Lawmakers Raise Questions about Proposed Trump Administration Selloff of Federal Properties in Oregon
Oregon senators and representatives ask why the rush to dispose of federal properties in Baker City, Eugene, Medford, Portland & Troutdale
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley along with U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, Janelle Bynum and Maxine Dexter today asked why the Trump administration proposed earlier this week to dispose of federal properties paid for by taxpayers in Baker City, Eugene, Medford, Portland and Troutdale.
“Given Donald Trump’s checkered legacy in the private sector of multiple bankruptcies and real estate deals gone awry, forgive me if I’m more than a little skeptical when that dubious record gets applied to the public sector,” Wyden said. “I’m nowhere near convinced this fire sale of federal assets throughout Oregon is in the best interest of U.S. taxpayers who paid for these facilities or for all Oregonians who depend on them for a reliable power grid, a functional court system, constituent services and more.”
“For a man who spent his whole life treating everything as one big real estate transaction, it’s no surprise Trump doesn’t grasp that federal buildings in our communities provide a central place for folks to access government agencies and the everyday essential services they provide, like keeping our electric grid functioning and providing help with the IRS and Social Security,” said Merkley. “The Department of Government Inefficiency has struck again, and I’ll be pushing to keep this short-sighted deal for Oregonians from closing.”
“There are many ways to make the government more efficient, but a rushed sale of federal buildings that house agencies and services important to Oregonians will not accomplish that goal,” said Bonamici. “ I will continue to stand against Elon Musk and his team of DOGE bros as they work to undermine government and purge critical federal workers.”
“It does not make any sense to demand all federal workers to return to in-person work and then turn around and push the sale of the buildings they work in,” said Hoyle. “This is random and reflects the ongoing chaos of this administration.”
“From help with filing Social Security claims to accessing veterans’ benefits, federal buildings house a number of important services for Oregonians,” said Salinas. “It is troubling that the Trump Administration would move to sell federal facilities across Oregon without offering a clear reason to the taxpayers who pay for these spaces. To me, it seems like President Trump and Elon Musk are trying to take away critical services from working families. I’m not buying what they're selling, and I join my colleagues in demanding answers."
"This doesn't do anything to help Oregonians," said Bynum. "I'm still waiting for this administration to spend their time on lowering costs, creating jobs, and improving our quality of life. That's my focus."
“DOGE wants to sell off the building, our district office, that everyone from Hood River to East Portland depends on for constituent services to the highest bidder,” Dexter said. “This is more of the same from Trump: cruelty in the name of ‘efficiency.’ I will work from a folding table if I have to, but you better believe that I’m going to keep serving our community even if Trump cancels our lease.”
The list of federal properties in Oregon on the national list of federal properties slated for disposal earlier this week by the General Services Administration include the following:
- David J. Wheeler Federal Building, Baker City
- Eugene Federal Building, Eugene
- James A. Redden U.S. Courthouse, Medford
- USGS Building, Medford
- USGS Warehouse, Medford
- Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building, Portland
- 911 Federal Building, Portland
- BPA Building, Portland
- Troutdale Metal Shed, Troutdale
- Troutdale Warehouse, Troutdale
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