PRESS RELEASE: Wide Range of Community Groups Urge Rep. Schrader to Vote Keep his Word and Vote "Yes" on Build Back Better

Community, Faith Leaders Ask U.S. Rep. Schrader Keep His Pledge as Vote is Expected Any Day

Thursday, November 18, 2021

Contacts:

• Ashley Mumm, Oregon Food Bank, 971.517.6208, amumm@oregonfoodbank.org

• Thomas Young, Sierra Club, 719-393-2354, thomas.young@sierraclub.org

• Kelly Hogan, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, 920.562.4076, khogan@emoregon.org

• Joel Iboa, Oregon Just Transition Alliance, 541-357-7664 joel@ojta.org

Oregon City, OR — This morning, local community and faith leaders joined together outside U.S. Representative Kurt Schrader’s Oregon City office to urge that he keep his commitment to vote “yes” on the Build Back Better Act. The U.S. House is expected to hold a vote within the next few days.

Watch: Click here for a video recording from today’s event.

The 5th District congressman is one of five moderate U.S. representatives whose commitment to vote for Build Back Better helped secure passage of the historic infrastructure legislation that President Biden signed into law on Monday.

Rep. Schrader’s upcoming vote presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address the region’s greatest challenges — from hunger and poverty to housing access and climate change. The Build Back Better Act ensures universal access to school meals, preschool, food assistance, and more, protecting families from making impossible choices between essential needs. Leaders representing a wide range of constituents are urging Schrader to deliver on his commitment to support the policies and investments communities in Oregon need to emerge stronger from compounding crises.

Concerned constituents are urged to call (503) 557-1324 or visit bit.ly/KeepYourWordOR to make their voices heard.

Joel Iboa of the Oregon Just Transition Alliance issued the following statement: “For almost two years, Oregonians have been ravaged by a global pandemic, power outages, wildfires, economic uncertainty, and an unprecedented heat wave that killed over 100 people. Our ask to Congressman Schrader is simple: Keep your word and help us build back better.”

Matt Newell-Ching of the Oregon Food Bank issued the following statement: “Nearly 1 in 4 Oregonians struggled to afford food in the pandemic’s wake — and communities that have long-faced disproportionate poverty have been hit particularly hard. With one vote, Congress can do something about the layered crises we face. Our communities are counting on Congressman Schrader to keep his word and help Oregon build back better.”

Fatima Preciado of Causa Oregon issued the following statement: “We need congress to take action now to support our communities. There’s no time to waste. I formally call on Representative Schrader to keep his word to ‘help Oregon build back better’ and deliver on the promise for millions of undocumented immigrants this year — no excuses!”

Rev. Andrea Cano of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon issued the following statement: “As Congress prepares to vote on the Build Back Better Act, we call on Representative Schrader to keep his commitment and pass legislation that will help those on the margins of society, strengthen families, and promote care for creation. The Build Back Better Act represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address Oregon’s most pressing challenges, not limited to climate change, affordable housing, and immigration.”

Laura Stevens of the Sierra Club issued the following statement: “Recent life-taking extreme weather events here in Oregon show us the price of our inaction. The Build Back Better Act will help us cut climate pollution in half by 2030, create family-sustaining clean energy jobs, and advance racial, economic, and environmental justice. I urge Representative Schrader to keep your word and vote yes for the Build Back Better Act without making any last minute cuts.”

Michael Vasquez of PCUN issued the following statement: "We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to bring generational change to our communities. Farmworkers are not second-class workers. They do not belong to a lower class of workers in Oregon or the nation. They have proven to be the most essential workers to our economy and deserve a pathway to citizenship. We are formally calling on Congressman Kurt Schrader to deliver on his commitment to support the Build Back Better Act and deliver for millions of undocumented workers. ¡Sí se puede!"

Doug Moore of Oregon League of Conservation Voters issued the following statement: “Rep. Schrader has said climate change is a top priority. Well, now is our time to act. We very much hope Rep. Schrader will vote yes and help pass the Build Back Better Act -- the strongest action the United States has ever taken to combat the climate crisis. It will put the U.S. on track to save people $500 a year on their energy bills, cut climate pollution in half by 2030, invest directly in communities of color too often left behind, and create good-paying union jobs.

###

About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit sierraclub.org

About Oregon Food Bank
At Oregon Food Bank, we believe that food and health are basic human rights for all. We know that hunger is not just an individual experience; it is also a community-wide symptom of barriers to employment, education, housing and health care. That’s why we work on two fronts in our mission to end hunger in Oregon: we build community connections to help people access nutritious, affordable food today; and we build community power to eliminate the root causes of hunger for good. For more information, visit oregonfoodbank.org.

About Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Committed to mutual respect and understanding, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) brings together communities of faith to learn, serve, and advocate for justice, peace and the integrity of creation. Through a membership of 15 denominations and over 150 congregations, organizations, and interfaith partners, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) serves hundreds of thousands of diverse members of the faith community all across the state. For more information, visit emoregon.org.

About Causa
Causa works to improve the lives of Latinx immigrants and their families in Oregon through advocacy, coalition building, leadership development, and civic engagement. Latinx immigrants and their families are the heart of Causa and inspire, implement, and champion our work. For more information, visit causaoregon.org

About Oregon Just Transition Alliance
The Oregon Just Transition Alliance (OJTA) is a movement of communities facing environmental racism, climate change, and economic exploitation – the frontlines of injustice and the frontlines of change. We bring together organizations committed to base-building in frontline communities. We gather to create ownership over our collective future and move Oregon toward an economy that is rooted in our shared values,the principles of a Just Transition. For more information, visit ojta.org

About PCUN
PCUN’s mission is to empower farmworkers and working Latinx families in Oregon by building community, increasing Latinx representation in elections, and policy advocacy on both the national and state levels. PCUN is focused on building a stronger voice for all Latinx working families in Oregon, from farmworkers to young folks, so that we can collectively improve their well-being and increase prosperity for all. For more information, visit pcun.org.

About Oregon League of Conservation Voters
The Oregon League of Conservation Voters is a non-partisan organization with a simple mission: To pass laws that protect Oregon’s environmental legacy, elect pro-environment candidates to office, and hold all of our elected officials accountable. For more information, visit OLCV.org.