Mayor Lucy Vinis introduced Senator Ron Wyden at his 1035th Town Hall in the packed gym of Arts and Technology Academy in Eugene. She said, “He keeps coming back, he cares about what you think, he takes time to listen, and he turns it into action. And second, he knows what he’s talking about and has the determination to get things done.”
Senator Wyden began the town hall by recognizing Manju Bangalore in the audience who was just crowned Miss World Oregon. “She’s a scientist, aspiring actress, looking at space travel; everything she touches turns into a message of public service. She and I share an interest in the view that nothing is more important than health care.”
Bangalore spoke to the audience about Operation Period, which, according to her website, is a youth-led, all-volunteer, menstrual health non-profit. They provide menstrual products to folks in need.
Community members expressed concerns that ranged from the deeply personal to the general well-being of the country. A University of Oregon student asked about the ever-increasing cost of tuition. Senator Wyden discussed his support for expanding Pell Grants and for pushing through the Biden administration’s new debt relief program. He also talked about holding educational institutions accountable for rate hikes.
Senator Wyden also had a back-and-forth with a man who was concerned with the crisis of homelessness in Oregon — but especially in Eugene. He said that he has been a social worker in this town since the 1960s and that the lack of services and resources has led to an increase in homelessness.
The speaker shared a personal story of a woman who he sat with on the steps of a church for over an hour while she screamed. CAHOOTS was too busy to send someone to help and all the police could do was remove her from the area and possibly put her in danger. He explained that unhoused people are at an increased risk of violence including robbery, assault, and rape.
Senator Wyden shared that his brother suffers from schizophrenia and was homeless. He said that his brother was always afraid of the violence on the streets. “Way too many Oregonians are falling between the cracks.” He emphasized funding behavioral healthcare and connected one of his staff members with the questioner to see if they could help with the woman he discussed.
A community member asked Senator Wyden if he could share anything that he is optimistic about. He laughed about how Miss World Oregon Manju Bangalore’s potential presidency makes him optimistic. He also said that the American people beat big pharma when they passed the Inflation Reduction Act which, among other things, capped insulin at $35 for Medicare and Medicaid recipients. “I’m extremely excited that the American people beat big pharma. I walked out of the senate and pinched myself.”
The senator addressed a question about the preservation of democracy by stressing the importance of town halls, voting by mail, and replacing the electoral college with the popular vote. He discussed the fears of rising fascism with a personal anecdote about his father who was a member of the Ritchie Boys, a unit of mainly German born Jews who supported the allies in WWII.
Senator Wyden will continue his Town Hall tour in Marion County on Jan. 17, Multnomah County on Jan. 18, and Clackamas County on Jan. 20.
