Photo: Ford, Brad
Congressman Earl Blumenauer announced he will not seek re-election to Congress in 2024. Blumenauer is nationally recognized for his leadership on transportation and infrastructure, bikes, and federal cannabis reform. Blumenauer released the following statement:
“For fifty years, I have served in elected office at every level—as a State Legislator, Multnomah County Commissioner, Portland City Council member, and for 27 years as a member of Congress. It is a difficult decision. Particularly after the amazing success of the last several years. But simply said, it is time to continue my life’s mission without the burden of day-to-day politics.
“I have dedicated my career to creating livable communities where people are safe, healthy, and economically secure. This mission has guided my involvement in Congress on a wide range of issues. I may best be known in Portland for work on light rail, streetcars, and bicycles. But our work also included critical issues of war and peace, championing the fight to end the failed war on drugs, helping to write the Affordable Care Act, rescuing independent restaurants, food and farm policy, animal welfare, and writing the single largest investment in renewable energy in history.
“I look forward to continuing championing livable communities starting right here in Portland and being a resource and a partner for the next generation.”
During his more than 27-year career in Congress, Congressman Earl Blumenauer has been at the forefront of every major issue of our time. His innovative approaches to controversial issues build bipartisan support for real results. Some of these accomplishments are:
• Leading the Ways and Means Committee to craft provisions included in the single largest measure to combat the climate crisis in American history: the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Securing more than $1.5 trillion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the largest investment in rebuilding and renewing America in history. This included historic amounts of funding for active transportation: a 70% increase in bike and pedestrian funding and the creation of a $1 billion Safe Streets and Roads for All program.
• Saving more than 100,000 restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic by creating the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
• Expanding health care coverage for more than 500,000 Oregonians through the Affordable Care Act, including a new Medicare benefit for end-of-life care planning.
• Providing key leadership in opposition to America’s misadventures in the tragic wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. With the late Senators John McCain and Ted Kennedy, he passed legislation to create a pathway to legal permanent status for Iraqi and Afghan nationals who directly supported the U.S. military mission in their country.
• As a local elected official and member of Congress, Blumenauer was responsible for the development of Portland’s innovative transit system, including the light rail and streetcar system. This includes building out Portland’s bike network, making Portland internationally recognized as one of the nation’s most livable cities.
Blumenauer also:
• Became Congress’ leading champion in ending the failed war on drugs. He founded the Congressional Cannabis Caucus as a forum to educate members of Congress about federal cannabis policy initiatives, authored the legislative blueprint for federal legalization and has campaigned in every successful state legalization effort.
• Created a national bike movement shaping communities large and small. He is recognized as one of the top 25 change makers in cycling history. He founded the Congressional Bicycle Caucus to bring members of Congress together to practice bike-partisanship. Since established in 1996, the Caucus has successfully secured a $2.45 billion increase in federal funding for biking and walking and created a tax benefit for commuters biking to work.
• Became recognized as an environmental champion for protecting resources across America. Here in Oregon, his legislation protected 127,000 acres of wilderness and 80 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers in the Mt. Hood National Forest and Columbia River Gorge, preserving these special places for generations to come.
• Authored the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act, the most comprehensive piece of international water policy to date affecting the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Blumenauer is recognized as a preeminent champion for water and sanitation.
• Championed major legislation to stop imports of illegally harvested timber from around the world into the United States. This became a model for countries around the world.
• Created the Small Starts program to help streetcar projects across the country receive federal funding and technical assistance. This program led to over 22 streetcar projects around the country so far, including three in Portland.
Source: Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer