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Another member of the U.S. House of Representatives is declining to run in 2024. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) will step down at the end of his term after representing Oregon in the House for 29 years, he announced on Oct. 30. "Simply said, it is time to continue my life’s mission without the burden of day-to-day politics," Mr. Blumenauer, 75, said in a statement. He said the choice to step down was difficult but that he will keep "championing livable communities starting right here in Portland and being a resource and a partner for the next generation.” Mr. Blumenauer has...

Democrat lawmakers on Thursday introduced a bill dubbed the “Vote at Home Act,” which seeks to “massively expand vote-at-home ballot access,” enacting automatic voter registration and providing voters with pre-paid ballot envelopes. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) introduced the bill (pdf), saying in a press release that the legislation is meant to “fight voter suppression.”

Today, U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio (OR-04) introduced the Wall Street Tax Act, legislation to create a new tax on financial transactions that would generate billions in revenue, while reducing speculative trading and volatility in the market. “High-frequency traders front-run the market and drive up prices for individuals, pension funds and other value investors,” said Rep. Peter DeFazio. “Some days high-frequency traders trade billions of shares that they sometimes hold for only seconds or less. They reap enormous financial benefits for themselves and their privileged elite investors but add no value to our economy. Congress needs to rein in excessive speculative...

Oregon’s house speaker Tina Kotek (D.) defended her staffer who was arrested in Portland this weekend for interfering with police during a riot. Kristina Narayan, Kotek’s legislative director, was arrested along with 58 others during a demonstration that broke out Saturday night in which rioters threw firebombs, rocks, and mortars toward police officers. Kotek, who is also on the board of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, defended her staffer for practicing "freedom of expression." "Freedom of expression is the foundation of our democracy. Every person—including members of my staff—has the right to stand up for what they believe and engage...

Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., has said that the protests in Portland aren’t as bad as they appear. “Portland, Oregon, is not out of control,” Blumenauer said Tuesday in a floor speech. “To be sure, there are some people who have strong feelings and there are some who have done things that are inappropriate and unlawful.”

A number of House Democrats are gearing up to stage protests against President Trump's State of the Union address once again Tuesday, this time after voting to impeach him. Female Democrats are reprising their coordinated white outfits to show solidarity with women, and, as in years past, at least a handful of lawmakers are considering or planning to boycott Trump's speech in the House chamber entirely. **SNIP** Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), who introduced articles of impeachment against Trump in 2017, skipped the last two State of the Union addresses. He told The Hill that he has no intention to "go...

A third House Democrat announced plans on Monday to boycott President Trump's Tuesday State of the Union address, which will take place a day before the Senate is expected to acquit the president in his impeachment trial. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), who also skipped Trump's previous State of the Union addresses, said that he will not be attending the speech on Tuesday. “I have chosen not to dignify Trump’s parade of lies about health care, his persistent exaggeration, and his personal attacks with my attendance at this year’s State of the Union Address. His appalling performances each day continue to...

For more than 25 years, the Federal government has let the Highway Trust Fund, the source of money for Federal infrastructure projects, lose it's purchasing power. That's because the gas tax has been stuck at 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24.4 cents for diesel fuel since 1993. While construction costs have increased 125% since 2003, funding has not. Instead of waiting for Washington to get it together, states have taken it upon themselves to fund their own infrastructure projects. Since 2013, 31 states and the District of Columbia have enacted legislation that will increase or may increase overall...

The House of Representatives voted Tuesday by an overwhelming margin to pass a resolution condemning the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel and to endorse a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The non-binding resolution passed 398-17. Resolution sponsor Rep. Brad Schneider, a Democrat from Illinois, told JTA that the measure’s resounding success shows that support for Israel is a bipartisan phenomenon. While the resolution also made clear that Americans had the right to petition the government in support or opposition to a particular foreign policy, some Democrats argued that the resolution, which has no force in law,...

Democratic lawmakers and candidates are increasingly seeking the elimination of Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of their suite of demands in D.C.'s heated border battle. The calls reflect not only the deepening divide between the two partisan poles on immigration -- with one side seeking a border wall, and the other looking to dismantle the lead enforcement agency -- but the growing influence of the progressive wing. More and more Democratic politicians have embraced such causes as 'Medicare for all' and a federal jobs guarantee. Now, they're getting behind the call to abolish ICE, with gusto. Perhaps no 2018...

A group of House Democrats will take another run this week at stopping President Trump and the Pentagon from developing low-yield nuclear weapons. The new warhead program would be defunded by $65 million in the coming year under an amendment to a Department of Energy appropriations bill proposed by Reps. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., John Garamendi, D-Calif., and Dan Kildee, D-Mich. The spending bill could hit the House floor late this week following Rules Committee meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday to decide if their amendment will get a vote. The proposal is the latest effort by Democrats on...

On Monday, Blumenauer took to Facebook again, to announce he'll be sending a DACA recipient, or DREAMer, to "remind Trump that these are real people with families and jobs, who are vital to our communities."...In social media posts, the congressman has called the president's actions, specifically his use of a vulgar term to describe some countries in Africa, "shameful," "disgraceful" and "racist." Last year, he introduced legislation called the "No TRUMP Act" after reports that federal officials spent taxpayer dollars at Trump-owned properties. Additionally, he introduced a bill that would make it easier to remove the president via the 25th...

President Donald J. Trump is set to deliver the State of the Union on January 30. To no one’s surprise, a few Democrats will be boycotting the event. Well, five total—all the typical loudmouths of the Democratic Party.1. Frederica Wilson (D-FL)2. Maxine Waters (D-CA)3. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.)4. John Lewis (D-GA)5. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)Lewis thinks Trump is a racist after the “s**thole countries remark”: Lewis, 77, said he cannot go forward with attending the address to Congress, after what President Donald Trump "has said about so many Americans... I wouldn't be honest with myself."He also told NBC News he believes...

Wilson joins Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.; Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga.; and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., in boycotting the event..."Rather than listening to another destructive, divisive speech by Trump, I will not attend this year’s annual address to Congress," Blumenauer said in a statement. "Instead, like I did during his inauguration, I'll be working at home listening to Oregonians about what they think about the State of the Union."

An Oregon Democrat has become the first member of Congress to announce a boycott of the State of the Union address. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, who represents much of Portland and its eastern suburbs, announced he will not attend the presidential tradition on January 30, Pete Hegseth reported. Blumenauer said on Twitter that he would instead be "working at home listening to Oregonians about what they think about the State of the Union [address]." He warned that the speech would be another example of President Donald Trump's "destructive, divisive" dialogue.

An increase in federal taxes on fuel would significantly help fund repairs for highway infrastructure along Interstate 95 in Newark, N.J., Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D) said amid Congress’ consideration of tax reform legislation. “Improving I-95 will boost the economy by shortening commutes, making cargo transport more efficient and improving highway safety,” Payne said Nov. 30, adding the I-95 stretch, or the Turnpike as it is known in the state, has been underfunded due to deficits in the Highway Trust Fund over the years. The intricate network of ports, railways, highways and an international airport in the state’s largest city...

Now ten members of the "progressive caucus" of the Democratic Party are trying to give these terrorist leaders another reason for using even younger terrorists to kill even more innocent civilians. The bill fails to acknowledge that some of the most barbaric terrorist attacks against Jewish Israelis have been committed by Palestinian teens who have been recruited by terrorist leaders. Israel has a right — according to international law — to protect its citizens from constant terror attacks, even those committed by young Palestinians. Indeed, it has an obligation to do so. Palestinian terrorist leaders often use teenagers to...

... Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) filed the bill during the House’s two-week April recess to empower former presidents and vice presidents of both parties, in coordination with the sitting vice president, to determine if a president is fit for office. ...

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) said Wednesday on C-SPAN’s “Newsmakers” that the tax revenue from legalized marijuana sales in his state will go in part towards treating drug addiction. When asked how much Oregon will tax legalized marijuana and how the tax revenue will be spent, Blumenauer said it will be allocated among a number of things, one of which will be to deal with addiction. “Voters decided that it’s available to deal with addiction, people who are addicted—whether it’s to a drug or alcohol, gambling—we need more resources,” he said, adding that some voters want it to go towards law...

A full list of the Democrats who have confirmed they're missing the speech follows: SENATE - 4 members Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.) Sen. Patrick Leahy (Vt.) Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Sen. Brian Schatz (Hawaii) HOUSE - 26 members Rep. Earl Blumenauer (Ore.) Rep. G.K. Butterfield (N.C.) Rep. Andre Carson (Ind.) Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.) Rep. Steve Cohen (Tenn.) Rep. Peter DeFazio (Ore.) Rep. Diana DeGette (Colo.) Rep. Donna Edwards (Md.) Rep. Keith Ellison (Minn.) Rep. Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.) Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (Ill.) Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.) Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (Texas) Rep. Barbara Lee (Calif.) Rep. John Lewis (Ga.)...