Remembering Bill Bradbury–and why I signed onto a Supreme Court Amicus Brief
Oregon State Legislature sent this bulletin at 10/23/2023 01:18 PM PDT
Hello Friends,
Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter! Here is my weekly update from the “interim” between legislative sessions.
Remembering Bill Bradbury
First, I want to take a moment to honor and remember an Oregon legend: former Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, who passed away in April. Last weekend, I attended his Celebration of Life and was privileged to hear stories and memories from giants in Oregon politics, his friends, and his family. Bill was known for his enthusiasm, his kindness, and his passion for the environment (including helping to pass landmark legislation to protect Oregon’s salmon populations and watersheds).
He was one of the first politicians I ever met when, as a nerdy high school kid in 2010, I went to the OPB-sponsored primary debate for governor between Bradbury and Gov. John Kitzhaber (Bill stuck around afterward and was very generous with his time). Kitzhaber and Bradbury were lifelong friends, in and out of politics–here’s an excerpt from Kitzhaber’s speech at the celebration of life (he was wearing a “Bradbury 2010” button–which brought some laughs):
“Bill and I both loved wild salmon and we loved rivers. We loved salmon because the life of the salmon is dedicated to the future. It’s all about nurturing and sustaining that which will come. And salmon spend a lot of their lives swimming upstream–but always with a clear and unshakeable purpose. And some of them who are lucky get to the gravel beds where they were born and plant the seeds of tomorrow. And those that die in the attempt still give their bodies back to the river to provide the nutrients that are essential for the next generation. Bill spent a lot of his life swimming upstream against a whole variety of adversity that most of us can’t even imagine–always with joy and great humor. But also with a clear and unshakeable purpose of his own, and that was to make Oregon a better place and, in his own way, to plant the seeds of tomorrow. And I think we would all agree that his journey was a spectacular success in that regard.”
Joining the NewDEAL Program
This week I was honored to be selected as one of 19 leaders from across the country to join the NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders), a selective national network of state and local elected officials with about 200 members. Previous members have included Pete Buttigieg, who joined as a mayor, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, and our very own State Treasurer Tobias Read.
NewDEAL has done important work across state governments including tracking effective uses of ARPA funds and highlighting some of the innovative ways members of the network have improved the quality of life in their communities. I am excited about this opportunity–it will give me the chance to learn from some of the top leaders across the country and bring new ideas to Oregon (I’ve already been connected to a colleague in Michigan who’s done innovative work on government oversight and accountability).
Supreme Court Amicus Brief
Recently I signed onto an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to overturn an appellate court decision that would restrict access to Mifepristone, a medication often used to safely terminate pregnancies and treat miscarriages.
The Supreme Court has not yet accepted the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine’s case against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but the court already involved itself this April by temporarily blocking the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision. However, if the high court declines to hear the case or upholds the appellate court’s ruling, the FDA’s rules that allowed expanded access to mifepristone would be struck down. This change would affect the ability of providers to prescribe the medication via telehealth or send the medication in the mail, and it would decrease the time limit from 10 weeks of pregnancy to seven weeks.
You can read more about this in the Capital Chronicle article linked in the image below. I was proud to sign onto this amicus brief with my colleagues Representatives Fahey, Gamba, Gomberg, and Senators Frederick and Gelser Blouin.
Tigard Wins Prestigious Transportation Award
From building safe pedestrian routes to creating a free e-bike library program for low-income households, Tigard has been working to empower people to walk and bike more easily, creating downstream effects for everyone. That’s why I nominated the City of Tigard for The Street Trust’s Alice Award, which recognizes an organization advancing a vision of multimodal transportation that prioritizes safety, accessibility, equity, and climate justice.
We know that higher speed limits lead to more pedestrian accidents and higher fatality rates. After the Legislature allowed cities to lower speed limits by five miles per hour below the state-imposed speed limits in residential areas, Tigard jumped at the opportunity to lower speed limits on 80% of Tigard’s Street network, making up 125 miles of safer local roadway.
The city was a key partner during the legislative session in helping to secure $3 million in state funding for pedestrian improvements along Hall Boulevard, an urban arterial that is badly in need of infrastructure improvements. Working with the Tigard-Tualatin School District (TTSD), the city has also launched the Safe Routes to School Program. The program has a dedicated coordinator who works with all the schools in TTSD to make biking or walking to school possible and comfortable for more students.
Recognizing all their hard work and dedication, Street Trust accepted my nomination and awarded Tigard the 2023 Alice Award.
The Tigard team accepting the Alice Award. From Left to Right: Me, Safe Routes to School Coordinator Hendrik Broekelschen, Assistant City Manager Emily Tritsch, Principal Transportation Planner Dave Roth, Community Development Director Kenny Asher, Mayor Heidi Lueb, City Engineer Joe Wisniewski, Senior Management Analyst Nicole Hendrix, Council President Yi-Kang Hu, Councilor Jai Raj Singh
Business Spotlight - Symposium Coffee
As some of you may know I often use Symposium Coffee as my “in-district office”. I love their coffee–but what I love more is that they have become a hub where our community can gather.
Tigard, Metzger, and South Beaverton have some incredible small businesses, like Symposium, that make our area one of the best places in Oregon to call home. I will be showcasing these businesses periodically in my newsletter, starting with Symposium Coffee. Symposium not only makes a delicious cup of coffee (my usual is a vanilla latte, but they have seasonal pumpkin lattes made with real pumpkin), they also have great breakfast and lunch options. You can also buy their coffee beans online here.
More than anything else, Symposium is a welcoming space where I see neighbors and friends every time I stop by (the Tigard Chamber of Commerce is upstairs!). We are lucky to have them in our community!
If you have a business you would like to be featured in one of these updates, please send us an email: rep.benbowman@oregonlegislature.gov.
The Interior of Symposium Coffee
I will also be hosting a Townhall and Tour event on the 12th of November. We will be touring the Oregon Historical Society Museum. The tour will have limited space so if you would like to attend please fill out this form. I look forward to seeing many of you there.
Thanks for reading,
Ben Bowman
Oregon State Representative
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