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Crossing the aisle
Passage votes where Janelle S. Bynum broke ranks with ≥75% of Democrats. Threshold catches substantively partisan splits; unanimous-ish or close votes are excluded.
1
Cross-aisle vote
119-s-1318·Apr 29, 2026·80% of D voted NO
Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act
Bynum, Salinas, Merkley, Wyden: $16 Million Coming to Oregon for Street Safety Improvements
Position: The release announces $16 million in federal Safe Streets and Roads for All funding for road and street safety planning in Oregon counties and expresses support for these safety investments.
Today, Representatives Janelle Bynum (OR-05), Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that $16,000,000 is heading to Marion, Polk, Klamath, and Deschutes counties for the development and updating of comprehensive road and street safety plans. The federal funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, which funds efforts to improve travel for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists in communities across the nation.
“Everyone knows you’ve got to look both ways before crossing the street,” said Rep. Bynum. “But whether you’re headed to work, dropping the kids off at school, or making your way home, you shouldn’t have to think twice about safety along the way. Investing in our streets helps keep our families safe and makes getting around our communities easier for everybody.”
“When someone is seriously injured in a crash, every second counts,” said Rep. Salinas. “Our firefighters, paramedics, and other first responders need the tools and coordination to get to people quickly and provide lifesaving care. This funding will help Salem and Polk Counties strengthen emergency response, identify dangerous roads, and make our communities safer. I'm proud to support these investments that will help make our community safer.”
“Whether walking, driving, or biking, Oregonians in every corner of the state deserve safe streets and roads in their communities to get where they need to go,” said Senator Merkley. “These federal investments will lay the groundwork to make sure Oregon roadways are safe places for bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers. I will continue working to ensure every Oregonian can move about their daily lives conveniently, without fear of accident or injury.”
“Safe roads and streets are a must for drivers, walkers and cyclists throughout Oregon, especially in these months when the nights get longer and the weather becomes worse,” said Senator Wyden.“This federal investment will help to make sure Oregonians are that much safer throughout the year when going from point A to point B, and I’ll keep battling for similar resources for communities across the state.”
The SS4A program was created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support regional, local, and Tribal initiatives that prevent roadway fatalities and serious injuries. The four awards to Oregon are as follows:
$4,000,000 for Redmond Fire & Rescue, Comprehensive Multi-Jurisdiction Safety Action Plan with Supplemental Public Safety Infrastructure and Post-Crash Care Demonstration Projects. The project will develop a Supplemental Safety Action Plan and conduct demonstration activities across its rural service area. Work includes crash and post-crash care analysis, high-risk corridor identification, stakeholder coordination, and temporary pilots such as emergency vehicle driver alerts, responder data interoperability, blood delivery workflows, and signal preemption to improve response, survivability, and future safety planning.
$4,000,000 for the City of Salem, Comprehensive Multi-Jurisdiction Safety Action Plan with Supplemental Public Safety Infrastructure and Post-Crash Care Demonstration Projects. The project will develop a Supplemental Action Plan and conduct demonstration activities to improve post-crash care, emergency response coordination, and roadway safety across its service area. Work includes safety analysis of high-risk corridors, stakeholder engagement, protocol development, and temporary pilots for emergency vehicle alerts, data interoperability, prehospital blood delivery, signal pre-emption, and responder readiness to inform future safety initiatives.
$4,000,000 for the Klamath County Sheriff's Office, Comprehensive Multi-Jurisdiction Safety Action Plan with Supplemental Public Safety Infrastructure and Post-Crash Care Demonstration Projects. The project will develop a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan for Klamath County, Oregon, and conduct demonstration activities focused on post-crash care and emergency response coordination. Work includes safety analysis, stakeholder engagement, corridor identification, protocol development, and temporary pilots such as emergency vehicle warning tools, data interoperability, signal pre-emption, and prehospital blood delivery models to reduce KSI and improve responder and patient outcomes.
$4,000,000 for Polk County Fire District No. 1, Comprehensive Multi-Jurisdiction Safety Action Plan with Supplemental Public Safety Infrastructure and Post-Crash Care Demonstration Projects. The project will develop a Supplemental Action Plan for its Oregon service area and conduct demonstration activities that improve post-crash care, responder safety, and coordinated emergency response. Work includes safety analysis of high-risk corridors, stakeholder engagement, policy and protocol development, and pilots for emergency vehicle alerts, responder data interoperability, prehospital blood delivery, and signal pre-emption to inform future safety initiatives.
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Issues:
Congress
Bynum Calls for Halt on ICE Operations in Bend to Support Grieving Community
Position: Rep. Bynum urges U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to halt non-emergency enforcement operations in Bend and Deschutes County so that families affected by the Silver Rail Elementary School shooting can access mental health and community resources without fear of detention or deportation.
Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) has received reports that there is an increased ICE presence in the Bend community, causing families to not access the resources being offered to them out of fear. Today, Rep. Bynum led a letter urging Immigration and Customs Enforcement to halt its non-emergency enforcement operations in Bend and Deschutes so families can heal and access resources without fear following the recent Silver Rail Elementary School shooting.
Three children, ages 5, 8, and 11, and a teacher were killed and two more people, a 7-year-old student and a teacher, were critically injured.
“Recovery depends on people being willing to show up: to seek mental health care, to talk with investigators, to gather with neighbors and to send their kids back to school,” Rep. Bynum wrote in the letter. “The last thing we need is some goons with masks exploiting this tragedy to terrorize our community further.”
“Right now, ICE is standing between grieving families and the help they need. Silver Rail's students come from every background, and my office is hearing that immigrant families are staying away from the mental health and community services set up for them,” Rep. Bynum continued in the letter. “Parents fear that a trip to a school, a clinic, a church or a vigil could end in detention or deportation. … And who could blame them? Over the last year, we’ve seen masked federal agents drag people off our streets, detain American citizens and legal residents, and kill people in broad daylight.”
Congresswoman Bynum is focused on supporting the community during this difficult time. If you or someone you know needs access to help, please check out the resources HERE.
The full text of the letter is available HERE and below.
David Venturella
Acting Director
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
500 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20536
Dear Acting Director Venturella:
I write on behalf of a community in mourning. On October 15, a 16-year-old forced his way into Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend and killed three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher. Two more people, a 7-year-old student and a teacher, were critically wounded. Bend will forever be changed by this unimaginable loss.
On the very morning our children were killed, ICE agents arrived in Deschutes County. They are still here, and they are keeping frightened families from the help this community has come together to offer them.
I respectfully request that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cease its non-emergency enforcement operations in Bend and Deschutes County so that families can heal and access resources without fear, on top of grief.
The weeks ahead will ask a great deal of every family in Central Oregon. Children are returning to classrooms that no longer feel safe. Parents are attending vigils, funerals, and counseling sessions. Teachers, first responders, and healthcare workers are carrying a heavy load. Recovery depends on people being willing to show up: to seek mental health care, to talk with investigators, to gather with neighbors and to send their kids back to school. The last thing we need is some goons with masks exploiting this tragedy to terrorize our community further.
Right now, ICE is standing between grieving families and the help they need. Silver Rail's students come from every background, and my office is hearing that immigrant families are staying away from the mental health and community services set up for them. Parents fear that a trip to a school, a clinic, a church or a vigil could end in detention or deportation. We’ve even heard of parents unwilling to pick up their kids’ belongings from the Silver Rail investigation because of that fear. And who could blame them? Over the last year, we’ve seen masked federal agents drag people off our streets, detain American citizens and legal residents, and kill people in broad daylight.
As a result, children are grieving in isolation, families who need trauma care are going without it, and witnesses may hesitate to come forward. That harms not only immigrant households but the recovery of the entire community.
Pausing enforcement is not a political concession. It is basic decency and professionalism. Federal agencies routinely adjust operations in the wake of natural disasters and other emergencies so that people can seek shelter and aid without fear. The aftermath of a school shooting calls for the same judgment. At a minimum, I ask that ICE:
Cease non-emergency arrests, surveillance, and enforcement activity in Bend and Deschutes County while the community recovers.
Refrain from any enforcement at or near schools, hospitals, counseling centers, places of worship, memorial sites and vigils in the region.
Notify my office in advance of any operation in the area that ICE believes cannot be deferred, and explain why.
I ask that you respond to this request in writing by Monday, October 26. My staff stands ready to work with your office and with local leaders to support the families of Bend through this period.
The people of Bend are leaning on one another right now, neighbor to neighbor. Grief does not check immigration status. Every family in Bend deserves to mourn, heal, and seek help without fear. I urge you to let them.
Sincerely,
Janelle Bynum
Member of Congress
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Congresswoman Bynum Statement on Silver Rail Elementary Shooting
Position: The release responds to a school shooting at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, expressing grief and calling for national attention to gun violence, without specifying a legislative proposal.
Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) released the following statement following the Silver Rail Elementary School shooting in Bend.
“They’re killing our babies. Shredding our kids with lead. Forcing us to live in fear,” said Rep. Bynum. “I feel this deep, deep, deep in my soul. Our whole community does. Our whole state does. And the whole nation should. Our babies are supposed to do arts and crafts at school, not use their desks as cover from gunfire. They’re supposed to make friends, not mourn them. This is every parent's worst fear. My heart and my prayers and everything else I got is with the families at Silver Rail Elementary. When will it end?”
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Bynum’s Bipartisan Bill to Expand Capital Access for Rural Job Creators Heads to President’s Desk
Position: The release supports H.R. 1190, a bill requiring the SEC's Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation to add rural small businesses to its reporting scope and report annually on capital-access challenges they face. The bill has passed the Senate and is headed to the President.
This week, the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 1190, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum’s (OR-05) bipartisan Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act. The legislation would help rural small businesses overcome barriers to accessing capital.
The bill updates the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by requiring the SEC’s Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation to report annually on the unique challenges rural businesses face when seeking investment. These reports will give Congress better information as it considers ways to improve access to capital for rural job creators.
"Rural small businesses shouldn’t have to work twice as hard just because of their ZIP code,” said Congresswoman Janelle Bynum. “The Senate passing this bill gets us one step closer to changing that. Rural entrepreneurs have the ideas and the hustle. They deserve a fair shot to grow them into something bigger."
“Rural small businesses are essential to communities across Montana, but too many still face unnecessary barriers when trying to access capital,” said Congressman Troy Downing (MT-02), the bill’s co-lead. “I’m proud of our legislation, which will help make sure rural businesses are no longer overlooked when Congress considers how to expand access to capital and support job creation.”
Senator John Kennedy (R-LA.) led the U.S. Senate companion bill to passage.
“Rural small businesses are the backbone of many communities across America, but too many face challenges accessing capital. I’m glad the Senate passed our bill to make sure Congress understands those challenges and help rural job creators grow their businesses, create jobs and serve their communities,” said Senator Kennedy.
Read the bill HERE.
Background:
The SEC’s Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation is required to identify problems that small businesses face when securing access to capital and submit an annual report to Congress.
Currently, the Office’s list of applicable entities are minority-owned, women-owned, and disaster-stricken small businesses.
This legislation would require the SEC’s Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation to add rural small businesses to its list of applicable entities.
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Issues:
Costs & Jobs
Bynum, Merkley, and Wyden Announce $100,000 for Central Oregon Wildfire Recovery
Position: The release announces $100,000 in federal NeighborWorks Disaster Grants funding to NeighborImpact for wildfire recovery aid for displaced residents of Central Oregon, including Warm Springs, and calls for continued federal resources for wildfire prevention and recovery.
Yesterday, Representative Janelle Bynum (OR-05), and Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced $100,000 in federal awards to support displaced Oregonians and wildfire recovery efforts for Central Oregon communities that lost homes in the 2026 wildfires.
“No where to sleep. Only the clothes on your back. Food to go is the only option. All in the matter of one day,” said Rep. Bynum. “I’ve heard that story too many times from my constituents. People need help after an emergency, and the faster that help comes, the better shot they have of rebuilding what was lost. And by help I mean money to get the basics. That’s the difference this funding can and will make.”
“As wildfires in central Oregon and statewide set new records every year in size and intensity, the rural communities on the front lines of these fights are the most in need of resources for recovery efforts,” Wyden said. “I applaud this federal award that will support Central Oregon communities including Warm Springs residents who were forced to flee from their homes, and I will continue to fight for more resources to support wildfire prevention and recovery across Oregon.”
“When disaster strikes, Oregon’s communities show up to help each other. These federal funds will help NeighborImpact provide critical support to Warm Springs families recovering from the devastating July wildfires, including emergency shelter, relocation assistance, and essential household supplies,” said Merkley. “I’ll keep fighting to bring federal resources home to Oregon so our communities have the support they need to recover and rebuild.”
"Warm Springs deserves to be included in the regional response to wildfire and other needs on an equal basis with counties. Too often, tribal communities are a place to drive through, not a place to drive to. NeighborImpact values all our neighbors, including tribal neighbors, and the fires that burned at Warm Springs this summer, while devastating, were responded to and will continue to be responded to vigorously and thoroughly with resources, support for displaced people and empathy from our organization and, I hope, neighboring communities. The congressional appropriation funded through NeighborWorks America is a much-appreciated and critical tool enabling us to help in a time of need,” said Scott Cooper, Executive Director of NeighborImpact.
The $100,000 in federal awards from the NeighborWorks Disaster Grants program will be distributed to NeighborImpact, a central Oregon nonprofit that serves economically disadvantaged residents of Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Thousands of Warm Springs residents were forced to evacuate and several homes were lost in the July 2026 fires. The grant will support the Wildfire Recovery Fund that is used to provide emergency shelter, relocation assistance, provide/replace personal items such as baby supplies, hygiene products, houseware items, laundry and cleaning supplies.
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Issues:
Environment
Bynum, Oregon Delegation Demand an End to Trump Administration's Violations of Due Process for Immigrants
Position: Oregon lawmakers demand that the Trump administration end 'mega master' immigration hearings and related practices, such as limits on remote attorney appearances, arguing they deny immigrants due process and fair access to counsel.
Today, Representatives Janelle Bynum (OR-05), Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas, Val Hoyle, and Maxine Dexter, along with U.S. senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, demanded the Trump administration end the practice of “mega master” immigration hearings that expedite the review of hundreds of immigrants’ cases in a day, resulting in a fast-track to removing immigrants without due process.
“This unwarranted blitzkrieg of assaults on justice and fair treatment raises serious constitutional concerns and is unworthy of the oaths you swore to uphold,” the Oregon lawmakers wrote to Attorney General Todd Blanche, Sirce E. Owen, Acting Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review and David Venturella, Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Over the past year, your agencies have increased the number of immigrants who must appear on little-to-no notice for so-called ‘mega master’ hearings on overcrowded dockets in front of Trump’s handpicked judges at courts across the country, all while stripping immigrants of their legal status, ramping up arrests and detention, and limiting their access to legal counsel for representation in court and fast-tracked asylum interviews,” they wrote.
“These policy changes confuse and terrify law-abiding immigrants in our communities and prevent them from having a fair day in court.”
The lawmakers wrote that the Portland Immigration Court in Oregon is now holding about two “mega master” hearings every week, in addition to maintaining its previously-scheduled docket hearings and individual merit hearings. That has forced immigrants anticipating court dates in 2027 or 2028 to suddenly show up on extremely short notice and scrambling both to figure out how to get to the court on time, and to find an attorney to represent them.
“As if the changes at the Portland Immigration Court weren’t bad enough, the neighboring Tacoma Immigration Court has now had judges deciding in mid-August to stop allowing immigration attorneys across Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska from appearing remotely on behalf of their clients detained at the regional detention center,” the lawmakers continued. “Previously, the Tacoma Immigration Court allowed out-of-state attorneys to represent their clients by making court appearances through video conferencing technology. Now attorneys—and when applicable, expert witnesses— have to attend these hearings in person.”
The new requirement for immigration attorneys to represent their clients in person comes as immigration judges allow Department of Homeland Security prosecutors to participate in hearings remotely. In other cases even the presiding judge is attending remotely as well, with attorneys sharing that remote appearances by judges happen in about half the cases that they must attend in-person at the Tacoma Immigration Court.
These new in-person requirements also come as attorneys share that the court is sending “notices to appear” and setting hearings for that same morning giving the attorneys little time to prepare or make travel arrangements from out of state. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has also been routinely denying immigration attorneys access to their clients at detention centers, and transferring clients thousands of miles away to detention centers across the country.
“Immigration court proceedings must uphold fairness and rule of law and not be politicized to satisfy Donald Trump’s arbitrary detention quotas. We call on the Trump administration to discontinue policies and tactics that undermine constitutional due process. Our legal system relies on accountability; therefore, we demand that you establish fair and meaningful hearings that provide a genuine day in court and uphold the integrity of our nation’s immigration system,” the lawmakers concluded.
The lawmakers ended their letter demanding a written response by October 15th, 2026 detailing the steps that the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security will take to achieve the following:
Terminate “mega master” hearings.
Provide immigrants with sufficient notice of their proceedings.
Reduce hardships on immigration attorneys.
Ensure that immigration judges hear cases individually, free from political influence.
The full text of the letter is available here.
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Bynum Calls for Review of EPA’s Microplastics Monitoring and Research
Position: The release calls for a Government Accountability Office review of EPA efforts to monitor and evaluate human exposure risks from micro- and nanoplastics, and references prior requests that EPA add microplastics to drinking water monitoring and legislation requiring an FDA study of microplastic health impacts.
Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (D-OR), Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), and Congresswoman Watson Coleman (D-NJ) led 21 of their colleagues in a letter requesting Government Accountability Office Comptroller General Brown, to conduct a review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to monitor and evaluate the risks of human exposure to micro- and nanoplastics.
The lawmakers argue that to continue protecting Americans’ health, they need to understand what the EPA has accomplished in its work on microplastics and what progress still needs to be made. They also emphasize the urgency of this review amid emerging research connecting microplastics to adverse health consequences and serious environmental risks.
In the letter, the lawmakers write:
“Even as the EPA's FY2023-FY2026 research plan approaches its conclusion, Congress lacks a clear assessment of what the EPA has accomplished in its work on microplastics and what work remains necessary to support reliable monitoring, risk assessment and potential regulatory action.”
Later in the letter, they write:
“Addressing microplastic pollution is critical for protecting the health of Americans and safeguarding our waterways and ecosystems. Our constituents deserve to know what microplastic exposure means for their families’ health, and the requested information above will be critical in informing Congress’s work in tackling this challenge."
The letter was also signed by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representatives Jesús G. "Chuy" García (IL-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C), Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-05), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Dave Min (CA-47), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Judy Chu (CA-28), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-07), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Mike Levin (CA-49), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), and Zoe Lofgren (CA-18).
In July, Rep. Bynum led a bicameral letter, urging the Environmental Protection Agency to add microplastics to the agency's recently published Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6). This letter urged the EPA to begin monitoring microplastics in America's drinking water, citing a growing body of research linking the emerging contaminant to serious adverse health effects.
Rep. Bynum also introduced the bicameral, bipartisan Microplastics Safety Act to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct a study on the health impacts of microplastics in food, water, and other products. The new legislation is a critical step forward in better understanding the threat of microplastics to human health.
Background
Researchers at the Environmental Protections Agency (EPA) define microplastics as plastic particles ranging in size from 5 millimeters to one nanometer. Microplastics have been found in every ecosystem on the planet, as well as in food, beverages, and animal and human tissue. When Environment Oregon sampled 30 of Oregon’s most iconic rivers, lakes, and urban waterways, they found microplastic fibers in 100% of the samples.
The full text of the letter is available here.
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Congresswoman Bynum Statement on Knight’s $1 Billion Donation to University of Oregon
Position: The release praises a $1 billion philanthropic donation to the University of Oregon for an engineering school and calls for similar investment in preparing young people for the future and for partnership among philanthropy and government.
Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) released a statement in response to Phil and Penny Knight’s announcement of a $1 billion donation to the University of Oregon to help start an engineering school.
“This is exactly what investing in the next generation looks like – and I’m not just saying that because I’m an engineer,” said Rep. Bynum. “This generous and game-changing donation should be the standard for how we invest in getting our kids ready for the future and for how philanthropy can partner with local, state, and federal government to drive innovation. I’m fighting everyday in Congress to make that a reality. Go Ducks!”
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Congresswoman Bynum: “A racial slur is not trash talk. It’s not a rivalry. It’s straight up racist.”
Position: The release condemns an alleged racial slur used at a high school football game as racist and calls on the Oregon School Activities Association to act more forcefully against such incidents, with the governor and legislature potentially considering stronger sanctions. It also references the sponsor's prior state legislation requiring reporting and response processes for harassment during school sports.
Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) released the following statement following the alleged use of a racial slur during a recent Oregon high school football game.
“Football is supposed to be about teamwork, healthy competition, and kids getting the chance to do something they love,” said Rep. Bynum. “A kid should be able to put on their jersey, take the field, and worry about the next play – not whether someone is going to attack them on their race, sex, religion, or any other distinguishing feature. A racial slur is not trash talk. It’s not a rivalry. It’s straight up racist. In the state legislature, I sponsored legislation to make sure incidents like this couldn’t just be swept under the rug. We can’t ask young people to speak up and then fail them when they do. We need to teach our kids that reporting incidents like these will be taken seriously, investigated, and appropriately addressed based on the findings.
“The Oregon School Activities Association must step up and double down on eliminating these incidents. I have no tolerance for our kids being harmed in competition by racial slurs. And I have no patience for mealy-mouthed adults who throw their hands up and say there’s nothing we can do. If OSAA does not act, the governor and legislature should consider taking up a stronger set of sanctions sooner, rather than later.”
As a state legislator, Congresswoman Bynum introduced HB 3409, requiring a process for reporting and responding to harassment and hateful language during school sports and activities. The legislation was in response to a 2019 racial slur incident at Parkrose High School during a girls varsity basketball game, as well as other reports from students around the state.
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Bynum Introduces Bill to Lower the Cost of School Supplies
Position: The release supports introducing legislation to exempt school supplies and educational materials from federal tariffs, arguing that tariffs have raised costs for families and teachers.
Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) and Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) introduced the Back-to-School Supplies Affordability Act to lower the cost of school supplies for students and teachers. The legislation would exempt school supplies and educational materials from President Trump’s tariff taxes, which have raised prices for families across the country.
“Between gas, groceries, and rent, our families are already struggling with rising costs,” said Congresswoman Bynum. “School supplies are the latest example of how Trump’s tariffs are pricing people out of the essentials. With costs up and school supply lists out, families are having to make hard financial decisions. This bill is about giving parents and teachers a break, while still setting our children up for success in the classroom.”
“Like families across the country, my wife and I felt the sticker shock when we went back-to-school shopping this year,” said Congressman Boyle. “Families are already stretching every dollar, and they shouldn’t be forced to pay even more for basic school supplies because of President Trump’s reckless tariff taxes. I’m proud to help lead this bill to eliminate tariffs on back-to-school essentials and give parents, teachers, and students some much-needed relief.”
According to Groundwork Collaborative and the Century Foundation, the cost of school supplies has increased 8 percent this year, with many essential items facing even larger cost increases. Lunchbox prices have increased 27 percent, while notebooks have become 23 percent more expensive.
The Back-to-School Supplies Affordability Act would:
Direct the Secretaries of Commerce and Education to work together to create a list of tariff-free school supplies, and specifically exempts:
Office and school supplies
Backpacks
Notebooks, memorandum pads, and similar paper products
Children’s picture, drawing, and coloring books
Calendars
Computer keyboards
Hairbrushes
Pencils, crayons, chalk, and other drawing materials
Pens, markers, and related writing instruments
The bill preserves congressional oversight by allowing Congress to disapprove the designation of specific items for tariff exemptions through a Joint Resolution of Disapproval.
In the House, the legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Angie Craig (MN-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Sarah McBride (DE), Juan Vargas (CA-52), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08). This legislation is led in the Senate by Senator Angela Alsobrooks (MD). The bill is cosponsored by Senators Chris Van Hollen (MD), Chris Coons (DE), Andy Kim (NJ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE), Jacky Rosen (NV), and John Hickenlooper (CO).
This year, to confront rising economic pressures on young Americans, Rep. Bynum launched her signature “K-30” agenda. This platform is focused on supporting young Americans by improving education, strengthening the job market, and lowering housing and everyday costs. The Back-to-School Supplies Affordability Act is part of Rep. Bynum’s ongoing efforts to support Oregon’s children and young families.
The text of the bill is available HERE.
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Issues:
Education
Source: GDELT 2.0 GKG, filtered to a curated list of national outlets. Inclusion is not endorsement; opinion pieces and reported news are mixed.
Recent stock activity
Periodic transaction reports filed under the STOCK Act — disclosed by the rep, sourced from public filings.
No disclosed trades on record.
Source: open-data mirrors of the Senate eFD and House Clerk financial-disclosure systems. Disclosure within 30 days of trade is required by law (45 for spouse/dependent trades).
Top PAC donors · 2026 cycle
Political action committees that gave the most to this rep's principal campaign committee this cycle. PAC giving is direct organizational support — industry, ideological, or leadership.
1.AMERIPAC: THE FUND FOR A GREATER AMERICAIdeological2 contributionsIdeological PAC with a nationalist or patriotic framing — specific policy positions not clearly signaled by the name.AI · low$10,000
2.FAIR SHOT PACIdeological2 contributionsProgressive-aligned PAC — backs candidates and causes focused on economic opportunity and reducing inequality.AI$10,000
3.NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE2 contributions$10,000
4.PAC TO THE FUTURELeadership2 contributionsMember-of-Congress leadership PAC — specific affiliations and policy positions not inferable from the name.AI · low$10,000
5.JOBS, EDUCATION, & FAMILIES FIRST JEFF PAC2 contributions$10,000
6.ENGINEERS POLITICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE (EPEC)/INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERSLabor2 contributionsTrade-union PAC for the International Union of Operating Engineers — backs candidates supporting prevailing-wage standards, infrastructure investment, and project labor agreements.AI$10,000
7.TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION FEDERAL PAC (FORMERLY SUNTRUST BANKS, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE)2 contributions$10,000
8.EMILYS LIST2 contributions$10,000
9.AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATIONLabor2 contributionsTrade-union PAC for teachers — backs candidates supporting public education funding, collective bargaining rights, and worker protections.AI$10,000
10.BALL CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE2 contributions$10,000
Source: OpenFEC (api.open.fec.gov) Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “committee.” Aggregated by contributing committee. Self-transfers from joint-fundraising / victory committees are excluded.
Top individual contributors · 2026 cycle
Itemized individual contributions over $200 to this rep's campaign committee, aggregated by donor employer. PAC giving is shown above; this section is people, not organizations.
1.JANE STREET CAPITAL$18,000
2.APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT$11,000
3.VERNIER SCIENCE EDUCATION$9,000
4.VIZIENT$8,667
5.CITY OF NEW YORK$7,928
6.U.S. SENATE$7,250
7.THE HARNISCH FOUNDATION$7,000
8.OXBRIDGE HEALTH$7,000
9.KALSHI$7,000
10.D.E. SHAW$7,000
Source: OpenFEC Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “individual,” aggregated by the donor's self-reported employer. This is a geographic / industry correlation, not a corporate endorsement.
