There has been a lot of talk about a “Gas Tax Holiday,” but this three-month hiatus would only save the average Oregon driver $28 – while costing Oregon up to 2,881 family wage jobs and $83 million in federal gas tax revenues. Telling Americans that this trade-off is a ‘holiday’ is pandering at its worst and obscures the fact that the real beneficiaries of this proposal would be the oil companies. We don’t need another political gimmick, we need a comprehensive policy to deal with rising energy costs. We need to address the high price of oil not with a quick fix, but with a long term strategy for investing in America, addressing rising oil prices and boosting our sagging economy.

Click here to see me speak against this ill-conceived holiday on the House floor. 

Rebuilding and Renewing America

We are watching America’s highways and bridges crumble, levees breach, and antiquated water systems endanger our environment and our communities' health. The power grid is increasingly outdated and the promise of broadband internet has yet to be delivered to all Americans. I believe America needs a new plan to maintain and invest in the infrastructure that will keep our economy competitive, our environment clean, and our families safe, healthy and economically secure. Read more.

My Iraq Legislation

I have opposed the Iraq war from the beginning, but simply opposing the war is not enough. That is why I introduced the New Direction for Iraq Act, which requires the redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq, a new diplomatic offensive to stabilize Iraq, aggressive efforts at oversight and accountability, and a new approach towards reconstruction. Read more.

Energy and the Environment

Health Care