

U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, a Democrat from Beaverton, said it's time for Congress to extend anti-discrimination protection to other sectors. "Our LGBTQ friends, neighbors, colleagues, and community members should not miss an educational opportunity, or be denied housing, credit, or health care because of who they are or who they love," she said as she spoke during House debate on the latest bill.

"Katherine was the glue that held us together," said Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., who played a leading role in the negotiations. "If you end up with a product that has support from the AFL-CIO to the Chamber of Commerce, that is an unusual feat."

The road outside their house is controlled by the U.S. Department of Labor, which oversees the Tongue Point Job Corps Center down the road. Local officials have reached out to the federal agency and U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici for assistance.