Tracy Cramer

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Tracy Cramer

| image =

| state_house = Oregon

| district = 22nd

| term_start = January 9, 2023

| term_end = January 13, 2025

| predecessor = Teresa Alonso Leon

| successor = Lesly Muñoz

| party = Republican

| birth_place = Gervais, Oregon, U.S.

| signature = Tracy Cramer Signature.png

}}

Tracy Cramer is an Oregon Republican politician. She served in the Oregon House of Representatives for District 22 from 2023 to 2025, representing parts of Marion county, including the cities of Woodburn, Gervais, Brooks, and Salem.{{cite web|url=https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/cramer|title=Representative Tracy Cramer|publisher=Oregon State Legislature|accessdate=May 15, 2023|archive-date=May 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521122643/https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/cramer|url-status=live}}

Early life and career

Cramer was born and raised in Gervais, Oregon. She graduated from Gervais High School and worked as a dental assistant.{{cite news|url=https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/04/27/2-republican-candidates-running-house-district-22-woodburn-north-salem-tracy-cramer-james-lowder/65347708007/|title=2 Republicans compete in House District 22 race|last=Ludo|first=Dianne|publisher=Statesman Journal|date=April 27, 2022|accessdate=May 15, 2023|archive-date=October 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031063711/https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/04/27/2-republican-candidates-running-house-district-22-woodburn-north-salem-tracy-cramer-james-lowder/65347708007/|url-status=live}} She and her husband Jake have three children.

Political career

In the 2022 Oregon House of Representatives election, Cramer defeated Democrat Anthony Medina.{{cite news|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/11/republican-newcomer-tracy-cramer-appears-to-win-house-seat-stretching-from-woodburn-to-salem.html|title=Republican newcomer Tracy Cramer appears to win House seat stretching from Woodburn to Salem|date=November 8, 2022|accessdate=May 5, 2023|last=Green|first=Aimee|publisher=The Oregonian|archive-date=May 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230515170104/https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/11/republican-newcomer-tracy-cramer-appears-to-win-house-seat-stretching-from-woodburn-to-salem.html|url-status=live}}

In her first term in office, Cramer sponsored legislation in favor of school choice,{{Cite web |title=HB2557 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB2557 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=olis.oregonlegislature.gov}} to provide record funding for Oregon public schools,{{Cite web |title=HB3627 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB3627 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=olis.oregonlegislature.gov}} repeal Measure 110,{{Cite web |title=HB4036 2024 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2024R1/Measures/Overview/HB4036 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=olis.oregonlegislature.gov}} and put tighter restrictions on the possession and use of fentynal.{{Cite web |title=HB2645 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB2645 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=olis.oregonlegislature.gov}} She also supported legislation aimed at addressing Oregon's housing shortage,{{Cite web |title=HB2001 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB2001 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=olis.oregonlegislature.gov}} including specific funding for housing for agricultural workers{{Cite web |title=HB3395 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB3395 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=olis.oregonlegislature.gov}} and victims of sexual and domestic violence.{{Cite web |title=HB3018 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB3018 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=olis.oregonlegislature.gov}}

Cramer is a member of the House Education Committee, House Early Childhood and Human Services Committee, and the Education budget committee.

Cramer was vocally opposed to a move by the Oregon State Board of Education to suspend graduation standards in Oregon high schools for another four years, following the Legislature's suspension in 2021. She told the Oregon Capital Chronicle at the time: "I think the bigger issue here is that the board has continued to remove standards and has not come up with a game plan,” she said. “I think that’s why parents and Oregonians are kind of frustrated. Just because graduation rates are improving, it doesn’t mean proficiency is.”{{Cite web |last=Baumhardt |first=Alex |date=2023-10-19 |title=Oregon students won't have to show added proficiency in basic skills through 2028 to graduate • Oregon Capital Chronicle |url=https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2023/10/19/oregon-students-wont-have-to-show-added-proficiency-in-basic-skills-through-2028-to-graduate/ |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=Oregon Capital Chronicle |language=en-US}}

Cramer has made her mark as one of the most anti-abortion members of the Oregon legislature. Staunchly pro-life, Cramer was a chief sponsor of [https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB3420 HB 3420]{{Cite web |title=Oregon Legislative Information System |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Error |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=olis.oregonlegislature.gov}} and a regular sponsor of [https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB2526 HB 2526]{{Cite web |title=Oregon Legislative Information System |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Error |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=olis.oregonlegislature.gov}} and [https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB2424 HB 2424] in the 2023 legislative session.{{Cite web |title=Oregon Legislative Information System |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Error |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=olis.oregonlegislature.gov}}

Cramer voted against a bill ([https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB2697 HB 2697]) in 2023 that required staffing ratios of a certain level in Oregon hospitals. After passage, Oregon's largest nurses union, Oregon Nursing Association, expressed concern about the subsequent rulemaking that make it overly complicated for emergency departments and their staff.{{Cite web |title=Nurses union sees snag with hospital staffing law about to take effect {{!}} The Lund Report |url=https://www.thelundreport.org/content/nurses-union-sees-snag-hospital-staffing-law-about-take-effect |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=www.thelundreport.org}}

She challenged the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care — a new executive branch agency tasked with overseeing various preschool and early childhood education programs — about alleged misuse of taxpayer funds.{{Cite web |last=Giardinelli |first=Christina |date=2023-04-06 |title=Oregon's Early Learning Division responds after millions spent on unfilled preschool slots |url=https://ktvl.com/news/local/oregon-early-learning-division-responds-to-millions-spent-on-unfilled-preschool-slots-promise |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=KTVL |language=en}} The Department of accused of spending millions of dollars on preschool slots that were never filled.

Cramer was one of 29 legislators to vote no on [https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/SB184 SB184], legislation that requires payments made to independent contractors be reported to the state for child support collecting purposes.{{Cite web |title=Oregon Legislative Information System |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Error |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=olis.oregonlegislature.gov}}{{Cite web |title=SB 184 to Change Child Support Reporting Requirements |url=https://natlawreview.com/article/oregon-child-support-reporting-requirements-soon-will-include-employer-payments-to |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=natlawreview.com |language=en}}

In the 2024 Oregon House of Representatives election, Cramer was narrowly defeated by Democratic challenger and education consultant Lesly Munoz.{{Cite web |title=Oregon Democrats seal legislative supermajorities with win in tight House race |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2024/11/27/lesly-munoz-tracy-cramer-woodburn-oregon-house/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=opb |language=en}}