After a long and tumultuous vote that led to Rep. Kevin McCarthy being named Speaker of the House, Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., is getting to work in the 118th Congress.
Representing Oregon’s 5th District, which includes parts of Central Oregon, Chavez-DeRemer is the first Republican woman to represent Oregon in the House.
Now officially sworn in, Chavez-DeRemer can focus on her first year goals.
“Getting the cost of living down and answering the questions Oregonians had of how we’re going to to do that,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “Public safety is an issue and making sure we can support our men and women protecting our communities is important.”
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She says setting up her office was delayed due to the four-day vote for speaker. It was the longest vote in modern history and tensions flared on the house floor. Chavez-DeRemer says that while conversations were intense, they bettered the conference.
“We were not sure how long it would take,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “Yes it took longer than maybe what was the norm, but I think it was good conversation amongst our colleagues. It might have seemed to the world it was a little chaotic. There were lots of conversations happening and sure they were intense, but we’re a better conference for it and we’re still the majority.”
Some House Republicans have said they want to look into impeachment investigations against some Democrats in power. DeRemer says she won’t be seeking a seat on the Oversight and Accountability Committee that looks into these investigations.
“The committees that I’m focused on are transportation and infrastructure, agriculture, the farm bill will be coming up. So I am not seeking out oversight and accountability, but I do think it is an important committee to have,” she said.
Chavez-DeRemer says she is looking forward to working with representatives on both sides of the aisle and serving her constituents. She will be back in Central Oregon in two weeks.
