<div> Make affordable child care a top priority in Congress As we approach the upcoming election, it is imperative that candidates prioritize child care. The average cost of child care for two kids now exceeds the average cost of rent across all 50 states, including here in Oregon, where families pay about $14,000 per year for just one young child’s care — equivalent to almost 40% of a single parent’s income. This overwhelming cost is placing significant financial strain on families. Beyond the expense, all over the state there are “child care deserts.” Where I live in Clackamas County, 11,000 child care slots are needed to meet current demand. The few options that do exist are prohibitively expensive, leaving many families in a constant state of stress, forced to make impossible choices between securing care and meeting other needs. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> This crisis also has rippling effects. Many parents, especially mothers, are forced to reduce their work hours or leave the workforce altogether due to the lack of affordable child care. During this election season, candidates often talk about putting families first, but we need real policy solutions that ensure families like ours aren’t forced to make these impossible choices. This is not a partisan issue. A strong majority — 89% of voters — want candidates to have a plan to help working parents afford high-quality child care. I urge U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-2nd District, and U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, to commit to prioritizing child care in their first 100 days if reelected. Our families, businesses, and children’s futures depend on it. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Jamie Schau Safe gun storage key to prevent school shootings My heart aches with each school shooting. Sadly, gun violence is a leading cause of death in our children in U.S. Gun violence in the United States is a crisis that threatens the well-being of every person in the U.S. We have more guns in the U.S. than people. I believe gun violence is preventable, not inevitable. No child should have free access to any firearm. Around 75% of school shootings originate with a young person accessing a firearm in their own home. More than 50% of households in Oregon own firearms and only about 40% of those households are estimated to store their weapons securely. Safe storage is law in Oregon, but we need to do more to promote responsible ownership and safe gun storage. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Safe Storage should be the norm. Barriers to safe storage include cost and ease of access in emergencies. It’s time for Oregonians to protect our children. Oregon can provide easier access to secure storage devices through tax incentives or rebates for purchasing secure gun storage devices. With minimal investment from the state, we can lower the barriers and save lives. The time to act is now before more innocent children die from gun violence. Elizabeth Klein Southwest Portland Congress should launch immediate reforms of Pharmacy Benefit Managers My career in health policy has shown me that affordability is the top issue plaguing patients and their access to care. It is encouraging to see Congressional leaders, like U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, focusing on the culprit most responsible for the current drug pricing crisis: Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> PBMs act as middlemen in the prescription drug supply chain, claiming to lower prices through negotiations, but the data shows otherwise. These companies often secure rebates and discounts from drug manufacturers while patients continue to pay out-of-pocket costs based on inflated list prices. Reports indicate PBMs pocket nearly 50 cents of every dollar spent on brand-name drugs. Even more concerning, PBMs sometimes favor expensive drugs due to the fees they collect from manufacturers, limiting access to cheaper alternatives. As a co-founder of the Oregon Pediatric Improvement Partnership, I’ve seen how the current PBM system creates barriers to care for children with special health care needs. When families struggle to afford prescribed medications or are forced to switch to less effective alternatives due to PBM formulary decisions, it can have long-lasting consequences on a child’s health and development. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Recently, the Federal Trade Commission published a report and announced a lawsuit aimed at forcing transparency around PBM practices and curbing their influence. The House Oversight Committee has launched its own investigation with similar goals. With families making impossible choices between food, housing, and needed medications every day, it is crucial that we urge Congress to enact bipartisan PBM reform and get it done this year. Charles Gallia Oregon City <nbtemplate data-content=eyJhcGlLZXkiOiAiZDgxM2Q5Yzg3NTI3N2IzNWU0YzRmZDM0NTAyMjJkNmQiLCAiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiAiR2V0IG1vcmUgc3RvcmllcyBsaWtlIHRoaXMuIiwgImV2ZW50IjogIm1wX3N1YnNjcmlwdGlvbl9idXR0b25fY2xpY2tfZXZlbnQiLCAidXJsIjogImh0dHBzOi8vc3FyLmNvL0NDU05ld3NsZXR0ZXIvIiwgIm1lZGlhSWQiOiAxNDkwMjE2LCAidGl0bGUiOiAiUHJpbnQgbGV0dGVycyBTZXB0LiAxNywgMjAyNCJ9 data-id=MediaPlatformAmplitudeButton></nbtemplate></div>

Mountain View, CA

Make affordable child care a top priority in Congress
                As we approach the upcoming election, it is imperative that candidates prioritize child care.
                The average cost of child care for two kids now exceeds the average cost of rent across all 50 states, including here in Oregon, where families pay about $14,000 per year for just one young child’s care — equivalent to almost 40% of a single parent’s income....