Woodburn Independent Online

Schrader tours local manufacturers

The Congressman came away impressed with Woodburn's industry

• By: Lindsay Keefer  
• Published: 1/8/2010 6:36:28 PM

Photo By: Lindsay KeeferFoursom Golf Cars
Congressman Kurt Schrader sits in one of Foursom Golf Cars’ 2010 E-Merge electric vehicle, which are street legal. Schrader made four stops at local manufacturing plants in Woodburn on Thursday before speaking to the Woodburn Rotary group.

WOODBURN — Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-Oregon District 5) visited four Woodburn manufacturing plants Thursday, learning how small businesses work while talking to owners about issues he could take back to Washington, D.C.
 
The tour is one of many visits Schrader has made throughout District 5, which includes parts of the Oregon Coast and Marion, Polk and Clackamas counties. He has been a U.S. representative since Jan. 2009.
 
“Right now the economy’s not so good and … as a new congressperson … I’m trying to learn from people what they do and how they do it — just what their sense of the economy is and to answer questions they have about what we’re doing in Congress,” Schrader said.
 
“I think it helps me figure out what types of things we should be doing, frankly, for small business, and that’s really helpful, knowing what they really need as opposed to thinking I know what they need. I can ask them.”
 
When Schrader was sworn in a year ago, he was assigned to the House Agriculture Committee and the House Small Business Committee.
 
“Right now, to me, the big agenda item is getting small businesses going again,” he said, noting the high unemployment rate in Oregon.
 
Schrader visited Food Services of America, Specialty Polymers, Supreme Northwest and Foursom Golf Cars.
 
“They’re truly small businesses, generations of small businessmen and women, and how they adapt to a very tough environment and are still basically upbeat, that’s pretty cool,” he said.
 
Schrader added he was glad to see local suppliers for these local businesses.
 
“I think it’s very exciting that they use all local (suppliers) for contacts and parts and as customers too,” he said.
 
He said he was impressed with recovery money going into the buses at Supreme Northwest, and the products at the other manufacturers.
 
“Polymer is pretty amazing, the (Food Services) warehouse is supplying the Pacific Northwest with some of the greatest and greenest food and here we’ve got electric cars in our back yard that I could put on my farm,” he said.
 
Schrader added he wasn’t expecting to find the advances at these facilities.
 
“Woodburn and Canby are small farming communities and here they are all grown up — they have a technology and industrial base that can compete with the big boys and girls in Portland and even Seattle,” he said. “It’s pretty impressive.”
 
After his tours, Schrader met with the Woodburn Rotary Club, speaking for about 10 minutes, followed by a question-and-answer session.
 
“Woodburn’s a happening place,” he said. “I’m very impressed.”
 
Where does he go from here?
 
“Hopefully I’ll go back (to Washington, D.C.) and have a clearer understanding of what small businessmen and women really need,” he said. “I’ll also have a clearer understanding of where Oregon businesses are in this recession and that will hopefully make me a heck of a lot more effective when I get back there.”

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