Kurt Schrader

Friday Forum: Representative Kurt Schrader

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• published: 16 Oct 2015
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Presented on October 16, 2015, Americans are worried about the future of our nation and are concerned about the lack of accountability in making sure our federal budget is balanced. As ongoing budget conversations continue, how does a Blue Dog Democrat navigate the rocky waters of an unpopular Congress? Representative Kurt Schrader will be joining the City Club Friday Forum for a conversation about his experiences working across the aisle to try and avoid a government shutdown. Representative Kurt Schrader is currently serving his fourth term in the United States House of Representatives. He represents Oregon's 5th Congressional District, which includes all of Marion, Polk, Lincoln and Tillamook Counties as well as the bulk of Clackamas and small portions of Multnomah and Benton Counties. Before being elected to Congress, Schrader, a farmer and veterinarian for more than thirty years, established and managed the Clackamas County Veterinary Clinic in Oregon City and operated his farm where he grew and sold organic fruit and vegetables. In 1996, Representative Schrader was elected to the Oregon State House of Representatives. There he served as a member of the Joint Ways & Means Committee. Schrader was one of five legislators asked by their peers to guide Oregon through the budget crisis of 2001-2002. Schrader was elected to the Oregon State Senate in 2003 and was immediately appointed to chair the Joint Ways & Means Committee. He continued to serve in that capacity until he was elected to U.S. Congress in 2008. Representative Schrader attended Cornell University where he received his BA in Government in 1973. He received his veterinary degree from the University of Illinois in 1977. Representative Schrader currently serves as a member of the exclusive House Committee on Energy and Commerce (E&C;). Prior to joining E&C;, Rep. Schrader served on the House Committee on Agriculture, where he served on the Farm Bill Conference Committee that successfully passed a five year farm bill, the House Committee on Small Business and House Budget Committee. In the 114th Congress, Rep. Schrader will serve on the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health and the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy. Schrader is also the Co-chair for Administration for the Blue Dog Coalition and co-chair of the New Democrat Coalition's Health Care Reform Taskforce.