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To contact me, please click here: Sen.DebPatterson@oregonlegislature.gov
Dear Friends,
As the holiday season nears, I wish to take this time to thank you for the opportunity to serve, and to give thanks that we live in a state where people can work together for the common good.
Next year will begin my fifth year in office, and I’m grateful to the wonderful staff in my office, with a particular shout out to Megan Wai, Chief of Staff, and Antonio Martinez, who has joined us as Legislative Assistant for the long session. We will also be joined by an intern, Sofia Davidson, who is completing her undergraduate studies.
December has been a busy month, filing bills for the 2025 session and meeting with advocates and other legislators about proposed legislation on a wide variety of issues. We held legislative days with informational committee hearings last week. In the Senate Health Care Committee, we considered pharmaceutical costs, the Secretary of State Audit of the Medicaid enrolment system and received the report of the Task Force on Hospital Discharge Challenges. In the Senate Labor and Business Committee, we heard about workforce development and progress in processing unemployment claims. In the Senate Housing Committee, we heard an update on the Governor’s housing program, homeownership access, eviction data, and shelter capacity. This was followed by a special session on December 12 to allocate funds to cover the cost of the historically expensive wildfire season earlier this year. Democrats and Republicans worked together to allocate $218 million to pay firefighters, small businesses, and others who helped protect Oregonians this summer.
We are now looking ahead to the 2025 Legislative Session, which begins on January 21. All committee meetings will be open to the public, and information about every bill is available online through the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS). Individuals who want to share their perspective on bills can use OLIS to register to testify in-person or online or to submit written comments. Your input in this process is always valuable for helping legislators understand what issues matter most to Oregonians.
This year, I will continue to focus on health outcomes – from shortening wait times in hospitals, to expanding access to healthy food and helping people afford their housing. One area is of special concern: Oregonians are struggling with high costs, and local food banks are reporting record high levels of demand. I am proud to have bipartisan support for a bill to help with an expansion of Marion-Polk Food Share from legislators in our area and will be working with them to advocate for this funding.
If you have questions about any of the bills we are considering this year, please feel free to contact my office at Sen.DebPatterson@oregonlegislature.gov or (503) 986-1710. I look forward to hearing from you.
Finally, I wish each of you a joyous holiday season with family and friends. May the year ahead bring you much happiness, here in this beautiful part of Oregon that we call home.
Warm regards,
Options to Receive or Give Help This Holiday Season
'Tis the season for connection and caring for one another. But we also know this time of year can be challenging for many families. Whether you need a little extra support or are looking for ways to give back to your community, here are some suggestions from the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) to make the holiday season special.
Ways to receive help
- Find hot meals, toys, winter clothes and more for families and individuals by searching local organizations on ODHS’s 2024 holiday resources webpage. You can sort the list by county to find resources in your area.
- If you’re not seeing anything near you on our list, call 2-1-1 to find the support you need. You can also visit 211info.org, enter your ZIP code and type “Holiday Gifts/Toys,” “Christmas Baskets,” or “Christmas Meals” into the search field.
- Reach out to your local ODHS office, where staff often know about upcoming events and resources in your community.
Ways to give help
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Donate food, clothes and toys to community organizations that support children in foster care, older adults, families in need, and more. Click here to see some of the ways you can help the families ODHS serves. You can also contact your local ODHS office for more suggestions, or make a financial contribution to ODHS and specify how you want it to be used by emailing volunteerservices@odhs.oregon.gov.
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Volunteer your time—one of the most valuable gifts you can give. ODHS has several temporary volunteer opportunities this holiday season for things like wrapping donations, delivering gifts, and helping at holiday parties for children in ODHS care. Email volunteerservices@odhs.oregon.gov to learn how to get involved.
- Sometimes, the best way to give back is by simply showing up. Attend local events, check in on your neighbors, and spread the word about the ways to get help that we listed above.
A little kindness and connection can go a long way!
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1710
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, S-411, Salem, OR, 97301
Email: Sen.DebPatterson@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/patterson
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