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To contact me, please click here: Sen.RobWagner@OregonLegislature.gov
Hello Senate District 19 and beyond,
I hope your summer is going well, and you have found ways to stay cool amid rising temperatures. Unfortunately, wildfire season is in full force, already burning over 1 million acres. Our office is carefully monitoring the situation and maintaining close contact with our partners to see what we can do to assist the courageous firefighters who work to protect the safety of Oregonians.
In and around the district, I have had great interactions with people and organizations throughout Senate District 19. It was very exciting to visit Gunderson Marine & Iron of Northwest Portland and join the celebrations for the Clackamas Recovery Center and the Willamette Falls Lamprey Festival. Discussions regarding the Moda Center continue, and I am following them closely. I hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, and thank you to all who came to our town hall!
 Thank you to Representative Jules Walters and Mayor Frank Bubenik for a Summer Town Hall at the Tualatin Community Park. The beautiful canopy at the Main Shelter kept us cool, while still being within earshot of the Tualatin River. I appreciated learning from neighbors about what’s on their mind and discussing a long-term vision for the future of our state. The federal government has made a decision to cut funding for healthcare and food assistance, and Oregon, along with every other state, will have to find a path forward.
I had the pleasure of speaking at the Portland Metro Chamber's Annual Meeting last month with Mayor Keith Wilson, Senator Kate Lieber, and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. Every successful community invests in assets that improve quality of life and help to define its identity—parks, libraries, transportation systems, public spaces, cultural venues, schools and universities, and professional sports.
Looking ahead, we have a duty to preserve and modernize the places and spaces that have served Oregonians for many generations. Part and parcel to this was my opportunity to join the Oregon Department of Administrative Services for a tour of the Moda Center, seeing for myself the requirements needed to improve this critical infrastructure. Whether it was regarding fire safety improvements and accessibility enhancements or the much-needed locker rooms for the Portland Fire, these investments are essential if the arena is to remain safe, functional, and ready to cater to millions of visitors in the years to come.
 Thank you to Andrew Hoan, CEO of the Portland Metro Chamber, for the Proclamation to dedicate June 24, 2026, "Senate President Rob Wagner Champion Day in Greater Portland."
Earlier this week, I joined the Associated General Contractors to visit Gunderson Marine & Iron in Northwest Portland. As it is the biggest side-launch shipyard on the West Coast, Gunderson's deep-water plant is capable of building a wide variety of river- and ocean-going vessels, such as barges used for transporting aggregate, heavy equipment, and other important industrial cargo. I was deeply impressed seeing the innovation and skilled workforce that contribute to keeping Oregon's maritime industry strong.
 Thank you to Jeff Gregg, VP of Operations for guiding the tour.
One of my favorite places in all of Senate District 19 is the Willamette Falls! I was so pleased to join the Yakama Nation's fifth annual Willamette Falls Lamprey Celebration at Clackamette Park. I joined Yakama tribal leader Jeremy Takala, Representative Annessa Hartman, Representative Jules Walters, Metro Councilor Christine Lewis, and former Governor Kate Brown on a boat tour up close to the falls. It was eye-opening to witness the incredible harvesting and serving of pacific lamprey by the tribal members. Willamette Falls is among the few remaining sites in the Columbia Basin where tribes can still harvest this ancient, jawless, eel-like fish. They are an important species to our waterways and I hope next year you can come learn about and honor these ancient vertebrates.
Read more: Hundreds turn out to Willamette River for Yakama Nation lamprey celebration
 See the routine above the Yakama Nation follows to harvest pacific lamprey.
Another great event I had the honor to speak at this week was the groundbreaking ceremony for the Clackamas County Recovery Campus, where I joined many of my colleagues who helped invest in recovery services that give people the support they need to rebuild their lives. This has been an issue close to my heart for years now, having worked to help create Oregon's first recovery charter high school. As I noted in my comments at the event, one lesson that has stayed with me since: no one should have to face addiction or recovery alone.
I was proud to help secure $4.2 million in state funding for the Recovery Campus in 2024 & 2026 and to celebrate the collaborative effort that brought this project to fruition. Once complete, the campus will provide a full continuum of care, including Clackamas County's first detox beds, wraparound services, and transitional housing to help people access voluntary treatment and long-term recovery support.
 Pleased to join Gov. Kotek, Congresswoman Dexter, and my Clackamas County colleagues who made this project a reality.
As the wildfire season ramps up and we enter America's 250th year, I've been reflecting on the kind of legacy we would like to leave. In my view, this involves safeguarding the sites that contain the story of our nation, such as Oregon State Parks. This safeguarding requires that we take wildfire prevention and fire safety seriously, keeping these areas safe, healthy, and accessible to future generations.
One of the most significant ways we can pay respect to our past while preparing for America's future is by preserving our parks and protecting them from wildfires. Make sure to know before you go and practice fire safety when enjoying our parks this summer.
Read more: These are my wishes for America’s 250th birthday.
 Last year, Oregon established August 25 as Oregon Adoption Day—a day to recognize, honor, and celebrate adoption in all its forms.
To commemorate this new statewide celebration, Representative Lucetta Elmer, an adoptee and chief sponsor of the legislation creating Oregon Adoption Day, is inviting Oregonians with a personal connection to adoption to help create the official Oregon Adoption Day logo.
The contest is open to Oregon residents with a personal connection to adoption, including adoptees and adoptive parents. The winning design will be the official Oregon Adoption Day logo, helping create a lasting symbol that celebrates adoption across our state for generations to come.
Contest Details
● Who May Enter: Oregon residents with a personal connection to adoption
● Entry Deadline: August 11
● Winner Announced: August 25 (Oregon Adoption Day)
● Submit Logo and Entry Forms: Rep.LucettaElmer@oregonlegislature.gov
Whether adoption is part of your own story or your family's journey, we invite you to help create a symbol that reflects the love, hope, and belonging that adoption brings to so many Oregon families.
Commentary by Pres. Wagner These are my wishes for America’s 250th birthday.
For two and a half centuries, the United States has stood as an experiment in self-government. With each generation writing its own chapter in our story, we have expanded opportunity, overcome tremendous obstacles and built communities where folks from all backgrounds can pursue their own version of the American dream.
Statesman Journal Oregon fires roar as state nears record for scorched acreage
Overall, Oregon has 30 large wildfires and has blackened 1.84 million acres for the season. That’s just short of the modern state record of 1.94 million acres in 2024.
OPB Oregon’s popular EV rebate program to reopen next month
But this year, Oregonians can expect to see smaller rebates, so the state’s limited funds can reach more people and keep the program open longer. That’s after state environmental regulators adopted new rules earlier this year.
Lake Oswego Review Review, Tidings and Spokesman win awards at Pacific Northwest newspaper contest
The staff of The Review was honored with 31 awards in the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association’s annual Pacific NW News and Best Ad Idea Contests.
email: Sen.RobWagner@OregonLegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1600
address: 900 Court St NE, S-201, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/wagner
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