Ginny Burdick
Burdick, D-Portland, is the Oregon Senate majority leader and represents Senate District 18.
I am proud to lead the Oregon Senate Democrats. We put in the long hours. We do the hard work. We show up for work.
The voters of Oregon elected us and are paying us to represent them in our representative democracy.
Unfortunately, we are unable to act on any legislation since the Senate Republicans walked off the job last Monday. This is the third time in the last 10 months that the Senate Republicans have shut down the legislative process by denying a quorum. This is the third time they have obstructed the democratic process rather than simply voting “no” on bills they don’t like. This is no way to govern.
Oregon faces a human-caused climate emergency. That cannot be denied. Scientists agree, and the climate crisis is brutally evident all across Oregon: from our warming coastal waters, to devastating floods in Umatilla, from wildfires increasing in frequency and intensity to drought in Harney County. We know the facts, and we know that this is an urgent matter. We need to pass Senate Bill 1530 - the Oregon Greenhouse Gas Initiative. We owe it to our children, and we cannot afford to wait any longer.
The Republicans who have abandoned their duties claiming they object to SB 1530 are blocking every single bill. Only three bills have made it through the legislative process this session and are able to become law. Blocked legislation includes: emergency relief for Umatilla County, critical budget fixes for the Oregon Health Authority and the Department of Human Services, a bill to prioritize the finalization of adoptions for 700 children in foster care, necessary improvements to our public defense system, earthquake resiliency measures and so many more.
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The Republican Senate minority leader was correct when he said in an interview with KOBI Television that a walkout “isn’t really a good way to govern.” Yet, for the third time in 10 months he has walked off the job he was elected to do. His counterparts in the Oregon House also abandoned their posts the very next day.
In recent elections, Oregonians chose the 90 legislators we have today. While we have different opinions, many of us ran for office talking about climate change. Those who campaigned in support of bold climate action overwhelmingly won. That is why we have a strong majority for climate action.
I am infuriated that Republicans are walking off the job while collecting a salary, receiving benefits, and even a daily per diem. In addition, these absent Republicans can use campaign funds to pay expenses they accrue while off the job.
We must acknowledge the walkout for what it is: subversion of democracy and a dereliction of duty. To call walking out on your oath of office “leadership” is insulting. Setting precedent for this sort of action degrades the integrity of the Legislature.
I am proud of the Senate Democrats and our Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives. These elected officials are dedicated to their oaths of office and to Oregon’s citizens. You can count on us to show up.
"Opinion" - Google News
March 01, 2020 at 09:30PM
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Opinion: Republicans’ walkout is a dereliction of duty - oregonlive.com
"Opinion" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2FkSo6m
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