Suzanne Bonamici

Suzanne Bonamici is a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Oregon's 1st Congressional District. She was first elected to Congress in a January 2012 special election and has been re-elected in every subsequent general election. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she moved to Oregon in the mid-1970s. She earned an associate degree from Lane Community College before completing both her bachelor's degree in journalism and her Juris Doctor at the University of Oregon. Prior to her congressional service, Bonamici established a career in consumer protection law. She served as an attorney for the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., working in the Credit Practices Division to protect consumers from predatory lending. She later entered private practice in Portland, representing individuals and small businesses. Her career in public service began as a legislative assistant in the Oregon House, followed by her own election to the Oregon House of Representatives in 2006 and an appointment to the Oregon State Senate in 2008. In the U.S. House, Bonamici is a senior member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. She played a central role in the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which aimed to increase local control over education and reduce duplicative testing. She is also the co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional STEAM Caucus, which advocates for the integration of arts and design into STEM education to foster innovation.

Representative Bonamici describes healthcare as a human right and supports moves toward universal health care, including expanding the Affordable Care Act and lowering prescription drug costs. On the environment, she is a strong advocate for climate action and served on the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis; she emphasizes the transition to a clean energy economy and the protection of ocean health. Her economic positions focus on strengthening the middle class through investments in education and workforce development, as well as supporting trade agreements that include high labor and environmental standards. In foreign policy, she prioritizes diplomacy and human rights, supporting international aid for allies like Ukraine and Israel while also advocating for humanitarian assistance for Palestinian civilians in Gaza. She is a consistent supporter of reproductive rights, gun violence prevention measures such as universal background checks, and immigration policies that include humane treatment for refugees and a pathway to citizenship for 'Dreamers'.