Earl Blumenauer

“ In Oregon, we pride ourselves on our strong community and a commitment to quality of life and education. Public libraries are a vital piece of this fabric and, in fact, Oregon has the second highest circulation of public library materials in the nation and the only 5- star library in the Northwest. As the economic downturn has pushed family budgets to the brink, these resources are more important than ever. In addition to public reading and visual materials, libraries offer Internet and computer access for all, free of charge. Many also serve as community spaces for gatherings and events. ”

“ One of my favorite programs, the Surplus Books Program, is an innovative service through which Members may send extra books from the Library of Congress to schools and libraries in their home district. At a time when funding for public schools and libraries is scarce, this is a simple way to reduce waste and distribute excess resources to our communities and schools where they are critically needed. ”

“ Instead, the season that celebrates Christ's humble birth in a manger has been commercialized and cheapened by those who celebrate it as the retail highlight of the year.
My sincere wish for the New Year is that House leadership sets aside its penchant for distracting and divisive issues to focus on solutions to problems that face Americans every day. ”