Oregon U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio announced Wednesday he will be leaving Congress when his term ends in 2023 after nearly 40 years.
EUGENE, Oregon - The man who has represented Lane County and much of southwestern Oregon in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly 40 years will not seek reelection in 2022.
"The last year and a half has been a whirlwind, and I've gotten a lot of long-awaited goals done, along with all my past accomplishments, just in the last year."Born in Massachusetts, DeFazio now lives in Springfield, Oregon. DeFazio was first elected to Congress in 1986. DeFazio was instrumental in the recent passage of a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that got bipartisan support in Congress. DeFazio shepherded the bill through the House, though the Senate removed key provisions before it was sent back for final passage.
DeFazio was lauded Wednesday by conservation groups for work that began with funding west Eugene wetlands restoration and ended with the latest infrastructure bill, into which were written measures meant to mitigate climate change across the country.Buttigieg, DeFazio test drive electric LTD bus to promote transit infrastructure legislation
"It's tiring; to have to be chairman of a committee and have incredible national responsibilities and demands here, and then have the longest commute home to campaign," he told The Register-Guard.