PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Democratic Representative Andrea Salinas is the first lawmaker to represent Oregon’s new 6th Congressional District. Now equipped with her House committee assignments, the representative of Yamhill, Polk, Washington, Clackamas and Marion counties is set to bring Oregon’s voice to the table.
In a December 2022 interview, Salinas told KOIN 6 News that the first order of business she wants to address is the Farm Bill reauthorization.
“Starting off, I think the Farm Bill reauthorization is going to be critical to our district, you know, with the Willamette Valley comprising so many family farms as well as specialty crops, we need to make sure that we have a voice at the table,” Salinas said.
Calling the Sixth Congressional District the heart of the Willamette Valley, the state representative said although they have a lot of agricultural interest, they don’t really have “Big Ag” like the Midwest does around corn and soybeans, for example.
Instead, Salinas pointed to Oregon’s horticulture industry, which she says, has different interests.
“I think we will be able to bring a unique voice to Congress on the Farm Bill reauthorization, which is up this next year,” Salinas said.
Agriculture plays a billion-dollar role in Oregon’s economy. According to the 2022 Oregon Agricultural Statistics & Directory, “Oregon agriculture, directly and indirectly, contributes 686,518 jobs, $29.71 billion in wages, $12.12 billion in taxes, and $2.85 billion in exports to the state. There is approximately one farm or ranch for every 112 people in Oregon.”
As Congress continues to negotiate Farm Bill reauthorization, Salinas will also represent Oregon as a member of the Science, Space and Technology committee.
“Science, Space and Technology fits nicely with Oregon and where the U.S. wants to go. We used to be a large chip manufacturer and we’ve gotten away from that. We’ve seen countries like China take the lead in that area,” Salinas said. “I think under the Inflation Reduction Act, and some other bills Congress passed last session, we’re returning to those investments.”
In October 2022, Intel lobbyists warned Oregon lawmakers that chip manufacturers could be lured to other states with large incentive packages.
Intel is Oregon’s largest corporate employer, with 22,000 employees in Washington County alone, according to the Portland Tribune, a KOIN 6 News media partner.
In a letter sent to Governor Brown and several state Republican and Democratic lawmakers, the Intel lobbyists said, “if Oregon chooses not to compete with other states or if we do not offer competitive incentive packages, Oregon could miss out altogether.”
The letter also pointed to the economic impact Intel has had on the state saying “according to a recent study, Intel’s total employment impact in Oregon is over 105,000 jobs or 4.0 percent of statewide employment with $10.0 billion in labor income. In addition, Intel’s value add (GDP) to Oregon is over $19 billion.”
This warning comes after Intel announced over the summer the company is building a $100 billion campus in Ohio. Additionally, Micron, which has Pacific Northwest roots, announced plans for a $100 billion factory in New York.
Back in Oregon, Intel recently scrapped plans to build a $700 million “mega lab” in Hillsboro.
The lab was supposed to be a research facility to develop data center cooling methods, and a 2022 announcement said construction was scheduled to begin this year. But The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that the company announced a new direction.
Now, Intel says it is going to be continuing the research at its existing facilities and looking for cheaper options for new real estate.
Meanwhile, at the federal level, Congress has taken steps to bolster the microchip industry after passing the CHIPS Act of 2022.
Now, Salinas says she wants to see increased investments in research and development in tech, adding, “I think research and development in the U.S. has been neglected for too long in a real serious and systematic way.”
Salinas previously served as an aide to U.S. Senator Harry Reid and U.S. Representative Darlene Hooley. She was also elected to represent Oregon’s 38th District in 2017.