U.S. Senator (D–Oregon), SRS co-architect
Appears in 4 stories
U.S. Senator (D–Oregon), SRS co-architect - Longtime SRS champion for Oregon timber counties
President Donald Trump signed the Secure Rural Schools reauthorization into law on December 18, 2025, ending a two-year funding cliff that had devastated more than 700 forested counties. The bill directs the USDA Forest Service to deliver retroactive payments for FY2024 and FY2025 within 45 days of enactment—by early February 2026—and extends the program through FY2026. Counties that had cut sheriffs' patrols, closed schools, and delayed road repairs are now budgeting for an influx of roughly $280 million per year.
Updated Jan 8
U.S. Senator; ranking member, Senate Finance Committee - Opened an inquiry into tanker-shipping exposure to cartel-linked fuel smuggling (2025-12-19)
After Treasury sanctioned the Cartel de Santa Rosa de Lima (CSRL) and its jailed leader José Antonio Yépez Ortiz (“El Marro”) on December 17, 2025, Washington’s campaign against huachicol money moved quickly toward the infrastructure that can make stolen hydrocarbons tradable: shipping, routing, and due diligence.
Updated Dec 20, 2025
U.S. Senator (D-Oregon); Senate Finance Committee Chair (at time of 2023 statement) - Longtime advocate for federal cannabis reform; highlighted 280E implications
Trump’s executive order instructing DOJ to fast-track marijuana’s move to Schedule III immediately triggered a familiar split-screen: public health and industry groups cheered the potential research and tax impacts, while House Republicans organized opposition, urging Trump to keep marijuana in Schedule I.
Updated Dec 18, 2025
Ranking Member, U.S. Senate Finance Committee (D–Oregon) - Leading Democratic critic of Bessent’s delayed divestiture and Trump’s ethics record
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent entered office in January 2025 with an ethics agreement committing him to sell extensive personal holdings, including up to $25 million in North Dakota soybean and corn farmland that earned as much as $1 million a year in rent. After months of delays and an August 2025 warning from the Office of Government Ethics that he had failed to timely comply, Bessent announced on December 7, 2025, that he had finally divested the soybean farm "this week," completing the most glaring conflict-of-interest obligation.
Updated Dec 11, 2025
No stories match your search
Try a different keyword
The week's most important stories, delivered every Monday. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
How would you like to describe your experience with the app today?
