Podcast by KXL-Morning News

Podcast by KXL-Morning News

Portland’s Morning News On Demand

Lots going on this week, with homelessness, kids' mental health, Medicaid, and funding all in crisis states, according to many leaders and experts, both nationwide and in Oregon. We start with homelessness and Portland's mayor. This week, he made an impassioned plea for what he calls his "Safe Bed for Every Neighbor Every Night" plan to end unsheltered homelessness, citing a record breaking trend of homeless deaths in recent years. Mayor Keith Wilson described his blueprint, focusing on more overnight shelters and more day centers.

Podcast by KXL-Morning News

Podcast by KXL-Morning News

Portland’s Morning News On Demand

Podcast by KXL-Morning News

Podcast by KXL-Morning News

The eyes of the nation focused on Lori Chavez- DeRimer, Oregon's first Republican Congresswoman and President Donald Trump's pick for U. S. Labor Secretary. She appeared before U. S. Senators trying to pick up congressional support for her bid.

Some Republicans on the Senate's Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, or HELP, committee remain suspicious of her union stances, which they say clash with the business community. With one Republican. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky already announcing he's against her bid, the Republican former congresswoman would need at least one Democrat on the committee to cross over and vote for her. She narrowly won the congressional race to represent Oregon's 5th district in 2022, but she lost the seat to Democrat Janelle Bynum last November. The former Happy Valley Mayor has earned praise from some groups traditionally aligned with Democrats, such as the AFL CIO, and she once worked at Planned Parenthood, though she said it was a brief, part time job.