The Democratic Party has not lived up to our Party’s vision for true equality. This is why we are recommitting ourselves to the actions necessary to bring about needed changes that are so long overdue. Our eyes are open, we share the anger, and we stand in humble solidarity with all who are working to bring about critical cultural transformation.

We stand united with millions of people around the world in our condemnation of police violence against George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, and far too many other innocent black Americans whose lives were taken way too soon. Black lives matter. They are precious, glorious, and irreplaceable.

In these most extraordinary times, anger and frustration about the status quo is not just understandable, but justified. Violence and destruction are not. We will march shoulder to shoulder with those who have taken to the streets to peacefully protest. Making our voices heard is a moral imperative. If we want to bring about real systemic change, then the choice isn’t between protests and politics. We have to do both.

At a time when our nation is suffering under misguided and malevolent leadership that seeks to divide us and turn back the clock to a supposed “greater” America, we know that the greatness of our nation is in its diversity. And as we work to take back our democracy, we must move forward with a full understanding of our historical strengths and weaknesses. That means fighting against the forces that seek to divide us — including fascists, right-wing agitators, and those inclined to incite violence for violence’s sake.

DPO Black Caucus Chair, Rosa Colquitt, PhD, said it best last week when she wrote:

The very core of both our Platform and our belief system as Democrats is about the equality of all. But in the wake of yet another senseless killing, we face the sad reality that our advocacy and even our most heartfelt, passionate beliefs were not enough to save George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and the thousands who came before.

As the leadership of the Democratic Party of Oregon, we demand the public right to equal treatment before the law — regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, physical ability, or economic means.

We see and understand “unequal justice before the law.” In this tragic moment in history, we will work tirelessly to elect candidates who demand and act on reform to bring real systemic change for Black Americans and all other communities of color. With our eyes firmly on the prize, we will work with those who are striving to create a just and prosperous future for all.

Thank you,

Carla “K.C.” Hanson
Democratic Party of Oregon Chair

Pete Lee
Democratic Party of Oregon Vice Chair

Michelle Risher
Democratic Party of Oregon Vice Chair

Eileen Kiely
Democratic Party of Oregon Secretary

Eddy Morales
Democratic Party of Oregon Treasurer

Tanya Shively
Democratic National Committee Member

Travis Nelson
Democratic National Committee Member

Matt Keating
Democratic National Committee Member

Wyden, Merkley Introduce $50 Billion Bill to Address Child Care Crisis

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., in introducing a bill that would address the child care crisis worsened by coronavirus in Oregon and across the country by creating a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund.

The Child Care is Essential Act would provide grant funding to child care providers to stabilize the child care sector and support providers to safely reopen and operate.

”Child care workers in Oregon and nationwide are on the frontlines of this health and economic crisis, supporting families as parents return to work while trying to keep kids healthy and safe,” Wyden said. “Child care providers were undervalued well before this pandemic hit, and now they’re feeling the pinch more than ever. Congress is duty-bound to step in and invest in these essential businesses.”

“Child care services, and the workers who deliver them, are absolutely essential to countless families across Oregon,” said Merkley. “If child care providers are forced to shut their doors, countless working parents’ ability to go to work will be imperiled and the impact on children will be profound. And we know the impact would disproportionately hurt women, both among those who work in the child care field, as well as mothers who so often have to balance child rearing and breadwinning. This legislation is an important step forward in our efforts to support the child care sector, help families weather this storm, and ensuring that parents and children don’t pay the price for a lack of accessible and affordable child care.”

As businesses begin to reopen in Oregon and working families need child care, child care providers across the country are struggling to keep the doors open as they operate with significantly reduced capacity and face increased operating costs with limited revenue. Many are even at risk of permanent closure, resulting in the potential loss of up to 4.5 million child care slots across the country. Without federal help, families will struggle even more to find child care—with recent estimates from the National Women’s Law Center showing that it would take at least $9.6 billion per month to keep current child care providers in business.

Specifically, the Child Care Stabilization Fund would help child care providers and working families by:

• Covering child care providers’ operating expenses and heightened costs of providing care due to the pandemic;
• Ensuring that funding gets to providers quickly;
• Requiring that providers continue to pay their staff;
• Providing tuition and copayment relief for working families;
• Promoting health and safety through compliance with public health guidance;
• Prioritizing providers that serve underserved populations;
• Ensuring grants are awarded equitably across child care settings; and
• Conducting oversight through robust reporting requirements.

Joining Wyden, Merkley and Murray as co-sponsors on this bill are Senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Tina Smith, D-Minn., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Bob Casey, D-Penn., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Tim Kaine, D-Va., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., Doug Jones, D-Ala., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii.

The Child Care is Essential Act is endorsed by more than 80 national organizations, including: Child Care Aware of America, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), First Five Years Fund, American Academy of Pediatrics, Save the Children Action Network (SCAN), Children’s Defense Fund, First Focus Campaign for Children, ZERO to Three, National Women’s Law Center, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Center for American Politics (CAP), National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Domestic Workers Alliance, Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), National Association for Family Child Care, National Military Family Association, National Organization for Women (NOW), National Partnership for Women & Families, YWCA USA.

A copy of the bill text is here.

A one-page summary is here.

A web version of this release is here.

Are we getting out the vote? Click on this link and it will take you to the Secretary of State’s website where you can see how many Josephine County voters have returned their 2020 Primary ballots and how that compares with other counties. Click on the upper right side of the screen at Daily Ballot Returns (in small print). https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/current-election.aspx

There is also a host of information on that page about our current primary election including who’s running for office, our voters’ pamphlet, and our county’s ballot drop box locations.