12/03/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/03/2025 23:01
Oregon City, OR - Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05)released the below statement following Governor Tina Kotek's announcement of the "Oregon's Prosperity Roadmap," her administration's plan to boost the state's economy.
"Whether it is losing 25,000 jobs this year, or coming in 39th in the country for our overall business environment, it's clear that Oregon's economy is shifting. We're seeing businesses leave our state, unemployment rising, and economic growth slowing - we can't continue to accept that as our reality," said Rep. Bynum. "This roadmap is a step in the right direction, and I'll remain a partner on the federal level to advance policies that create more jobs, better opportunities, and a stronger workforce across our state."
A recent CNBC studyranked Oregon 39th in the country for its overall business environment, considering factors like business friendliness, the cost of doing business, and the workforce. Another analysisrevealed that the state's economy is growing slower than the national average while the unemployment rate is rising faster.
Rep. Bynum has long been a champion for revitalizing the economy in the state of Oregon. Prior to being sworn in to Congress, she chaired the Small Business and Economic Development Committee in the Oregon statehouse, where she worked across the aisle to pass the Oregon CHIPS Act - the most pro-business, pro-worker, pro-Oregon collaboration in history. The massive economic development package bridged the interests of Oregon's working families, businesses, underserved and rural communities, labor, and educational institutions.
"Oregon's Prosperity Roadmap" aimsto increase Oregon's gross domestic product, improve the state's placement in a national ranking of state workforces, and increase its ranking for overall business indicators. The strategies outlined include establishing programs to streamline major infrastructure projects, increasing the volume of and access to workforce training and certification programs, and providing more loans for site development.
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