“Hidden behind all of the Governor’s flowery words are crushing new taxes on businesses and working families who are already struggling to make ends meet. No amount of sloganeering will unite Oregonians or solve the real issues they face.

“The Governor dedicated much of her time to racial issues. Senate Republicans are committed to ensuring everyone has equal opportunities to succeed, which includes common sense police accountability measures, some of which we have already passed. But the Governor’s lockdowns have done disproportionate harm to minority workers and students, and her failure to uphold the law in Portland has resulted in a disproportionate number of people from our communities of color falling victim to gun violence.

“Democrats, who have overseen this state for decades, particularly in Portland, need to take responsibility for years of mismanagement.

“As Republicans, we want to get kids back in school and people back to work so they can provide for their families. We want to keep our neighborhoods safe, so people have the opportunity to be their best. Our priority this session will be to solve Oregonians' most pressing issues. As a caucus, we look forward to introducing legislation that will move Oregon forward and help them recover from the crises we face.”