Andrea Salinas

“Everything costs too much in Oregon. President Trump's policies, especially the war with Iran, have driven up the price of fuel and groceries. Congress should be focused on lowering costs for families.”

“Mr. Speaker, I have spent the past month traveling across my district talking with Oregonians about the challenges they face right now. Above all else I heard the same thing. Everything is too expensive. Since President Trump took office, Oregonians have had to pay an extra $3,900 because of inflation, his tariffs, and his war with Iran. I could stand here all day listing what has gotten more expensive because of his harmful policies, but I only have 60 seconds, so I want to highlight how just one of his failures, the war in Iran, is hurting Americans. Before the war, farmers in my district paid $4.22 a gallon for diesel. Now Trump’s war is driving up fuel costs, and my farmers are now paying $5.87 for that same gallon of diesel. That rise in costs for farmers impacts the prices everyone pays at the grocery store. The cost of fresh tomatoes is up by nearly 40 percent, costing an all-time high of $2.69 cents a pound. That is not a record anyone should be proud of, but does President Trump care? No. People across my district are struggling, and they are paying for the failures Trump and Republicans in Congress have created. Families deserve a Congress focused on lowering costs and making it easier for them to get ahead. This Congress is not it.”

“I want the House to vote on my bill to protect mail-in voting. It lets every eligible American vote by mail in federal elections without an excuse, and it gives people a chance to fix simple ballot mistakes. President Trump and Republicans are trying to make it harder to vote by mail because they are afraid of losing the election.”

“Mr. Speaker, President Trump knows that the only way Republicans can win this midterm election is to lie and cheat. Trump has failed to address the affordability crisis. Now, instead of fighting to lower costs, he is fighting to suppress votes and prevent Americans from holding him and the GOP accountable this November. Over the past year, the American people have watched as Trump has tried to suppress votes in any way he can. He has pushed for the SAVE America Act, helped undermine the Voting Rights Act, and most recently has urged the courts to restrict mail-in voting, even though the President himself votes by mail. We all know why. Trump can’t stand the fact that he lost the 2020 election. He pushed the big lie, claimed the election was rigged, and without proof, blamed mail-in voting. President Trump can’t stand that he lost in 2020. He can’t stand the thought of losing again, and that is why he is trying to prevent Americans from voting by mail. Let me be clear. Our elections are free, fair, and accurate. Take it from my home State of Oregon. We have been an entirely vote-by-mail State for nearly 30 years, and our elections have been safe and secure. Oregon consistently has some of the highest levels of voter turnout in the country, and research has shown that voters from both sides of the aisle vote by mail at similar rates. The right to vote should not depend on your State, your marital status, your access to a passport, or whether you can make it to a polling place on election day. Every eligible American deserves a fair and accessible way to make their voices heard. We should be removing barriers to vote, not increasing them. That is why I introduced the Universal Right To Vote by Mail Act. My bill would give every eligible voter in America the right to vote by mail in Federal elections without requiring a specific excuse. It would also require States to give voters a chance to fix a simple mistake or discrepancy on their ballot before that vote is rejected. This is not about helping any one party or the other. It is about making sure every eligible American has a fair opportunity to participate in our democracy. President Trump is trying to take that opportunity away. He is attacking vote-by-mail because he is afraid of the results when voters make their voices heard this November. Congress must reject the attacks on vote-by-mail. I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question and support my Universal Right To Vote by Mail Act so every eligible American can cast their ballot safely, securely, and conveniently. The answer to Republicans’ fears that they will lose the upcoming election is not to make it harder for people to vote, the answer is to earn their votes.”

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“I want the House to pass my resolution naming July 20 as Moon Day. It honors the first Moon landing and the workers and scientists who make space travel possible.”

“Mr. Speaker, 57 years ago this week, the world watched as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first stepped foot on the Moon. That historic achievement was thanks to American innovation and engineering breakthroughs, and it showed what is possible when we dream beyond the stars. Now, 57 years later, we are preparing for our return to the Moon. Through NASA’s Artemis program, the U.S. will once again set foot on the Moon, opening the door for the next era of space exploration. But missions like Artemis would not be possible without the skilled technical workers, scientists, and innovators whose talent turns bold ideas into reality. If America is to remain the world’s scientific leader, we must continue investing in the programs and inspiring the next generation of students who make these missions possible. That is why I urge my colleagues to pass my resolution that would recognize July 20, the day the astronauts landed on the Moon, as Moon Day. Mr. Speaker, I will keep working to support policies that get us one small step closer to the next giant leap for mankind.”

“I urge everyone to vote yes on this bill.”

“Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague Mr. Harrigan for his leadership on this sensible, bipartisan bill, and I urge everyone to vote ``yes’’ on H.R. 8790. I yield back the balance of my time.”

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“I want the House to pass this bill. American scientists use synthetic DNA and RNA to create new medicines and technologies. This bill helps the government set safety standards for this work so the industry can keep growing safely in America.”

“Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, American biotech companies are leading a scientific revolution that is transforming our economy. In recent years, we have seen breakthroughs that have delivered promising new treatments for Alzheimer’s, new biological alternatives to pesticides, and plastic- eating bacteria, just to name a few. These innovations are making Americans healthier, driving a more sustainable economy, and supporting good jobs. However, while America leads the world in these emerging technologies, our competitors are close behind. If we want to ensure American industry stays on top, then American consumers must have confidence in the safety and reliability of our advancements. One of the key ways American companies produce these breakthroughs is by producing synthetic nucleic acids, like DNA and RNA, for use in biotech research. These are an important tool though that allows scientists to study gene function, develop novel vaccines, improve diagnostic tests, and pursue countless other life-changing discoveries. Companies like Twist Bioscience in my district are pushing the envelope to accelerate and scale-up production, which, in turn, will facilitate faster discoveries. As this field advances, particularly with the development of AI systems to design nucleic acid sequences, we need to double down on efforts to ensure the technology is used safely and responsibly. H.R. 3029, the Nucleic Acid Standards for Biosecurity Act, directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to carry out measurement research and lead consensus-driven standards development to ensure these tools can be harnessed in a trustworthy manner. Businesses, small and large, in Oregon and across the country, will benefit from this partnership with NIST. These standards will drive sustainable growth while helping to keep this industry and the good jobs it supports right here in America. Through a commonsense partnership between government and industry, we will unlock responsible and trustworthy growth that benefits industry, workers, and consumers across the economy. Madam Speaker, in closing, I want to extend my great gratitude to Chairman Babin and Mr. McCormick for their bipartisan work. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes’’ on H.R. 3029, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Republicans cut billions of dollars from food assistance to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. In Oregon alone, 70,000 people lost their food benefits. Congress must restore this food money so families do not go hungry.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark 1 year of the Republicans’ big, ugly bill, which has left our children, veterans, and seniors hungry. When President Trump signed this bill, he promised to lower costs for everyday people. Instead, his bill cut billions of dollars for SNAP across the Nation, including $425 million in my home State of Oregon. These cuts are taking food off families’ tables. In Oregon, 70,000 people--parents, friends, and neighbors--have lost their food benefits. Why did Mr. Trump do this? It was to give tax cuts to his billionaire buddies. While the cost of healthcare and groceries skyrocket, families are losing the support they need to put food on the dinner table and pay their bills. Mr. Speaker, we must restore these devastating cuts to SNAP. No child, veteran, or senior in the wealthiest nation on the planet should go hungry because Republicans chose tax breaks for billionaires over food for families.”