A guest column recently published in this newspaper contained inaccurate information regarding Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer’s leadership on border security and foreign aid.

It was falsely stated that the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act is a Senate bill. However, this proposal was introduced in the House by Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer and a bipartisan group of her colleagues on the Problem Solvers Caucus. Since its introduction on February 16, the congresswoman has been outspoken in urging her colleagues across the political spectrum to support this bill. Chavez-DeRemer and over a dozen of her colleagues — both Republicans and Democrats — have signed a petition to force this bill out of committee and onto the House floor for a vote.

The column also contained misleading information regarding the Senate’s actions on foreign aid and border security. The upper chamber’s immigration deal did not survive a cloture vote, and therefore it never received a vote in the Senate. Senators did pass a separate foreign aid package, but it is a nonstarter in the House unless border security provisions are included. That’s why the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act was introduced — it’s the only bipartisan solution that is currently on the table to address both of these important issues with the urgency they demand.

Finally, while bipartisanship in Washington, D.C., does not typically receive the same attention as controversial topics, a significant appropriations package was recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden. It included several priorities led by Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer, including over $25 million in transportation and infrastructure investments that will benefit communities across the 5th District. Six million dollars will be coming to Bend’s airport to complete a new air traffic control tower. The city will also receive $5.7 million to construct a pedestrian overpass over U.S. 97.

Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer will continue working across the aisle to find pragmatic solutions and deliver results for her constituents.

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