Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 10 talented men and women being inducted into the Medford Sports Hall of Fame on April 28, 2007, at the Skyline Plaza in Medford, OR. The Medford Sports Hall of Fame was established to ensure that local athletes, coaches, and contributors would be rightfully recognized for their significant support of athletics in southern Oregon both on and off the field. Today, I would like to share some of the stories that depict the inductees' illustrious athletic achievements.

Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

At this time in its present form I am.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I want to first commend the gentleman from Minnesota. He has a tough job; he has done it well on this committee. I have enjoyed my work over the years on issues where we have agreed. I bring this motion to recommit to the floor for a couple of reasons.

The first deals with the issue of global warming and America's energy independence. I was appointed recently to the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. We have had a lot of hearings there and in the Energy and Commerce Committee and in the Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee about how do we make America both energy independent and reduce our carbon emissions and greenhouse gas emissions.

Obviously, coming from the Pacific Northwest, we are blessed in that a large percentage of our electrical generation comes from these large hydropower projects. Hydropower for America means no greenhouse gas emissions, virtually, virtually none. I suppose you could say there is some in the creation of the cement that goes into the concrete that makes up the dams, but once they are built, they are 90 percent efficient and no carbon emissions. So, obviously, there is discussion out there in the courts and elsewhere about reducing hydropower by eliminating dams.

I think it would help us in our work, in both the Select Committee on Energy and Independence, and on global warming, to know what the impacts are and if you remove the hydropower system in any course or place, what the impacts on domestic energy cost to consumers would be; what would the need be to import more energy as replacement, because obviously that is one of the issues that we look at. If you take out a particular power generation capacity, and especially one that is 90 percent efficient and doesn't emit green house gases, then what's the carbon footprint for the replacement power?

We would look at that and call for a report on the types of fossil- based fuels or other energy sources, perhaps including clean nuclear, to replace this power that would likely be utilized.

In addition, we ask for a report on maintenance of the lock system as well, which is extraordinarily important. I want to point out that in 2004 alone, more than 160 million tons of carbon emissions were avoided in the United States when 268 million megawatt hours of hydroelectricity were generated. Hydropower offsets more carbon emissions than all other renewable energy sources combined.

If they were to be removed, the dams in the Northwest, it would take six and a half 500-megawatt coal-fired plants to replace the energy generated, not that anybody is talking about replacing them all. That, though, would increase CO2 emissions by 47.4 billion pounds, 47.4 billion pounds.

Let's look at this in replacement of shipping terms, if we don't take care of locks. In the Columbia and Snake River system, certainly in the Columbia River, certainly at John Day, there are issues about these antiquated locks that are having real maintenance needs, and yet we lack funding in some cases to deal with it.

A tow of four 3,500-ton grain barges equates to 400 trucks each at 400 horsepower. For example Tidewater Barge Company, a single example, Tidewater ships about 6 million tons up and down the Columbia River each year. These 6 million tons would require 171,200 trucks if the barging capability was removed. Over 171,000 trucks. So you can see why I am concerned about lock maintenance and the need to continue down that path. This motion to recommit would do that.

I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana.

I think as spelled out in this motion to recommit, the gentleman is correct.

Certainly anything that would be required here, because it does require the Corps to inventory, develop and maintain all lands, properties, et cetera, for the potential of producing hydropower. Obviously, though, we waive no environmental laws. Anything that would be authorized or result or interpreted that way from this language would require appropriation. There would be all the reviews that are required for any other law.

I urge support of the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend and an exceptional community leader who tragically passed away in February of this year, Mr. Dennis ``Denny'' Maloney. Today Denny's friends, family and colleagues gather in Deschutes County, Oregon to celebrate his life with the dedication of the new ``Dennis Maloney Community Justice Center.'' This is a fitting tribute to a man who gave so generously of his time and his talents throughout a distinguished career in service to others.

My colleagues, Denny Maloney was born on March 20, 1951 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to Patrick and Carol Maloney. Denny graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin, where he studied humanities. It was in Minnesota where Denny would acknowledge his most significant achievement occurred. It is there that he met and married his lovely wife, Nancy. Together, they raised five outstanding daughters, Tracy, Shannon, Caitlin, Kelly and Molly. Those who knew Denny knew not only a man with a strong sense of civic commitment, but a father and husband with tremendous devotion and commitment to his family.

Madam Speaker, those of us in Oregon, especially communities in central Oregon, are so fortunate that Denny's upbringing and education instilled in him the drive and desire to make the world a better place. He led by example, and remarkable results followed. Denny was a longtime advocate for troubled youth and was a nationally recognized expert and innovator on the subject of juvenile rehabilitation. Madam Speaker, Denny didn't believe in giving up on someone. He saw the inherent good in humanity and in the people he met, and he devoted his life to giving people a second chance. Denny worked to ensure that troubled youth received mentoring and counseling, while demonstrating the significant value of being an upstanding member of society and a real contributor within one's community. Simply put, Denny Maloney positively changed the lives of many of his fellow citizens.

During his lifetime, Denny amassed over 30 years of experience in the field of community corrections. For 16 years, he served as the Director of the Deschutes County Department of Community Justice in my home state of Oregon. There, he initiated a variety of juvenile and adult corrections programs that are globally renowned.

He wrote extensively about the methods he developed and the positive impact of his programs is evident not only across our nation but in the international community as well. Nearly 30 states restructured their entire juvenile justice systems based on Denny's presentation on restorative justice. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State has distributed information based on Denny's juvenile justice research to over 250 countries and his methods are being used worldwide as a foundation for justice system reform.

Madam Speaker, during his phenomenal career of contributions, Denny Maloney generously shared his experience and his expertise with others. The work that he did improved the lives of countless people across our country, and I'm grateful to have known him.

While his services and accomplishments speak volumes, perhaps most importantly, Denny Maloney inspired all who knew him to do more to help those in need and to improve the quality of life for all citizens. He always wore an infectious smile, and he encouraged us to keep a positive attitude in our work and throughout our daily lives. He was a good friend and trusted counselor to me and to many others. We will all miss his wisdom, wit, enthusiasm and ability, and we will never forget the mark he left in our communities and in our hearts.

Mr. Speaker, colleagues, today we memorialize and remember the events of more than 50 years ago when the gates closed for the first time on the Dalles Dam, and within 6 hours another wild and noisy stretch of the mighty Columbia River fell silent and serene in the name of progress.

Celilo Falls was also known as Wyam, which means echo of falling water, or sound of water upon the rocks. And, indeed, what a sound it must have been to hear the fourth largest river in America as it crashed over basalt rocks and cliffs. Lewis and Clark's journals refer to the falls as a place where ``the river turned on edge.''

This photograph here to my left is actually one my father took as a colorized slide before the falls was inundated. It shows the tribal members fishing from these wooden platforms, roped to the edge with ropes around their waist. They would spread sand out on the platforms because all the water made the platforms so slick, and then they would engage with the dip nets to hoist 40-pound, 50-pound, 60-pound salmon out of the river. The trick was not to get more than two fish in your net because that might be more than you weighed, and you ran the risk of being dragged into the river. Indeed, there was a young man who fell in the river, and later was rescued and saved because he ended up in a net and was able to be pulled out.

What a river it was and what a river it is. As the Columbia River passed over these falls, the sound could be heard from miles away. During periods of high water, nearly 1 million cubic feet of water per second would pass over these falls. Now, let me put that in comparison: Niagara Falls in New York, 200,000 cubic feet of water passes over those falls.

A million would have passed over these. But it wasn't just these falls, because you see the basalt rapids continued on toward the Dalles for 11 miles. So not only were there these falls, but there were other rapids and falls along the way. And it was more than just a roaring falls or an historic and bountiful fishing area. It was, as some historians noted, ``the Wall Street of the West.''

In his book, ``The Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Trout, Their Fight for Survival,'' author Anthony Netboy described the scene this way:

``Here came Indians from the interior who had no fishing grounds of their own or whose fishing was poor, to trade for dried salmon, offering peltries from Montana, jade axes from the Fraser River area, horn of mountain sheep, baskets, rabbit or bearskins. The Klamath and Modoc peoples from Klamath Lake brought slaves and dentalia shells, their medium of exchange. Trade connections with the Dalles, says the anthropologist Philip Drucker, in `Cultures of the North Pacific Coast,' stretched across the Rockies and into the Great Plains.''

This was one of the most significant fisheries of the Columbia River. In

``Recalling Celilo,'' author Elizabeth Woody writes:

``Historically, the Wyampum lived at Wyam for over 12,000 years. Estimates vary, but Wyam is among the longest continuously inhabited communities in North America. The elders tell us we have been here from time immemorial.

``Today we know Celilo Falls as a lost landmark. It was a place as revered as one's own mother.''

Woody goes on to write:

``What happened at Wyam was more significant than entertainment. During the day, women cleaned large amounts of finely cut fish and hung the parts to dry in the heat of the arid landscape. So abundant were the fish passing Wyam on their upriver journey that the fish caught there could feed a whole family through the winter. Many families had enough salmon to trade with other tribes or individuals for specialty items.

``No one would starve if they could work. Even those incapable of physical work could share other talents. It was a dignified existence.''

The tribes called themselves ``salmon people.'' And it is easy to understand why. In 1805, Lewis and Clark estimated seeing five tons of dried salmon stacked in a single village near the Dalles.

The dawn of the 20th century brought change to the area with the construction in 1913 of the Dalles-Celilo Canal, providing the first safe passage around the falls. Then in the 1930s and 1940s, more pressures built as down-river communities suffered from floods, river traffic increased, and a Nation at war needed more electricity to power its industry.

In 1950, Congress authorized the construction of the Dalles Dam, and on March 10, 1957, the gates of this river-blocker closed and within hours, silence overtook Celilo Falls, Wyam and the way of life known for centuries.

Now, plans for construction of the dam were battled by Chief Tommy Thompson as he and the tribal members knew that the end of the falls would mean the end of life as they had known it. But they could not stop the effort. Their village was relocated. The government paid tribal members in one-time sums of nearly $4,000, and promised sustained fisheries and access to new fishing sites.

Layfee Foster, of the Dalles, took this famous photograph of Chief Tommy Thompson and his wife, Flora, and their granddaughter, Linda George, whom I met at the ceremony at Celilo Falls last month.

I would like to read from Mr. Netboy's book again, as he eloquently states the last of the first salmon rites that were held in April of 1956. He writes:

``On Sunday, April 20, 1956, when the Dalles Dam was about to be enclosed and the Celilo fishery, dating back to a long forgotten time would be inundated, I witnessed the last of the first salmon rites at Celilo village. The day was warm and sunny, and hundreds of tribesmen gathered for this sad occasion on the banks of the Columbia, the women wearing multi-colored flowing dresses and scarves, and the men awkward- fitting store clothes. Emissaries of Tommy Thompson, chief of the host band, the Wyams, said to be over 100 years old, had to seek elsewhere than the Columbia for salmon because an early spring thaw in the mountains made it impossible to use the historic site to catch enough fish for the festival. They bought 400 pounds of salmon in Portland, and members of Warm Springs Reservation who had fishing rights at Celilo helped out with donations of venison and roots for the occasion.

``The stolid, bronze-colored chief sat at the head table in the longhouse, surrounded by silent and respectful tribesmen squatting on mats on the earthen floor. Outside, slabs of salmon were being smoked over log fires tended by women, just as when Lewis and Clark camped here in 1805 and smoked a pipe of peace with the chief.

``Chief Thompson blessed the first fish caught a few days before and made a speech in his native language that was charged with emotion. Before it was over, the vigorous old man was weeping. Although I did not understand a word, I could imagine the feelings that inspired him as he saw the last bit of land held by the tribe about to go underwater and the ancient picturesque fishery disappear. He had seen the white settlers pour into the valley, and the baleful impact they made on the natives' culture. The churning river where he had fished as a youth, from rickety platforms, would become a placid lake. There were tears in the eyes of many who listened to him.

``When the First Salmon rites were concluded, the chief permitted newsmen to photograph him with his younger wife, Flora. Usually the festival lasted a few days, but this time it was confined to one. There were bone games in the afternoon and dances in the evening. The next morning the Portland Oregonian reported an interview with Henry Thompson, son of the chief, who said, and I quote, `When the dam is finished and there are no more fish at Celilo, my father will still live here and will die here. I too will die here. Both of us were born at Celilo, and here,' pointing to the Indian cemetery on a bluff of the village, `amid the rimrock, we will be buried.'

``Tommy Thompson died 3 years later, and without him, without the roaring falls, and with salmon caught elsewhere, the First Salmon ceremonies held occasionally at the new Celilo village built by the Corps of Engineers on the bluff lost their flavor and meaning and were eventually abandoned.''

Today the Dalles Dam employs 150 people, generates enough electricity to power two cities the size of Portland, Oregon, helps control run-off in the spring. The power it produces makes no carbon emissions and is 90 percent efficient.

Today the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is rehabilitating the Celilo village, spending $13 million to build a new sewer plant, new houses, a playground, school and update the water and electrical system. A new longhouse was completed last year.

Today we memorialize the situation at Celilo, the loss of that great falls and the work that remains ahead.

Mr. Speaker, the failure of Congress to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act will have an extensive and extreme impact on more than 1,800 local governments that receive ``Payments in Lieu of Taxes'' funds, also known as PILT. The loss of the county payments program means these counties can now apply for the limited PILT fund, thus reducing funds to counties reliant on PILT, and many counties will see a 20 percent reduction.

For Malheur County, Oregon, which is nearly 10,000 square miles and is 72 percent under Federal ownership and is larger than the States of Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island, it can mean real problems.

As we all know, rapid response for emergency services is a life-and- death issue. In many areas of Malheur County, it can take well over an hour to respond to a situation. Loss of critical PILT funds will mean a reduction in vital public services, and that is unacceptable.

County Judge Dan Joyce, who is in Washington today, says loss of PILT funds will devastate our ability to respond rapidly in emergency situations. I call on the new Democrat majority to move H.R. 17. Services are being lost. Libraries are closing. Teachers are being given notices they won't be rehired. It is time for action.

Mr. Speaker, the failure of Congress to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act is a breach of faith to more than 600 forested counties and 4,400 school districts across our great country.

There are more than 400 miles of paved road in Morrow County, Oregon, where every county road leads to a national forest. Loss of this program and funds means no portion of any paved road will be replaced and basic maintenance will stop. One of the most expensive roads for the county to maintain runs through the Umatilla National Forest and is a designated scenic byway.

Without county payments, people won't be able to safely access their public lands, and the hope of a new outdoor recreation economy to replace the lost timber jobs goes unfulfilled.

County Public Works Director Burke O'Brien says: ``We are not the ones who stopped our sustainable Federal timber harvest. However, now we are being forced to lose even the funds promised to replace the lost forest revenues.''

My colleagues, Congress must keep the Federal Government's word and its promise to the timbered communities. It is time to get a hearing and a markup and to pass H.R. 17. Time is running out for forested timber communities.

Mr. Speaker, the failure of Congress to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act amounts to a breach of faith to more than 600 forested counties and 4,400 school districts across America, including Jefferson County in Oregon, where more than 50 percent of the land is in Federal ownership, which means the county's Community Work Service program for primarily juvenile offenders will be eliminated.

Under the program, juvenile community service work crews remove trash from public lands, rehabilitate hiking trails, revegetate denuded areas, and repair resource damage due to vandalism. In 2004 alone, these young people removed more than 150 tons of garbage and more than 2 miles of old barbed wire fence from BLM lands.

In fact, the Bureau of Land Management awarded this program the National Volunteer Award for making a difference on the public lands in 2005. It has been very successful in addressing recidivism and introducing a new generation to America's forests.

Former Madras Mayor Rick Allen said: ``Loss of these funds will cripple community services.''

My colleagues, Congress must keep the Federal Government's promise to timbered communities. Pass H.R. 17. Time is running out.

Mr. Speaker, since learning we would consider a resolution regarding troop levels in Iraq, I have spent considerable time listening to veterans of this war and other wars questioning some of America's top national security officials, reading every e-mail, literally every letter on this most serious issue of this day that has come into my office from my constituents. I have listened to voices of leaders of other nations who surround Iraq. I have read the National Intelligence Report. I have read the Iraq Study Committee Report. I have been given books such as ``Fiasco'' to digest, and I have reached out to the parents of brave Americans who are on their way into this conflict, and I have heard from the parents of sons who were lost in this conflict. I have heard strong opinions on both sides of this issue, and I have reflected upon my own vote to authorize the war in the first place.

To say the least, it has been an agonizing experience. Agonizing, because I want to do what is right for America with minimal sacrifice to the brave Americans who wear our Nation's uniform. I want to do what is right to protect our freedom and our security.

I will always remember the days and nights when the smoke from the burning Pentagon wafted into the apartment I lived in just blocks from that building. I remember the images of that day when rescue personnel were trying to save lives, only to lose their own. I remember the pledge I made to myself that I would never let that happen to America again if I had my way.

So I supported implementation of the 9/11 Commission Report. I supported efforts to improve our intelligence gathering and processing efforts so that America does not miss key indicators of danger or, worse, misinterpret the data that is gathered.

Policymakers must be given accurate, reliable intelligence if we are to make responsible decisions. Had Congress been given an accurate intelligence assessment, I doubt the vote to invade Iraq would ever have come to this floor in the first place, and I certainly would not have cast the vote I cast because the threat was not what we were told it was, despite the horrific brutality of Saddam Hussein and his henchmen sons.

Unfortunately, though, we cannot edit history; we cannot change the

past. Our responsibility is to the present and even more so to the future, America's future.

In some areas of the world, America has made strong diplomatic progress on the most difficult issues facing our planet. I speak of the recent agreement with North Korea coming out of the Six Party talks. I am reminded of the willingness of Libya to give up its weapons of mass destruction and come into line with the world community. And while much work remains regarding Iran's nuclear development, America's work with other countries and through the United Nations is having an effect on Iran.

Meanwhile, our troops and our work internationally in Afghanistan continues to show progress, even in light of the recent resurgence of the Taliban. Consider the historic role NATO is playing to bring peace and stability to that far-off land.

So if we are accomplishing good in Afghanistan and elsewhere, why is the situation in Iraq still such a mess? And what can or should America do there now that will hasten Iraq's move towards stability and hasten the bringing home of our troops to America?

As my colleague from New Mexico, Heather Wilson, so eloquently and forcefully asked this week: What are America's strategic interests in Iraq, and how can we best achieve them?

These are the serious questions of our day, and these are the issues tragically missing from this nonbinding resolution.

In this new world where war is not waged by armies in uniform with codes of honor but by terrorists who blow up food markets and behead journalists, how do we respond in an effective way to prevent the insanity from coming again to our shores? How best do we prevent a whole region from ripping apart at the seams and perhaps taking much of the world with it?

While Congress has a clear constitutional role and responsibility when the Nation is at war, where is the line that Congress should not cross? Are we really best equipped to decide precisely how many reinforcements are sent into which battle? Isn't that a decision best left to the commanders in the field? Can Congress really give General Petraeus a unanimous vote of support to lead our effort in Iraq and then turn around and deny him the strategy he told us he believes is necessary to win?

A former colonel in the Air Force wrote to me recently on this very topic. She said, ``Some in Congress say they support General Petraeus but don't want them to undertake the mission they were confirmed to do. It seems right out of Alice in Wonderland.''

And if Congress is going to make these decisions, then have we really carefully analyzed where the other 134,754 troops in Iraq are, what they are doing, and what they should do?

Another of the e-mails I received was from a veteran of the Vietnam War who, like many other veterans of that conflict, urged me to vote against this resolution; and he wrote, ``Our troops need unqualified support. They don't need to be told they are participating in a lost cause.''

Indeed, this two-sentence nonbinding resolution does send a very mixed message to our troops. Moreover, this resolution is a lost opportunity to address at least five major issues that a serious Congress needs to address.

First, this resolution fails to even mention the Iraqi role. Where is the siren call for the Iraqi government to keep its word and perform as promised? We cannot expect for long to do for Iraq what it is unwilling to do for itself.

Second, this resolution fails to even mention the need for this administration to embrace the Iraq Study Group Report's call for aggressive diplomatic initiatives with Syria, Iran, and other nations in Iraq's neighborhood. Where is the call for enhanced diplomacy?

Third, this resolution fails to even mention the need to replenish the equipment that our National Guard units have left behind while serving our country overseas. My State's own National Guard's ability to conduct training is deeply affected by lack of equipment.

Fourth, this resolution fails to call on Iran, Syria, and other nations to stop directly or indirectly supplying the weapons and explosives to those who detonate car bombs in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq, killing women and children as they try to buy food in local markets. Where is the condemnation of their actions?

Fifth, this resolution fails to define what our strategic national interests are in Iraq and how we can best achieve them.

I know that I stand alone in my State's delegation by opposing this resolution. I have been told by some I should just vote for it. It would be easier politically for me because then the problem is off my back. It is someone else's. They will own it. I cannot do that and look at myself in the mirror.

I cannot ignore the counsel recently given to us by diplomats in the region whose advice we ignored when America took on this challenge in Iraq and who now counsel us with most seriousness in the strongest of terms against leaving Iraq before the country is stabilized. They have made it clear to this Member of Congress that failure in Iraq will have grave and dangerous consequences to the entire region. In short, we broke it, we need to fix it before we leave it.

But fixing Iraq does not mean ending religious differences, differences that have ripped apart that region for 1,300 years or more. Fixing Iraq does not mean installing our form of democracy. Fixing Iraq means ensuring a new terrorist haven is not created or allowed to be created from which they can train and plan safely to carry out attacks against the West. Fixing Iraq means ensuring their government can stand on its own and not collapse into a sinkhole that drags other nations in the region into an abyss.

Given the glaring shortcomings of the non-binding resolution we have before us today, I will vote ``no'' for as many of those who served in Vietnam have told me its message does undercut our troops. Moreover, it fails to call for the increased diplomatic initiatives in the region, it fails to call for Iraq to do its part, it fails to define our strategic national interests of stabilizing Iraq so as to prevent the creation of another terrorist training haven, and it fails to address the very real needs of our National Guard.

It is unfortunate that the opportunity to actually affect these very serious policy choices was not allowed on the Floor of the House today. It is, indeed, a missed opportunity for America.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Madam Speaker, today, the great State of Oregon turns 148 years old. Tomorrow will mark an occasion nearly as momentous when a highly-respected community leader in Oregon, Mr. Steve Kandra, steps down as the president of the Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA). I would like to draw my colleagues' attention to the numerous contributions Steve has made to his community and his industry, for without them hundreds of farmers and ranchers in southern Oregon and northern California would have found the past two years a much greater challenge.

As many of us know, most folks would probably be surprised at what life as president of an organization is really like. Often, one is drafted into the position by colleagues to pick up heavy loads, to donate countless hours of time away from family and business, and to forge common ground on difficult issues. Being the president of KWUA is a particularly tough job; Steve heeded the call of his fellow farmers and ranchers for two full terms. As Steve's infectious sense of humor would lead him to say, ``If you don't get it right the first time, try, try again.''

His fellow members at KWUA would tell you that they pleaded with him to lead the association because he is extremely smart, dedicated, experienced, respected, and sincere. That's an impressive combination of personal qualities, and they sum Steve Kandra up well.

The farmers and ranchers of the Klamath Basin are no strangers to serious challenges. When the federal government unjustly shut off their water from the Klamath Project in 2001, over 1,000 farming and ranching families' livelihoods, and the community that depends on their well- being, faced disaster. The climb back for the agriculture community is by no means complete and has demanded smart and dedicated leadership. Steve Kandra provided just that. Steve spent countless hours attending meetings and hearings, leading tours of the Klamath Basin, granting interviews, and delivering compelling presentations. His duties as president often took precedence over family affairs and the demands of farming. Anyone who knows Steve knows he is a hands-on guy who will not be deterred when the tough issues require significant personal involvement, a substantial knowledge base, and a broad range of relationships.

The ``Just Say No'' campaign clearly did not resonate with Steve. He is also a past president of Tulelake Rotary, Klamath County Farm Bureau, Oregon Hay & Forage Association, Klamath Basin Hay Growers, Klamath County Chamber of Commerce, and Klamath Irrigation District. Steve is a board member of Klamath Basin Ecosystem Foundation and Shaw Historical Library Board of Governors, and an elder at Merrill First Presbyterian Church. Lest my colleagues think that is all Steve has managed to occupy his time with, amazingly there's more. He has also been a board member of the Klamath County Economic Development Association, Upper Klamath Basin Working Group, Klamath Irrigation District, and Oregon Water Resources Congress, just to name a few volunteer activities. I suppose the saying is true: If you need something done, ask a busy man.

While Steve and his lovely wife, Nancy, will both remain very engaged in the struggle to provide stability for agriculture in the Klamath Basin, I suspect that Nancy will be popping a bottle of champagne tomorrow night in celebration of Steve's retirement as president of KWUA. Together they have successfully navigated a long and winding road, and a celebration of achievement is certainly in order.

Madam Speaker and my fellow House members, please join me in congratulating Steve Kandra, an outstanding community leader and family man who I am proud to call my friend.

Mr. Speaker, the failure of Congress to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act is a breach of promise to the more than 600 forested counties across America and 4,400 school districts.

In Umatilla County, Oregon, it is the number one food producing county in the State. For them, a well-maintained road system is critical to ensuring family farmers can compete in this global market. With more than 340 bridges and, a State high, 1,650 miles of road, Umatilla County faces a significant infrastructure maintenance backlog and challenge.

County Commissioner Dennis Doherty says, ``American farms are dependent on a farm-to-market road system and loss of those funds will cripple our local road system.''

Tammy Dennee, executive director of the Oregon Wheat Growers League said, ``Global competition starts locally. Being the number one wheat producing county in the State, it is vital to farmers here that the road system is dependable.''

My colleagues, Congress must keep faith with these timbered counties and pass H.R. 17. Our future depends on it, our credibility depends on it, and time is running out.

The failure of Congress to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act amounts to a breach of faith to more than 600 forested counties and 4,400 school districts across our country.

For Union County, Oregon, this means a third of the road department employees no longer will have a job, other county services will be cut, and another rural school district is left behind.

Last night, County Commissioner Colleen MacLeod was making the 8- hour, 616-mile round trip from her home in Union County to the State capital in Salem, where she and other commissioners around Oregon were meeting to discuss how a county declares bankruptcy. Commissioner MacLeod says, ``County governments, all they want is to be able to work for themselves, and the Federal Government needs to let us. We just want to be able to work in the woods.''

Traveling with the commissioner was the Union County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Judy Loudermilk, who says, ``What affects one area in a rural community affects us all. Loss of these funds is devastating.''

My colleagues, Congress must keep the Federal Government's promise to timbered communities. Pass H.R. 17 and do it now.

Mr. Speaker, Congress still has not passed the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act reauthorization. So what does that mean? For Wheeler County, Oregon, it means the sheriff's department will lay off a quarter of their workforce. Now, the force is only four deputies, four deputies including the sheriff, but they are responsible for patrolling 1,833 square miles. That is an area 30 times the size of the District of Columbia.

Last year, a deputy found 6,000 marijuana plants worth over $19 million spread over a quarter of a mile of Federal land. This operation was financed by Mexican drug cartels and cultivated by illegal aliens.

When my office inquired further, we found out that the deputy of Wheeler County who was out patrolling was doing so on horseback on your Federal lands. That is where he is protecting America from drug cartels and those that push this on our kids.

The sheriff says, ``Cutting these funds will increase criminal activity on our Federal lands.''

The county judge says, ``County payments has been our savior.'' And this Congress, this Congress and the last one, have failed to reauthorize county payments.

It is time you pass H.R. 17.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise their remarks on the subject of my Special Order this evening.

Mr. Speaker, I want to welcome my colleagues from Oregon who are in the Chamber with me tonight. Congressman DeFazio and Congresswoman Darlene Hooley are here with me, and I know we will be joined by other members of the Northwest delegation to talk about a very, very important issue, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, H.R. 17, also known as County Payments, that in both this Congress and the last has been a strongly bipartisan issue. The DeFazio-Walden legislation, H.R. 17, a bill to reauthorize and fund the County Payments Program for 7 years to date enjoys the support of 114 cosponsors in this Congress. The exact same bill last Congress had 139 cosponsors.

As I have said in 13 of 18 one-minute floor speeches: the failure of Congress, either the last one or this one, to reauthorize the County Payments Program amounts to a breach of faith to more than 600 forested counties all across America and 4,400 school districts all across this country.

I would like to take a moment to highlight a few of the impacts of the rural forested counties and school districts in America without these funds: severe cuts in funding for jail beds; sheriffs' patrols are being cut sometimes in half; criminal prosecutions and the pursuit of meth cooks, all of that being reduced; rural school districts foregoing overdue repairs; may not be able to buy textbooks, or face significant challenges busing kids to schools. It also means libraries will close in places like Jackson County, Oregon.

I would like to draw your attention to this poster here to my left. It is from a young lady, a fifth grader named Alice from Ashland, Oregon, who utilizes one of the 15 Jackson County libraries where she lives, and they are all scheduled to close in just a couple of months, in April, if we don't reauthorize and fund the Secure County Schools legislation.

Alice has resolved to read all the ``Hank the Cowdog'' books, but she needs these libraries to stay open. She says: ``Representative Walden, I live in Ashland and I go to Bellview School. I am in the fifth grade. I use our library a lot. We always use books on tape for car trips. My New Year's resolution is to read all the ``Hank the Cowdog'' books, and the library has them all. I need the library to stay open so I can finish my resolution. I also use a lot of books here for school reports. Please help to keep our library system open. Sincerely, Alice.''

Alice is a fifth grader in Ashland, Oregon. She gets it. If Alice can get it, this Congress ought to be able to get it, and we ought to be able to keep the libraries open in Jackson County.

Many of you in this Chamber and Americans all across the land will remember the heart-wrenching service for the Kim family in southern Oregon this winter, lost in the national forest, and the mountain climbers who perished on Mount Hood just 45 minutes from my home in Hood River. Both of these counties, both of the search and rescue operations that took place used funds out of the program that Congressman DeFazio and others and I are trying to reauthorize to help pay for the equipment and for the search and rescue operations, to go on Federal land using county resources to look for these people who were lost, some of whom perished.

These vital county services and rural school programs were once funded by timber receipts, but because of virtual elimination of the timber harvest on our Federal forests, Congress approved the county payments to develop forest health improvement projects on public lands and simultaneously stimulate job development in some of our rural communities.

This law has been a primary funding mechanism to provide rural schools with educational opportunities comparable to suburban and urban students. It has also restored programs for students in rural schools and prevented the closure of numerous isolated rural schools. It has allowed over 600 rural counties to address the severe road maintenance backlog.

Before I get into that, though, I would like to show you total Pacific Northwest timber receipts. As you can see here, it has fluctuated over the years, but it has never been as low as it is today. There were big years of timber harvest, this one up, very large; but generally it has been in this framework, and you can see, really, since the 1990s it has just gone way down.

The Federal Government has had a compact with these counties dating back to when Teddy Roosevelt was President and created the great forest reserves, setting aside huge swaths of land. Upwards to half of my district is under Federal management and control, and many of my colleagues and some of my counties it is upwards to 70, 75 percent.

The Federal Government believed in 1908 and again in 1938 that it had a responsibility to help these communities surrounded by Federal lands because these lands were not going to be on their tax base. That is what started this whole program. They used to share timber receipts. As you can see, timber harvests went down, the receipts went down.

You say, what happened to our wood products system? Well, here is what happened. See what happened on Federal forest lands. This is 1980 here, top level, about 11 billion board feet sold. Then it drops way down in the red. Where did we get the lumber? Imports. Soft wood lumber imports right there, the blue and the yellow.

So this came along, we said timber receipts are down, so we are going to replace it, 6 years ago, now almost 7. We authorized this Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act.

The country has 7,500 national forests and grasslands covering 192 million acres. That is the size of Texas, by the way. Our State of Oregon has 15 national forests. We are proud of them.

You need to know they cover 14 million acres, or nearly one-quarter of the State's land mass. There are forests in my district that cover nearly 12 million acres.

To put this in perspective, within the Forest Service regions 8 and 9, which cover 34 States, all States east of the Missouri River, Oklahoma and Texas, there are 52 national forests covering 25 million acres. My district alone has nearly half that amount of acreage. You can see those of us in the rural West are really impacted by what goes on in the Federal lands, whether it is search and rescue operations, forest fire operations. You name it, it is expensive.

When the Federal reserves were created, we set up this funding mechanism, again going back to 1908 and then coming forward. The problem now is promise to rural schools, the promise to rural communities, and the promise to rural roads has been broken. It broke last year, and it is up to us now in this Congress to keep the faith with the school kids of America and rural America, to keep faith with the resource advisory committees. They are bringing environmentalists and others together to improve forest health and habitat, great projects all over the country, to keep faith with basic county services that are being provided, funded by this program.

Folks, last checks went out the end of the year. What is happening now is the pink slips are going out. Road departments are being cut in half. County sheriffs' departments are being cut in half. School teachers getting pink slips, being told, we are not sure we will have the money to hire you back next year. This is now a crisis, and it is time for Congress to act.

I would at this point like to yield to my colleague from Oregon, my partner in this effort, H.R. 17, to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, Peter DeFazio from southern Oregon, the Fourth District.

I would just like to follow up on something the gentleman said. You talked about law enforcement needs on these rural lands. Wheeler County, Oregon, population less than 2,000 people, has three deputies and a sheriff. Total of four are doing law enforcement. They will have to layoff a quarter of their force as a result of the loss of this program if we don't reauthorize it.

Now, I tell you that because they are responsible for patrolling 1,833 square miles. That is an area 30 times larger than the District of Columbia. You are going to have three officers, the sheriff and a couple of deputies, over 30 times the size of the district, you have got more than that probably standing right out behind us here.

Now, who are these deputies? One of them rides horseback. He is out riding horseback on Federal land, and what does he come across? I don't know if you can see this, but he comes across a $19 million marijuana grove. These little vertical lines here, horizontal lines here, are a marijuana grove, a Mexican drug cartel with illegal nationals doing the cultivation.

It is amazing to me they got it to grow out there, but they did. It is a $19 million growth spread over a quarter of a mile of Federal lands, and it was one of these sheriff deputies riding horseback that spotted this. These are on Federal lands. Why is the Federal Government doing this? Well, the Federal Government is helping to pay for some of this, but now it is breaking its promise.

I yield now to our colleague from Oregon (Ms. Hooley), who has been a real champion in helping us on this.

If I could follow up. You talked about Polk County. Klamath County has a total law enforcement operation of 35 officers to patrol 6,000 square miles. 6,000 square miles. They have to cut that by a third. Sheriff Tom Evinger says they may well end up having no law enforcement patrols at night, nor do the state police patrol at night.

That is an area 100 times larger than the District of Columbia. And when they do patrol they will have no back up. I mean, this is really serious stuff, folks. Search and rescue as you mentioned, the loss on Mt. Hood, but the loss down in southern Oregon, those are just the two that caught the media's attention, and the country and the world's attention.

Let me suggest, as we all know from the northwest, there are many, many more search and rescue operations going on all of the time.

I would comment. And certainly the gentleman from southern Oregon too, that Lake County, this is 93 percent of their road budget. 93 percent of the road budget. I think you can probably put the State of New Hampshire inside Lake County and still have some room to graze cattle.

This is so serious to those counties. We have got to get this done.

I do see we have been joined by a couple other of colleagues, Cathy McMorris Rogers from the great State of Washington, who has been very active on forest and forest health issues when I chaired that subcommittee last session.

I know Mike Thompson from northern California has joined us as well. He has been active in helping us on this. Perhaps we could turn from our colleague from Washington State.

Mrs. McMorris Rodgers. Thank you, Mr. Walden and Mr. DeFazio for your leadership on this issue, for organizing this time for all of us this evening.

I have the honor of representing a district in eastern Washington. We are known for our vast public forests in that area. We have over 2\1/2\ million acres of forest lands.

And these lands and this timber plays a very important role in our region's economy. Maintaining healthy forests is essential to those who make a living from the land, and for those who use it for other purposes.

Unfortunately there are a number of critical issues that impact the health and the economic stability of the forests in our region. As many have mentioned this evening, since 1908 the counties that host forest lands from which timber is cut receive a share from the Federal Government of the timber receipts, about 25 percent.

This is such important money for these counties and schools, used to fund road improvements, fire stations, police protection. And yet as the timber sales have declined, funding received by the counties and schools have also declined. It is because of that issue that we come before you tonight, and that the Secure Rural Schools Fund was originally established, and why it is so important that it continues to be established.

It is essential for the livelihood of rural communities in eastern Washington. The Federal Government owns the majority of the land in many of the counties I represent, like others have

mentioned tonight, for example Okanogan County, which is one of the largest counties in the country, it is 73 percent owned by the Government.

That means 27 percent of the remaining land that is under private ownership is the tax base for a county that is six times the size of Rhode Island. That is the funding from those lands that is used to support search and rescue. Last year they saved a woman's life. And this year they will be forced to cut the special training and equipment and the jobs of some of those who work on the team.

Without revenue from timber receipts, along with the inability to tax Federal land, these communities do not have enough money to provide essential community services and educational opportunities. I remain hopeful that we will be able to find the funding for the reauthorization of this program.

I am hopeful because we do not have another option. In Ferry County, the largest employer was Vaagen Brothers Lumber. I say was because they had to close in 2003. Ferry County has 18 percent private ownership of land. And they too are dependent upon these resources, and we need to keep the promise to our rural communities and schools.

In the State of Washington, half of the money from the secure rural schools goes to support schools. It means $21 million for the State of Washington, and although I would prefer this money go to the schools that are actually timber-dependent schools, nevertheless it is important money to our schools.

For Newport, Washington it means a difference in music or art or maybe the difference in a foreign language teacher. Our timber- dependent schools simply do not have the capacity to make up this kind of funding cut. The purpose of this act is to stabilize payments to counties that help support roads and schools, provide projects that enhance forest ecosystem health, and provide employment opportunities among the Federal land management agencies.

I wanted to point out last year, just one example in my district, we had over 200,000 acres burn. Now this is in Okanogan County, this is a county that is nearly 75 percent owned by the Federal Government. And what we see here is the burn, the brown and the light yellow is where over 200,000 acres were burned.

The pink areas here 1\1/2\ percent of what burned is what is proposed to be salvaged. Hopefully soon, although it is in dispute too. This in my mind demonstrates part of the challenge that we have, because this is a recent example in a county that is desperate for support for community services, trees have been lost. In the past I would have preferred for us to be able to go in there, even like 10 years ago, and be able to harvest some of these trees, create some timber receipts for this county rather than facing this situation where we have had devastating burns, with now very little of that burn being able to be salvaged.

I have here a chart showing wildland acres burned over the last several years. The yellow indicates the year 2000, the green is 2005, the red is 2006, and the blue indicates a 10-year average.

As you can see, this all starts back in May and ends in November. But, again, over several periods of years, last year, we saw record amounts of fire on Federal lands. In fact, we spent a billion and a half dollars fighting fire. We burned more than 9 million acres. That is a record. And it just keeps getting worse and worse. So we have got a real problem out in the forest, and that affects our communities and our counties, because when you have these fires, what happens? Law enforcement has to go out and manage the roads and manager the flow of people, and they are doing around-the-clock vigil work on do we have to evacuate or not.

And of course the Forest Service is involved too, but a lot of that burden falls on that local community. I have had whole communities close for very important times in the summer, because of fires approaching. Sisters, Oregon comes to mind. So your comment about wildfires is very apropos tonight.

We thank you for coming out tonight to share your comments with our colleagues and others about the importance of trying to get this reauthorized. I would yield now to our distinguished colleague, the gentleman from the first district of California, Mike Thompson, whose district receives more than $6 million a year to help cover the costs of law enforcement, education, and other natural resource work that goes on there. So I yield to my colleague from California.

Thank you, Congressman Thompson. We appreciate your vigilance in our efforts to try and get this reauthorized; and your comments tonight, I think, are very powerful in our efforts. You talk about roads. Morrow County road department has 19 employees to service 850 miles of county roads. They are going to be forced to lay off at least seven, perhaps as many as nine.

Wallowa County, 700 miles, county roads maintained by a staff of 14. Soon there will only be seven. That is possibly one person for every 100 miles of road or the same distance from here to Richmond, Virginia. You would have one road maintenance person. This story is repeated over and over in my district, Congresswoman Hooley's district, your district, Congressman DeFazio's district, Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers' district. All over the rural West we are facing this enormous problem.

And people love to come out into their Federal forests. I love to get out into our Federal forests. I love to backpack and do all the things many of us do. It is a wonderful attraction. But people get lost, they get injured, and who is there to pick them up? The local county. The county sheriff, the local rescue patrol. And that is why this funding is so important so they will have the resources, they will have the people when you break a leg or you fall down an ice shaft somewhere. There is somebody to come get you. And that is just the rescue part and the police part. We have talked a lot about the schools as well.

I know my friend from Clackamas County, Congresswoman Hooley, did you want to comment?

And we appreciate your help on it too. And I think we have all signed a letter to the appropriators asking them that in the emergency supplemental they fund at least a 1-year extension while we work on a longer equitable solution to this problem.

My colleague from southern Oregon.

March of 2005 we moved it out of subcommittee.

Would you yield just on one point?

Because you mentioned West Virginia. And Rita Griffith from Pocahontas County, she is a commissioner there. She says nine full-time teaching positions will be cut and funding for an after- school forestry education program will be lost. She is from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. I have got examples from Alaska and Arizona to California and West Virginia, so you are right.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

And the ocean.

And, in fact, you think about in our State and in Northern California how many meth labs have been found on Federal lands, found by county sheriffs deputies generally. They are the ones out there. Now, there are other law enforcement agencies, but a lot of it is that.

And I showed you the marijuana growing that that lone deputy, by himself, no backup, on horseback out riding in the Federal lands, found 6,000 plants in a Mexican cartel drug trafficking operation. This is going on out on Federal lands. And it is not like the Forest Service has a huge police force to go patrol their own lands. They don't. And so it is a severe problem.

Exactly. We have been joined by our colleague from Northern California, Wally Herger, who serves the adjoining area, at least to mine. And I don't know if he touches up against your district or not. But he does an extraordinarily able job representing Northern California and has been very active in forestry issues and forest health issues over the years. And we are delighted you could join us tonight to talk about the importance of reauthorizing H.R. 17.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from the Second District California.

We appreciate your great work on forest health issues and your support of this effort. You mentioned this was just a fraction of what we spend federally for the Federal Government to keep its word. As you recall, we tried to get an amendment on the floor during the debate over the continuing resolution a week or so ago and we would have paid for that by just taking a fraction of what is spent for the whole government. That fraction was .00086 percent of the Federal budget that would pay for this; but not just pay for it, it would keep the commitment of this government to the people out West and elsewhere where there are forests that have been there for up until now 100 years basically, 99 years. So it doesn't take a lot to keep your word, and we need to keep the promise regarding forest health and schools and roads and other things.

So we appreciate your work on this, Congressman Herger. Thanks for your leadership.

That is a county we share.

Most of the States this side of the Mississippi have less than 7 or 8 percent Federal ownership. In my district, much like like

yours, Deschutes County is 79 percent federally controlled. Lake is 78; Harney is 78; Malheur is 76; Hood River is 72; Grant is 61; Wallowa is 58; and Baker is 53 percent of the land masses under Federal ownership and control. That is why this is so important that the Federal Government keep its word.

I would like now to yield to our good friend and colleague from the Fourth District of Washington, the Honorable Doc Hastings, whose district receives $8.8 million a year to help with roads and schools in a very federally dominated area.

Doc, you have been a terrific leader in this effort, and we appreciate your coming down tonight.

This chart here shows it very clearly.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his work and his help in the Rules Committee and on this issue.

You have been most diligent and most helpful and we appreciate your comments tonight. Harney County Judge Steve Grasty has said, ``Loss of this program means losing future opportunities for young people here and in rural counties across America.'' We have comments like that, and I am sure Peter does as well, from every county that is affected, every school superintendent who is trying now to work with their school boards to figure out who stays, who goes, what gets cut, what gets left behind, and what do we do to help rural kids keep up in a school system that is going to be devastated by the loss of these dollars.

This is a national problem. These are national lands. National policy determines what happens on these lands, and you can see by the reduction in Federal timber receipts, one of the outcomes of Federal policy has been near elimination of receipts, which has brought us to this legislation, which now is expired. And I appreciate the work of my colleague from the Fourth District of Washington as we work to reauthorize this to keep the Federal Government's promise to rural schools, rural roads, rural counties, and our Federal forestlands.

And I yield to my colleague.

I am told our time is about up. I just appreciate your help and that of our colleagues.

I would encourage all of our colleagues who are listening tonight, help us pass H.R. 17. Help us keep the promise to these rural people who are surrounded in their areas by Federal lands, which are gorgeous and we love them, but we need your help to deal with them.

Again, I thank all of our colleagues who came down at this very late hour on the East Coast to share their comments and concerns. And together we can keep the promise for America.

Mr. Speaker, failure of Congress to reauthorize the Secure Schools and Community Self-Determination Act amounts to a breach of faith to more than 600 forested counties and 4,400 school districts across America. To Baker County, Oregon, this breach of faith means the road department crew who plow snow 5 months out of the year will be cut in half. The county will also have to fire the only trainer who prepares volunteer firefighters in 13 rural communities.

If this Congress fails to act, the 11 people left in the road department will be responsible for maintaining 1,100 miles of road; that is one person for every 100 miles of road, the same distance from here to Richmond, Virginia.

If this Congress fails to act, volunteer firefighters might not receive the vital life-saving training on equipment, tactics and communications. County Judge Fred Warner says, Because we have vast Federal lands, we have no tax base to replace the lost funding. We just need the Federal Government to honor its commitment.

My colleagues, Congress must renew the Federal Government's promise to timbered communities. Pass H.R. 17. Time is running out.