Elections & Federal Power: Oregon’s Gov. Tina Kotek and Secretary of State Tobias Read pushed back hard after President Trump’s latest speech claimed election interference and urged Congress to pass a proof-of-citizenship/voter-ID push, with Read warning Oregon won’t let Washington “compromise our elections.” USPS Ballot Rules: A federal appeals court cleared the way for the Postal Service to move forward (at least temporarily) with a proposed rule requiring states to submit voter lists and use serialized barcodes on federal mail ballots, even as parts remain blocked in some jurisdictions. Wildfire Smoke & Oregon Response: Trump blamed Canada for wildfire smoke and floated adding costs via tariffs; meanwhile, Oregon officials are defending election infrastructure while emergency wildfire planning continues. Endangered Species Act Fight: Conservation groups sued over a Trump administration rule that would narrow ESA “harm” protections, arguing it guts habitat safeguards that keep threatened species alive. Oregon Recycling Law in Court: A federal judge will decide by end of August the fate of Oregon’s packaging recycling modernization law after a trial challenging its constitutionality and impact on interstate commerce. Climate Lawsuit Pressure: Multnomah County’s $51B climate case against Chevron faces new scrutiny after a House Judiciary Committee hearing raised conflict-of-interest questions about the lead attorney. Local Governance: Oregon’s statewide recycling fight and election-defense posture are unfolding alongside local leadership churn, including a fresh search for a city administrator in College Place.