A top priority of mine in Congress is to grow the economy and implement policies that create more good-paying jobs in Oregon and across the country. I am committed to supporting policies that will restore fairness, help working families, and close the income and opportunity gaps that have increased in recent decades.
Too many people and too many families still struggle. Incomes aren’t keeping up with expenses, and we need an economy that benefits everyone. For a prosperous future that supports workers and families, we must:
Invest in infrastructure: I helped pass comprehensive investments in infrastructure that will put Oregonians and Americans back to work building and maintaining roads, bridges, public transit, ports, water systems, schools, broadband, and electric grids. By retrofitting buildings and increasing energy efficiency, we can create good jobs and save energy and money while helping to address the climate crisis.
Support workers and increase the federal minimum wage: The rights of workers to earn fair and prevailing wages, organize, collectively bargain, stay safe on the job, and avoid discrimination, have come under attack many times in recent years. I am helping to lead the fight to protect the right of workers to organize and support the rights of labor unions. I also helped the House pass legislation to raise the federal minimum wage, which has been stuck at $7.25 an hour for more than a decade, and have championed efforts to address wage discrimination.
Invest in apprenticeships and workforce training: The job market is changing, and we must create a path to a good job for all workers, especially women and people of color who have historically faced barriers to employment. I’m focused on expanding workforce training and Registered Apprenticeships here in Oregon and across the country to prepare for the future of work and respond to local workforce needs. The House passed my bipartisan PARTNERS Act, which will help small and medium sized businesses establish apprenticeship programs and provide workers with the support services they need to succeed.
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