I have now completed three months in Congress. Since my swearing in, I’ve worked vigorously for the constituents in Oregon’s First District.

My top priority in Congress is to rebuild our economy. The first bill I co-sponsored will allow credit unions to do more small business lending, which will encourage their growth and create new jobs. On the Budget Committee, I am committed to tackling the debt and deficit with a balanced approach. Unfortunately, the House-passed budget provides additional tax breaks for the wealthiest, inhibits job growth, and cuts spending to our safety-net programs designed to help the most vulnerable in our communities. I continue to work with a number of colleagues to attempt to change some of the most harmful provisions of this budget.

I fought to keep student loan interest rates down and to prevent cuts in federal education funds to states for important programs like Title I and Head Start.

Additionally, I’ve been outspoken in my support of a woman’s right to choose and LGBT equality. I spoke on the House floor about the importance of contraception coverage and access to affordable healthcare. I’ve cosponsored bills to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and to end discrimination of LGBT members of our community within employment, education, adoption, and foster care systems.

There is still much to do in our nation’s capitol, and my 2012 re-election campaign is already well underway. It is an honor to serve the constituents of the First Congressional District, and I hope to continue serving.

Thank you for your continued support.

Suzanne

Thank you to the thousands of supporters and volunteers who made this campaign possible.  It is truly an honor to have been chosen by the voters of this district to represent them in Congress, and I could not have done it without all of the support and encouragement I received along the way.

Although the campaign is over, this isn’t an ending.  It’s the beginning of the work we have to do together to put people back to work, rebuild a strong economy and a strong middle class, and put the voice of everyday people back into Congress.

I’m excited to begin and humbled by the awesome responsibility that the people of Northwest Oregon have trusted me with through their votes.

With appreciation,

Suzanne

Voters respond to Suzanne’s life-long commitment to fairness and opportunity

Beaverton, Ore. (January 31, 2012) – Voters today elected Suzanne Bonamici to represent Oregon’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Bonamici brings with her to Congress a long record of standing up for middle class families, consumers and small businesses, and a reputation as a focused, determined representative known for her integrity.

“I am truly honored to represent such an important, diverse and dynamic district – and in that representation, I will always put the needs of people before politics. It’s just who I am,” Bonamici said. “I look forward to working on our shared priorities: getting Oregonians back to work, helping our businesses get the capital they need to grow, investing in education and job training and assuring we have strong, balanced consumer protection laws to help us recover from the financial crisis.”

Bonamici worked her way through community college, college, and law school at Legal Aid, helping low-income families who were struggling. After law school, she was an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., where she held mortgage brokers accountable for scamming families out of their homes. She then returned to Oregon and entered private practice, representing small businesses.

As a state legislator, Bonamici is known for passing strong consumer protection laws, increasing access to capital for small businesses and for her deep commitment to a strong system of public education.

“Our nation’s unmatched prosperity, industriousness and creativity over the last century can be traced directly to the promise offered to every generation – that if you work hard and play by the rules, you can succeed in America,” Bonamici said. “Oregonians want someone to stand up to powerful interests and serve the people back home who can not afford their own high-priced lobbyists, but who deserve their voices to be heard. I intend to be an advocate for getting back to basics of fairness and accountability.”

Carol Butler, campaign manager, added, “Suzanne is the perfect representative for this moment in history. At a time when voters are incredibly frustrated, Suzanne has a strong and credible record of working for consumers and middle class families and she has earned a reputation as one of Oregon’s most principled and effective leaders.”

Looking back at the campaign and forward to Congress, Bonamici said, “I hope we can take from this election a shared desire to move past obstructionist party politics and back to the small “r” republican idea of representative government and the small “d” democratic idea of serving our common good. Our country and this district deserve nothing less.”

U.S. House officials will inform Bonamici about the date of her swearing in. In the interim, updates will be posted to her campaign website – www.bonamiciforcongress.com – until further notice.

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Beaverton, Ore (January 26, 2012) – In the closing days of Oregon’s special election, the Bonamici for Congress campaign today released a positive television ad that summarizes the core value Suzanne Bonamici has presented during the campaign: controlling federal spending starts with getting our priorities straight – and once we do that we can reduce the debt and invest in job creation to get our country and our economy back on track.

This core value – and Bonamici’s work ethic and record of accomplishment – is why she has received overwhelming editorial support from newspapers throughout the district.  It also why hundreds of volunteers have given time to make calls and knock on doors to share the positive energy and enthusiasm they have for Bonamici’s candidacy for Congress.

“Suzanne Bonamici truly is the right candidate at the right time.  In the shadow of the collapse of the market and the housing industry, we need someone like Suzanne who has spent her entire career standing up for middle class families, small businesses and consumers – someone who has fought for fairness and opportunity for all,” Carol Butler, campaign manager.

Bonamici is endorsed by The Daily Astorian, Beaverton Valley Times, News Times of Forest Grove, Hillsboro Argus, Portland Tribune, The Oregonian, Regal Courier, The South County Spotlight, The Tigard-Tualatin-Sherwood Times and the Willamette Week.

Watch the ad here.

Transcript:

Voiceover –

It’s not just her plan to create jobs for middle-class Oregonians.  Or finally get Washington’s priorities straight.

All that and more leads newspapers across northwest Oregon to endorse Suzanne Bonamici as Oregon’s choice for Congress.

Bonamici’s “diligence and determination.”

She’ll vote to end the Bush tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires.

“Trim the deficit.  And create jobs as a result.”

Suzanne Bonamici.  “The clear choice” for Congress.

Suzanne -

I’m Suzanne Bonamici, and I approve this message.

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The Bonamici campaign today released a new positive television ad that summarizes the core value Suzanne Bonamici has presented during the campaign: controlling federal spending starts with getting our priorities straight – and once we do that we can reduce the debt and invest in job creation to get our country and our economy back on track.

This core value – and Bonamici’s work ethic and record of accomplishment – is why she has received overwhelming editorial support from newspapers throughout the district. It is also why hundreds of volunteers have given time to make calls and knock on doors to share the positive energy and enthusiasm they have for Bonamici’s candidacy for Congress.

Watch the ad here:

Bonamici has been endorsed by The Daily Astorian, Beaverton Valley Times, News Times of Forest Grove, Hillsboro Argus, Portland Tribune, The Oregonian, Regal Courier, The South County Spotlight, The Tigard-Tualatin-Sherwood Times and the Willamette Week.

She also has the support of more individuals, small business owners, advocacy groups, community leaders and elected officials across the district, who are supporting her because she is smart, focused, and diligent, has a proven record and is on the side of Oregon families. Read their testimonials here.

Max Richtman, president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, traveled to Beaverton to show his support of Suzanne: “She’s for the people, she’s for the consumer and she is a fighter.” As a symbol of the debate in Congress between those who want to privatize Social Security and Medicare — and those, like Suzanne, who don’t, Max gave her a pair of red boxing gloves.

The Bonamici for Congress campaign today released a television ad in response to false attacks launched by her opponent, Rob Cornilles. Cornilles has been attacking Suzanne since day one of the General Election and he has never stopped even though non-partisan fact checkers have found the attacks to be FALSE.

Suzanne’s true career-long record of standing up for Oregon families, seniors, consumers and small businesses is why more groups and individuals have endorsed Suzanne Bonamici – including newspapers across the First Congressional District, as well as the Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. They recognize that her experience, understanding, energy, and values make her the clear choice for Congress.

For a complete list of all the organizations and Oregonians who have endorsed Suzanne, click here

Beaverton, Ore (January 18, 2012) – The Bonamici for Congress campaign today released a television ad in response to the latest false attacks launched by Suzanne’s opponent.  The Cornilles campaign started these attacks on the first day of the General Election and has not stopped since.

In response to the false attack on Medicare, the Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens released this statement:

“Cornilles’ decision to launch a false attack against Suzanne is a clear demonstration of why Oregon seniors cannot trust him to stand up for them – or to protect Medicare and the Social Security benefits all of us work a lifetime to earn,” said Steve Weiss, president of the OSCRC.  “We know that Cornilles is knowingly misleading voters because he’s trying to cover up his own record on Medicare and Social Security.  Cornilles has said that he would cut Social Security and Medicare before the defense budget.  To set the record straight: Suzanne Bonamici is the only candidate in this election that Oregon seniors can count on to stand up for them in Congress and to protect – not privatize – Medicare and Social Security. That is why the Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens PAC is proud to have endorsed her.”

The ad also includes endorsements Bonamici has received from newspapers throughout the First Congressional District.  Bonamici has received the endorsement of The Daily Astorian, Beaverton Valley Times, News Times of Forest Grove, Portland Tribune, The Oregonian, Regal Courier, The South County Spotlight, The Tigard-Tualatin-Sherwood Times and the Willamette Week.

Watch the ad here.

Transcript:

Voiceover -

It’s flat…out…”wrong.”

That’s what non-partisan fact-checkers say about Rob Cornilles’ Medicare attacks on Suzanne Bonamici.

Cornilles even gets a “Pants-on-Fire” for more false attacks on Bonamici and taxes.

No wonder Suzanne Bonamici has been endorsed by nearly every local newspaper…

…and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.

“Experience and understanding.”

“Energy” and “values.”

Oregon’s Suzanne Bonamici.

“The clear choice” for Congress.

Suzanne -

I’m Suzanne Bonamici, and I approve this message.

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Right click (control-click on Mac) this image to save it to your hard drive

Ballots are out, people are voting – and now it’s our job to make sure our friends vote too! A great way to do that is by letting your friends and connections on the Web know that you voted for Suzanne.

Use the “I Voted Bonamici” image on this page as your profile picture on sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google+ as an easy, quick way to spread the word that you have voted for Suzanne and to make sure your friends do too!

And after you change your profile picture, please take a moment to post to your profile with a status like this: “Friends in Oregon’s 1st Congressional District: Have you voted yet? I voted for Suzanne Bonamici for Congress and I encourage you to do the same!”

If you have any questions or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Here are instructions for changing your profile picture:

• Right click (control-click on Mac) on the “I voted Bonamici” image in this post and save it to your hard drive
• On your Facebook page, hover over your current profile picture and click on the  to edit your picture
• Click on the option provided to upload a picture  (using your computer)
• Follow the on-screen instructions to choose the “I Voted Bonamici” image to upload and update your Facebook profile picture

• Right click (control-click on Mac) on the “I voted Bonamici” image in this post and save it to your hard drive
• On your Twitter page, click on your profile name in the top right corner then select “settings”
• On the Settings Page, under “Picture” click on “upload file”
• Choose the “I Voted Bonamici” image to upload as your profile picture
• Click “save” to update your Twitter profile picture

• Right click (control-click on Mac) on the “I voted Bonamici” image in this post and save it to your hard drive
• On your Google+ page, click on your profile picture in the top right corner then select “Account Settings”
• On your Account Settings Page, underneath your profile picture, click on “Change Photo”
• Click on “Select a photo from your computer”
• Choose the “I Voted Bonamici” image to upload as your profile picture
• Click “Set as profile photo” to update your Google+ profile picture

For Immediate Release
January 18, 2012

The Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens released the statement below in response to the new ad released by Rob Cornilles and the Republican National Congressional Committee that includes a false attack about Suzanne Bonamici’s record on Medicare. Cornilles first made this attack on day one of the General Election and it was independently found to be false by The Oregonian.

“Cornilles’ decision to launch a false attack against Suzanne is a clear demonstration of why Oregon seniors cannot trust him to stand up for them – or to protect Medicare and the Social Security benefits all of us work a lifetime to earn,” said Steve Weiss, president of the OSCRC. “We know that Cornilles is knowingly misleading voters because he’s trying to cover up his own record on Medicare and Social Security. Cornilles has said that he would cut Social Security and Medicare before the defense budget. To set the record straight: Suzanne Bonamici is the only candidate in this election that Oregon seniors can count on to stand up for them in Congress and to protect – not privatize – Medicare and Social Security. That is why the Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens PAC is proud to have endorsed her.”

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