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To contact me, please click here: Rep.BenBowman@oregonlegislature.gov
Dear friends and neighbors,
I hope you’re having a good summer and getting a bit of a breather before fall kicks into gear. In just a few weeks, kids will be going back to school and many of us will be returning to a normal routine. However your summer has looked, I hope you're able to find a little time to rest, recharge, or do something that brings you joy before the warm season wraps up.
In this newsletter, I’m sharing a few important updates and giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what this year’s legislative session looked like through my eyes.
In July, I spent three weeks at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) completing the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program with 70 peers from across the country.
It was a flood of new ideas, new perspectives, new friendships, and new experiences. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity — and it 100% not have happened for me without the support of the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute and the David Bohnett Foundation, who selected me for a fellowship (with five other elected officials).
It was one of those experiences where you don’t quite have the words to capture what it meant or all that you learned. Here’s a sampling of the topics covered: Economic development, trustee vs. delegate representation, emergency preparedness and response, creating public value, building trust across boundaries, using evidence for program evaluation, climate change, public safety, health insurance, negotiations (two-party and multi-party), public finance, and more.
On a broader level, what I can say is that the way I think about “leadership” has shifted — what it is and what it’s not, what it requires, what it costs, and why it’s far rarer than it ought to be. Marty Linsky was one of our facilitators; he’s the author of Leadership on the Line and has been on the HKS faculty for decades (you might be familiar with his technical problems vs. adaptive problems” framework). He challenged our assumptions constantly.
Marty is a skeptic of the word “leader” – he says we often conflate it with “authority”, and that we use the word as a “bribe” for people who are doing things we like. Real leadership, he says, is risky, often requires administering loss, and can jeopardize your career. It almost always means meeting resistance. If you’re interested, his book is called Leadership on the Line (Powell’s has a couple of used copies, or you can get a new one online).
My favorite thing he said: “When you find yourself blaming externalities, it’s a good signal to look in the mirror.” An important idea for people working in politics (and particularly politicians).
Endless gratitude to David King, our faculty director, and the HKS team for masterfully designing and implementing a leadership program like no other.
As I shared in my last newsletter, we ended the recent legislative session without a long-term fix for the $354 million budget gap at the Oregon Department of Transportation. That funding shortfall would mean hundreds of layoffs and the closure of maintenance facilities across the state. These are the crews who clear brush to prevent wildfires, plow snow in the winter, and keep our roads safe year-round. We can’t afford to lose them.
Governor Kotek has called this special session on August 29th with the sole purpose of preventing those cuts. The immediate goal is straightforward: pass a short-term funding package to stop the layoffs, keep core safety and maintenance operations running, and give us time to build a longer-term solution.
This won’t solve everything. We still have big questions to answer about how we fund our transportation system in the years ahead. But right now, it’s incredibly important to “keep the lights on” and ensure we can fund basic safety investments that will keep Oregonians safe.
I’ll keep you updated as the special session approaches and as solutions come into focus. I really appreciate everyone who’s reached out to me to share their concerns and ideas on this issue. This is a tough situation, and it’s important we get it right.
I’ve talked a lot about the legislative session in these newsletters. Here are some of my favorite pictures this session along with many of the people who made it such a success.
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Sitting at my desk on the House floor with my Communications Director, Mack Smith. Mack joined my team this year and quickly became one of my closest advisors. |
Sitting with my Senate counterpart, Senator Courtney Neron Misslin. Sen. Neron Misslin moved from the House to the Senate after the passing of Sen. Aaron Woods. She remains a close friend and partner. |
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Discussing policy (probably healthcare) with Rep. Rob Nosse. Rep. Nosse is the chair of the House healthcare committee, which means he plays a critical role in getting good healthcare policy over the finish line in the State Legislature. |
Another speech on the House floor. Every time I rise to speak, I’m bringing the voices of my constituents into the chamber and advocating for our district. I don’t take that responsibility lightly – and I try to speak sparingly so that when I do speak, people listen. |
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Sitting at the desk of my friend and colleague, Rep. Emily McIntire. One of the things I appreciate most about the Oregon Legislature is that we can work across the aisle without the gridlock you often see in Congress. I regularly collaborate with my Republican colleagues when we can. Even though we don’t agree on many issues – it’s always possible to find common ground. |
Speaking at the committee dais with Melissa Leoni. Melissa is the LPRO (Legislative Policy and Research Office) Analyst assigned to the House Rules Committee, which I chair. She is a nonpartisan staffer and incredibly good at her job. Melissa is the backbone of House Rules, keeping us organized, informed, and on track as we navigate complex policy issues. |
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Standing in the House chamber with Rep. David Gomberg. Rep. Gomberg is the Speaker Pro-Tempore, which means he often presides over the chamber—a job which he does with objectivity, care, and wit. |
Discussing policy (probably housing) with another member of my staff, Will Anderson. Will was my first chief of staff for the 2023 long session. He joined my team this session to help advise on housing and other important issues. |
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In conversation with House Republican Leader Christine Drazan. We didn’t always agree, but we developed a good working relationship, and I genuinely enjoyed the work we did together. |
Sitting at my desk with my legislative director, Seth Dugan-Knight. Seth was my second chief of staff, working with me in the 2024 short session. Seth became my legislative director when I became majority leader. I would not be where I am without Seth. |
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In conversation with my friend and colleague, Rep. Mark Owens (he is probably about to make a punchline at my expense). |
In conversation with Rep. Nancy Nathanson, a key partner in our work to reform the corporate practice of medicine (CPOM). After the corporate takeover of Oregon Medical Group in her district, Rep. Nathanson has been a fierce advocate for protecting patient care, and I’ve been grateful to work alongside her on this critical issue. |
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Another champion on CPOM: Rep. Cyrus Javadi. He joined me early as a chief sponsor of our legislation after a private equity acquisition hit a medical practice in his district. He’s represented his constituents with tremendous integrity and class throughout this effort. |
Rep. Lisa Fragala was a freshman representative this session. Despite being new, Rep. Fragala jumped into her work, becoming a fierce advocate for her district. She joined me in fighting for the corporate practice of medicine reform, having been directly impacted by the exodus of physicians after the Optum takeover of the Oregon Medical Group. We both were interviewed about our reasons for supporting this bill by More Perfect Union, which you can view here. |
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Taking the oath of office on the House Floor. |
At my floor desk with Abdi Mahamoud, who joined our team this session. I’ve known Abdi since he was a kid! As one of the youngest members of our staff, he brought humor, heart, and a work ethic that lifted up everyone around him. |
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You’re invited to a post-session town hall with Rep. Sue Rieke-Smith and Senator Courtney Neron Misslin.
The town hall will take place on Saturday, August 23rd from 10:00–11:00 AM at the Tigard Public Library. We’ll share legislative updates, answer questions, and hear directly from you. I hope to see you there!
Thanks for reading and staying engaged.
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, ideas, or concerns. I’m incredibly grateful for the chance to continue representing our community, and I’m looking forward to hearing from many of you at the town hall later this month.
With gratitude,
 Ben
State Representative
House District 25
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1425
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-295, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.BenBowman@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bowman
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