New to the Oregon Legislature and to politics, Salem's Sen. Deb Patterson took on an unusual role for a freshman senator - chairing the Senate Committee on Health Care. Despite the challenges of Zoom hearings, she notched several significant legislative accomplishments, including a bill intended to lower prescription drug prices for Oregonians.

Sen. Deb Patterson, D-Salem, had a noteworthy week, with several bills she chief sponsored passing the Senate. She is the chair of the Senate Health Care committee and has largely focused on that area during her first few months in office.

In Oregon, we believe that everyone should be able to get the care they need. Yet the price of care is increasingly unaffordable and out of reach for many families in our state.