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Hello,
Welcome back to my newsletter, and thank you for reading.
Some of my colleagues returned to the Senate to provide a quorum to continue the legislative process and ultimately pass the state budget.
Concerns over the legality and constitutionality of two specific measures, HB 2002 and HB 2005, kept me from joining them last week.
That said, I do not begrudge them, as they had negotiated a deal with Democrat leadership that they could live with that had incorporated important and considerable amendments to contentious legislation.
I did not return to the floor to provide quorum to pass potentially unconstitutional bills, but came back this week once those bills were no longer in consideration.
I am disappointed that I potentially sacrificed my Senate seat for this walkout when it did not ultimately stop these unconstitutional and unlawful bills from moving forward, but accept where we are. I have returned to the Capitol to continue the work I have been doing all along - representing Senate District 26.
It's incumbent on me and my colleagues to try to fight for Oregonians.
I have been advocating for parental rights and the protection of children. The government is not a parent; never has been and never will be.
I was ready to work on the state budget on the first day of the session, back in January. It's important to remember that the Democrats in power set the agenda, and they prioritized their special interest bills first, holding the state budget hostage until my colleagues returned.
One of the bills that comes up every long session, along with the budget bills, is one commonly known as the "Christmas tree" bill because it allocates funds for important projects in each senators' district. This year's SB 5506 has some needed funding for my district such as for the Hood River Bridge and City of Estacada. Other projects were cut. The City of Sandy did not get any project funds, for example.
I was shocked to see the $6 million allocated for the Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks disappeared and was replaced for a $5 million footpath in Bend.
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I was asked to sponsor a bill that included funding for three bridges (Burnside in Portland, Bridge of the Gods and the Hood River Bridge). The bill included a Project Labor agreement I opposed along with the Burnside project, but I accepted that bad concept in order to move forward with the investment of the bridges. |
To see the Bridge of the Gods removed feels like a betrayal of the commitment I made to sponsor that bridge bill to begin with. This shock was noticed right away by Nigel Jaquiss at the Willamette Week; read more here.
Walkouts and legislative protests are not exclusive to Oregon. As reported by The Columbian, "Lawmakers this year have kicked rival colleagues out of office in Tennessee and off the chamber floor in Montana. They have staged walkouts in Oregon and filibusters in Nebraska, where interactions are so fraught that some lawmakers say they’re unsure they can work together anymore."
To have national media recognize that when majorities grow large, minority parties have no power and can only "complain and shout" while the majority steamrolls with their agenda, is huge. In Oregon, my colleagues and I refuse to sit by and be just a speedbump for Democrats' extreme agenda. |
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The Oregonian Editorial Board echoes my optimism that things could change before Sine Die on June 25 in a recent editorial. In it, they called out the majority Democrats for their part in why this legislative session has gone off the rails. Republican contributions to the drama are certainly noted, but having the mainstream media clearly write about how the Democrats in power have played a major role feels revolutionary.
The full editorial is good, and the last sentence is a mic drop: "But Democrats, in their insistence on not giving in to Republicans, shouldn’t be so willing to allow so much needed legislation to die. Oregonians are the ones – again and always – who will suffer the consequences."
Oregon DMV issued guidance for people who think they have been affected by the Oregon DMV Hack. Learn more about how to request a free credit report at this link: Massive hack of Oregon DMV system puts estimated 3.5 million driver license and ID card info at risk, officials say - oregonlive.com
Click Here to Subscribe to Senator Daniel Bonham's E-Newsletter.
I will be back with more updates soon.
Until then,
Senator Daniel Bonham, District 26
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1726
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, S-423, Salem, OR, 97301
Email: Sen.DanielBonham@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bonham
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