March 2024 Newsletter
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A message from Val:
Dear Friends,
Thank you to those of you who reached out and left messages over the past month. It is important to me that I hear your stories and opinions. I also want to share what I am doing to protect our district from the Trump administration’s policies that attack our government and our democracy.
Let’s get one thing straight: we all want to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse. However, this administration’s policies are not cutting ‘waste’, they are haphazardly gutting the government and firing people who do incredibly important work for our community, including employees in the Forest Service who fight wildfires, VA crisis line employees who prevent veteran suicides, and workers at the BPA who keep our lights on and the electricity running.
Instead of working to create a government that delivers for tax payers, their policies would break government and make it easier for billionaires to buy it. Republicans in Congress continue to put forward bills that hurt our environment, our workers and jeopardize our right to vote. I want you to know I will always fight back against what’s wrong and stand up for what’s right, and I want to share with you what my staff and I have been doing to support our community.
I also want to stress that we are here if you need help. We continue to process casework with Social Security, the VA and other federal agencies, and I encourage you to reach out if you need assistance. We can also help connect you to a local government resource if you don’t know where to start.
Talk soon,
Val
Join me for my next tele-townhall!
If you would like to be on our call list for our upcoming telephone townhall, please submit your contact information here.
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How We Are Fighting Back
- Introduced the Social Security Expansion Act with Senator Bernie Sanders to extend Social Security’s solvency for another 75 years—without increasing taxes on anyone who makes under $250,000 a year.
- Voted AGAINST the partisan budget bill which cuts Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and SNAP benefits, while also giving multi-millionaires and billionaires a $2 trillion tax cut. The bill will make our deficit and national debt worse, while leaving working folks out to dry.
- Demanded answers from President Trump and his administration on:
- How the Administration's actions are impacting wildfire readiness;
- Why there were indiscriminate firings at the Bonneville Power Administration;
- Demanding answers on why Elon Musk was granted access to sensitive federal payments systems;
- How the Administration is ensuring aviation safety in the aftermath of multiple plane crashes.
- Advocated for our district to the President and his administration on:
- How the deferred resignations of federal employees impacts Oregon;
- How the dismantling of the National Labor Relations Board undermines enforcement of federal labor law;
- How halting investigations and enforcement of companies violating consumer financial protection laws is bad for working people;
- How DOGE's efforts to dismantle NOAA puts our communities at risk;
- How we disapprove of slashing funding for institutions and researchers performing cutting-edge research;
- How inappropriate I found his comments about a “take over” of the Gaza Strip to be.
- Met with staff impacted by President Trump’s unilateral and likely unconstitutional cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Accepted an invitation to serve as Vice Chair of the Apprenticeship and Training Taskforce in the Congressional Labor Caucus.
- Accepted an invitation to serve as Chair of Apprenticeship and Training in the New Democrat Coalition.
MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD
If you or someone you know has been impacted by the government cuts, call our office and share your story HERE.
If you are a federal employee or know someone who has witnessed or been the victim of wrongdoing or abuses of power, you can confidentially report that HERE.
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February Townhall Recap
This past month, Rep. Hoyle participated in two townhalls with Senator Merkley in Newport and in Philomath. 450 constituents joined us in Newport, and 750 constituents joined us in Philomath. It was great to hear from so many of you who shared your concerns about the impacts on federal funding and hiring freeze, executive order impacts on education and on NOAA, and more.
We look forward to hosting many more townhalls this year, and we encourage you to complete this form if you’d like to join Rep. Hoyle for her telephone townhall this week.
ICYMI: Cuts at the Forest Service
As fire season approaches, the White House announced major cuts at the Forest Service.
Before this, there was bipartisan consensus that we needed to improve our wildfire fighting ability and invest in preventative infrastructure that would have helped keep our communities safe from the growing threat of wildfires. Now, communities like those in Oregon’s fourth district are under increased threat. Rep. Hoyle is demanding answers and sharing our district’s story far and wide.
Need help with a federal agency?
Reach out here for help with any federal agency including the IRS, FEMA, HUD and the SBA!
- Social Security: We can help with Social Security and Medicare issues including retirement and survivor benefits, disability and supplemental security income.
- Veterans' Services: Our office can help with VA pensions, medical services, disability benefits and claims, burial benefits and military records.
- Immigration & Visas: If you have questions about the status of your application or if you have an emergency need to travel internationally, our office can help.
- Small Business Support: Our office is committed to helping you access Small Business Administration loan resources and navigate other federal agencies impacting your business.
- Visit Washington D.C.: With at least four weeks advance notice, our office can help visitors from the Fourth District organize tours of the Capitol and the White House.