Blumenauer Applauds University of Oregon Investment in Children's Behavioral Health Research Campus in NE Portland

Press Release

U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer released the following statement after the University of Oregon announced a more than $425 million donation from Connie and Steve Ballmer, co-founders of the Ballmer Group Philanthropy, to repurpose the former Concordia University campus into the Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health at a new University of Oregon campus in Northeast Portland:

"This is an extraordinary development on so many critical levels. Advances in behavioral health for children is a crying need in our community and everywhere across the country. This innovative proposal to help train the workforce and advance science is crucial for our community.

"The generosity of the Ballmer family is an important vote of confidence for Portland and for our state at this challenging time. These unprecedented investments in world class researchers and fire power of the University of Oregon, a tier one public research university, is extraordinary.

"I am also pleased there have been conversations between other local educational institutions in our region, including Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU), Portland State University (PSU), Portland Community College (PCC), and Mt. Hood Community College, all of which I am privileged to represent in Oregon's 3rd Congressional District. This is an opportunity to magnify the impact of this extraordinary act of generosity, and it could not come at a better time or be focused on a more important area of research."

Blumenauer looks forward to providing support for this project in the coming weeks, months, and years.

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