BEND, Ore. — Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield brought his statewide “Safeguarding Oregon: Federal Oversight Forum” series to Bend on Saturday, hosting a town hall at Oregon State University-Cascades to hear directly from residents and organizations affected by recent federal budget cuts.

Joined by Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.), State Sen. Anthony Broadman (D-Bend), and Rep. Jason Kropf (D-Bend), Rayfield listened as community members shared how cuts to food assistance, healthcare, and public safety programs have disrupted daily life in Central Oregon.

“The Trump administration has been making day-to-day decisions that are impacting Oregonians,” Rayfield said during the forum. “It’s created chaos in their lives, and they’ve been doing it in the dark. Today is a chance for folks to tell us what they’re seeing in their communities.”

Testimony came from local nonprofits, healthcare workers, and residents who described increased food insecurity, longer wait times for medical care, and understaffed public services as direct consequences of federal reductions in funding.

The event marked the third stop in Rayfield’s oversight series, which previously held forums in Eugene and Portland. The initiative aims to collect on-the-ground input from Oregonians and strengthen the state’s response to federal policy changes that affect core services.

Organizers said the information gathered will help shape legal strategies, legislative proposals, and potential advocacy efforts to protect vulnerable populations from further harm.

Rayfield and other participating lawmakers emphasized their commitment to transparency and accountability in government, vowing to continue pushing back against what they describe as harmful and opaque federal decision-making.

Future stops in the forum series are expected to be announced later this month.