Key Legislation Introduced
Farmers Feeding America
This bill increases support for food banks and emergency food assistance by directing more USDA resources to agricultural producers and local hunger-relief organizations. It strengthens partnerships between farmers and community food networks, ensuring that surplus or unmarketed crops go to families in need rather than being wasted. The legislation supports growers while making high-quality, fresh food more available to families.
Disaster Relief for Farmworkers
This bill provides financial relief and assistance to farmworkers affected by natural disasters like wildfires, heat waves, and floods. These workers are often essential to our food supply yet have limited access to aid when disaster strikes. This legislation recognizes farmworkers as critical members of our agricultural workforce and ensures they have support and recovery resources when events beyond their control disrupt their livelihoods.
National Guard Proper Use Act
This legislation would reinforce long-standing legal restrictions on the President’s ability to deploy the National Guard for immigration and domestic law enforcement purposes. The National Guard should not be used as a political tool for the White House or for ICE to enforce inhumane and harmful immigration policies. While existing law already restricts the President’s ability to deploy the National Guard for immigration and domestic law enforcement, this legislation reinforces this legal precedent. The National Guard Proper Use Act would reinforce that the National Guard, when under federal control or receiving federal pay, may not be ordered to support the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act
This bill guarantees every American the option to vote by mail, while requiring states to offer ballot-tracking, reasonable ballot cure measures, and fair processing timelines. It builds on Oregon’s successful vote-by-mail model, making voting more accessible, secure, and efficient for seniors, rural residents, students, and working families. The bill is designed to strengthen democracy by removing barriers to participation.
Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act
This bill will create a grant program providing multiyear, flexible awards to communities to be used to address urgent needs, including but not limited to affordable child care, housing, and job training; provide technical assistance grants to help rural communities navigate existing federal funding opportunities and ensure they get their fair share of private and federal investments; and improve supportive services offered by the federal government to rural communities. The goal is to sustain and grow the economic vitality of rural towns and agricultural regions.
Mental Health Services for Students Act
This bill expands access to school-based mental health services by funding on-site counselors, psychologists, and social workers within education settings. It increases support for early identification, intervention, and treatment of mental health challenges among children and adolescents. The legislation ensures that students have access to professional care where they already are — in the school environment — reducing stigma and improving educational outcomes.
The Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Plus Scholarship Act
This bill provides scholarships and career-pathway support for students pursuing careers in mental and behavioral health fields. There is a drastic shortage of behavioral health workers in America, partly due to the high price tag that comes with obtaining a behavioral health degree. This bill incentivizes service in underserved communities and helps build the workforce needed to meet rising demand for mental health care. By reducing financial barriers to education, it encourages the next generation of trained professionals who will work in clinics, schools, hospitals, and community settings.
Roadless Area Conservation Act
This bill restores and strengthens protections for designated roadless areas on federal lands — preserving forests, watersheds, wildlife habitat, and clean-water sources. It limits harmful development while maintaining access for recreation, cultural activities, and scientific use. This conservation measure supports long-term ecological health, protects our climate, and keeps some of America’s most pristine landscapes intact for future generations.
Domestic Organic Investment Act
This bill supports American organic farmers by improving market infrastructure, expanding technical assistance, and boosting domestic production capacity. It helps farmers transition to organic practices and increases the availability of certified-organic crops grown here at home — not imported from abroad. The goal is to strengthen local organic supply chains, meet growing consumer demand, and support sustainable agricultural practices.
District Event Highlights
January
In January, I spent my time volunteering with A Family Place in Yamhill County, where I helped package baby diapers and wipes for families in need. As a mom, I know how expensive it is to raise a child – and I’ll continue working across the aisle to reduce the cost of living and provide much needed relief for Oregon parents.
February
To kick off February, I joined Senator Jeff Merkley for a town hall in Salem, where we had nearly 700 Oregonians in attendance. It was the start of a new Congress, and President Trump had just taken office. I appreciated the care and concern many of you expressed about the direction of our country, and as I said in February and continue to say today, I will not back down. No matter who is in office, I’ll keep fighting to lower your costs, protect your health care, and serve all Oregonians in our community.
March
In March, I joined Just Compassion in Tigard to mark the grand opening of their new resource center, which will provide essential resources like counseling, job training, and other services for folks who are experiencing homelessness. When this project faced unexpected delays, my team stepped in and helped resolve the problem – so I was especially proud to celebrate with them!
April
I visited Marion Polk Food Share to talk about how massive cuts at the Department of Agriculture are affecting food banks and farmers. In April, President Trump authorized $420 million in cuts from the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, a program that paid farmers up to distribute their food to food banks after harvest. I wanted to hear directly from the folks at Marion Polk about how these cuts would hurt the people they serve and our farmers across the Willamette Valley.
May
I visited Blanchet Farm Residential Recovery Program in Yamhill County with Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. The farm is dedicated to helping men rebuild their lives and achieve recovery from addiction by providing hands-on, therapeutic work experiences. I also held a mental health “hearing-style” forum, where I heard directly from experts and leaders from mental health advocacy organizations in Oregon about the impacts of health care cuts that are coming down from the Trump Administration.
June
I delivered food to some of our neighbors through the Meals on Wheels program in Salem. Because of Republicans’ cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in their "Big, Ugly Bill," programs like Meals on Wheels will have less funding, meaning fewer resources to help seniors, children, and veterans. At the same time, the cuts to SNAP in the Big, Ugly Bill will drive more people to rely on help from food banks and Meals on Wheels. With roughly 100,000 people in our community alone relying on SNAP, these cuts will have devastating consequences for families who are already struggling to make ends meet.
July
In July, I visited the Aumsville Medical Clinic and spoke directly with providers who serve on the front lines of our rural communities. I also listened to patients who depend on the clinic for their health care. Medicare and Medicaid support many of our neighbors in rural areas, but Republican-led cuts will force many rural clinics across the country to close, including four in Oregon. When access to care disappears, patients are left without treatment options, and providers risk losing their livelihoods.
August
I spent the day with farmers and agricultural associations across our community. I started in Salem at AgWest Farm Credit for a conversation with farmers about crop insurance. Crop insurance helps our growers access the tools they need to stay resilient. We then headed to the first farm of the day, Minto Island Growers Organic Farm, where I saw their production areas, which included vegetables and tea. Next up was River Otter Farms, which grows 25 acres of different varieties of delicious Oregon blueberries in St. Paul. We finished the tour at Berger International in Yamhill County, which produces grass seed and hazelnuts, which are vital to our agricultural industry.
September
I visited the ICE processing facility in Portland to hear directly from officials about the detention and treatment of our neighbors, coworkers, and loved ones. As part of my visit, I questioned ICE officials about their failure to provide detainees their constitutional right to due process, including access to an attorney and a phone call. As a result of my visit, ICE gave me their commitment that they will honor all detainees’ constitutional rights, but ICE has lied before, and I know not to take them at their word. That’s why I’ll continue conducting oversight visits of ICE facilities to push back against their abuses and stand up for our immigrant neighbors.
October
While the government was shut down in October, I was in Washington, D.C. pushing for Republicans to come to the negotiating table. In D.C., I hosted a virtual discussion with two of my constituents, who shared how they will be impacted by the Republicans’ cuts to the Affordable Care Act's enhanced tax credits. Some of our neighbors, Steve and Sue, joined me in a conversation about the real impact that this will have on their own families. Costs are already too high for families, and if these credits expire, some may choose to forgo health care entirely.
November
I visited the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Tacoma, Washington to ensure ICE is treating detainees humanely and honoring due process. During my visit, I spoke with representatives from ICE and from GEO Group, the private prison contractor who operates the facility. I questioned them directly about issues I’ve heard about from detainees and immigration attorneys, including detainees not being able to access medical care and their attorneys. Based on conversations I’ve had with immigration attorneys and immigration advocates, it was clear ICE was not being honest about their mistreatment of detainees. As a result of my visit, I’ll be reaching out to Kristi Noem and Tom Homan directly to demand answers about how ICE is training their agents and honoring due process.
December
In December, I visited Carlton to announce that I secured $1,000,000 in federal funding to help replace their aging sewer system. Nobody should be waking up to sewage spilling out onto their street, which just goes to show how important reliable sewers are for public health, economic prosperity, and local development. For too long, rural communities have been told to make do with less. That’s why, when House Republicans stripped funding for projects like this earlier this year, I fought to bring it back. I’ll keep championing these projects, pushing for every dollar we can secure, and standing up for our rural communities.
In the News
- NYT: Obamacare Prices Become Public, Highlighting Big Increases
- KOIN: Rep. Salinas visits Portland ICE facility, questions officials about ‘due process’
- Forbes: 'Mike Johnson Delayed, Denied And Lied To Avoid Swearing In Congresswoman Grijalva': Andrea Salinas
- ABC News: GOP blames Dems for government shutdown threat as Dems defend healthcare priorities
- KOIN: Oregon Rep. Salinas introduces bill to limit President’s use of National Guard
- Oregon Capital Chronicle Unfrozen grant for Oregon Indigenous farm to help plant native trees, further traditional knowledge
- Statesman Journal: Salinas delivers meals and message: Food assistance programs are matter of life and death
- LGBTQ Nation: Rep. Andrea Salinas is fighting to protect the LGBTQ+ suicide line from Trump’s cuts