When the next U.S. Congress convenes on January 2023, it will mark several milestones.

Ron Wyden will be the state’s second longest-serving senator in history. It seems to go with the job – there have been three senators holding the seat since 1944 – Wayne Morse, Bob Packood and Ron Wyden.

For the first time in 130 year, Bend and Redmond won’t be part of Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District.

Section 2 of the 20th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution sets out the date as when new members of Congress are sworn.

At the beginning of the day, U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Candby, will be a Member of Congress. After the swearing in, he will be a private citizen, his place taken by U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Happy Valley.

Peter DeFazio, D-Springfield will be officially retired and Val Hoyle will move from being a state executive officeholder to a federal one.

To find out the start date of previous Congresses visit the web page, “Dates of Sessions of Congress, present – 1789.”

What happens to the legislation being considered in the previous year

Under redistricting approved last year by the Legislature and Gov. Kate Brown, the northern portions of Deschutes County were linked with the 5th Congressional District running from Portland to Linn County, then east over the Cascades to take in the increasingly Democratic-leaning areas of northern Deschutes County.

Oregon was admitted as the 33rd state on Feb. 14, 1859. Under the U.S. Constitution, every state is represented in Washington, D.C. by two U.S. Senators. But the number of U.S. House members were based on population. Four states had only one U.S. House member – newcomers Oregon, Kansas and Florida, along with the first state – Delaware.

Oregon’s neighbor, California, admitted in 1850, had two U.S. House members.

In the presidential election of 1860, just three of the 33 states were west of the Mississippi River – Texas, California, and Oregon. Oregon was narrowly won by Republican Abraham Lincoln. His election led 11 states to secede. When the northwestern portion of Virginia opposed joining the Confederacy, the United States admitted West Virginia as a new state. 

At a time when slavery was the crucial issue in the nation, Oregon was admitted as a “free” state, while Kansas was admitted next 

Under the U.S. Constitution, every state is represented in Washington, D.C. by two U.S. Senators. But U.S. House members were based on population.

Lafayette Grover, a prominent Democratic politician and longtime territorial representative, had been chosen as the first U.S. House member in 1858.

But delays in the statehood process meant he held his seat just 17 days before the new election. Like all of Oregon, all of Deschutes County was originally represented upon statehood by a single “at-large” U.S. House member. 

When For the first time in 130 years, Bend and Redmond will change congressional districts. Upon statehood in 1859, all of Oregon was represented “at-large,” with the first officeholder being future Gov. Lafeyette Grover.

He served just 17 days due to delays in finishing the statehood process.

Following the 1890 census, Oregon was awarded a second seat and the state was divided between the 1st Congressional District, centered on Portland, and the 2nd district, which took up the vast majority of the state.

As Oregon added three more seats over the decades, the 2nd district remained the seat for almost all of Oregon east of the Cascades.

With redistricting following the 2020 U.S. Census, the legislature approved new maps which included a district running from Portland, over the Cascades, to northern Deschutes County. before not be part of the 2nd Congressional District.

From statehood in 1859 to 1893, all of Oregon was represented by one U.S. House member. Future Gov. Lafayette Grover, a Democrat, was the state’s first member of Congress – for just 17 days. Neighboring California had two U.S. Congress members.

U.S. Rep. Lafayette Grover, a Democrat, was the state’s first “at large” congressman. He served 17 days before a new election chose former California assemblyman Lansing Stout, also a Democrat. Grover went on to be governor and U.S. Senator.

When Oregon was admitted to the United States in 1859, U.S. Rep. Lafayette Grover, a Democrat who had worked for the Department of Interior, was elected to ease the transition into the union.

He served just 17 days before , was elected to ensure abecame a state in 1859, the entire state was represented by one member of Congress. U.S. Rep. Lafayette Grover, R-t was representated by one member of Congress it had one congressional seat.

When the population grew big enough, be in something other than the 2nd Congressional District. With redistricting for the 2022 election, the northern part of Deschutes County was added to the 5th Congressional District.

Politico magazine reported last week that the conservative dark money fund DonorsTrust had $1.5 billion in its funds at the beginning of 2022 – with a majority coming from two anonymous donors who each gave $425 million.

Contributions to candidates running for President, U.S. Senate or U.S. House operate under strict limits regulated by the Federal Elections Commission. But groups that don’t coordinate with candidates are free to raise and spend as much money as they wish – usually to fund advertising against opponents of the candidates they support.