On February 14th, it was an honor and a privilege to sponsor HCR 4, honoring Army Specialist Nickolaus Gregory Gossack for his service to our country, on the floor of the House of Representatives. Nick was born in 1987 and graduated from Silverton High School in 2005. Deeply moved by the terrorist attacks on 9/11, he vowed to serve his country in the cause of freedom by enlisting in the U.S. Army, which he did in 2007. He was deployed to Iraq in 2008 as an Airborne Ranger, returning in 2009 where he was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, to undergo training before a 2nd deployment scheduled for late 2010. Tragically, on June 20, 2010—Father’s Day—Nick lost his life in an accident at Fort Hood.

Nick is survived by his mother and father, Shannon and Greg Gossack of Silverton, and his sister, Vanessa. Nick’s parents, as well as Shannon’s sister, Kelly, were present at HCR 4’s unanimous passage in the House, and I am pleased to report that it passed the Senate unanimously on March 7, has been filed with the Secretary of State’s office. I would like to thank Senator Fred Girod for carrying this resolution on the floor of the Senate and, of course, I would like to extend a special thank you to Shannon and Greg for their sacrifice, and for allowing us the privilege of honoring their son.

HB 2236 passed out of the Joint Committee on Transportation on March 27 and is headed to the House floor for a vote. This bill enhances the ability of farmers to operate tractors on our state highways. Earlier this month, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting with local chapters of the Future Farmers of America to discuss our agricultural community’s priorities and concerns. These FFA members are the future of agriculture in our state, and I’m proud to support our farmers by serving as Chief Sponsor of this bill.

HB 2428, for which I am serving as Chief Sponsor along with Representative Sherrie Sprenger passed the House on March 28^th and moves to the Senate for further consideration. This bill closes a gap in our state’s public indecency laws.

Finally, I am pleased to report that HB 2317, which designates May of each year as ALS Awareness Month, was signed into law by the Governor on March 20th.

Between February 22nd and March 2nd, the Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction held a series of public hearings on HB 2020 in Springfield, Medford, Baker City, Newport, The Dalles, and Bend. This bill would create a cap-and-trade-like system within our state government that would take effect in 2021. I recognize the need to protect the quality of our air and our environment. Given that Oregon has some of the lowest levels of carbon emissions in the country, however, I’m concerned that this bill’s impacts on low-income families and our economy will outweigh its benefits. I appreciate those who took the time to attend these public hearings and share their thoughts and stories with the committee. Various amendments have since been proposed to relax the phase-in timeline and provide relief for rural and lower-income Oregonians.

On February 12th, the Oregon Association of School Libraries and the Oregon Library Association held their annual Legislative Day, where librarians and volunteers from around the state met with their legislators to advocate for libraries. The organizations also held their Legislative Day book giveaway, where legislators got to choose one of the donated books to give to their local libraries. Shout-out to Christy Davis, Director of the Silver Falls Library, for participating in the event and visiting me in Salem.

On February 26th, Secretary of State Dennis Richardson died of brain cancer at the age of 69. He was first diagnosed in May of 2018. On March 6th, he was the first person since 1983 to lie in state in the Oregon Capitol rotunda. That afternoon, he received a state funeral in the House Chamber. Various dignitaries spoke about his dedication, work ethic, and decency. Dennis was a husband of over 45 years, father to 9, and grandfather to 32. Before being elected to serve as Oregon’s 26th Secretary of State, he served as a State Representative for 12 years. Before that, he served as a member of the Central Point City Council. In addition, he served as a combat helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, for which he was accorded full military honors—including a 21-gun salute from the Oregon National Guard outside the Capitol. I appreciate Dennis’s service to our state and our country. I always knew him as a person of the utmost integrity, and I will miss him dearly. A video of the state funeral has been posted to the Secretary of State’s Facebook page, which you can view by clicking here.

In addition to the legislative policy committees on which I currently serve, I was recently appointed to serve as a member of the Asset Forfeiture Oversight Advisory Committee, the Task Force on Testing of Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Kits, and the Willamette Falls Locks Commission. On March 13th, I had the privilege of touring the Willamette Falls Locks facility in West Linn, which opened in 1873. The Commission is currently working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to address the future of the locks, which closed in 2011 and have been unused for many years. As you can see, the view of the falls from the locks far surpasses that which can be seen from the highway!

I have also joined the Clackamas County Caucus, a bipartisan, bicameral group of 16 legislators who collectively represent the residents of Clackamas County. Members of the caucus are committed to working together to identify key legislative priorities and address issues that directly impact the people of Clackamas County, such as transportation, infrastructure, and economic growth.

On February 16th, I had the great joy of attending Arthur Gregg’s 100th Birthday at the Silverton Senior Center, which was packed with friends, family, and community members who gathered to celebrate this amazing milestone. Art is one of the oldest World War II survivors. Having entered the Army in 1941, he flew 69 combat missions, many of which consisted of escorting larger planes carrying supplies through the India-China Ferry. This route, commonly known as “The Hump,” was particularly dangerous due to its altitude and mountain peaks.

After being discharged from the military in 1945, Art returned to his family’s farm in Ohio. Over the next 45 years, in addition to farming, Art served on both his local fire board and township board and was active in his church. He and his wife moved to Silverton in 1992 to be closer to their daughter and son-in-law, where Art remains active to this day! I want to extend another special thank you to Art for his service to our country. You can read more about Art’s life and experiences here.

Also, on March 2nd, I was honored to attend a Mobilization Ceremony for the 142nd Fighter Wing at the Air National Guard Base in Portland as the 111 uniformed National Guard members prepared to deploy to various assignments in the Middle East. Seven State Representatives were in attendance, including one who wears the uniform as a member of the National Guard. I wish these fine men and women a safe deployment and God Speed, and I want to thank them and their families for their service to our country.

Finally, on March 16th, my wife, Pat, and I attended the 2019 Silverton Chamber of Commerce’s First Citizen Awards Banquet to celebrate our outstanding community volunteers. This year, Kevin and Stacy Palmer were selected to receive the First Citizen Award. Stacy is the Executive Director of the Silverton Chamber, while Kevin is the Principal of Butte Creek Elementary. The two are lifelong Silverton residents and have spent much of their careers and free time volunteering throughout the community. Representatives from Silver Falls School District and many of Silverton’s other service organizations took time to recognize their top employees and members. The evening was a wonderful reminder of what makes Silverton so special. Thanks to the Silverton Chamber for putting on this wonderful annual event.

As always, thank you for the opportunity to serve as your State Representative. I welcome your input and value your perspectives. Please feel free to contact my office if I can be of assistance.

Sincerely,