Congressman Earl Blumenauer

Congress' Earl Blumenauer on Federal Policy Making Challenges & Opportunities

Submitted on May 10, 2018 - 3pm

Issue:

Spring 2018

Oregon Congressmember Earl Blumenauer returns to VX News to explain why infrastructure issues are so difficult to tackle under the Trump administration, and shares his most urgent priorities: funding road maintenance through a higher gas tax and, eventually, a road user charge; passing a farm bill that ensures nationwide access to clean water and healthy food; and helping a growing number of states capitalize on the newly legal cannabis industry.

Congressman Earl Blumenauer Assesses Government’s Short-Sighted Response to Natural Disasters and Climate Change

Submitted on July 28, 2015 - 12pm

Issue:

Summer 2013

Over the past three decades, North America has seen a fivefold increase in weather-related natural disasters, with relief spending mirroring this exponential trend. As the population grows, the number of Americans residing in “at risk” areas along the coast, rivers, and in the “fire zone” also continues to rise. In the following VerdeXchange News interview, Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer explains why our current federal policy on natural disaster recovery is both fiscally unsustainable and life threatening. He suggests the changes in zoning, infrastructure investment, insurance, and taxation that must occur on a national scale to prepare for climate change.