Priorities
EDUCATION
Dick knows nothing is more important than our children and grandchildren’s education.
Dick will work to ensure the goals of the recently-enacted “Student Success Act.” Dick’s Accomplishments become reality. He will make sure investment are used to reduce classroom overcrowding, invest in more STEAM courses, improve graduation rates, expand access to career & technical training and provide more mental health and counseling for students. 
Dick will also work to bring down the skyrocketing cost of a university education. Oregon’s public college and university tuition is above the national average. Those high costs mean our kids and grandkids are taking on mountains of debt or foregoing the opportunities a college degree can offer them.
Dick knows it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s why he’ll work for tuition-free community college as well as for affordable 4-year degree affordable again
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
Dick Schouten has always been ahead of the curve on protecting the environment. In the State Senate, Dick will help lead efforts to pass meaningful climate change legislation.
Dick knows climate change is the defining issue of our time and how we respond to this crisis will define the world we pass on to our children and grandchildren.
That’s why Dick will never stop fighting to pass a Cap and Trade bill like the one that stalled in the State Senate. He knows we have to put Oregon where it belongs—in the forefront of the battle to save our planet.
Dick will also work to ensure Oregon continues and expands on its commitment to protect natural areas, keep our air and water clean and ensure our state incentivizes the development of clean, new alternatives to fossil fuels.
Prescription costs and health care services
Dick Schouten will work to lower sky-high prescription costs and make it easier for people to get the mental health care services and addiction treatment they need.
Dick believes access to health care is a fundamental human right. And that also means access to life-saving drugs at an affordable price. Dick is ready to push drug makers to stop gouging patients and ensure more people can get the prescriptions they need at a reasonable price.
Dick will also work to improve access to mental health services along with expanding access to addiction treatment programs across our state.
Affordable housing
Dick Schouten knows we have to do more to ensure everyone can afford to call our community home.
On the Washington County Commission, Dick has been a strong advocate for expanding affordable housing. Dick will build on that record in the State Senate and ensure we are taking a statewide, comprehensive approach to this burgeoning problem.
Dick knows that lack of affordable housing has contributed to our state’s growing problem of people who are unhoused. While homelessness has many root causes, addressing the lack of affordable, stable housing as to be part of a comprehensive approach to meeting this challenge.
Defending Progressive Values
With Donald Trump in the White House, it’s more important than ever that we elect strong, committed progressives to our state legislature to ensure Oregonians’ rights are protected.
Democrat Dick Schouten is proudly pro-choice and will never let extremists impose their views on the rest of us or take away women’s access to the full range of reproductive health care services they need.
Schouten will also work to expand protections for and guarantee the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and ensure our state continues to work to lift up minority communities, immigrants and other people Trump and his administration are targeting.