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After a slow start, Oregon has administrated more than 400,000 doses of the vaccine and more than 75,000 people have been fully vaccinated. Additionally, daily average vaccination rates have increased to over 16,000 a day. While encouraged by these numbers, our office is wary of the pitfalls that accompany the distribution. Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson is committed to ensuring our rural communities receive their allocation of vaccines for all those who wish to take it, especially our most vulnerable senior citizens
Rep. Breese-Iverson has worked diligently with other legislators, county commissioners, and cities throughout the region to help small businesses and schools open up. While COVID-19 presents numerous challenges, there are safe and effective ways to achieve this goal. Throughout the region, many local school boards have put processes into place to allow successful in-person learning for our kids.
Counties and local jurisdictions also need more control over opening businesses and getting our economy back on track. To that end, Rep. Breese-Iverson joined with Crook County, Prineville, and others in writing to the Governor urging her to allow counties and cities to be more proactive and involved in the reopening decisions. To see copies of the joint letter from Crook County and the City of Pineville, click HERE. To see a copy of Rep. Breese-Iverson’s letter to the Governor, click HERE.
January 19th marked the start of the 2021 Regular Session of the Oregon Legislature. Unfortunately, instead of welcoming friends, family, and the public into the capitol, it was relegated to a mostly virtual and unremarkable event. During this time, the House Clerk began the “First Reading” of over 2,800 bills into the record. Those bills were then sorted by the Speaker and placed into various committees to be heard, discussed, and ultimately voted on. Public input is vital throughout this process.
All committee hearings, debate on legislation, and public testimony will be limited to virtual options at least through February. Rep. Breese-Iverson maintains that the legislative leadership should be more actively exploring ways to safely meet in person and more effectively involve the public in this process. She will continue to raise these concerns and advocate for safe, public involvement in the legislative process. In the meantime, there are options for staying engaged. If you want to track legislation, watch a committee hearing or floor session, submit testimony on a bill, or are otherwise interested in looking into legislative activity, please visit OLIS. There is a lot of information on this site, and it is helpful for staying apprised of what is going on in Salem (virtually).
Additionally, the following link gives instructions on how to submit written testimony to a committee, as well as how to give live, remote testimony on a specific bill during a public hearing.
< How To Remotely Testify >
It is important that people are directly involved in the legislative process. Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson will continue to advocate for any and all public involvement, including in person testimony and remote testimony.
Rep. Breese-Iverson will serve on the following Committees this session:
- Agriculture and Natural Resources (Vice-Chair)
- Business and Labor
- Water
- Modernizing the People’s Legislature
- Ways and Means Natural Resource Subcommittee
Important issues affecting House District 55, and the state, will be discussed and debated in these committees. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our office if you have feedback to share on any of the legislation being considered in these committees or other legislation working its way through the system.
House District 55 staff will also be able to assist you with any issues you might face. Feel free to reach out to them anytime.
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Greg Addington
Chief of Staff
greg.addington@oregonlegislature.gov
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Austin McClister
Legislative Aide
austin.mcclister@oregonlegislature.gov
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We have an exciting and challenging road ahead of us. I look forward to representing the people of House District 55!
Yours truly,
 Vikki Breese-Iverson
State Representative
House District 55
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1455
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-395, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.VikkiBreeseIverson@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/breese-iverson
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