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Happy July! I hope you’ve had a chance to enjoy some rest, sunshine, and time with family this summer.
Over the past month, I’ve been mildly obsessed with the World Cup. I’ve loved seeing fans from all over the world enjoying this country. To have the timing coincide with the 250th anniversary of our founding was even cooler. I had an awesome day celebrating the 4th this year – picnicking with my family, hanging with my dogs, watching The Sandlot (which I maintain is the best 4th of July movie) and watching the Tigard High fireworks show from my front porch.
I’ve also been noticing the intersections of politics and sports – President Trump’s meddling (and FIFA’s reversal) on Balogun’s red card, the treatment of Iranian team players and personnel as they traverse North America, the remarks of the racist Paraguayan Senator being struck down so powerfully by French superstar Kylian Mbappé. But mostly the sense of pride that so many millions of Americans – of all identities and political ideologies – had watching our team represent us on the largest of global stages. Here’s to hoping we win it all in four years!
June Legislative Days
The Capitol was busy as June Legislative Days brought legislators back to Salem for several days of committee meetings and conversations. These interim meetings provided an opportunity to review the implementation of legislation we have passed, connect with legislative partners, and begin laying the groundwork for the 2027 Legislative Session.
As Chair of the House Rules Committee, I conducted an oversight hearing on Oregon’s permitting systems across agencies – what’s working, what’s not, and what the legislature can do to make it easier to operate.
We heard from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, the Oregon Department of State Lands, and the Oregon Department of Transportation about how their permitting systems work on the ground—including what types of permits they issue, how long approvals are taking, the steps applicants go through, and the volume of applications they manage. This also included updates on the implementation of past legislation, including HB 4020 and HB 4021, which I introduced in the 2026 session to help advance this work.
This conversation is part of a broader effort to make Oregon’s permitting and rule making systems more transparent, predictable, and accountable. When businesses, local governments, and project sponsors are working to build housing, invest in infrastructure, restore habitat, or start new enterprises, they should be able to clearly understand what is required and have confidence that timelines and expectations are consistent and fair.
Meeting former Vice President Kamala Harris
Earlier this month, I got to meet Vice President Harris and hear her discuss the importance of state government – particularly while our federal government is so dysfunctional.
As Daniel Squadron, founder of The States Project, points out: for most of the issues we care about, state governments have done either more harm or more good than the federal government in recent years. Even when there are big wins at the federal level, it’s usually up to states to make them real. Take Obamacare: there are still millions of Americans who should benefit from healthcare coverage but don’t because they live in states that have chosen not to expand coverage. And if you work in a state that’s stuck at the embarrassingly low federal minimum wage, you’re losing out on many thousands of dollars every year. The list goes on: from education to abortion access to clean air and water – the action is in the states.
I’m grateful to The States Project for organizing the event and reminding us that our country’s democratic renewal will happen in the states.
The Oregon Otter
This is a cool thing you might not know much about. Over the last several months, I’ve had the opportunity to work with community members who have dedicated years to bringing sea otters back to Oregon. The Elakha Alliance is helping lead this effort by combining conservation, science, and respect for the cultural significance of sea otters to Oregon’s coastal Indigenous communities.
They recently shared with me a fascinating article about Oregon’s sea otters and the important role these incredible animals once played in our coastal ecosystems. Before they were hunted to extinction in Oregon, sea otters helped maintain healthy kelp forests and supported the balance of our marine environment.
The article also mentions the National Museum of Natural History's "From These Lands" exhibit that opened in June and highlights this history through a story about a historic sea otter skull in its collection and the important lessons we can learn from these animals’ disappearance and potential return.
I am committed to working with them to bring sea otters back to Oregon – if you’re interested in learning more, check out The Elakha Alliance.
The POWER Act and New State Laws
Residential customers should not be subsidizing the utility costs of data centers. That was the principle behind The POWER Act (HB 3546), which I was proud to sponsor in the 2025 session. It’s a first-in-the-nation law that helps ensure large energy users, like data centers, pay their fair share of the costs they place on our electric grid instead of shifting those costs onto everyone else.
Last week, the Oregon Public Utility Commission took an important step by approving new rates from PGE that increase charges for data centers while reducing them for other customer groups. It's encouraging to see the law beginning to work as intended—protecting ratepayers while ensuring our electric system can keep pace with growing demand.
Protecting Oregonians from unnecessary costs didn't stop with the POWER Act. During the 2026 legislative session, I supported additional bills to help families save money, safeguard essential services, and strengthen consumer protections. Those new laws took effect earlier this month and here are a few highlights.
Keeping more money in families’ wallets:
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House Bill 4116 – Closes loopholes that had allowed lenders of consumer loans to charge interest amounting to 100 percent or more
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House Bill 4024 – Prohibits speculative ticket sales—vendors offering or reselling tickets they don’t have—and strengthens protections against misleading websites that offer tickets
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Senate Bill 1523 – Lets tenants pay rent using whatever reasonable method theychoose, not just online portals that can take your data and trigger fees
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Senate Bill 1551– Gives you freedom from your homeowners’ association's rulesto ensure you can make fire-safe improvements on your home
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Senate Bill 1567– Establishes low-interest loans for mixed-income housing production
Tigard Chamber of Commerce
I attended the Annual Meeting and Volunteer Celebration hosted by the Tigard Chamber of Commerce, and it was great to hear firsthand about the work they’re doing to support our local business community. The Chamber has grown to 426 members this year, while creating meaningful opportunities for local businesses to connect with the community (I’ve long felt that the Chamber does as much for community building in Tigard as they do for economic development, and we are fortunate for that!). It was great to hear how they are collaborating with other chambers across the metro area and the Westside Economic Alliance to strengthen our regional economy and support Tigard businesses.
NW Oregon Legislative Fellowship
The Northwest Oregon Legislative Fellowship is a free, 11-week program that I am hosting this fall for young people interested in public policy and politics. Fellows participate in a speaker series with policy and campaign experts, develop a real policy proposal for the Oregon Legislature, staff campaign events across the state, and build a network that opens doors in public service, college, and beyond. Over 70 students participated in Year 1, and we’re excited to be bringing it back.
Applications are open now and due July 24.
Thanks for reading!
Ben Bowman
State Representative House District 25
House Majority Leader
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
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepBenBowman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rep.benbowman
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/repbenbowman.bsky.social
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