Issues

Agriculture

Agriculture is a critical part of Oregon’s economy. From berries to beef, family farmers and ranchers are feeding Americans and millions of people around the world. At the same time, farmers are facing new and increasing pressures from climate change, urban sprawl, rising costs and shrinking water resources.

Animal Welfare

The way we treat animals reflects the values that we hold, and has a large impact on the livability and vitality of our communities. Congressman Blumenauer is a strong advocate for the protection of wild and domestic animals. He also works to protect the habitats of threatened and endangered species. 

Banking and Financial Services

Eight years after the collapse of the financial markets, corporations have returned to making record profits while Oregon’s unemployment rate remains over 9 percent, homeowners are underwater, and students are drowning in debt. The wealthiest ten percent of Americans control sixty-six percent of American’s net worth.

Campaign Finance Reform and Good Governance

The strength of our democracy depends upon the strength of the rules governing political spending and speech. Congressman Blumenauer has long been an ardent supporter of campaign finance reform, upholding and strengthening voting rights, a more transparent and accountable redistricting and reapportionment process, and performance-based regulations.

Civil and Constitutional Rights

Congressman Blumenauer, a member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, is a strong advocate for human rights and democracy. While there are limits to our ability to impact what goes on in other countries, he believes it is particularly important that the United States always model and advocate our deepest held values.

Defense and Homeland Security

Providing for the common defense is one of the Congress’s most central duties, and today this is more important than ever. Congressman Blumenauer has worked to ensure that the government takes a comprehensive and long-term approach to Defense and Homeland Security.

Education

Congressman Blumenauer believes that a strong and continuing federal support for education is absolutely essential to our success in the 21st century, especially in times of higher enrollments and rapidly emerging new technologies.

Environment and Energy

As an environmental champion and a vocal defender of important environmental laws and policies, Congressman Blumenauer has supported efforts to strengthen the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and more.

Foreign Affairs

Congressman Blumenauer believes that Americans, blessed to live in the richest and most powerful country on earth, have a responsibility to create a better, safer world for all of its inhabitants. Leading the way on challenges as diverse as global health, peace, and the environment is the right thing to do and promotes national security and economic well-being at home.

Gun Safety

Gun violence in the United States is not inevitable, nor should Americans accept it as the status quo. Congress, the Administration, state and local governments, and the American people need to address this issue for what it is: a crisis that threatens the well-being and peace of mind of urban and rural communities across the country.

Health Care and Medicare

Congressman Blumenauer is a strong advocate of health care reform to improve outcomes with access to high quality, low cost care. From his position on the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, he has supported efforts to extend access to under- and un-insured people, protect coverage and benefits for our most vulnerable citizens, protect and improve Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and improve health care equity for women, minorities, and the LGBT community.

Immigration

Reforming our immigration policy will not be easy, but that’s no excuse for inaction. It’s long past time for Congress to act on a comprehensive solution. Congress Blumenauer believes that any comprehensive immigration bill he will ultimately support must address the issue of the 11 million people currently living in the US without documentation by giving them a clear path to citizenship, something that three-quarters of all Americans support.

Jobs and the Economy

Congressman Blumenauer works to ensure that American families are safe, healthy, and economically secure. This means, in part, ensuring an economy that works for all Oregonians while safeguarding our environment through smart investments and appropriate oversight of the economic system.

Marijuana and Drug Reform

Marijuana policy at the state level has shifted significantly in recent years as states have moved to legalize the drug for both medicinal and adult use. Unfortunately, federal marijuana policy remains rooted in the past, as all types of marijuana continue to remain illegal under federal law.

Native Americans

Congressman Blumenauer strongly believes that our government has a special legal and moral obligation to Native Americans of this country given their uniquely sovereign status. This obligation is defined by treaties and statutes, and interpreted by the courts.

Neuroscience and the Congressional Neuroscience Caucus

In February 2010, when speaking at an OHSU Brain Awareness Lecture, Congressman Blumenauer discussed the critical importance of neuroscience research and announced the formation of a Congressional Neuroscience Caucus.

Public Broadcasting

Congress created the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in 1968 to promote the growth and development of public media throughout the U.S. Over the last four and a half decades, CPB has been the steward of federal funding, which goes directly to over 1,400 public television and radio stations across the country, supporting 21,000 local jobs.

Social Security

Social Security protects the economic security of workers, retirees, and their families.  More than any other federal program, Social Security reduces poverty and improves the standards of living for all Americans.  More than 13 million senior citizens depend on their Social Security benefits, as do millions of children and families.  Congressman Blumenauer sits on the Ways and Means Committee,

Tax Fairness

Since coming to Congress in 1996, Congressman Blumenauer has based his fiscal policies on five basic principles: fair tax relief for Americans; funding commitments to our children, seniors, veterans, and the environment; honoring our promises to present and future Social Security and Medicare recipients; paying down our national debt; and avoiding funding shortfalls for important national priorities.

Trade

Congressman Blumenauer supports honest trade, just as anyone who supports a growing and prosperous Oregon economy. Oregonians deserve a framework for trade that recognizes real problems and seeks real solutions.

Transportation and Water Infrastructure

Transportation choices play a major role in quality of life, influencing everything from access to economic opportunities to environmental quality and community safety. Congressman Blumenauer is a tireless advocate for increasing the number and variety of transportation choices available to Americans.

Veterans, National Guard and Reserves, Active Duty Military

Our nation’s servicemen and women are the most important assets of our military.  At a time when America’s armed forces and Veterans Affairs system are being taxed to their maximum, Congressman Blumenauer is firmly committed to fulfilling America’s promise to our troops.  By both increasing and funding benefits such as health care, education, and job training, Congressman Blumenauer works to ke