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Candidates › OR-01 race › 2025–2026
Suzanne Bonamici
D Democratic nominee for U.S. House, OR-01
Representative since 2012
Other accounts (1)
The same platforms’ other accounts, such as a congressional office’s or an earlier campaign’s.
- On the ballot
- On the general election ballotNov 3, 2026 · Oregon US House 1
- Where to vote
- Find a ballot drop box (opens in a new tab) · More ways to vote
- Top priorities
- Strengthening education and making college more affordable
- Create more affordable housing
- Promoting Arts and Culture
- Confronting the climate crisis and creating a clean energy economy
- Building an economy that works for everyone
- In Congress
- Representative since 2012 · votes with their party 98% of the time. See the record · Office phone 202-225-0855
- Money
- $1M raised, $1.1M spent, $518.6K cash on hand (through Oct 14, 2026). Where it comes from
- Who gives
- 15% of individual money from donors at $200 or less · 78% from Oregon · largest committee giver AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE, $10K
- Outside groups
- $10 supporting Bonamici
- Backed by
- AFT · Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) · Human Rights Campaign PAC and 14 more. As the campaign lists them
- Sponsored most in
- Education, Health, Agriculture and Food
15 priorities from bonamiciforcongress.com, in the order they are listed there. Every heading and the text under it is copied exactly, as one passage for each page it is from, and links to that place on the page; hover a source to see which passage it opens.
I’m a strong proponent of public education. My husband and I attended public schools, and so did our two children. Our kids started school a few years after the passage of Measure 5, which limited funding for public education. As a parent I saw the devastating consequences of budget cuts, and I became an active volunteer and advocate. This experience strengthened my commitment to great public schools for all children, public schools where students thrive and educators have the resources and support they need.
In addition to volunteering locally, I advocated for public school funding at the Capitol in Salem. My passion for public education led me to serve as a State Representative, a State Senator, and now a Member of Congress. In Congress, I have the honor of serving on the Education and Workforce Committee, where I am the top Democrat leading the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee.
During my time as the Chair of the Education Committee’s Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services, I held hearings on and passed legislation through the House to address pay equity, federal child nutrition programs, child abuse prevention and treatment, LGBTQIA+ equality, runaway and homeless youth, and employment discrimination. In 2022, we had a significant victory when President Biden signed the bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act into law.
One of my significant accomplishments in Congress was replacing No Child Left Behind. I served in a lead role in the work and helped write the final version of The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). I also created the bipartisan Congressional STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Caucus to advocate for the integration of art and design, broadly defined, into STEM education to prepare all students to be creative, critical thinkers who will have the skills they need to solve the problems of today and tomorrow.
With public education under constant attack by the extremist Trump administration and Republicans, we must stand up for public education and against hate and discrimination. I have consistently spoken out against attacks on the First Amendment, including proposals that would allow book banning and censorship. Importantly, we must stand up for the LGBTQIA+ community. Every student deserve to feel safe and be safe in school. It is unconscionable that Republicans are using students to try and further divide us.
There is more to do to provide all students with access to an excellent, well-rounded education. I’m focused on:
Expanding access to high-quality early learning opportunities so every child, regardless of background, family income level, or ability, can start kindergarten ready to learn.
Addressing resource inequities in K-12 education so states and school districts can provide safe facilities, counseling services, advanced courses, technology, extended learning opportunities, world language learning, rigorous career and technical education programs, and a well-rounded curriculum that includes the arts.
Making college more affordable by protecting and expanding existing federal student aid programs like Pell Grants and Federal Work Study. In the short term, we must follow through on the promise of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program by forgiving loan balances after ten years of public service. We should keep student loan interest rates low and help borrowers better manage student loan debt through easier access to income driven repayment plans. I support making higher education debt free. I worked my way through community college, college, and law school, and understand the importance of access and affordability.
Let’s work together to create more opportunities for all Oregonians, and build a better future!
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · bonamiciforcongress.com/priorities/affordable-college
Oregon is facing an unprecedented crisis with homelessness and an urgent lack of affordable housing. It will take state, federal, and local leaders working together to help solve this crisis and to get people into safe, supportive housing. As a co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness, I’m advocating for individuals and families who are housing-insecure, including the millions of Americans facing eviction or foreclosure.
To solve our housing crisis, we must immediately increase the supply of affordable housing. I’ve secured more than $6.25 million in funding to build hundreds of affordable housing units in NW Oregon. I’m also working to increase funding for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) to incentivize the construction of more affordable housing. Access to a living wage job, job training opportunities, and universal health care will also help people who are unhoused.
And Congress must increase funding for behavioral health services and addiction treatment, as well as other social safety net programs that support those on the brink of homelessness.
Despite the extreme challenges of this Congress, I’m working on legislation to convert unused buildings into affordable housing, create funding for affordable housing paired with child care centers, and increase access to transitional housing for those in recovery.
Let’s work together to create more opportunities for all Oregonians, and build a better future!
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · bonamiciforcongress.com/priorities/affordable-housing
As the daughter of a piano teacher and artist, I grew up in a house full of art and music. And now as a policymaker and education advocate, I understand the value of arts and culture in schools and in every community – urban, suburban, and rural. I am a strong supporter of funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, funding that goes to every Congressional district and leverages local dollars.
Arts Education: The arts are an important part of a well-rounded education and students who have arts education are more inclined to stay in school and do better in their school work. Additionally, arts education prepares students to be creative, confident critical thinkers who can collaborate and communicate. Those are traits that will serve them well no matter what path they take in life. I will continue to advocate for the passage of my bipartisan Arts Education for All bill.
Arts and the Economy: The nonprofit arts and culture sector contributes significantly to the economy, adding more than $1.2 trillion, which is more than 4 percent of the nation’s GDP. Music and arts venues bolster local economies, bring jobs, and support existing and new businesses like restaurants and shops. I’m working with Senator Peter Welch of Vermont on legislation to support non-profit theaters and arts venues as an economic development tool.
The Healing Power of the Arts: The arts have many positive benefits for both consumers and artists. Neurological research shows that the arts have the power to heal; in fact, we have seen positive results using art therapy for veterans with PTSD. Dr. Vivek Murthy, the former U. S. Surgeon General, has said that “music is medicine.” In these challenging times, the arts can help bring us together and bring us joy, something we can all use more of.
Let’s work together to create more opportunities for all Oregonians, and build a better future!
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · bonamiciforcongress.com/priorities/arts-and-culture
In Northwest Oregon, the warming ocean, droughts, more frequent extreme weather events, wildfires, and hazardous smoke increasingly threaten the environment, economy, and public health. I’m proud of our work to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in history. This transformative bill supports an equitable transition to renewable energy and creates good paying jobs in emerging industries. But that work is under attack now. Congress should be taking meaningful action to confront the climate crisis, but we are now in defense and trying to save whatever programs we can to help with a just transition to renewable energy.
For four years I served on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, which was tasked with producing a bold, comprehensive, science-based Climate Action Plan to achieve net-zero emissions no later than mid-century and net-negative thereafter. Our Climate Action Plan includes more than 500 pages of detailed, science-based policy recommendations that cover each sector of the economy and serves as a roadmap for Congress. Investing in a clean energy economy will continue to support good jobs, build more resilient communities, and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
I have long been an environmental leader in Congress. I served as the top Democrat on the Environment Subcommittee in the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and I continue to serve as co-chair of both the bipartisan Oceans Caucus and the bipartisan Estuary Caucus. I’ve also championed legislation to help capture the power of the ocean as a way to reduce carbon pollution, and I’ve secured additional funding for NOAA to address harmful algal blooms and hypoxia that plague the Oregon coast and other bodies of water across the country. I’ve been a leader in cleaning up marine debris by leading the bipartisan Save our Seas Act, which was signed into law in 2018, and updates to the law, including the bipartisan Save Our Seas Act 2.0 Amendments Act, which the House passed in spring of 2024.
The climate crisis is an existential threat and a national emergency, and I will continue to fight for meaningful and effective policies to reduce emissions and protect our planet for generations to come.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · bonamiciforcongress.com/priorities/climate-crisis
We need an economy that works for everyone, but too many Oregonians are struggling. Incomes aren’t keeping up with expenses, costs are rising, and inequality is rampant. I am committed to supporting policies that will restore fairness, help working families, and close the income and opportunity gaps that have increased in recent decades. For a prosperous future, we must:
Address income inequality and lower costs:As the late Senator Paul Wellstone said, “we all do better when we all do better.” But right now, inflation, Trump’s chaotic tariff policy, and unfair corporate practices are driving up prices for Americans and making it harder to get ahead. By protecting consumers, raising the federal minimum wage, supporting small businesses, ending chaotic and nonsensical trade policies, and enforcing antitrust laws, we can help make life more affordable for everyone.
Fix our broken tax system: We must fix our broken tax system so everyone has a chance to get ahead. Republicans have passed tax cuts for corporations and billionaires, so working people pay more and the wealthiest pay less. We must repeal Trump’s tax cuts and implement progressive rather than regressive tax policy so those at the very top pay their fair share.
Invest in infrastructure: With Democratic leadership, Congress passed a massive bipartisan investment in infrastructure that is helping Oregonians and Americans find good jobs building and maintaining roads, bridges, public transit, ports, water systems, schools, broadband, and electric grids. By retrofitting buildings and increasing energy efficiency, we can create good jobs and save energy and money while helping to address the climate crisis.
Support workers and increase the federal minimum wage: We are seeing constant attacks on the rights of workers to earn fair and prevailing wages, organize, collectively bargain, stay safe on the job, and avoid discrimination. The labor movement created and grew the middle class and gave workers a voice on the job. I support the rights of labor unions and I’m helping to lead the fight to protect the right of workers to organize. I also helped the House pass legislation to raise the federal minimum wage, which has been stuck at $7.25 an hour for more than a decade, and I have championed efforts to address wage discrimination.
Invest in apprenticeships and workforce development: As a member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, I know that everyone deserves a path to success – and I also understand that not everyone is on the same path. The job market is changing, and we must create a path to a good job for all workers, especially women and people of color who have historically faced barriers to employment. I’m focused on expanding workforce training and Registered Apprenticeships here in Oregon and across the country to prepare for the future of work and respond to local workforce needs.
Let’s work together to create more opportunities for all Oregonians, and build a better future!
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · bonamiciforcongress.com/priorities/economy
The corruption we are seeing from Trump and his administration is blatant, illegal, and dangerous. He doesn't work for the American people -- he will always put his own interests first. His time as president has been marked by foreign interference, political activity during official business, blatant attempts to hide the truth from the American people, and significant financial benefits for himself, his family, and his supporters.
You deserve better. The government should work for the people.
As Democrats, we have more work to do to restore voters' trust in their representatives. I support a ban on Congressional stock trading, stronger regulations on lobbyists and corporations trying to exert influence, and significant campaign finance reform.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · bonamiciforcongress.com/priorities/ending-corruption
We need and deserve to be safe from gun violence. Tragically, gun violence has taken countless lives of friends and family members. When in school, students should be able to focus on learning, and not, as one student told me, on finding a safe place to hide in their classroom. Families should feel safe at shopping centers, in their places of worship, and in their neighborhoods.
I support responsible gun ownership, but I also support common sense gun violence prevention measures. Oregon has been a national leader in enacting meaningful gun violence prevention laws, and those measures have saved lives. It is past time for the federal government to enact similar laws to protect people across the country. I joined the students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School at the U.S. Capitol when they rallied for Congressional action, and as a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I helped the House pass historic legislation to require universal background checks and close loopholes that make it easier for dangerous people to access firearms. I support getting assault weapons off our streets and closing the “boyfriend loophole” that leaves many domestic violence survivors in danger.
More than 100 people in the United States are killed by guns every day, and more than 60 of those people die by suicide. I will continue to advocate for more mental health support and resources for people who are struggling with mental health, including veterans. There is no question that these policies will save lives, and I will also continue fighting for resources and support for communities suffering trauma from gun violence. We can never replace the lives lost to gun violence, but we must support the schools, families, and communities affected.
In 2022, I helped pass into law the bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This law includes enhances background checks, encourages states to establish extreme risk protection order laws, and closes dangerous loopholes. This was the first significant gun violence prevention bill to be signed into law in nearly 30 years, and I will continue advocating to enact additional laws to keep Oregonians and Americans safe.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · bonamiciforcongress.com/priorities/gun-violence
Health care is a human right. Our health care system is too complicated, too expensive, and leaves too many people out. With the current system, many families are burdened by medical debt or can’t afford the care they need. We need affordable, accessible health care for everyone, and all proposals to achieve that, including Medicare for All, must be on the table. No one should have to choose between putting groceries on the table and paying for medicine, which is why I’m working to lower the cost of prescription drugs.
The Inflation Reduction Act took a meaningful first step to lower monthly out-of-pocket insulin costs for seniors to $35/month, saving them hundreds to thousands of dollars a year. I will continue to work to make prescription drugs affordable for everyone. I am also a strong supporter of medical research and support investments in the National Institutes of Health so our country can lead new, innovative treatments and cures for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, Parkinson’s, mental illness, substance-use disorders, and more.
Unfortunately, Republicans are trying to take away health care from millions of Americans and raise premiums for many more. I’m doing everything I can to stop these attacks and protect coverage for everyone. You deserve better.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · bonamiciforcongress.com/priorities/health-care
Our immigration system is broken. Dreamers are stuck in limbo, we make it way too hard for immigrants to become citizens, and there aren't enough judges to process asylum claims for people fleeing persecution or violence. Instead of fixing what's broken, the Trump administration is erratically slashing programs and illegally deporting people without due process. It's terrifying, un-American, and unacceptable. And it's certainly not how we should fix a broken system.
In Donald Trump’s so-called Department of Homeland Security, ICE agents are covering their faces to avoid identification while they aggressively abduct, detain, and deport residents – oftentimes in violation of the law. Donald Trump, Stephen Miller, and Pam Bondi are directing and permitting ICE to operate with little oversight and virtually no discretion. I have introduced important legislation to curb the abusive, authoritarian tactics of ICE on our streets and in our communities. This legislation requires clear identification of every ICE agent or law officer involved in immigration arrests, and it places limitations on when the Executive branch can order federal law enforcement, Armed Forces, or the National Guard into cities to carry out immigration policies.
This administration wants broad powers to detain, abduct, and deport without following due process of law. That's illegal, unconstitutional, and inhumane. I will keep fighting for Oregon values, including humane immigration reform, and for fundamental due process rights under the Constitution.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · bonamiciforcongress.com/priorities/immigration
Everyone deserves to live freely as their authentic selves. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has continuously attacked the LGBTQIA+ community, especially trans youth, as part of their culture war. This hate and discrimination is harmful and unacceptable.
I strongly support the Equality Act, and I recently introduced legislation to help LGBTQIA+ Americans age and retire with dignity and security, free from discrimination.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · bonamiciforcongress.com/priorities/LGBTQIA+
I helped care for my mom and stepfather in their later years, so I experienced firsthand the challenges of being a family caretaker. Everyone should be able to live with dignity and respect as they age, which is why a secure retirement and earned benefits like Social Security and Medicare are so important.
In 2016 and 2020, I led successful bipartisan efforts to update the Older Americans Act. This important legislation funds Meals on Wheels and community centers, protects vulnerable seniors, including the aging LGBTQIA+ population, addresses social isolation, and more.
Unfortunately, the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans have set their sights on dismantling Social Security. It’s alarming and unacceptable. These are earned benefits that must not be taken away from those who has been paying into the system for their entire working life. I will continue to oppose privatizing Social Security and I will fight ending Medicare as we know it. These efforts would impose thousands of dollars in extra costs on older Americans. I am a vocal advocate for giving Social Security recipients a cost-of-living adjustment so their payments keep up with the rising costs of housing, medication, and other basic needs.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · bonamiciforcongress.com/priorities/older-americans
Reproductive freedom and the right to abortion care are under attack. The Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade has been devastating and dangerous. Politicians and judges have no business dictating the intensely personal decision about whether and when someone bears a child, and history shows that laws restricting abortion do not work; they only restrict safe abortion. I will always stand up for reproductive rights, including abortion care, access to family planning and contraception, and affordable health care services. Access to contraceptives and reproductive health care reduce health costs for individuals and the health care system and reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions.
I have always fought for reproductive rights, and I voted to make Roe v. Wade the law of the land. Unfortunately, with anti-choice Republican leadership leading our country , abortion rights continue to be limited. We must work together to elect a pro-choice majority. I am honored to have consistently earned the endorsement of Planned Parenthood Action Fund and to have been awarded the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon’s Marilyn Epstein Pro-Choice Champion Award.
source ↗ (opens the page at this passage) · bonamiciforcongress.com/priorities/reproductive-rights