The past few weeks down here in Salem have proved productive and eventful as many key pieces of legislation have been signed into law. I’ve been hard at work to make sure our community is represented in the legislature and I’m writing to provide you an update on my work in the capitol.
Protecting our VeteransAs a veteran of the US Army, I know that our troops deserve more than just parades when they return home from combat. And that’s why I recently voted for HB 2178 in the Veterans’ & Emergency Services Committee.
This bill creates Veterans’ Service Officers at our universities and community colleges. These officers actively seek to identify veterans in the surrounding communities and help provide these veterans opportunities for state and federal benefits. This bill passed out of the committee and awaits a vote in the Joint Ways and Means Committee.
Strengthening Public SafetyLast week the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate signed HB 2420, which provides coverage for firefighters from 12 types of cancer – brain, colon, stomach, testicular, prostate, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, throat, mouth, rectal, breast, and leukemia – and shifts the burden of proof to employers to demonstrate that cancer contracted by a firefighter was not job related.
This bill awaits the Governor’s signature and will be signed into law shortly. As a veteran of the Gresham Fire Department, I was proud to have the opportunity to help pass this important piece of legislation. This bill makes sure we protect the working men and women who risk their lives everyday for our families and communities.
Without presumptive legislation, a firefighter who develops cancer as a result of their job must file a worker’s compensation claim, and endure the uncertainties of a complicated and difficult claim process. This system of claim and appeals often takes years to produce a final decision.
Budget ShortfallWith the state facing a nearly unprecedented budget shortfall, our legislature has made prudent, responsible choices to protect Oregon families, while taking the steps necessary to cope with the much more difficult times ahead. When the magnitude of the challenges we face to balance the current budget first became apparent, many predicted that lives would be endangered due to cuts in human services; that prisons would close, resulting in the early release of prisoners; and that schools would shut their doors weeks, even months, in advance.
This budget deal ensures this will not happen. We were able to make key improvements to the original budget proposal and reach a deal that protects public safety, human services and education. The budget deal we reached provides funds for universities and community colleges to end their terms intact. We protected public safety and made sure that not a single prison will close. We safeguarded vital human services, because we refuse to risk a single life due to budget constraints. And we provided school districts with the funds necessary to save school days. Because of our strong leadership through difficult times, Oregon is in much better shape than many of our neighbors.
Town Hall MeetingPlease join me, Senator Laurie-Monnes Anderson, and Representative Nick Kahl on March 24, from 6:00 – 7:30 PM at Mount Hood Community College in the Town and Gown Room for a town hall meeting on “Boosting the State Economy.”
I’m also available to meet individually or with small groups on a drop-in basis on Saturday, March 21, from 9:00 – 11:00 AM at Café Delirium in Historic Downtown Gresham on 308 N Main Avenue.
Deployment of the 41st BrigadeOn May 2nd & 4th, Oregon’s 41st Brigade will deploy to Iraq with 3,000 troops – the largest deployment in Oregon since World War II. Please keep these soldiers and their families in your thoughts and prayers.
Questions, Suggestions, Problems?Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of any assistance to you or your family – I am here to serve the Gresham Community. You can contact my capitol office at 503-986-1450 or send me an email at rep.gregmatthews@state.or.us.
Thank you for your interest and continued involvement in our community and the legislative process.
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