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To contact me, please click here: Rep.ZachHudson@oregonlegislature.gov
Last week I joined fellow legislators in Salem for legislative days. A big takeaway for all of us was the disastrous impacts of the Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill”, H.R. 1, which cuts numerous programs that Americans rely on. I serve on the House Education Committee and the House Revenue Committee, and we looked specifically at ways that H.R. 1 would affect Oregon's schools and colleges and its ability to collect revenue to fund our state.
Over the next ten years, H.R. 1 is projected to cut SNAP funding by roughly $295 billion and defund Medicaid by roughly $863 billion. Furthermore, H.R. 1 reduces states’ ability to use Hospital Provider Tax assessments to draw down resources from Medicaid, meaning an extra loss of funding—roughly another $12 billion over 10 years. These are large, system-level cuts that will cascade to states, including Oregon.
The bill also adds short time limits and bureaucratic hurdles for families to access programs that provide them with food. New requirements will put adults at risk of losing SNAP quickly when they move between jobs or encounter paperwork delays. The Oregon Food Bank, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), the Oregon Educators Association (OEA), the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA), and the Oregon School Board Association (OSBA) have all warned that H.R. 1’s SNAP cuts and restrictions will cause more children to go hungry in Oregon.
Cuts to SNAP will directly affect our public schools and add strain to the State School Fund. SNAP is used as a way for students to qualify for free and reduced lunch programs, so when families are removed from SNAP, school districts have a greater burden in cost and paperwork to provide the same school meals that they did before. Furthermore, increased food insecurity at home will put more strain on local food-security initiatives like backpack programs and pantry partnerships.
Federal cuts to Medicaid will have a similar effect. Many students receive services at school for which districts can bill Medicaid, especially for special education services. If districts have less access to Medicaid, they will have to reduce services or pick up the tab, despite already strained budgets. School-based health centers, which offer students low- and no-cost services, are also dependent on Medicaid, and will likely see cuts.
By reducing SNAP benefits and making it harder to qualify for SNAP in the first place, H.R. 1 is expected to increase food insecurity among low-income college students. Reduced SNAP access correlates with worse academic persistence and higher dropout risk for low-income students, so campus retention and student success programs will face greater demand. Furthermore, H.R. 1 cuts some student loan programs, and makes borrowing for college more expensive by charging interest while a student is enrolled, instead of after graduation.
Oregon’s income tax system is connected to the federal system, and changes at the federal level affect Oregon directly. Our nonpartisan Legislative Revenue Office shared that tax changes in H.R. 1 will reduce Oregon’s revenues by $888 million in the 2025-2027 biennium and by $468 million in the 2027-2029 biennium. This is revenue that is supposed to pay for schools, human services, public safety, economic development, consumer and business services and transportation. These changes will subject our state to extreme financial burdens and impede its ability to provide essential services that Oregonians count on.
These cuts from the Trump administration will directly affect East County families, where the cost of housing is already a large part of some families’ budgets. Some who are currently eligible for federal food and healthcare programs might be excluded. For those still eligible, lower benefits mean having to stretch already tight budgets further—less money for food, or having to choose cheaper, less healthy options. Families will likely rely more on food banks and charities. Some will simply skip meals.
Cuts to programs like SNAP also force people to lean on county and city programs that don't have the same capacity. By neglecting federal responsibility, H.R. 1 adds to the burden of our local communities.
This was not a happy email to write and I doubt it was a happy one to read. But I know people are working at every level to undo the damage done by this bill and to shield us from its fallout. As chair of the House Committee on Education and your representative in House District 49, I will continue to work to support our students, our neighbors and our community.
After several years of careful construction and safety upgrades through the Capitol Accessibility, Maintenance and Safety (CAMS) Project, Oregon’s historic Capitol in Salem has officially reopened to the public. The project modernized facilities, enhanced accessibility, and preserved the building’s iconic character for future generations. It’s also much safer! An essential part of the upgrade was in earthquake safety, making sure that staff and visitors are safe and that the Capitol continues to function if an earthquake hits.
One of the most celebrated milestones is the reopening of the Capitol Rotunda, a central gathering place that had been closed for construction. Visitors can once again experience this architectural landmark, which serves as both a civic and cultural centerpiece for Oregonians.
 Here I am in the recently-reopened rotunda. It's great to be back.
As always, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or issues with agencies or authorities. My staff and I are happy to help! When constituents flag problems for us, we can help locate state resources and liaise with state agencies who can help.
Also, please email me if you have an idea, a question, a concern, or just want to speak your mind. Reading your emails and taking your calls helps me better understand your priorities, address your concerns, and advocate for your ideas in the legislature. Whether you email or call, please make sure you include your physical address and email address in your message. That lets me and my staff know you’re a constituent and helps us get back to you faster. My email address is Rep.ZachHudson@OregonLegislature.gov.
 Meeting with Oregon Health & Science University’s new president, Dr. Shereef Elnahal.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1449
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-284, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.ZachHudson@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/hudson
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