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Democratic Party of Oregon Applauds President Biden’s First Year in Office

Jan 20, 2022

For Immediate Release
Contact: Eddie Kurtz
[email protected]
January 20, 2022

Today marks the one year anniversary of President Biden’s inauguration as president of the United States. In response, the Democratic Party of Oregon Chair Carla “KC” Hanson released the following statement highlighting the progress that President Biden and Oregon Democrats – including Sens. Wyden and Merkley, and Reps. Bonamici, Blumenauer, DeFazio, and Schrader – partnered with Gov. Brown and members of our state legislature, have made to make America and Oregon stronger and help the working families of Oregon over the last year:

“President Biden and congressional Democrats took office amid some of the worst crises of our lifetimes, and they immediately got to work delivering results for Oregon families. In just one year, they have put millions of vaccines in arms, saved countless lives, helped people find work, and made historic infrastructure investments that are critical to Oregon and America’s future. This progress was made despite consistent and nonsensical obstructionist behavior from Republicans in Congress, including Oregon’s Cliff Bentz. There’s no question: Oregonians are better off now than they were a year ago – thank you, President Biden!” said Democratic Party of Oregon Chair Carla “KC” Hanson.

Since his inauguration on January 20, 2021, President Biden and Democrats have delivered for working people. They have:

  • Put Shots in Arms & Saved Lives: President Biden set up a historic vaccination program that resulted in more than 200 million Americans fully vaccinated this year: almost 75% of all adults, including 81.8% of adults in Oregon who have received at least one dose. Millions of teenagers and children are now vaccinated, and tens of millions of Americans have gotten booster shots. And this month, more than 95% of schools are open in person. All these steps have and continue to save countless lives.
  • Got People Back to Work: Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, the economy has grown faster than it has in decades, with an added 6.4 million jobs – more in one calendar year than ever on record – including 68,900 in Oregon. Recent average weekly unemployment claims are down near a level not seen in decades. Oregon’s unemployment rate has fallen from 6.2% in January to 4.2% in November, and unemployment claims in Oregon are down 60% under Biden. Economic growth last year was the strongest in two generations.
  • Passed Laws to Create Jobs & Rebuild Crumbling Infrastructure: President Biden got the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed — the most impactful legislative agenda in history for a first year president. The American Rescue Plan led to what experts estimate will be the lowest child poverty rate on record and the unemployment rate is down to 3.9% nationally. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will create jobs, provide clean drinking water, upgrade our roads, airports, and rail, and is a critical first step towards a clean energy future – and for the first time in 20 years, U.S. infrastructure investments will grow faster than China’s.

Oregon will receive enormous funding from the infrastructure law, including:

  • $3.4 billion to improve highways and $268 million for bridge replacement and repairs over five years.
  • $747 million over five years to improve public transportation options across the state.
  • $52 million over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network in Oregon.
  • A minimum of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, including providing access to the at least 136,600 Oregonians who currently lack it. (11% of Oregon households do not have an internet subscription, and 3.2% of Oregonians live in areas where, under the FCC’s benchmark, there is no broadband infrastructure.)
  • $39 million over five years to protect against wildfires and $15 million to protect against cyberattacks. Oregonians will also benefit from the bill’s historic $3.5 billion national investment in weatherization which will reduce energy costs for families. (From 2010 to 2020, Oregon has experienced 12 extreme weather events, costing the state up to $5 billion in damages.)
  • $529 million over five years to improve water infrastructure across the state and ensure that clean, safe drinking water is a right in all communities.
  • $211 million over five years to improve Oregon’s airports.

EVERY Corner of Oregon is benefiting from Democratic leadership

  • Each and every one of Oregon’s 30 State Senate Districts is receiving $8,000,000 ($4 million/Senate District and $2 million for each of the House Districts) in project allocations from Joe Biden’s American Relief Plan.  The innovative approach proposed by Oregon Democratic leaders ensured that all state legislators were part of the process and ensures that every part of our great state benefits from the ARP.
  • President Biden and Oregon Democrats fought hard to make these investments a reality.  The work is not done, and Democrats will keep fighting for EVERY Oregonian.

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