US and Oregon Leaders

Reading and Civics: Leaders

Congress has two parts: the Senate and the House.

The leader of the House of Representatives is called the Speaker of the House.

Right now, the Speaker of the House is Mike Johnson.

He is a Republican. Mike Johnson became Speaker of the House in October 2023.

What is the name of the Speaker of the House now? –> Mike Johnson

The highest court in the United States is the Supreme Court.

The leader of the Supreme Court is called the Chief Justice.

Right now, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is John Roberts.

Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now? –> John Roberts

The leader of the federal government is the president.

The leader of a state is called the governor. In most states, we elect a governor for 4 years.

Extra information: In Vermont and New Hampshire, they elect a governor for only 2 years.

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You need to know the governor of your state. Right now, the governor of Oregon is Tina Kotek. In Washington state, the governor is Jay Inslee.

Who is the Governor of your state now? –> Tina Kotek (Oregon)

Who is the Governor of your state now? –> Jay Inslee (Washington)

Every state has two senators who go to Washington D.C. They work in the Senate.

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Senators work for all of the people in the state. You need to know at least one of the names of your state’s senators.

Oregon’s senators are Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley.

Washington’s senators are Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.

Who is one of your state’s US Senators now? –> Ron Wyden or Jeff Merkley (Oregon) –> Patty Murray or Maria Cantwell (Washington)

Each state also has representatives in the House of Representatives.

Some states have more representatives because they have more people. For example, Oregon has 5 representatives. But, Washington state has 10 representatives.

If you don’t know who your representative is, you can check using your zip code or address on the US House website.

The representative for Portland, Gresham, and some other places is Earl Blumenauer.

The representative for Beaverton and Washington County in Oregon is Suzanne Bonamici.

The representative for Clackamas and some other parts of Oregon is Lori Chavez-DeRemer.

The representative for Salem, Woodburn, Tigard, Tualatin, and some other parts of Oregon is Andrea Salinas.

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Kristina Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez (If you live in Southwest Washington state, your representative is probably Jaime Herrera Beutler. She works for people in Vancouver, Longview, and other parts of Southwest Washington.

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Name your US Representative. –> Earl Blumenauer (Portland), Suzanne Bonamici (Beaverton and Washington County), Kurt Schrader (Lake Oswego, Wilsonville, and farther south), Jaime Herrera Beutler (Southwest Washington)

The United States is a democracy. This means every person has a voice, and every citizen has a vote.

American citizens can do many things to be part of our democracy. They can participate in many ways.

For example, citizens can vote for leaders they like. In Oregon and Washington, citizens can also vote on new laws for the state.

Another way Americans can participate is calling or emailing your representative.

When you call your representative, you can tell them your opinion about important things. A good representative will listen to the people.

A bad representative will not get your votes in the next election. 🙂

What are 2 ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? –> Vote and Call your Representative

Civics Review

1. What is the capital of the United States?*
2. What is the capital of your state?*
3. What is the name of the President of the United States now?*
4. What is the political party of the President now?
5. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
6. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
7. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
8. Who is the Governor of your state now?
9. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?*
10. Name your U.S. Representative.
11. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?