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Senators denounce federal troop deployment in Portland during opening remarks
Summary
Multiple Oregon senators used opening remonstrances to condemn the federal deployment of troops in Portland, calling the action unnecessary, escalatory and harmful to civil liberties; Senators Pham, Jama and Robinson said the deployment was "unwelcome" and urged federal funding priorities be reversed.
Several Oregon senators opened the day's proceedings by denouncing a federal deployment of troops to Portland and warning that the presence of armed federal forces was counterproductive to public safety and local governance.
Sen. Pham, in the remonstrance portion of the morning, said the deployment was "unwelcome, unneeded, and counterproductive to our efforts" and added, "Nobody in Portland asked for this." She and others urged federal leaders to instead restore funding to health care, housing and education and said militarized responses befit political theater more than public safety.
Other senators reinforced that critique. Sen. Jama said the troop deployment "shattered" community stability and called the move a violation of Oregonians' rights. Sen. Robinson labeled the action "an illegal power grab," arguing that local and state law enforcement are capable of responding to illegal behavior and that federal forces were not necessary.
While senators were unanimous in their invocation of local needs and civil liberties, a few members called for careful assessment of incidents in Portland; Sen. Bonham asked whether senators had read the lawsuit and cited reporting about violent protests to underline the complexity of the situation. The floor remarks did not include a response from federal officials and no formal Senate action on the deployment was recorded in the transcript.
What senators said
- Sen. Pham: "Nobody in Portland asked for this... They are unwelcome, unneeded, and counterproductive to our efforts." - Sen. Jama: The deployment "turns places that we love into places where people feel unsafe." - Sen. Robinson: Called the deployment "an illegal power grab" and thanked the Attorney General for using legal means to halt the incursion.
Next steps
The transcript records the senators' remonstrances and responses on the Senate floor but does not include a formal motion or vote on the matter. The comments were delivered as part of the day's opening responses and will remain in the legislative record.
