PAGE A2, KEIZERTIMES, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021
SCHRADER,
Continued from page A1
which includes almost 900,00 peo-
ple from the counties of Clackamas,
Marion, Polk and parts of four others.
He returns home this month for the
House of Representatives’ August
recess, which is most often used for dis-
trict work.
Schrader and his wife Susan, who
usually fl y home, decided to try a new
mode of transportation for this trip: rid-
ing their horses from D.C. to Oregon.
“It was a once in a lifetime trip with
the woman I love, doing the thing I love,
across the country I love,” Schrader
said.
Unfortunately, Schrader decided not
to arrive at the Keizertimes offi ce on
horseback. But he did sit down for an
hour-long interview to talk about some
of the state’s most critical topics.
Schrader and eight other
Democrats rebel against party
The Keizertimes isn’t the fi rst to fea-
ture Congressman Schrader in the news
this month – Congress is currently try-
ing to pass two bills that total $4.5 tril-
lion in spending.
One of those bills, a trillion dollar
infrastructure package, has bipartisan
support.
Schrader was a
major contributor
in the writing of
the infrastructure
bill, which would go
towards rebuilding
the nation’s roads
and bridges and
would expand rural
internet access.
As far as how the
bill would infl uence
the 5th District,
Schrader said it
would create more
jobs while also mak-
ing sure “that our
infrastructure
is
in place so that
those very same
businesses can
continue in oper-
ation and com-
pete worldwide.”
But the infra-
structure bill isn’t
why Schrader has been the center of
attention in D.C. this month. Democrats
want to use the bipartisan infrastruc-
ture bill to pass a partisan $3.5 trillion
social spending bill that is expected to
expand Medicare, provide free commu-
nity college and universal preschool,
and include a broad program to address
climate change. By linking the bills
together, and using a process called
reconciliation, Democrats had the votes
to pass the partisan bill.
But Schrader and eight other moder-
ate House Democrats broke ranks and
refused to vote for the social spending
bill until the infrastructure bill was
passed.
“With Afghanistan and the COVID
surge, we need something where it
shows everybody — here in Keizer,
Salem, the rest of the district — that
Rep. Kurt Schrader and Keizer Fire Chief Jeff Cowan during a 2019 visit to the Keizer fire station.
we can work together,” Schrader said.
“I did not want (the infrastructure bill)
put with a bunch of other things in the
House so that Republicans couldn’t
vote for that.”
Here’s my little saying:
freedom or liberty
without responsibility —
that's anarchy. That's
just every man or
woman for themselves.
To hell with my
neighbor. I don't care
if you get sick.
— REP. KURT SCHRADER
Schrader said he fi rst wants to vote
on a standalone infrastructure bill,
then “fi gure out all this other stuff that
Democrats want to spend a bunch of
money on — (money) that we don't have
by the way.”
The coalition of nine moderate
Democrats eventually struck a deal with
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Nancy Pelosi and voted along party
lines to move the social spending bill
forward in return for a Sept. 27 vote on
the infrastructure bill.
Schrader’s main issue with the social
spending bill is that he doesn’t believe
the country has that money to spend
after the past 18 months.
“These are good programs, but we
don't have the money and this country
can't aff ord that right now. That's the
sad, ugly truth. People don't want to
admit that,” Schrader said. “And there's
no leadership. Zero in Washington.”
Taxes are one way to reduce the
federal debt that is approaching $29
trillion, Schrader said, adding that his
Republican colleagues refused to add
tax increases to the infrastructure bill.
The social spending bill, on the
other hand, proposes tax increases on
corporations and those making over
$400,000 a year. With a majority in the
Senate, Democrats could pass these tax
increases without Republican support
— which Schrader doesn’t agree with.
“Congress was established to work
out our beliefs and I don’t subscribe to
the belief that just because Congress
can’t, quote, ‘Get its act together’ means
a president or a one party should impose
its will on the other,” said Schrader. “I'd
argue that if there is no ability to get to
a yes, it means we're not working hard
enough.”
FILE PHOTO, Keizertimes
Oregon prepares for redistricting
Oregon is poised to gain a sixth seat
in the House of Representatives after
population gains in the 2020 Census.
With a new seat up for grabs in
Oregon, the next month might be con-
tentious as lawmakers attempt to redraw
congressional district lines to benefi t
their party. The Oregon Legislature will
have until Sept. 27 to create new state
and congressional maps.
“I thank the Fifth (District) because
it’s so diverse geographically, socioeco-
nomically, politically. It’s a great dis-
trict to represent. I’m afraid it's going
to change dramatically because this is
on the edge of where all the population
growth is,” Schrader said.
In the 2020 congressional race,
Schrader lost to his Republican oppo-
nent in two of the three counties with
the most votes. Schrader won the
race primarily because of Clackamas
County, which he won by a 15% margin.
With population gains coming pri-
marily from the Portland area, a new
district could likely incorporate part
of Clackamas County — cutting into
Schrader’s advantage.
“It’ll be interesting. I mean, my little
old political career may hang in the bal-
ance so it’s a lot more than interesting,
potentially,” said Schrader.
Initially, Democrats held the power
in drawing maps with three Democrats
and two Republicans making up the
redistricting committee. That was until
Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek
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