Greg Walden

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank publicly a member of my District Office staff for years of exceptional service to me and to the residents of the Second Congressional District of Oregon. Matt Smith has been steadfastly true to a legacy of selfless public service that has long been a tradition in the Smith family. As the son of Kaye and Chairman Robert F. (Bob) Smith, who served Oregon so effectively as a leader for 36 years in the Oregon House and Senate and then in the U.S. Congress, Matt was raised with the knowledge that the most meaningful rewards in life come from helping others. Countless Oregonians have benefited from Matt's advocacy on their behalf and from his role as an integral participant in helping me address issues in the district that have directly impacted thousands of hard-working Second District residents. Whether stepping in to save a rancher's grazing permit or helping to hone the finer details of my legislation to save the Steens Mountain area from unwarranted national monument status, I have counted on Matt to get the job done. He has been a loyal and dedicated public servant on such issues as saving the Elk Creek Dam from wasteful demolition and protecting lives and resources by keeping the Medford Air Tanker Base open. Matt has brought to his work a bright mind and a natural ability to work well with others. Not only have the people I represent placed great faith in his abilities, but so have his coworkers. Matt has been a team player in every respect and could always be counted on to solve tough problems and help others to reach their potential. Perhaps most importantly, Matt is a dependable friend with a great sense of humor. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of what Matt has accomplished and am proud to have had him on my staff. For someone who looks up to his father as much as I do, it has been a delight to watch Matt grow and mature into a man who must make his father very proud. Matt's stellar career has not gone unnoticed by others and many new opportunities have presented themselves. This month Matt is going to follow his expanded horizons by taking a position with Smith-West, a distinguished government relations firm. I have every confidence that in Matt's new job he will continue his own strong record of public service. Matt Smith will continue to help others and make Oregon a better place. He will continue to be an impact player and make a difference. I am sorry to see Matt leave and lose his invaluable assistance, but I am so very proud of what he has accomplished and the good work I know he will continue to perform. I join Matt's coworkers in saying thank you and congratulations for a job well done. We will miss you as a colleague, Matt, but we know in our hearts that you will always be our friend.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, it is not the first time I have come to the well to address the House and my colleagues about the terrible plight of the people of the Klamath Basin in Oregon and northern California. Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues know, on April 6 of last year, the water was cut off to the farmers at Klamath Basin. Some 1,400 farms were affected. The decision was unprecedented. Never in the near- hundred-year history of this water project run by the Bureau of Reclamation had the water been totally cut off; but a new scientific analysis and decisions by the various agencies, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marines Fisheries Service, said, sorry, there is not enough water for the farmers. We have to maintain the highest lake levels we have ever maintained to protect sucker fish, and then we have to release water later on in greater amounts than we have before to provide water for the Koho salmon, which are in danger. Mr. Speaker, a number of us, especially the farmers and ranchers in the basin, argued against that, saying that there was no scientific evidence to prove that this was necessary; but those arguments fell on deaf ears. Later in the spring, the chairman of the House Committee on Resources agreed to let us have a field hearing in the Klamath Basin. Thousands of people turned out. Thousands of people turned out for that hearing, Mr. Speaker; and at that time we raised these issues and said the science just did not add up to the decisions that were being made. We called for the Department of the Interior to get peer review of that science. We also held a rally where close to 18,000 people, in a county of 60,000, turned out. They called it the ``bucket brigade,'' where we talked about the farm families. The veterans who were lured to this area by the same Federal Government with a promise of water for life, they were asked to come settle this project, this reclaimed land, guaranteed water to grow their crops to expand the Nation; but no water did they get this year, virtually none. So the fields dried up. We can see the sand here and a wheel line in the sand. There was so much sand and dust that there were traffic accidents that came about, but the biggest accident that came about were the bankruptcies and the losses that devastated this area. Oregon State University said $134 million of potential economic loss. Bankruptcies like the Carleton family, third generation in the basin, they had farmed there three generations. This administration, this Congress responded with a little bit of economic assistance, saying, here we will help a little bit, $20 million into the basin and $134 to $200 million economic hit. This poor gentleman, when he got that, the money went to the bankruptcy court. He got stuck with a $60,000 tax bill out of $122,000 in emergency aid. I tell my colleagues that just to show the devastation not only to the environment of the farm country but the families who lived there; but the most important fact came out this weekend, Mr. Speaker, when the National Academy of Sciences finally finished their review of the data and the decisions. Do my colleagues know what that showed, Mr. Speaker? It showed there was no scientific justification for the high lake levels or for dumping the water in the Klamath River. This is the article out of the Herald and News, irrigation cut off was not justified. The damage done to these people is extraordinary. Some of it can never be undone. The decisions were flawed. They were based on science that did not add up to the decisions that were made. Further, had we not had this outside peer review by the National Academy of Sciences, we would have continued down a road of dumping potentially lethally hot water into the Klamath River, killing the very Koho salmon this whole plan was supposed to fix and help. The National Academy of Sciences said one of the reasons that these Koho are surviving in this rather warm river complex to begin with is probably due to natural seepage and some cold water springs where they can go off into micro-habitat and survive. The plan that the National Marine Fisheries Service wanted us to follow which denied water to the farmers said dump warm reservoir water into this same river system. In effect, pollute this river with warm water at the worst time of the year, providing lethal water to the salmon. Mr. Speaker, if there was ever a poster child for the need for reforming of the Endangered Species Act to have precisely this kind of peer review of the science, it is the Klamath Basin. Beyond that, Mr. Speaker, if this government owes any debt to anyone, it is to the farmers and ranchers in this basin whose livelihoods were robbed from them, whose fields turned up dry, some of whom left; and I have not even talked about the farm-worker families that had to leave. During the bucket brigade rally, where 18,000 showed up, a Hispanic farm worker came up to me in the high school ball field where we had all gathered, tears in his eyes, and told me he had come to this country some 20, 25 years before and gotten a job on a farm in this basin the next day. He had raised his family, educated his kids, and worked every day since, until that week, when he had lost his job. A terrible wrong has been committed here. We have an obligation and a responsibility to make it right.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my immense gratitude to the academy nominating committee that assists me in selecting the best and brightest young people in central, southern and eastern Oregon for nominations to our nation's military academies. As I'm sure my colleagues would agree, one of the greatest honors I have as a Member of Congress is the privilege of nominating outstanding young men and women from my district to the United States Military, Naval, Air Force, and Merchant Marine Academies. Not only do these prestigious institutions offer the finest education in the world, but they also provide an avenue to one of the most honorable forms of public service available to our citizens: the opportunity to serve in the United States armed forces. Graduates of these institutions serve not only as the leaders of our nation's military, but also in high positions of civic and social responsibility in later life. Mr. Speaker, given the tremendous investment our government makes in these young men and women and the faith the nation places in them after their graduation, nominating the most qualified candidates to America's military academies is an important responsibility. For this reason, in the process of selecting nominees I seek the guidance of men and women whose patriotism, professionalism, and judgment are beyond reproach. I am immensely fortunate to have the assistance of a number of retired military officers in my district who personify these virtues. In the process of selecting candidates for nomination, I have called upon the expertise of the following outstanding retired military officers to assist me: The Oregon 2nd Congressional District Academy Nomination Committee: Major General David S. Trump, USAF (Ret.) Colonel Linda Sindt, USAF (Ret.) Colonel Thomas G. Foster, USA (Ret.) Captain Bud Hart, USN (Ret.) Captain Sam Edelstein, USN (Ret.) Colonel Norman Smedes, USAF (Ret.) Captain Robert J. Trott, USN (Ret.) Mr. Speaker, these dedicated individuals have served their fellow citizens selflessly in their careers as professional military officers, and their service to the nation continues in this new capacity. Drawing from their considerable experience, they assist me in selecting candidates who understand and appreciate the gravity of the pursuit they are undertaking. The members of the nominating committee spend countless hours reviewing each candidate's record and conducting extensive interviews to enable me to choose the best of the best. They are both thorough and demanding in ensuring that the candidates they recommend bear the qualities that will be of value to the services they hope one day to join. At a time when our nation is being tested as it has never been tested before, we are more mindful than ever of the need to identify and invest in the future leaders of our nation's military, the men and women who safeguard the very mantle of freedom under which we rise and sleep. I am grateful to have the guidance of these experienced officers who have, through their own outstanding military careers, demonstrated the qualities we seek in academy nominees. Our country will reap the benefits of their service for many years to come.

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 2nd Congressional District. Cameron Ballantyne will conclude his internship this week to pursue a degree at my alma mater, the University of Oregon. I wish him well in this endeavor and know that he will excel in his pursuit of a career in the field of journalism. Cameron comes from a fine Oregon family. I know and admire his parents, Kent and Mary Ballantyne of Lake Oswego, Oregon, and count myself fortunate to call them my friends. I have not been surprised to find that in Cameron's case, the apple does not fall far from the tree. Following his graduation from high school, Cameron's academic pursuits led him to the Rexburg, Idaho, campus of Brigham Young University. After an exemplary academic performance there, Cameron embarked on a two-year mission in the service of his church in Moscow, Russia, where he became fluent in the Russian language. His strong sense of duty and idealism was further demonstrated when he returned to Oregon to work for the American Red Cross Blood Service. Cameron continued his record of civic service in September by moving to the nation's capital to serve as an intem in my congressional office. During his stay in Washington, DC, Cameron experienced much more than the typical intern. He joined my staff only one week before the tragic events of September 11th and from his vantage point in Washington witnessed the best and worst of humanity. Cameron was undeterred by the attacks and continued to perform every task he was given with diligence and attention to detail. His efforts were instrumental in responding to the immediate challenges facing my staff, providing much needed help during our temporary displacement from the Longworth Building. Cameron's faithful service gave me full confidence to trust him with important work in a number of subject areas, including press relations. Cameron's departure will not go unnoticed in my office, especially among my staff, who relied upon his assistance on a daily basis. I know I speak for them all in testifying to the competence and professionalism Cameron exhibited in carrying out his duties, attributes that will serve him well in any career he chooses. I am confident that Cameron will always approach life with the same enthusiasm he brought with him to work every day. I am sorry to see him leave, but wish him the best life has to offer. Cameron, good luck, Go Ducks, and thank you for a job well done.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for having this Special Order. When Jennifer Brennan was pregnant with her first child, her husband, Thomas M. Brennan, would play Grateful Dead tapes loudly, hoping the music would reach the ears of the unborn daughter. When the baby kicked, as she invariably did, Mr. Brennan was delighted. She, too, he would say, was a fan. The last day he spent with his family, the Sunday before September 11, Mr. Brennan, age 32, played Grateful Dead in the car in Westchester. Strapped to her car seat, Katherine, now 19 months, laughed and moved to the music, and that is how Mrs. Brennan would like to remember her husband, as the only person who could make their daughter giggle uncontrollably. With his wife pregnant with the couple's second child, a boy who was born last month, Mr. Brennan took on many of the child care duties. He often fed his daughter breakfast and carried her when she needed a hug. Mr. Brennan, an investment banker with Sandler O'Neill, treasured the time with his family, in part because he traveled constantly for work. Tuesday, September 11, was the only day that week that he was scheduled to be in the office. Mr. Speaker, I did not know the Brennans, and I do not know them, but in a way I think all of us in America knew the Brennans because this heinous crime, this terrorist attack, was so anonymous. It just struck out and hit innocent people who were living the American dream. I think we all are affected by it because we realize but for the grace of God, it could have been one of us. Just as randomly, just as anonymously, and just as heinously, it could have been us. So indeed tonight I think we all feel that it was a part of us. That is why we are so sympathetic and grieve at the loss that these American families are enduring, especially during this season.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2828) to authorize refunds of amounts collected from the Klamath Project irrigation and drainage districts for operation and maintenance of the Project's transferred and reserved works for water year 2001, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 2828 gives hope to those people whose livelihoods face ruin as a result of the Interior Department's decision to shut off water to some 1,200 farm families of the Klamath Basin for the first time in the nearly 100-year history of the Bureau of Reclamation's Klamath Project. Many of these farm families are proud veterans or descendants of American veterans who wore our country's uniform and fought for freedom. The Federal Government lured them to this basin with a promise of water and land for life. They were encouraged by the Federal Government to settle the land and to feed the country. Last summer, without water, parched fields turned to dust and farm families began to stare bankruptcy in the face. To make matters even worse, these same farmers were paying for the operation and maintenance of the myriad of canals and waterways this year, paying for a project that would deliver them virtually no water. You know, in America you should not have to pay for something you do not receive, and that is where this legislation rights a wrong. I want to thank the gentleman from Utah (Chairman Hansen) and the ranking member, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) for their cooperation and support of this legislation. This measure results from testimony at a field hearing we held earlier this year in Klamath Falls. It is very much appreciated that we had that opportunity. I also want to thank my colleagues, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) and the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hooley), for their bipartisan cosponsorship and support of H.R. 2828. We continue to work together to find real solutions to the very real and difficult problems confronting the farmers, the tribes and the environment of the Klamath Basin. Rest assured, in the months ahead we will continue to bring legislation to address other very significant issues in this basin. H.R. 2828 provides both a measure of fairness and a measure of emergency relief. It authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to return or waive fees paid by irrigation districts and, ultimately, by their patrons this year. It puts money back in the hands of the farmers who so desperately need it. H.R. 2828 will authorize the Secretary of Interior to pay each qualified Klamath Project entity an amount of money that was assessed them for operation and maintenance of the Klamath Project for 2001. Section 2 defines the qualified Klamath Project as an entity that, one, has a water supply contract with the Bureau of Reclamation for water from the Upper Klamath Lake and Klamath River; two, distributes water received under the water supply contract; and three, received a severely limited supply based on the 2001 annual operations plan issued April 6, 2001; and finally, four, did not already receive refund payments. Mr. Speaker, this bill is the fair thing to do for the people who have experienced such terrible hardship. I hope that all of my colleagues can support this straightforward bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2585 is another of my bills that will address the current plight of fish and farmers in the Klamath Basin. The Klamath Basin is in both southern Oregon and northern California, and has Endangered Species Act-listed suckers, salmon and bald eagles. There are several tribes with treaty rights that must be respected. The Klamath Project, operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, has historically delivered water to about 200,000 acres. This year, however, the basin is experiencing a severe drought, on top of which the Klamath Project has been asked to provide additional water for species listed under the Endangered Species Act. The feasibility study required in this legislation is needed to address an imminent endangered species habitat claim against the Chiloquin Dam in southern Oregon, which is the Modoc Point Irrigation District's current gravity flow diversion source. This dam blocks suckers from reaching 95 percent of their former spawning and juvenile rearing habitat in the warm water reaches of the Sprague River. Several parties have identified the Chiloquin Dam as constituting a significant habitat problem for endangered suckers. They include: the Klamath Tribes, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Reclamation, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Klamath Water Users Association. I have worked in consultation with the Modoc Point Irrigation District and the Klamath Tribes to craft this legislation requesting this study of this dam. The study will include review of all alternatives for providing passage, including removal of the dam; determination of the most appropriate alternative; development of recommendations for implementing the alternative; and examination of mitigation needed for upstream and downstream water users as a result of such implementation. I would also point out that this legislation was cosponsored by several members of this committee, including the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio). This legislation is long overdue. The need to study this impediment is long overdue. Despite the crisis our Nation faces today, the farmers in this basin continue to face a crisis of their own, both economically and for their future. We need to move forward to resolve the issues that have blocked their ability to get water and the other help they need. Madam Speaker, I ask for the support of the entire House for this common sense, straightforward and balanced legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the comments of the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) and for his willingness to support this legislation, and to find balanced solutions for the problems that we face in the Northwest. Madam Speaker, it is interesting, I had not visited this dam until a year or so ago, and at that point I invited the Modoc Point Irrigation District directors and the tribal leaders from there to both join me at the site of this dam. I did not know what to expect. I had not seen it, but I had heard and read a lot about it. As we approached the dam, walked down, the skies were dark and it began to pelt rain and snow, not heavily, but it was one of those cold wet days. As I stood and looked at this concrete obstruction that backs water up and then allows water to be diverted into the Modoc Point District, we have to make sure that they continue to get access to water. When one looks at the dam itself, the top is wood and wire and it is all kind of broken down and disheveled. It is a mess. There is evidence of three fish passage ladders, two of which have crumbled down to basically the rebar and the concrete. The third one against the side where we were standing seemed to function fairly well. The biologist told us there are some 700 suckers that make their way through and up to the upper end where the habitat is impaired, and there is a lot of work we can do there, I think. I said, How many fish try to get up here? They do not know. It is hard to measure success if we do not know how many are trying to get up versus how many that do. The long and short of it is, this has been an impediment for at least a decade and yet nothing has happened. Like my colleague, I want to make something happen. I want to try to solve these problems so we have a viable environment and a vibrant agricultural economy because I think they can co-exist in the Klamath Basin. The comments of the gentleman regarding farmers invited to settle, not only were they invited, we invited our veterans, our men and women who wore the uniform of this country and defended our freedom abroad, to participate in a lottery. We promised to give them land and a guarantee of water for life if they would settle and develop this area. It is one of the oldest irrigation projects in America. It was one of the first. Over time, more and more promises have been given, more and more people settled. These are real people who are facing real bankruptcy right now. This Congress and this administration helped with a $20 million commitment to kind of tide them over, but it is not enough. We have got to do more. We have got to break through some of these barriers and solve some of these problems if we are going to have a long-term solution. We have got to act quickly. This study will still take a year, but it is a lot less time than it would have taken if we did not pass this legislation because they have had 10 years to try and figure it out. The Klamath water users have put together a very comprehensive report on how to deal with a whole host of solutions in this basin, to improve habitat, to improve water quality and still have viable agriculture. A lot of those have fallen on deaf ears over time. Many of them were at the agency level and not enacted. We cannot stand by and let this happen. This is a huge crisis for many, many, many families. A thousands plus farms are affected right now, today. They do not know what is going to happen next year. They come to us and ask, will we have water? We do not know. We do not know. That is why this legislation and legislation to grant them other relief from operation and maintenance costs that is pending in the committee that is going to help me get it through here, and other emergency relief legislation we have just got to act on. I commend the Committee on Resources. I thank them for their effort. I commend my colleagues. I ask for their approval of this legislation.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2585) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the feasibility of providing adequate upstream and downstream passage for fish at the Chiloquin Dam on the Sprague River, Oregon.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

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

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 1776, introduced by my friend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green), authorizes the Secretary of Interior to complete a study on the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Buffalo Bayou National Heritage Site in Houston, Texas. The designation would highlight the cultural, historic, political and economic significance that Buffalo Bayou played in the formation of modern day Houston. The Buffalo Bayou, nicknamed the ``Highway of the Republic,'' played an important role in the history and development of the City of Houston and the State of Texas, particularly as an immigration and navigation route beginning in the 1820s. It was the most reliable route for navigation into the interior of Texas, which eventually led to the Houston Ship Channel. In addition, a multitude of historic sites, early ethnic neighborhoods, several segments of the Great Coastal Texas Birding Trail, and some of Houston's oldest park areas line the banks of the Buffalo Bayou. Madam Speaker, this bill was amended at the subcommittee proceedings which specified criteria the Secretary shall consider in the development of the study, removed the appropriations authorization, and added the standard 3-year time limit for completing the study. The bill now has been agreed to by the minority and the administration. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1776, as amended. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1776) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Buffalo Bayou National Heritage Area in west Houston, Texas, as amended.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for his kind comments and his generous support of this legislation and express my appreciation to the tribes and to Jefferson County and to Portland General Electric for their continuous work as we have wordsmithed this bill, probably more than any other bill I have been around, to make it conform to the needs of all of the parties involved. They have been quite patient and helpful in this process. I urge passage of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, on April 12 of 2000, the Warm Springs Tribe, Portland General Electric Company, and the Department of the Interior as the Tribe's trustee entered into an agreement for the Tribe to buy one-third or more of the 440-megawatt Pelton Hydroelectric Project on Oregon's Deschutes River. About one-third of that project is on the Warm Springs Tribal trust land. The Tribe plans to use bonds to finance the $30 million initial one- third acquisition of the project. A Federal law requires that any encumbrance of Indian trust resources be approved by the Interior Secretary. Interior asserts its current authorities are sufficient to authorize that approval for the Warm Springs trust resources. However, bond counsel asserts current authority is not express enough to allow for an unqualified opinion needed to issue those bonds. The Tribe and PGE also believe more express authority will help secure their agreement. H.R. 483 addresses this situation by providing express approval specifically for the Pelton agreement so the bonds can be issued and the agreement is more secure. At the same time, it provides that this single case instance of approval is not to diminish Interior's existing authority to approve similar agreements. The bill also authorizes Warm Springs trust land leases of up to 99 years at the Secretary's discretion. Mr. Speaker, I hope that the House can unanimously support this piece of legislation. It is cosponsored by the entire Oregon delegation, and it will provide a needed economic development for the Warm Springs Tribes. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 483) regarding the use of the trust land and resources of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, as amended.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the selfless contributions of one of the Oregonians I am privileged to represent, Mike Byrne of Malin, Oregon. I am also pleased to observe his 50th birthday today and offer up my sincere hope that he is blessed with another half century among his friends and family. Mike Byrne is a long-time rancher on the southern Oregon--northern California border. He is a devoted husband and father and a tireless servant of his fellow Oregonians. But Mr. Speaker, he is much, much more. He is a patient confidant, a visionary, and a man of uncompromising principle. Perhaps most importantly, to me and to the people of his community, he is simply a good friend. Mr. Speaker, in April of this year the Bureau of Reclamation announced that, based on biological opinions rendered by the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the farmers and ranchers of the Klamath Basin would be denied irrigation water for agriculture from Upper Klamath Lake. This decision, coming on the heels of a severe drought, has subjected the local agriculture community to extreme financial hardship. The combination of drought and misguided decision-making by the federal government has literally put the future of their way of life in doubt, as farming as it has existed in the Basin for over 100 years has virtually ceased. Before the ink on the government's decision was dry, Mike Byrne was hard at work raising awareness about the Klamath crisis and rallying the local community. He has been in the trenches everyday, Mr. Speaker--in town hall meetings, in negotiations with federal, state and local authorities, and around kitchen tables throughout the Basin--to lend what help he could in seeing the farmers and ranchers of the region through this difficult time. Mike was one of the principal organizers of the historic Bucket Brigade on May 7, 2001, which raised the visibility of the crisis and brought the plight of the Klamath Basin to living rooms across America. Since the crisis first arose in the Klamath Basin, Mike has been at the forefront of the effort to bring diverse groups together to achieve a workable solution. Mike understood that the future of agriculture in the Klamath Basin--and throughout the United States--laid in finding a balanced, workable solution to the conflict between farming and species protection. When this problem is solved and a practical resolution is agreed to by the many parties involved, it will be because of the patience and dedication of people like Mike Byrne. Mr. Speaker, I take enormous pride in Mike's ceaseless efforts on behalf of his fellow ranchers and farmers. The perseverance he and others like him have demonstrated during this crisis has literally made the difference between despair and hope for so many of the farmers in the Klamath Basin. Mike Byrne represents the best of what citizenship in America means. I offer him both my praise and my most sincere gratitude for working on behalf of the people of the Klamath Basin, who have faced such significant trials. Many hurdles remain in the path of Klamath farmers, and I am grateful that I'll have Mike Byrne by my side throughout the challenges that lie ahead. Happy 50th birthday, Mike. Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to share with my colleagues the extraordinary service of this outstanding American.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary efforts of the Oregon Farm Service Agency staff as they assist the farmers of the Klamath Basin in dealing with the crisis that arose earlier this year from the denial of irrigation water by the federal government. In April of this year the Bureau of Reclamation announced that, based on biological opinions rendered by the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the farmers of the Klamath Basin would be denied irrigation water for agriculture from Upper Klamath Lake. This decision, coupled with a severe drought in the region, has subjected local farmers to extreme financial hardship. The devastating combination of drought and poor management decisions by the federal government has literally put the future of their way of life in doubt, as farming as it has existed in the Basin for over 100 years has virtually ceased. Long before the full impact of this decision upon Klamath Basin farmers was understood, the Oregon Farm Service Agency was hard at work in delivering relief, guidance, and information to those affected. State Executive Director Larry Frey was in touch with my office almost immediately. He and his exceptionally competent staff made themselves available at any time, day or night, to keep me informed. They worked tirelessly to identify federal programs to help the farmers survive this season. Mr. Speaker, on July 20, 2001, the Congress passed a partial relief measure of $20 million to be disbursed to the devastated Klamath Basin farmers. The Klamath County office of the Oregon Farm Service Agency is now in the process of signing up farmers for that relief. Manning their offices in Klamath Falls from before dawn until late into the evening, they are dispatching the requests for relief quickly and efficiently. This is just the latest effort in a long-standing record of outstanding service to farmers by the Klamath Falls office, which is headed by County Executive Director Denise Martin. Denise's unflagging efforts serve as an inspiring example of a federal employee going the extra mile to meet the needs of her clients with compassion and professionalism. Denise Martin would be the first to tell you that she has not delivered this tremendous service alone. Indeed, she has been assisted by a staff whose effectiveness is matched only by its dedication to the farmers of the Basin. Throughout this crisis she has relied heavily on fellow professionals Harvey Bush, Josh Hanning, and Kristen Bingaman. Additionally, the efforts of Anna Flemming, Linda Watson, Lindsay Miles, Dorothy Scull, and Rowena Chase have been invaluable to the operations of the Klamath Falls Office. An effort of this magnitude, which has entailed many weeks of 13-hour days, could not proceed as smoothly as it has without the help of Farm Service Agency staff members brought in from all over the State of Oregon. These talented and committed individuals assisting the Klamath Falls office are: Lois Loop, Janice Knutz, Linda Miller, Kelsey Hanning, Toni Williams, Ilene Berry, Patti Anderson, Charley Newhouse, Alycia McCord, Marty Hamilton, Bret Harris, and Lee Go. Delivering these urgently needed funds to Klamath Basin farmers in a fair, accurate, and efficient manner is a monumental task. What makes this effort even more remarkable is the fact that the program for disbursing the funds, designed by State Office Specialist Fred Ringer, does not require one dime in administrative fees for the Farm Service Agency. Mr. Speaker, we should all take pride in this selfless group of federal workers whose tireless efforts have made the difference between despair and hope for so many of the farmers in the Klamath Basin. They truly represent the best of what our government stands for. Their hearts are guided by compassion and they have the personal commitment to do their job to the fullest, regardless of the extreme effort required. I offer them both my praise and my most sincere gratitude for caring for the farmers in the Klamath Basin who have faced such significant trials. Many hurdles remain in the path of Klamath farmers, and I am delighted that the Oregon Farm Service Agency will be working with us throughout the challenges that lie ahead.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 349, due to weather-related problems, I missed the vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. While the terrorists crashed their planes here on the East Coast, the emotional wreckage is strewn across our Nation. From New York City to Dalles, Oregon, families are grieving tonight over the loss of loved ones. My thoughts and prayers are with those who were harmed or killed by this horrific but cowardly act of terrorism. They and their families have our deepest sympathies. Our prayers go to those brave men and women who even tonight are risking their lives to save the lives of others. September 11 is indelibly scarred in the soul of our country as a day when terrorists who have no conscience, who have no decency, challenged our very freedom and independence. Those who challenge America and harm her citizens through acts of terrorism shall be hunted down and annihilated. Let the world know that those countries that give aid or safe harbor to such terrorists shall incur our wrath also. They share fully in the responsibility of the actions of the terrorists whom they supported. America is a patient Nation. We are a tolerant people. But our patience and our tolerance have run out. The wolf is rising in our hearts. Our Nation's great strength comes from our freedom and our independence. And we will defend our way of life. Our Nation's great sense of purpose comes from its people. And we will defend our citizens. We will beef up our security, we will enhance our intelligence gathering, and we will make America safe and free again.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity to recognize one of Oregon's most distinguished sons, Kenneth Jernstedt, on the occasion of the dedication of Ken Jernstedt Airfield on September 8, 2001, in the City of Hood River, Oregon. A devoted husband and father, a fearless warrior, a public servant, and a friend to the people of the Columbia Gorge, Ken Jernstedt is as fine an American as I have ever known. Naming the airfield in Ken's honor is a fitting tribute to a man who not only has served this community so ably, but who personifies aviation in Oregon. From his days as a combat pilot in the skies over China to his service as a test pilot after his return, Ken is an airman through and through. Recruited from the U.S. Marine Air Corps in 1941, Ken Jernstedt was among a restless and eager group of young pilots who answered the call to protect the Burma Road, a vital support line into China. These young men made up the American Volunteer Group, commonly known as the Flying Tigers, a clandestine organization of American civilian volunteers that became operational even before the United States entered the war against Japan. The Flying Tigers served in China and Southeast Asia from December, 1941 to July, 1942 under the command of their charismatic leader, Claire Chennault. In just six months of combat operations, Jernstedt and his comrades-in-arms were credited with destroying 296 enemy planes and more than 1,000 airmen. For this toll on the enemy 22 Tigers made the ultimate sacrifice, never to return to the country they had served so honorably. During his tour with the Flying Tigers, Ken Jernstedt served as a flight leader of the 3rd Squadron. In combat against the enemy, he scored 10\1/2\ victories in his P-40 fighter, earning him the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the highest decorations awarded by the United States for valor in aerial combat. Following the disbandment of the Flying Tigers in 1942, Ken became an experimental plane test pilot, a job no less dangerous than combat against the Japanese. Among the planes he piloted was the P-47 Thunderbolt. Later in his life, Ken directed his tremendous energies toward less dangerous endeavors. After serving as mayor of the City of Hood River from 1959 to 1960, he was elected to the State Legislature, where he served with distinction in both the House and Senate for a combined 20 years. Following his departure from the Senate, Ken again served as mayor of Hood River from 1989 to 1990. In addition to his invaluable public service at both the local and state levels, Ken has served as honorary chair of the Air Safety and Education Foundation of the Oregon Pilots Association. In the future, as generations not yet born pass through the gates of Ken Jernstedt Airfield, they will be reminded of this giant of a man. If they admire courage in the face of danger, if they value personal sacrifice in a culture of self gratification, and if they cherish freedom in a world filled with oppression, they will salute him as I salute him today. Ken Jernstedt is, in a word, a patriot. For one who so values the liberty that was purchased with the courage of men like him, I can think of no higher compliment.