Oregon Democratic Representative Peter DeFazio in the KLCC studios.
Credit Rachael McDonald / KLCC
He said the package will help 70,000 unemployed Oregonians, give relief to small businesses, and help tenants and property owners with eviction assistance. There are also funds for COVID-19 vaccines and contact tracing in the state.
DeFazio said he would like to have seen larger relief checks and a longer extension of unemployment benefits.
“All in all it’s good,” DeFazio said. “It’s probably not adequate. I think we’ll need another package in March, until we get out of this. And then we move toward recovery. And recovery, a key part of that will be my 21st century infrastructure bill. I’ve already talked with the Biden folks about that.”
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Dredge operations by the Port of Coos Bay.
Credit Port of Coos Bay
DeFazio said a dedicated container tax that’s meant for harbor maintenance has long been diverted by congress. He said there’s $10 billion in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund that has finally been unlocked by the recent legislation. He says this will allow small Oregon ports to do dredging and jetty maintenance projects they have long put off.
“And it’s going to be very helpful for the coastal economy in terms of sports fishing and commercial fishing, and the coast guard have been limited in some of their activities because of shoaled in harbor entrances,” DeFazio said.