Greg Walden

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan).

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 215) honoring and congratulating chambers of commerce for their efforts that contribute to the improvement of communities and the strengthening of local and regional economies.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to a member of my Washington, D.C., staff for his years of faithful service to me and to the good people of Oregon's Second Congressional District. Joel Willard has been my Executive Assistant for over 2 years, performing a myriad of responsibilities in a hectic environment with dedication and poise. It's a tough job, and he excelled at it. Joel will leave my office this week to continue his education as a law student at the University of California at Berkeley, where I have every confidence that he will demonstrate the same talents that have made him such an invaluable member of my staff. Mr. Speaker, Joel is a lifelong Oregonian and the son of a highly respected southern Oregon family. His father, Dave, is a long-time servant of the Oregon public school system and has worked for ten years as the Superintendent of the Phoenix-Talent School District. Joel's mother, Jana, is a homemaker who has returned to graduate school after raising her children. Like Joel, his brothers Chad and Gabe are fine young Oregonians with bright, promising futures. I am proud to call them my friends. One of Joel's defining characteristics is his dedication to the people of his native state. Since his days in the Oregon State Legislature working for State Representative Rob Patridge, Joel has pursued his passion for public policy and public service from Salem to Washington, D.C. He came to the Nation's capital on a weekend's notice and brought with him both his love of Oregon and his reverence for the American system of government. I have no doubt that he will return to the West Coast with the same idealism that first inspired him to serve his fellow citizens. Perhaps Joel's most impressive trait is his deep religious faith and personal commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Prior to his marriage, Joel lived in a home for Christian men on Capitol Hill called Jonathan House, where he enjoyed the company of young professionals who shared his moral convictions and dedication to the Christian church. Joel's unwavering devotion to his beliefs, in an age when so many young people lack a guiding moral compass, has deeply impressed me and those with whom he has worked. Mr. Speaker, in July of last year, I had the honor of attending Joel's wedding to his lovely bride, the former Elizabeth Horton, who has been at Joel's side since their early teens. Elizabeth, also a lifelong Oregonian, has made her love of children a career as an elementary school teacher, a calling for which she is particularly well suited. Joel and Elizabeth are the sort of people that parents want their children to grow up to be, and it gives me great pleasure to know that they will share their lives together. Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that Joel will be difficult to replace. If you were to poll my staff, they would be unanimous in their regret at his departure, as he has been a reliable coworker and caring friend. While we are sorry to see him depart the office, we are happy to watch him enter a new phase in his life that I know will bring both great challenges and great rewards. I have no doubt that he will do as well pursuing a legal career as he has done in his work on behalf of the people of the Second District. Joel, thank you for a job well done, and know that you are leaving my office with my deepest gratitude and that of the people you have so ably helped me to represent. We're counting on you to keep in close touch.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in observance of one of the most tragic events in the history of Oregon and a defining chapter in the story of the small town of Heppner. June 14, 2003, will mark the 100th anniversary of the Heppner Flood, a natural catastrophe of unprecedented scale in my state that took the lives of 247 Oregonians, almost a quarter of the town's 1,146 residents. Though generations have passed since the people of Heppner witnessed nature's awesome, destructive wrath, even today the residents of this resilient community carry with them the painful memory of the devastation that occurred a full century ago. June 14, 1903, was like any other Sunday in the peaceful town of Heppner, when the humble, God-fearing townspeople went about their lives, worshipping together and resting from a week spent toiling in their fields, minding their stores and tending their flocks and herds. As evening approached, none sensed the pending calamity that would befall the close-knit community and alter the lives of its residents forever. Mr. Speaker, the rain came in an instant, swelling streams and unleashing a torrent that careened toward the town and destroyed everything in its wake. Trees were uprooted, structures crushed liked matchbox houses and homes and livestock were swept away in the deadly cascade. So, too, were many of the people of Heppner--men, women and children who drowned by the hundreds. An account of the disaster in the East Oregonian newspaper later estimated that more than three billion pounds of water passed through Heppner that night at a rate of 70 million pounds per minute. Whole families were swept from the face of the earth, joining the horrendous flotsam of bodies and debris that rushed forward and disappeared into the churning water. With astonishing and merciless speed, the Heppner Flood destroyed the town's water system, ruined the railroad, took down telegraph lines and collapsed the bridges over Willow Creek. In a few short minutes, what had been a sleepy, idyllic Oregon town was transformed into a seething, watery graveyard. Scarcely a resident of the town could be found who had not lost a friend or family member or suffered the loss of property. Many of the hundreds of dead lay buried in the Heppner Masonic Cemetery, where today their descendants tend their graves and honor their precious memories. The outpouring of assistance from nearby communities following this tragedy said much about the compassion and humanity of the people of the Northwest. In a poignant letter to Heppner's Mayor, Frank Gilliam, three little girls in Colfax, Washington, sent $11 they collected by selling homemade candy to help victims of the flood. Mayor Gilliam, touched by the gesture, wrote a note of thanks that tragically captured the sorrow that had been visited upon his town. ``Two weeks ago yesterday morning, Heppner was a happy little town,'' he wrote. ``Our church bells rang and our little ones sang songs of praise and worshipped by their mother's side. Evening came, and with it the storm, and many of our precious little children were carried away to worship at the throne of God. Those who have gone before are happy now, while those of us who remain are sad. Sad because of the little ones who are no more--who cannot be with us to cheer our weary way.'' Mr. Speaker, a century has passed since the disaster, yet the Heppner Flood remains the worst natural disaster in the history of Oregon. Though the buildings that had been torn down would be rebuilt, the fields would be replanted and herds replenished, the overwhelming human loss would remain like an open wound, the horror of the flood a constant nightmare from which the survivors would never awaken. In my travels to Heppner, I have come to know many descendants of both survivors and victims of the flood. It is a profound honor to represent them in the House of Representatives. Mr. Speaker, as a tribute to the victims of this devastating event, I ask that my colleagues observe one minute of respectful silence.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, colleagues, I rise today to convey my deepest appreciation to a member of my Washington, D.C. staff for her dedicated service to the people of Oregon's Second Congressional District. Samantha Benton left my staff last week to join the United States Department of the Treasury. I wish her well in this endeavor and am confident that she will excel in her new role. Samantha was raised in my hometown of Hood River, Oregon, growing up on a family-owned orchard along the Columbia River Gorge. Her parents, John and Julie Benton, are well-respected members of the Hood River community and personal friends of mine. Samantha brought her ``small town values'' from rural Oregon to our nation's capital and to the job she performed assisting Oregonians visiting Washington, D.C. or seeking help from my office. She attended Westside Elementary School and Hood River Middle School before graduating from Hood River Valley High School in 1997. She then went on to attend the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, where she studied history and was active as Vice President of Program Development for the University's Zeta chapter of Alpha Phi. Samantha's interest in politics was apparent during her college years, when she worked as an intern in two Congressional offices. Samantha worked as an intern in my Washington, D.C. office during the summer of 1999, then worked in Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn's Mercer Island District Office in 2000. After her graduation in 2001, I was pleased to offer Samantha a permanent position on my staff. From the beginning of her tenure, she made Oregonians feel at home when they walked through the door of 1404 Longworth by offering them a warm and sincere reception. She faithfully attended to every detail in helping families navigate the sights and sounds of Washington, D.C. Time and again, she brought history to life by leading tours of the Capitol for Oregonians who had come nearly 3,000 miles so that they and their children could better understand the federal government and our nation's extraordinary history. Samantha arranged their itineraries, answered their questions, and went the extra mile every time to make them feel comfortable an entire continent away from their homes. In short, Mr. Speaker, Samantha made their day and their trip. I have a sizable stack of letters from Oregonians who took the time to write after their trip to Washington, D.C., to thank me for Samantha's assistance and her dogged determination to make sure their experience was memorable. Mr. Speaker, Samantha's energetic and helpful demeanor was equally appreciated by her coworkers. She was attentive in recognizing when something needed to be done, taking the initiative to complete projects and lend others a helping hand. Whether she was drafting letters to address a constituent's concerns or keeping the information on my web site up to date, Samantha's contributions were always appreciated and on target. During her time in my office, she took a staff assistant role and developed it into something much more. Samantha's attitude and intellect will serve her well as she continues her public service at the Department of the Treasury. Mr. Speaker, she will be a difficult person to replace. Sam, thank you for a job well done and good luck in the future.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I would suggest that the job losses occurred in my district under the Clinton Administration. I would suggest that and I bet I could prove that. The gentleman's numbers are about States in total, not looking at rural communities like the ones I represent.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Second, let me suggest that the gentleman's side was given an opportunity to craft a bill to create a majority vote on this floor. The gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), whom I have worked with on other issues and will again, put forward a proposal of their free will in writing. They were given that opportunity. Many of you voted for that. I think it is insufficient. It did not prevail. It did not achieve a majority. But it goes beyond healthy forests. The rules and the regulations and the laws, I remember when George McGovern left this body and opened a bed and breakfast. He wrote a column, and he said, ``I wish I had done this before I served in the Congress, because I had no idea what these rules and regulations and laws do to small business.'' I have been in small business 16 years. The bill we are going to vote on tonight to increase the ability to expense and deduct will produce jobs because companies will have the ability to invest in equipment they need. Somebody has to make that equipment, and they will. So let us get America back to work, and let us extend benefits as we need to extend them, and I will continue to vote to do that as I am going to do tonight.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, worse. Worse. It has been double- digit rates. I am happy to show the numbers. I will get them. Some of these counties were approaching 20 percent unemployment because they are surrounded by Federal forests. Yes, it is hard to believe. Yes, you can laugh. Folks in Wallowa County are not laughing. We have been on 65 weeks of unemployment, 65 weeks, the highest unemployment in the country. If we want to create jobs in rural America, and that is what I represent, 72,000 square miles. My colleagues know my district. It is all of eastern Oregon. These are hard-working people. They are Republicans and Democrats. It is not a partisan thing to be unemployed. They want real jobs. I am going to vote to extend this. You bet I am. This district, and I have only represented it for 4 years, did not enjoy the roaring 1990s of the major metropolitan areas. We are a resource-based district. Agriculture and timber. Our forests burn. Our watersheds are destroyed. Trees rot because they cannot go in and cut down the dead trees after a fire. We are trying to change that. I want healthy watersheds. I want healthy forests. They are America's forests. And I want these men and women back to work. So I plead with my colleagues as we extend unemployment, which we must, and I have supported it every time, including the aerospace extension, to extend the benefits, but I plead with my colleagues, these people want jobs. Help us change the policies. When they voted no this week on healthy forests, they voted to take away their jobs again. Please work with us. It is more than just a safety net.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Reclaiming, first, I am not on the Committee on Rules.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, we are proud of a lot of things in the great State of Oregon. Having the highest unemployment rate at 8 percent is not among them. It is astounding to me to hear some of the Members on the other side of the aisle talk about unemployment insurance being a great economic producer. You are the people who have taken the jobs away from the people in Wallowa County: unemployment rate, 15.1 percent. It is your policies, yes, it is your policies who took away the jobs in Crook County: unemployment rate, 11.5 percent; Grant County, 14 percent. I will tell you the policies. Did you vote for the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 the day before yesterday? Did you? Did you? Did you? No. Maybe you voted for it. Did you?

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I want to first acknowledge the comments of my colleague from Texas and appreciate his great leadership on this effort and his support of this bill. This legislation has 17 Democrat co-sponsors. We have 137 overall filed on the bill. Three of those Democrat co-sponsors are the ranking members of their committees. And I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) for his leadership on this issue. Let us talk about what this bill does. This is land that was on fire at Squires Peak last year, 2002. This is in a treated area that is burning right now. This is where the Forest Service workers have gone in and done the treatments we are advocating in this bill. Here is the aftermath. We can see the trees are green, some of the brush, but otherwise the forest is in pretty good health. This is the fire burning the same location but just over the hill a bit from where the first photo was. This is a place where it had not been treated. See the severity of the fire, the density of the stands. This is what it looks like when that fire is finished, enormous catastrophic fire. In fact, there are still some trees burning there. Dense stands, black timber, scorched ground, sterilized soil, ruined habitat. Here we see a pine beetle infestation in the Nez Perce National Forest. This is what we are trying to figure out the best way to treat. How do we get in there and deal with the forests like that and get the disease and the bug infestations out? This is the Tanner Gulch fire. It occurred in 1989. What is important about this, this was in my district. It is in the Wallowa-Whitman, and it wiped out a spring Chinook salmon run. We can see the burned trees, the destroyed hillsides and all the mud and all going down that stream. We ruined that habitat. These are unhealthy forests. The Moose Creek fire in Montana destroyed more timber on the Flathead National Forest than has ever been harvested on that Forest. Human consequences of these kinds of fires, we lost 23 men and women last year fighting these fires or going to fight them. The American taxpayer spent $1.5 billion on 2002's record blazes. So who supports this legislation? The professional biologists, the professional silviculturists, the Society of American Foresters, the National Association of State Foresters, the Western Forestry Leadership Council. Let me tell my colleagues what the Society of American Foresters said in their letter dated May 29 of this year: ``Serious problems of insect and disease outbreaks, catastrophic wildfire, and invasive species are reducing the health of forests across the country. Professional forest managers need to be able to act now to address these issues and the ecological, social, and economic conditions associated with them.'' The Society of American Foresters endorsing the underlying bill, 1904. Finally, let us make the point, because there is a lot of misinformation out there, the provisions of this legislation do not touch national parks. They do not touch national wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, wilderness study areas, national monuments, or inventoried roadless areas. None of those areas fall under the precepts of this bill. I urge passage of H.R. 1904 and urge rejection of the Miller-DeFazio substitute.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, who supports our bill? I would tell my colleague from Colorado, the Colorado State forester supports our bill. Mr. Speaker, the Society of American Foresters, the National Association of State Foresters, and the Western Forestry Leadership Council support the underlying bill, H.R. 1904. These are the professionals in the field in the forests who want to do the work to prevent this kind of catastrophic fire. These are the people who come to us every day and say free our hands so we can do what we were trained to do in the colleges and universities across this country, to cut the underbrush, to tend to the garden for more than half a mile. There is no scientific, underlying purpose to limit the scope of either of these bills to half a mile. There is not. That is a political decision somebody made. Members want to talk about the abuse we are getting on this side for somehow doing away with NEPA? Check the substitute, page 16, that grants the Secretary's categorical exemption, and let me read from line 4. The Secretary concerned need not make any findings as to whether the project, either individually or cumulatively, has a significant effect on the environment. They do not even have to do an analysis. We require an environmental assessment or an EIS in these areas, but theirs to do hazardous fuels says they can do whatever they want as long as it is within a half mile from the community, no NEPA required. There is a specific exemption from NEPA. That is on page 16, beginning line 4, categorical exclusion. But let us talk about what is really at stake here, and that is what we do to prevent fires from engulfing our communities, destroying our watersheds, wiping out habitat of threatened and endangered species. And let me quote from the National Association of Forest Service Retirees who wrote: ``The big fires of 2002 came roaring out of interior forests, and nothing but a change in the weather stopped them. The consequences of only thinning around communities will be to give residents a false sense of security that may put property and their very lives in danger.'' Mr. Speaker, a false sense of security. That is what the Miller- DeFazio substitute gives people in communities. We say we are solving the problem, but we are only going a half mile back. We ought to be stopping catastrophic fires that affect the watersheds and people; but they would not qualify for the kind of quick, hazardous fuels reductions that we both want to see happen throughout the forests. Once again, where does this not apply? The legislation does not touch national parks, national wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, wilderness study areas, national monuments, or roadless areas. It does not get into any of those areas. This is a very small step forward, 20 million out of 195 million acres we want to get an expedited process in to see if we cannot make a difference. We want to do the assessments and the research to figure out what the best way to stop the bug and disease infestation we have seen in our forests. Mr. Speaker, we are going to wipe out our hardwood forests and our softwood forests across this country if we debate this to death and do not act. I urge defeat of the Miller-DeFazio substitute, and I urge enactment of H.R. 1904.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I want to show you here on these charts what we are talking about. I think for the folks here in the Chamber and at home, they are tired of talking. They are tired of debating. They are tired of process debates. But what they are really tired of is fires. Now, this is an area that the President of the United States visited last summer in Jackson County, the Squire's Peak Fire. It is an example of how a fire on treated land looks when it is burning. This is what it looks like after it has burned. So you wonder whether treatment works or not, here is your example. During the burn. After the burn. Here is where it had not been treated. President Bush stood right here on this area and met with the firefighters who actually took this picture as they escaped this area. They had been doing work there prior to the fire and then converted over to be firefighters. This is what it looks like when you have not treated an area. This is what it looks like after that area burns. This is what it looks like. I am tired of black forests. I want green forests. The underlying bill would not touch Squire's Peak because it says 85 percent of the work has to be within half a mile. This is, I do not know, 6, 10 miles away from Medford. It was a long drive up there in the motorcade. This is what I am trying to prevent from happening. I want treatment on these lands because it is people I represent whose homes are being burned, whose watersheds are threatened. Entire communities are on 30- minute evacuation notices. They are tired of us debating this and putting off decisions. We have another fire season upon us right now. 190 million acres of America's forest lands across this country are subject to this kind of fire if we do not do the kind of forest work that we are advocating in this legislation. This is what you get. Who wants that? Do you think spotted owls thrive in this? No. Any endangered species? No. So we want to get in and be able to do this work in an expedited manner that involves people at the front ends like the Western Governors Association that says needs to be done, so that we involve people in the planning process in the beginning rather than let them send in 37 cent appeals at the end when they have never participated in the project. So we do that. We bring them into the front end of this, and we streamline the appeals process. Yes, we say to the courts, when you do a preliminary injunction every 45 days, you need to find out the effect of taking no action. Because when you are treating lands you are taking action, and you get fires that result in lands that look like that. When you delay and you do not take action, this is the outcome: burned, dead, sterilized forests and soils.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon to recognize an outstanding Oregonian and public servant on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his service to the Pine Grove Fire Department. Friends and colleagues of Edward Riddell Lage, Jr. will soon observe the passage of the half-century milestone in which he has helped protect the lives and property of his fellow citizens. Like each of them, I stand in awe of Eddie's remarkable dedication to others. I take great pride in adding my voice to the chorus of Oregonians who have expressed gratitude for his many contributions to his community. Mr. Speaker, Eddie Lage is a fourth-generation farmer who was born July 28, 1936, into a well-respected Oregon farm family. As a young man, he joined the all-volunteer Pine Grove Fire Department on May 12, 1953, beginning what would come to be a lifetime spent in community service. Eddie's fellow volunteers describe him as a tireless and faithful firefighter with a near perfect record of attendance at drills and other meetings. This commitment would ultimately be rewarded with Eddie's appointment as fire chief as well as to a position on the department's board of directors. He remains a fixture among the community's volunteer firefighters, inspiring them with his selfless dedication to others. Perhaps most remarkably, he has no plans to give himself a well-deserved rest. Eddie exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism and good citizenship, and the Oregonians he helps keep safe owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude. In addition to his service on the Pine Grove Fire Department, he has also served as a member of the National Ski Patrol for 25 years, as well as the Crag Rats, an outfit in the Columbia Gorge that rescues climbers from nearby Mt. Hood. If there is an organization dedicated to helping Oregonians in their hour of need, chances are that Eddie is a member of that organization. As with his service as a volunteer firefighter, the work he has done as a rescuer has been totally without pay. The satisfaction of helping others is the only compensation that he desires. Mr. Speaker, Eddie Lage has served as a board member and past president of the Washington/Oregon Canning Pear Association, where he advocated on behalf of his fellow Northwest orchardists. Eddie has also served the young people of his area, donating his time and energy to helping ensure bright futures for those who come after him. He has been active with the Boy Scouts of America and served as a member of the Columbia Pacific Council. He has held the role of an advisory member of the Future Farmers of America; and perhaps most admirably, Eddie served for 8 years as a member of the Oregon National Guard, proudly wearing the uniform of these United States. Eddie Lage personifies the well-trained and highly motivated public servant who is dedicated to the protection of his community. He has sacrificed his time, risked his life, endured discomfort, and shouldered tremendous burdens for no other reason than his commitment to others. Mr. Speaker, most of us spend our lives hoping that we will leave the world a better place than we found it. Eddie Lage need not entertain such a hope. In his case, it has long since been fulfilled. I am grateful for Eddie's devotion to his fellow citizens. I am honored to represent such a fine man in the United States Congress and to call him a friend.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I first wanted to thank the committee chairman and the subcommittee chairman for working closely with me and the people I represent in a very rural part of Oregon to carefully craft this to take care of some very important needs of our rural electric co-ops, our munis and others. The thing that concerns me is, if we go into conference with this title completely gone, then we have lost some of the guarantee that you and I have worked out to take care of some of the issues in the Northwest, and that is of deep concern. The other thing is being a Westerner, I watched what happened in that market out there. And, yes, I am against fraud and I am against manipulation and all of that. I think our version of this bill brings out a pretty heavy sledgehammer. We do not need to bring out the MOAB and destroy the whole market. I think what we can do here is, we are directing FERC carefully in what to do and giving them the guidance that they need to stop the manipulation and the round tripping in the market. And I believe what we are doing makes a lot of sense. Mr. Chairman, I support the gentleman's version of this legislation, and I urge opposition to the Dingell amendment.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to convey my deepest appreciation to a member of my Washington, D.C. staff for his tireless efforts on behalf of the good people of Oregon's 2nd Congressional District. Garron Lamoreau will soon conclude his internship and head back to Eastern Oregon University to pursue his degree in History. Mr. Speaker, Garron has been an excellent addition to my office. He arrived in Washington, D.C. just after the New Year, and has done a great job transitioning from recess to the current congressional ``March Madness.'' He has not only handled his intern responsibilities efficiently, but has also received outstanding reviews on the Capitol tours he has provided for constituents and drafted correspondence to help me address the needs of district residents. My staff came to rely on Garron, and they knew that he would successfully tackle any task he was given. I'm sure his strong work ethic and intellectual curiosity will serve him well in any path he chooses to pursue. Garron hails from La Grande, Oregon, a small town in my district along the Grand Ronde River. As the son of Union County Commissioner John Lamoreau and Nena Jones, politics is in his blood. He was valedictorian of his La Grande High School class despite graduating a year early. During his prep years he was a truly well-rounded student, excelling not only in his studies, but also as an athlete, playing basketball, soccer and running track, and as a member of the state championship choir. After graduation, Garron made the wise choice to attend my alma mater, the University of Oregon, where he has maintained a 3.9 GPA. Garron is transferring to Eastern Oregon University for the coming term, and plans to tour this summer with his band, Again United, singing lead vocals and playing the guitar. Mr. Speaker, my office has been lucky to have an intern like Garron. His calm demeanor and dry sense of humor will truly be missed around the office, but I have no doubt that he has a bright future ahead of him. Best of luck, Garron, and keep up the good work.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to pay special tribute to a true American patriot and civic leader from Oregon's Second Congressional District. Mr. Chuck Norris has served his country honorably in the United States Army, his State in the Oregon State Legislature, and his community as a volunteer in many capacities. His dedicated spirit and devotion to his fellow citizens has been his most enduring trait over the years, and I'm proud to call Chuck and his wonderful wife, Betty Lou, my friends. Chuck Norris was born in Pasadena, California, in 1925. Shortly after his birth Chuck's family moved to a 160-acre farm in east-central Kansas, where he was raised. In July of 1943, following his graduation from high school, Chuck left Kansas and the family farm to serve our country as an officer in the U.S. Army. After his commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant, Chuck was stationed around the globe, from Japan and Turkey to Germany and Vietnam. He commanded a platoon, company, and battalion before being stationed in Umatilla, Oregon, where he served as the commander of the Umatilla Army Depot. During Chuck's service he attended the Army Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Industrial College and the Executive Program of the University of Chicago. In times of crisis the soldier is revered by one and all, but quickly forgotten about when danger passes. Today as we find ourselves at war and we shower our troops with well-deserved praise, we would do well to also remember the men like Chuck Norris who quietly and stoically served our country in uniform and protected our freedom with little thanks in return. In 1971, Chuck Norris retired from the Army, but not from public service. In 1986 Chuck was elected to the Oregon State Legislature, were he represented the people of eastern Oregon for five terms. Among his many accomplishments was his effectiveness in shaping natural resource policies, especially water management. As Chairman of the House Committee on Water Policy, Chuck crafted legislation creating voluntary local watershed councils across the State, providing local citizens an opportunity to work with one another in managing and preserving Oregon's many watersheds. As everyone who hails from a Western State understands, where I come from water is among the most precious commodities. Those who help us conserve water and put it to wise uses are particularly deserving of our praise and gratitude. Following retirement from the State Legislature, Chuck Norris continued his distinguished career of public service and his devotion to improving the way we use our natural resources in eastern Oregon. As a volunteer and member of the Umatilla Watershed Council and as an advisor to the Oregon Water Coalition, he selflessly devoted his time and energy to helping his fellow Oregonians. Since I have served in the U.S. House, Chuck has also taken the time to keep me informed about issues of concern on the ground in eastern Oregon and I value the input he offers. I would like to extend my personal thanks to Chuck for all that he has done for the people of Umatilla County, the Second District, the State of Oregon and the United States. Holding true to his proud role as a father and grandfather, Chuck and Betty Lou, his wife of 57 years, are about to embark permanently to Florida to be with their children and grandchildren. Countless eastern Oregonians will miss them, but will always count them as lifelong friends. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in saluting Chuck Norris, an extraordinary man and great American. I wish Chuck and Betty Lou the very best in the years ahead.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good friend Dick Bailey and congratulate him on his retirement from the airwaves of southern Oregon. Dick's commanding, gravelly voice has been a fixture of KCMX radio in Medford for five years and he will surely be difficult to replace. Dick Bailey was born on February 4th, 1941, in Winchester, Massachusetts, a sin for which the people of Oregon long ago forgave him when they welcomed him into their warm Western embrace. Dick graduated from Gorham High School in Gorham, Maine, and afterward enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he served from 1958 to 1962. He went on to receive a degree from the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California and also attended the College of the Desert in Palm Desert, California, where he edited the college's first newspaper. Dick's professional career has been a long and varied one that has taken him to radio and television stations in California, Washington, Alaska, Vermont and of course Oregon over the past 41 years. While in Alaska, he taught broadcasting classes at the University of Alaska. Dick spent several years announcing at the Redwood Acres Speedway and Eureka Speedway in California, as well as the Southern Oregon Speedway. He also announced the Hanford 150 in Hanford, California, and a Canadian-American Race in Vermont. Dick's wandering came to an end when he settled in Shady Cove in Oregon's Jackson Valley, and it is there that he will retire. During his career, Dick has covered Presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush the Elder, Bill Clinton and our current President Bush. During President Bush's trip to southern Oregon last year, he provided steady and reliable coverage of the President's visit, which his listeners have come to expect from Dick. For years he has communicated the latest news and happenings around the greater Medford area with clarity and precision. Dick has both a voice made for radio, and no one who has heard him on the airwaves doubts that he found his true calling. Fortunately, he also has a tremendous sense of humor. Mr. Speaker, Dick Bailey's service to his community did not just come in the form of his news broadcasts. He has also lent his voice to the Jacksonville Christmas Parade and other local activities. Anyone who knows Dick knows of his love of the outdoors, and his service as a member of the Jackson County Parks Commission reflects his desire to preserve the natural beauty of his adopted home. He is an active outdoorsman and has made clear how much he looks forward to the extra time he will have for fishing following his retirement. In the years ahead, the local fish population will have much to fear from Dick as he spends his days casting his line and enjoying the beauty of southern Oregon's waterways. Mr. Speaker, Dick Bailey will be fondly remembered by his listeners in southern Oregon, just as he'll be missed by his colleagues. Like everyone who has dealt with Dick in a professional capacity, I'm sorry to see him retire, but happy to see him begin the relaxing years of his retirement. Thank you for everything you've given to us, Dick, and best wishes in the years ahead.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a member of my Washington, D.C. staff who is leaving my office to pursue full-time employment. During his time with us, Ryan Krabill has tirelessly served the people of the Second District of Oregan as our intern. His positive outlook on life and strong work ethic will be greatly missed. Mr. Speaker, whenever something needed to be done, Ryan readily stepped in and offered to help. From simple tasks like answering phones to attending briefings and drafting letters, Ryan proved himself to be an extremely reliable and efficient worker. My staff came to depend on him heavily, and he never let them down. This is all the more remarkable given that in addition to interning full time at my office, he also held a full time job at Starbucks in the evening! Ryan originally hails from Albany, Oregon. He attended Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, where he earned bachelors' degrees in Business and Biology. After college Ryan spent two years in sales, where he honed the professional demeanor and devotion to customer service that he so often demonstrated on the phone and when greeting constituents in my office. Ryan had always been interested in politics, and decided to leave sunny California for Washington, D.C. Luckily, my office was able to take him on as an intern while he explored his options for a full time Capitol Hill career. With the skills he has demonstrated in his service to the people of Oregon, I'm sure he will be an asset to any office. Mr. Speaker, my office has been lucky to have an intern like Ryan. His strong work ethic and upbeat attitude will no doubt serve him well in any position that he chooses to pursue and will truly be missed around the office. Best of luck in the future Ryan, and keep up the good work.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a member of my Washington, DC staff for his tireless efforts on behalf of the good people of Oregon's Second Congressional District. Greg Stanford is leaving my office after three years of dedicated service to pursue other endeavors. Greg has done a great job and will be sorely missed. Greg was raised near Grass Valley, California, in the community of Chicago Park. Following his graduation from Nevada Union High School, Greg chose to further his education by moving across the California border and attending the University of Nevada at Reno. While pursuing his bachelor's degree in Political Science, he also found the time to participate in Phi Mu Alpha, the international music fraternity and the University Band, honing the impressive drum skills that he was always happy to demonstrate for his coworkers. After graduating Greg made another move, this time across the country to work in Congressman Jack Metcalf's office as his staff assistant where he wet his political feet while serving the people of Washington's Second District. When Congressman Metcalf decided to retire at the end of the 106th Congress, my office was lucky enough to hire him as our legislative correspondent and deputy systems administrator. Greg, affectionately known around the office as ``Brady,'' has been an asset to my office during his tenure. He brought a strong interest in politics and a genuine desire to serve the people of Oregon. He hit the ground running, putting in long hours and working hard at any task he was given whether it was drafting constituent letters or following legislation as our ``floor czar'' to rolling up his sleeves and pulling all-nighters printing mass mailings to keep my constituents informed, Greg was a loyal and tireless worker. Mr. Speaker, Greg has dutifully served the people of Oregon's Second District. His smiling face, his contagious laugh, and good-natured temper will be missed. However, I'm sure he won't miss his days in the cave! I have every confidence that he will do well in whatever vocation he decides to pursue. Good luck, Brady, and good job.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a member of my Medford, OR, district staff. During her time with us, Krista Anderson has tirelessly served the people of the Second District of Oregon, and will soon be on her way back to Western Oregon University to finish her degree. Her cheerful demeanor and strong work ethic will be greatly missed. Mr. Speaker, Krista has volunteered countless hours this summer assisting my district staff. Whenever something needed to be done, Krista readily stepped in and offered to help. From simple tasks like answering phones to helping with complex preparations for the visits of President George W. Bush and former Speaker Newt Gingrich to Medford, Krista proved herself to be an extremely reliable and efficient worker. My staff came to rely on her heavily, and she never let them down. I'm sure this strong work ethic will serve her well in any path she chooses to pursue. Krista is the daughter of John and Renee Anderson of Medford. She graduated from South Medford High School in 2000 with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. While at South Medford, she proved to be not only a top-notch student, but excelled in extracurricular activities, as well. She was a member of the International Thespian Society and helped with the production of eleven plays, earning honors as best technician. From Medford, Krista moved to Monmouth, OR, to attend Western Oregon University, where she has continued to stand out in her college years. She is a member of the Honor Society Phi Kappa Phi and is currently working toward a degree in Public Policy Administration with a minor in Speech Communication, maintaining a 3.94 grade point average. This is quite a feat given that she also devotes her time to Concert Choir, College Republicans, Campus Crusade for Christ, and a cultural group called Conversation Links. Mr. Speaker, Krista has proven herself to be a kind, upstanding, hard-working individual, both personally and professionally. Mr. Medford office was very fortunate to have such a dedicated intern during an especially busy summer. I know that Krista will only continue to excel, and I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.