| | 👋 Welcome New Subscribers I want to extend a warm welcome to new readers joining us for the first time. Former Senator Michael Dembrow graciously shared his newsletter subscriber list with my office, and I’m honored to carry on his tradition of keeping you informed and engaged in Oregon’s legislative process. If you received this email unexpectedly, it’s because you were subscribed to Senator Dembrow’s updates. Unless you choose to unsubscribe, you’ll now be receiving regular updates from me about my work in the Legislature, community events, and ways to take action. If you prefer not to stay on this list, you can unsubscribe at any time using the link at the bottom. Otherwise, I’m glad you’re here—and I look forward to staying in touch. |
| | May 21st, 2025
Dear Neighbor, |
| As we near the end of the legislative session, I want to speak to you plainly—not just as your state legislator, but as a fellow human being watching our democracy come under direct threat. I know this is not a typical newsletter from my office. That is intentional. These are not typical times. How can I conduct business as usual in the face of the authoritarian threat posed by Donald Trump and his allies? I cannot. I was not elected simply to manage the machinery of government and uphold the status quo. I was elected to fight for our freedoms and to stand against those who would erode them. Part of that work means speaking out to defend our communities from injustice, intimidation, and prejudice. I will use every opportunity to raise awareness, push back, challenge silence, and call this moment what it is: a deliberate attempt to dismantle human rights and democratic values. I will not be quiet when it matters most. Failure to acknowledge this crisis and to act with urgency is unacceptable. We cannot pretend that routine policymaking is enough. We must hold the line. Let me be clear: we can still govern; we can — and will — still advance meaningful policy. I remain fully committed to this work. But we must look beyond our state and respond to a dangerous federal agenda that threatens every Oregonian. Leadership means meeting crisis with the full weight of our voices, our time, and our actions. Freedom and human rights cannot wait. |
| | 🌐 Stay Connected: My New Linktree Whether you’re trying to find my latest speeches, follow my updates on social media, or share your thoughts with me directly, I’ve made it easier than ever to stay connected.
This all-in-one space includes: Links to my social media platforms Easy ways to contact my office Tools to stay informed about legislation Opportunities to get involved
Bookmark it, share it, and help others stay engaged too. In this moment, staying informed and connected is an act of resistance. |
| | 🎤 Speaking Out on the House Floor In recent weeks, I have taken to the House Floor to speak out on issues that are deeply personal to me and critical to the values we hold as Oregonians. On May 12, I joined fellow legislators to remind businesses of their rights and responsibilities when ICE comes knocking. We must ensure that immigrant Oregonians are treated with dignity and that our workplaces remain safe from unlawful intimidation. On May 14, I rose to recognize Armed Forces Day, honoring our service members and condemning the Trump administration’s callous treatment of veterans and threats to VA staffing. On May 15, I joined colleagues to denounce harmful tariffs that raise prices on everyday goods and disproportionately hurt working families. And on May 20, I stood in solidarity with Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, condemning her politically motivated prosecution. We cannot stay silent when women of color in public office are unfairly targeted for standing up to injustice.
These remonstrances are more than speeches — they are a reflection of my commitment to justice, equity, and truth. I will continue to use my voice to defend our communities and hold those in power accountable. |
| | 🧰 This Newsletter Is a Toolkit |
| As the end of session approaches, I want this newsletter to offer more than a legislative update. I want it to equip you. Below, you’ll find tools, resources, and information to help you stay safe, get involved, and protect your rights. I will briefly touch on my work in Salem, but the priority here is preparing ourselves for what lies ahead. |
| | 🛡️ Resources to Protect Your Rights and Resist |
| | | 🗓️ Legislative Update: Key Deadlines |
| Even as I look beyond this legislative session, and beyond Oregon, I continue to work my bills through the legislative process. The 2025 Long Legislative Session is scheduled to adjourn no later than June 29, and as of today, we are entering the final stretch. These next few weeks will determine which bills live and which die. Last month, we cleared a major milestone in the First Chamber Deadline. Any bill that didn’t get voted out of its assigned policy committee in the First Chamber, (and for my bills, that would be the House), “died” — meaning the bill didn’t keep moving forward through the legislature.
The next major deadline is the Second Chamber Deadline on May 23. By this date, any bill that has not been voted out of its assigned policy committee in the opposite chamber (and for my bills, that would be the Senate), will automatically die. That means good ideas can still be lost; not because they’re unpopular, but because there simply isn’t enough time to hear every bill. With over 3,000 bills introduced to the Legislature this session, only a limited number will pass into law. Each of my bills has to move through a series of steps before it can be signed into law. Voted Out of Committee: Pass a House Policy Committee — A Public Hearing then a Work Session (aka a Committee Vote!) Voted off the House Floor: A vote of the full first chamber Voted Out of Committee: Pass a Senate Policy Committee — Another Public Hearing then a Work Session (aka a Committee Vote!) Voted off the Senate Floor: A vote of the full second chamber Signed into law by the governor!
*If the bill has a cost to the state associated (and most do!), it goes from the policy committee to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means (JWM). JWM is the budget committee, and committee members make the decision whether to allocate the required funding or not, via a Public Hearing and a Work Session. If funding is not alloca |
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| | | This session, I have championed bills to combat human trafficking in illicit massage businesses, encourage employee ownership in public procurement, establish licensure and insurance reimbursement for art therapists, and expand tuition waivers for the dependents of disabled veterans. These initiatives reflect our shared values and aim to build a more inclusive and supportive Oregon for all. I am proud to share that our key bills are still “alive” and we are working hard to make sure they all continue to move through the process.
✔️Passed Out of Both Chambers! HCR 17 | Honoring Cambodian American Oregonians and Recognizing the Cambodian Genocide HB 3920 | Veterans’ Dependent Tuition Waiver Expansion Broadens educational opportunities for the children of disabled veterans by raising the age limit for eligibility to apply for tuition waivers at Oregon's public universities. HB 3761 | Art Therapy Insurance Reimbursement Establishes a formal licensing framework for art therapists in Oregon.
🏛️Passed Out of Senate Policy Committee and Heading to the Senate Floor: HB 3819 | Illicit Massage Businesses A four-pronged approach to the ongoing fight against human and labor trafficking in the illicit massage industry.
HB 3646 | Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs) Seeks to foster employee ownership by allowing state agencies to prioritize contracts with businesses where employees hold at least 50% ownership
💰Passed out of Committees into Joint Ways & Means:HB 2537 | Veterans Access to Healthcare Establishes the Veterans Waiver Program within the Oregon Health Authority, providing medical assistance to low-income veterans residing in Oregon who are ineligible for both the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and federal Veterans Affairs (VA) services. HB 2950 | Land Use Goal 1 Directs the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) to update Oregon's Statewide Land Use Planning Goal 1 to enhance public participation in land use planning, ensuring that community voices are effectively integrated into decision-making processes. HB 2955 | Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) Requires the Oregon Health Plan to include coverage for continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for specified recipients, including individuals with type 2 and gestational diabetes. HB 3497 | AGE+ Study Creates the Shared Future Oregon Task Force, charged with developing a comprehensive state plan to address the needs of Oregon's aging population. HB 2152 | Fuel Storage Diversity Establishes geographically diverse fuel storage sites to ensure that emergency response teams across the entire state have access to fuel during natural disasters. HB 2949 | Risk Bond Study Requires terminal owners to secure insurance or financial assurance, ensuring that the financial burden of cleanup after a disasterdoes not fall on the public. |
| | 💜BIPOC Caucus Policy Agenda BIPOC communities continue to face disproportionate threats under the current federal administration. I want to uplift our Oregon BIPOC Caucus’s policy priorities: |
| | | 💸 The Impact of "DOGE" Cuts on Oregon |
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| The so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) Cuts coming from the Trump-aligned federal administration are anything but efficient. These sweeping reductions to federal support for housing, healthcare, energy resilience, and basic public services are already starting to ripple through Oregon’s state budget. This is not fiscal responsibility. This is cruelty masquerading as policy. These cuts are designed to weaken our institutions, punish marginalized communities, and starve state and local governments into submission. We must be clear: the DOGE Cuts are not just a budget issue. They are a direct extension of a broader authoritarian project—one that seeks to centralize power, dismantle public infrastructure, and silence local resistance. Oregonians have a proud tradition of standing up against injustice. We’ve done it before. We must do it again. Our state budget is not just a spreadsheet—it’s a moral document. And we must fight like hell to protect it. |
| | | On Wednesday, May 14, we received the state’s latest Economic and Revenue Forecast — the foundation for our next two-year budget. One thing became crystal clear: Donald Trump’s reckless economic policies are already hurting Oregon families and businesses. I’ve spoken on the House Floor many times before — warning about the dangerous actions of the Department of Economic Governance under the Trump administration. I called out the chaos. Today, we are seeing the consequences. Tariffs are harming Oregon’s economy. Our state depends heavily on trade and manufacturing. The Trump-era tariffs — and the threats of more — have already disrupted our export economy and continue to endanger local jobs. We felt the pain during his first term. We’re feeling it again now. Small businesses are holding their breath. With no coherent federal economic plan, Oregon entrepreneurs face instability, uncertainty, and stalled growth. How can a small business plan ahead when national policy changes with a single post on Truth Social? Working families are stretched thin. From the rising cost of groceries to the fear of losing federal support for childcare, health care, and elder care — families are being forced to cut back. That reduces spending across our economy and slows the very revenue that keeps schools and services running. Risk of recession has grown. Oregon’s state economists didn’t mince words. Federal mismanagement is increasing the likelihood of an economic downturn. And once again, it’s communities like ours — working people, children, seniors — who stand to lose the most.
And yet, Oregon is more prepared than most. That’s thanks to decades of responsible leadership and forward-thinking budget practices from Democrats who have put people first. But make no mistake: we are now being forced to move forward with one foot on the brake. That’s what this economic forecast means. It slows our progress on homelessness, mental health care, and education. And because Oregon must pass a balanced budget, we can’t count on “maybes.” So what comes next? We will protect core services. We will keep fighting for strong public schools, affordable housing, and safer communities. And we will make sure Oregon continues to be a place where everyone — no matter their ZIP code — can live with dignity and opportunity. Here’s how you can help: Speak up. Share what matters most to your community — whether it’s Medicaid, childcare, or mental health treatment — so we can protect those programs as we make tough budget choices. Call your members of Congress. Tell them not to gut funding for Oregon. For example, Rep. Cliff Bentz will be voting on national decisions that could cut Medicaid (OHP) access. Let him know our communities deserve better.
We do not control the chaos in DC, but here in Oregon, we do have a choice: to lead with compassion, to budget with care, and to fight — always — for the future we believe in. |
| | | 👥 June Constituent Event: Power to the People Every first Friday of the month I host our Power to the People constituent gathering event at my in-district office. I would love to see you in person on June 6, 2025 at 5:30pm
in my district office, located at
4526 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97213
(Rose City Vision Care) We invite you to share your concerns and policy ideas alongside friendly neighbors. |
| | Thank you for staying engaged. Your voice fuels this work. Yours truly,
Yours truly,
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| | Copyright (C) 2025 Rep Thuy Tran. All rights reserved.
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