Greg Walden

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Buyer amendment, and I believe that that amendment and frankly the underlying goal of the underlying amendment are both well-intentioned. However, I believe that subvention does not do it all for all the people we need to help. We are not keeping the commitment that we must keep to the retirees. When you come from a district like mine where we have no base to argue about a clinic, whether it is great for geriatric patients or not, they end up having to drive 640 miles round trip to McClellan from Oregon just so they can get their prescriptions filled. So I am not ready to write a blank check here on subvention. I think the Buyer approach is the best approach, take this a step at a time while we do what my colleague from Oklahoma recommended about getting a card for everybody, so that my veterans and retirees do not have to make this trip. I commend the gentleman and the chairman for their work so that they can get prescription drug coverage, because right now these people are boarding buses once a month to go to McClellan so that they can establish their ability to get prescription drugs. Do you want them to drive over mountain passes in the middle of the winter 300 miles each way to do that? This legislation fixes that problem. I commend both of the gentlemen and all the members of this committee for taking care of that. I support the Buyer amendment so we do the right thing here and not write a complete blank check.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I just have to make a comment as well about the concept of these Federal lands being so productive to employment. The gentleman who went to the university, as I recall, as apparently been a long time going back through eastern Oregon and seeing mill after mill close, unemployment rates in some counties like Grant County in Oregon hit upwards of 20 percent because of the way the forests are being mismanaged today.

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

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, first of all, let me say this does not apply to Washington, so the gentleman's implication that it applies to Washington is inaccurate. It applies to 5 States: Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Nevada. We are not talking about something extraordinary like churches or selling to somebody. In fact, they could donate it, they could have the State of Idaho buy it, they could have a private organization buy it, they could have somebody with private property buy it and use it in that respect. The issue here, though, is as these lands come off the tax rolls, they affect our schools, they affect our roads, they affect things going on in the community, and that ought to be recognized.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, how much time do we have remaining?

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, our amendment is as simple as it is fair and logical. It simply says that if the Federal Government already owns more than one-half of our State, then before it can buy any more private land in that State, the State will have an opportunity to simply have a say in the matter. In fact, the elected legislators and the governor will have a say as to whether or not the Federal Government will take even more land out of private property ownership and put it into Federal ownership. Why is this important? Because as we have heard over and over tonight, many of us represent districts that have enormous amounts of lands off the tax rolls already and under Federal control. The Federal Government controls more than 55 percent of Oregon, nearly 56 percent of my district. My district, pictured here, overlaid the East Coast to give Members a dramatic view of just how large it is, it is larger than 31 States. Larger than 31 States. And so to put that in perspective, I have created this map here. As we can see from New Jersey to Ohio it would stretch. Half of this is already under Federal control. Half of it is already under Federal control. In fact, the Federal Government controls 34 million acres in the State of Oregon. To put that in perspective, in Maryland the Federal Government controls 131,000 acres. 34 million versus 131,000. I would wager we lose more in mapping errors in Oregon than Maryland has under Federal land. Think about it. Oregon already has 113 times as much Federal land as Maryland. I understand why people living in other States, especially those east of the Mississippi and in urban cities, favor more open spaces and additional Federal lands. I probably would if I lived there as well. But my concern comes from those of us who live in the West and about those who seek to lock up more land in the West. This legislation guarantees them a billion dollars a year for 15 years to move that marker up anytime they want to acquire more Federal lands. And so this is a simple amendment that just says, if that is going to happen, the State legislatures in those States that are already more than 50 percent controlled by the Federal Government have an opportunity to speak on that matter.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say that I have gotten more mail on this issue than any other, other than satellite television, in the last 16 months, and this is a classic letter: ``Dear Mr. Walden, I am a registered Oregon voter who uses this service of long-distance e-mail often, and I do not think it is right for the U.S. Postal Service, telephone companies, or any other entity to tamper with a person's right to free Internet e-mail. I am posting my no vote with you, my State representative. Thank you, sincerely, Mrs. Marilyn D. Icenbice of Klamath Falls, Oregon.'' She is right. We are going to stop that and prevent that from occurring. And let me talk a minute about temporary taxes. There is a temporary tax on our phone right now that was put in place to fund the Spanish- American War. Like my colleague from Oklahoma just talked about some of these taxes, we are going to get rid of that one, later this month, hopefully. So a temporary tax never goes away. And if we allow the Internet to get caught up in that, we are in real trouble. Because the Internet and high-tech has been the economy that is fueling what is going on in terms of growth in America. Not in all sectors, but certainly an important sector. And we can do the best to expand the Internet into rural areas, like my district, by keeping it tax free. I urge my colleagues to support this moratorium.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, after serving nearly fifty years as a diplomat for his country and his last two years as his country's Representative in the United States, Ambassador Stephen Chen will be resigning from government service and returning to Taipei. Always gracious and diplomatic, Ambassador Chen has impressed everyone with his industry, his wit and humor, and his erudition. An expert on subjects familiar and arcane, Ambassador Chen is a diplomat's diplomat. Even though Ambassador Chen represents a country that has no formal ties with the United States, Ambassador Chen, with the very able assistance of aide Leonard Chao, has overcome many formidable obstacles in maintaining proper contacts with our State Department, and in building many friendships on Capitol Hill. When it comes to working for his country and his people, Ambassador Chen says with a smile: ``To make up our lack of access to executive branches, we must work with our friends on the hill. We must help lawmakers see that Taiwan is a full democracy, sharing many of the democratic ideals with the United States. We must stress to our friends that it is not necessary for the United States to sacrifice Taiwan's interests in order for the United States to improve its relations with the PRC.'' In my opinion, Ambassador Chen has achieved his objectives in Congress. He has made numerous friends on the Hill and has convinced many of us that both Taiwan and the PRC can be true beneficiaries of a wise U.S. East Asia policy. Mr. Speaker, Ambassador Chen has earned our respect and genuine affection during his tenure in Washington. It has been my privilege to know Stephen and his charming wife Rosa and to enjoy their warm hospitality at Twin Oaks. I will miss their charm, their wit and their graciousness. I send Stephen and Rosa my best wishes for the future.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise today first to declare a conflict of interest. I am a community radio broadcast station owner and operator and have been for 14 years. My father started in this business in the late 1930s. There has never been more diversity on the dial and more stations than there are today. Now, my stations are in a small community; 20,000 in the county and 23 in the other. We do the very things that my colleagues are talking about today that they want: Spanish programming, programming for seniors, and so do my colleagues in the industry. And that is what I am standing up here today to talk about, is the public service and community service that is today provided to people in America by their community broadcasters. This amendment, though, is bad. Now, I am not a radio engineer, although I have spent time inside transmitters with my engineer. My engineer is a fan of low-power FM. He is very supportive of it. He and I disagree on this. But when it comes to the technical issue of LPFM, I want to read my colleagues what he said to me. ``My position on this is not to kill LPFM, but to pressure the FCC to consider revising at least the rules that would be most harmful to full-power FM stations. This rule appears to be the worst. Protecting against interference to a station's protected contour has been a bedrock issue with the FCC.'' He says, ``Perhaps most disturbing were the rules for future full-power FM's. It appears that predicted and actual interference would have to be caused within a future station's 70dBu `city grade' contour, before the full-power station could have any relief from LPFM interference. Interference from there on out to the 60dBu contour would just have to be tolerated by the full-power station.'' That is why the FCC was created in the beginning, was to sort out these technical interference problems. That is why this amendment is not a good one and why it ought to be defeated and why we ought to run out the test the way the bill envisions and do it in that respect. I have heard from community broadcasters; I have heard from Jefferson Public Radio concerned about the potential interference with their translator system on public radio. We have a great opportunity to move forward with the legislation that the chairman and the ranking member has offered, and I think this amendment is the wrong direction to go. From a technical standpoint, it is flawed and it will hurt the process.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I rise today with profound sadness to honor the short, yet exceptional life of Lance Corporal Seth G. Jones, who perished last Saturday, along with 18 fellow Marines, in an aircraft crash near Marana, Arizona. Madam Speaker, Lance Corporal Jones was only 18 years of age. A native of Bend, Oregon, and a graduate of Mountain View High School, he joined the Marine Corps in February of 1999. After graduating from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, Seth fulfilled his long-held dream of serving in the infantry. At the time of his death, he served as an assaultman assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, stationed at Camp Pendleton, California. Remembered by friends and family alike as a motivated young American with a steadfast sense of patriotism and duty, Lance Corporal Jones was, quite simply, what parents want their children to grow up to be. His high school ROTC instructor remembered him as ``more than enthusiastic, energetic and intense. Seth was turbocharged.'' Seth's hockey coach recalled meeting him after he completed basic training and saying, ``In that short time he had gone from a teenager to an adult. He had grown up.'' Madam Speaker, nothing is more tragic than a life so full of promise cut short before its time. And there is no worse grief than that suffered by parents who must bury their child, because it is not the way life's journey is supposed to go. Lance Corporal Jones answered his country's call and he knew the meaning of the word duty. While he did not die in a hail of gunfire, Seth gave his life for his country nonetheless. Training for the day when he might be called upon to defend his native land, he gladly shouldered a responsibility few of us can fully appreciate. In an age when most kids are worried about what they are going to wear on Saturday night, Seth was jumping out of helicopters and practicing hostage rescue. Madam Speaker, surrounded by the luxury of our system of government that is afforded us, we often forget that there are still people among us whose job it is to carry rifles into battle, who shoot at our enemies and are in turn shot at, so that we may continue to live as a free people. There are men like Lance Corporal Jones who are familiar with the chill of a night spent in a foxhole and the exhaustion of a forced march who protect those of us who are not. John Stuart Mill once wrote, ``A man who has nothing he cares about more deeply than his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.'' Lance Corporal Jones, and the Marines who lost their lives, were the very guardians of our liberty, Madam Speaker, the men whose exertions keep us free. To his family, to his country, and to his Corps, Lance Corporal Jones, like his fellow fallen Marines, was as the Marine Corps motto reads: Always faithful. While the cause of this tragic accident is still unknown, this morning I met with Lieutenant General Fred McCorkle, deputy chief of staff for the Marine Corps Aviation, to underscore the need for a full investigation to be undertaken to ensure that the equipment used by our men and women in uniform does not subject them to unnecessary risks. In this time of grief, my deepest sympathy goes out to the family of Lance Corporal Jones as it does to the entire Marine Corps family.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) for his leadership in our efforts to make America safe from fire. Mr. Chairman, I support this amendment because it will help rural fire fighters in Oregon and throughout the country fight fires before they become big, expensive, and dangerous. Each year in my district, fires destroy countless acres of forest and rangeland and threaten homes and even the lives of my constituents. In many cases, small volunteer fire departments are the first line of defense against these killer fires. These departments are located near where fires start, and they are uniquely situated to fight and contain fires before they grow out of control. But the men and women who give their time to bravely serve and protect their communities need our help. They need training and equipment to help them fight wildfires safely and effectively. That is why I have worked to increase the funding for the Volunteer Fire Assistance Program to $10 million. This money will go a long way in preparing volunteer fire departments to fight wildfires. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased that the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania addresses the crucial need for increased funding for VFAP. Volunteer fire fighters in Prineville, Spray, Boardman, Baker City and other communities deserve no less.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Ways and Means have until midnight, Friday, March 24, 2000 to file a report on H.R. 7, the Education Savings and School Excellence Act of 1999.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. on Monday next.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the business in order under the Calendar Wednesday rule be dispensed with on Wednesday next.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns on Monday, March 27, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28, for morning hour debates.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, my purpose in rising this afternoon is threefold. I would like to share with my colleagues a story that is virtually unparalleled in illustrating the difficulty many military retirees face in the effort to have their government fulfill its promise of lifelong health care. Second, I want to salute the extraordinary efforts of a retired service member in my district, Mr. Len Gagne of Ashland, Oregon, whose selfless devotion to his fellow service members has endured long after the Government's commitment to them waned. Finally, I want to highlight the importance, indeed the absolute necessity, of honoring our Nation's commitment to provide lifelong health care coverage to our military retirees. Here on this picture next to me are some of the 2,500 military retirees in Oregon's Rogue Valley, all of whom entered the armed services with the explicit promise of lifelong medical care following their retirement. As most of my colleagues know, due to downsizing and the subsequent lack of space available at many military medical facilities, that promise has not been kept. Thirteen years ago, Len Gagne and a number of retirees pictured here banded together to form a courier service to help military retirees from the region obtain prescription drugs more easily. Living in rural Oregon where the majority of military retirees live hundreds of miles from the nearest military facility makes getting prescriptions filled difficult. The group began a service to get prescription drug orders filled at the Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis, Washington. Now, the prescription orders for these men and women were sent to Eugene, Oregon, and then to Fort Lewis where they were later picked up by volunteers and driven back to Oregon. All of the costs associated with this distribution effort were borne by the private individuals and not by the Government. So unorthodox was this service that the prescriptions were stored and distributed out of a member's home for several years before the use of facilities at the Naval Reserve Center in Central Point, Oregon were made available. About 8 years ago, the makeshift prescription delivery service shifted facilities when Beale Air Force Base, located 13 miles east of Marysville, California, became Oregon's primary care location. Twice a month, courier trips were made to Beale, eventually filling as many as 2,200 prescriptions per month. In total, the volunteer couriers, who used their own vehicles and never accepted a dime of government reimbursement, covered more than 25,000 miles a year. The selflessness of these men and women allowed many older retirees who could not otherwise have made the trip the opportunity to get the prescription drugs they needed. Mr. Speaker, I have been disappointed to learn that this practice has become widespread among military retirees, a practice that they should not have to go through to get the prescriptions this government guaranteed them. Mr. Gagne's operation continued until last year when authorities at Beale shut down the courier service, as many military facilities across the United States have been forced to do so in recent years. Prescriptions were no longer filled for those who did not appear at Beale in person. But because many of these men and women are either too elderly or too ill to make the taxing journey to Beale or Fort Lewis, this cut-off essentially closed the door on life-saving prescription drugs for these retirees, some of whom have dedicated over 30 years of service to this great country of ours. Around the time Mr. Gagne learned of the cut-off at Beale, he devised a plan to continue providing the medicines that he and his fellow service members needed, a strategy that was as innovative as it was selfless. Len learned of a policy that allowed military retirees whose prescriptions are filled at a base being closed under the Base Realignment and Closure, BRAC, plan to be eligible for permanent mail delivery of prescription medicines. He also learned that McClellan Air Force Base, located nine miles east of Sacramento, would be closing in July of 2000. Though the Rogue Valley retirees lived literally hundreds of miles away from McClellan, Len reasoned that if they could demonstrate their dependence on the pharmacy service at that base, according to the policy, their supply of prescriptions would be secure. So, Mr. Gagne arranged bus trips to transport groups of retirees to the closing base where they signed statements of dependency on its pharmacy. Again, the people pictured in this photograph on display in the House Chamber are a part of that group that went on the bus trip. Now, we have to understand the distance from Medford, Oregon, to Sacramento is 309 miles, roughly the distance between Washington, D.C. and New Haven, Connecticut, or Greensboro, North Carolina, if one wanted to go south. Imagine, Mr. Speaker, having to go from Washington, D.C. to Connecticut or North Carolina to get your prescriptions filled. Imagine, a nearly 620 mile round trip every time you wanted to go to the drugstore. Well, they chartered buses at $1,150 per trip, all paid for by themselves; and approximately 40 people at a time made the 16- hour round trip to McClellan, where they got a 3-month supply of medicines and thereby qualified for the BRAC pharmacy benefit. The retirees and dependents pictured here, many of whom are decorated combat veterans of World War II, are seen standing outside the McClellan clinic during one such trip. I am told that Mr. Gagne's ingenuity in organizing these trips is probably without precedent. No other retirees have ever traveled en masse to a closing base simply to qualify for the BRAC benefit. It goes without saying that it is appalling that these retirees are forced to find loopholes in the system simply to gain what they were promised by this government years ago. Mr. Speaker, the basic contract that binds a professional military to the government it serves is an uncomplicated one. It is an understanding which assumes that in exchange for a life spent in service to the Nation, the government has certain fundamental obligations to its retirees. In the United States, these obligations have traditionally meant a reasonable retirement wage and promise of lifetime access to health care. In return, the American people are ensured of their defense by a group whose dedication to duty is the very definition of professionalism throughout the world, a group whose members have laid down their lives by the hundreds of thousands in defense of the ideals and freedoms we so often invoke in this House. The hallowed bonds between the Government and the military are straining in ways that are becoming ominously apparent with each passing year. This strain is manifest in the thousands of loyal soldiers on food stamps whose condition is often alluded to in this very Chamber, but remains uncorrected. It is obvious in the declining enlistment and re-enlistment rates that have caused a near panic among senior military officials; and I submit to my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, that a government unconcerned about busloads of aged retirees traveling hundreds of miles at their own expense for basic medicines is not a government committed to strengthening those bonds. For how can we ask our service members to continue to perform their vital duties while the Government fails to uphold its fundamental responsibility to care for those who have served in the past. It is examples such as the one I have related that compelled me to cosponsor the Keep Our Promise to Americans Military Retirees Act. I urge my colleagues who have not yet done so to join us in advancing this essential piece of legislation. The men and women of the United States military who provide the very blanket of security under which we spend our lives deserve no less. It is nothing short of outrageous that military retirees across this Nation are forced to undergo such adversity simply to get what was promised to them in the first place. I urge my colleagues to restore the military's faith in the government it serves and renew our commitment to our retired service members. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to extend my personal gratitude to Len Gagne and those who assist him and the thousands of men and women like him whose commitment to their comrades is matched only by their devotion to the Nation they so tirelessly serve.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the efforts of law enforcement officers in Jackson County, Oregon. Yesterday, 110 law enforcement officers from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Agency, IRS, INS, the Social Security Administration and the Jackson County Narcotics Enforcement Team, also called Jacnet, shut down a drug ring that was thought to supply 90 percent of the area's heroin and most of its methamphetamines. Nineteen people were arrested; 28 houses and vehicles were searched in this early morning bust. Mr. Speaker, this is a great victory for the work to protect our communities from the scourge of illegal narcotics, and I congratulate the law enforcement personnel who were involved. The bust is also a great victory for cooperative collaborative counter-drug efforts. Jacnet is itself made up of people of the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, the Oregon State Police, Medford and Central Point Police Departments, and the Oregon National Guard. Add Federal agencies and we have all levels of government working together to fight drugs, and it works. That is why I am working to increase funding for the federally- designated High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, including Jackson County. Mr. Speaker, this is a program that works, and I intend to keep pursuing it. I congratulate those law enforcement agencies that were involved in making our communities safer.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support for the Government Waste Corrections Act. This bipartisan legislation will save the taxpayers at least $180 million over the next 5 years by making the Federal Government less wasteful through adoption of private-sector solutions to problems with contract payments. I am a cosponsor of this important piece of legislation because I believe it is common-sense reform. As a small business owner, I understand the importance of keeping a close eye on disbursements. If we treat the funds of our own business with that kind of care, don't taxpayers deserve the same treatment for their money? I think so, and I'll bet most Americans you ask think so too. For some years, the Department of Defense has used a method known as recovery auditing to cut down on the amount of overpayment to contractors. The 1996 Defense Authorization Act authorized a recovery auditing demonstration program at the Defense Supply Center in Philadelphia. The audit turned up more than $27 million in overpayments. Due to disputes, only $2.6 million of this amount has been returned to the Government, but the DOD is optimistic that more money will be returned soon, and the recovery audit is seen as a success. H.R. 1827 would implement this audit method throughout the Federal Government, saving taxpayers millions more. It would allow agencies to perform the audit internally or through a contractor, providing sufficient flexibility to account for differences between agencies. And it would allow agencies to give cash awards to employees who identify wasteful spending practices. Mr. Chairman, I applaud the efforts of Chairman Burton and Chairman Horn to improve the efficiency of the Federal Government and save taxpayers money. I urge passage of the common-sense Government Waste Corrections Act.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I move that the message of the President be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a woman who is nearing the end of her tenure as president of the Oregon Cattlemen's Association. Sharon Beck is a remarkable woman who deserves the appreciation of all of those whose livelihoods depend on their ability to till the soil and raise cattle. She is a woman who has devoted a significant portion of her life to defending the farmers and ranchers of both Oregon and the United States and preserving their rural way of life. Sharon's election by her peers as president of the OCA is merely one reflection of the respect and admiration she has garnered throughout her years of tireless devotion on behalf of the agricultural community. In 1984 the Beck family was named producers of the year by the Beef Improvement Federation. Sharon and her husband appeared on the cover of Beef Today in 1995. This year her family's farm received the high honor of being named the Oregon Wheat Growers League ``State Conservation Farm of the Year.'' Sharon Beck has received awards from the Oregon Cattlewomen, has twice received the President's award from the Oregon Cattlemen's Association, and was named Union County's ``Agricultural Woman of the Year.'' These awards represent not only Sharon's dedication to agriculture, but also that of her family and especially her husband Bob, who deserves a recognition of his own. Sharon's son Rob summed up her life of achievement perfectly by noting that her commitment and dedication have allowed her to excel at any endeavor she undertakes, and that no matter what the odds, she is never overwhelmed. That's why farmers and ranchers turn to Sharon in times of trouble. And Mr. Speaker, that's why I rise today to recognize Sharon Beck--a true American rancher and a true friend of mine.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Idaho (Mrs. Chenoweth-Hage) for her work on this legislation, and I would like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller) from the committee as well for his help in crafting the agreement that we approved. Mr. Speaker, Senate bill 416 is of the utmost importance to the health and welfare of the constituents of my district. This legislation will convey a parcel of land for the use by the City of Sisters, Oregon, for the development of a sewage treatment facility. It has strong bipartisan support from its cosponsors, Senator Wyden and Senator Smith, and it passed unanimously in the other body. The bill also has the support of the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), my fellow Oregonian across the aisle who serves on the Committee on Resources as well. Mr. Speaker, Sisters, Oregon is a popular tourist town surrounded by the Deschutes National Forest. Unfortunately, it lacks a wastewater treatment facility to support its residents who must use septic systems. There is a critical need for a treatment facility due to the failure of many of the aging septic tanks in this community. There is a current and immediate health threat from surfacing effluent, to put it delicately. During the summer months, in order to accommodate tourists who often visit the surrounding lands, the city must place approximately 60 portable toilets around the town. Even though the city is economically distressed, it has put together a financing package of approximately $7 million for a wastewater treatment facility. Unfortunately, additional funds to acquire land for the treatment facility and the disposition of treated wastewater are currently beyond the residents' ability to pay, which is why we are here today. Mr. Speaker, this bill, as amended, represents a bipartisan agreement for exchange of land for the City of Sisters in exchange for a waiver of hook-up fees and future services between its surrounding neighbor, the U.S. Forest Service. This agreement will allow a much-needed wastewater treatment facility to be built for the benefit of the residents of Sisters, the Forest Service and its employees, and the visitors who stop by this busy wayside as they travel through Oregon and vacation in nearby Forest Service lands. The Federal Government will save tens of thousands of dollars in hook-up fees and future treatment expenses. The residents of Sisters will get the land they need to construct a treatment facility that will eliminate the health hazards they face. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mayor Steve Wilson of Sisters, the Deschutes Forest Supervisor Sally Collins, and the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health staff, and the minority staff as well, for all the hard work they put into this well-conceived legislation. I strongly support passage of Senate bill 416.

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon

Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the opportunity to speak to Senate bill 440. In particular I would like to rise in support of title 3 of the act which authorizes the Oregon Institute of Public Service and Constitutional Studies in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at PSU. Under this legislation, the institute will be required to further the knowledge and understanding of students about public service, the U.S. Government, and the Constitution, and increase the awareness among youth of the importance of public service. I think these are laudable goals and important teachings that are so underrepresented right now in our country. Learning about public service, understanding the Constitution. These are at the heart of our democracy and why this legislation is important. This legislation also establishes the Mark O. Hatfield Fellows Program at PSU. This course of study and the fellowship in the name of Senator Hatfield is very appropriate, for the Senator has truly defined public service in my great State of Oregon. We still have a lot to learn from Senator Hatfield. The authorization of the Institute for Public Service and Constitutional Studies and the Mark O. Hatfield Fellowship Program will ensure that future generations of Oregonians will continue the spirit of public service that Senator Hatfield has taught us. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of Senate bill 440. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to speak today on S. 440. In particular I would like to rise in support of Title 3 of the act which authorizes the Oregon Institute of Public Service and Constitutional Studies in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. Under this legislation, the Institute will be required to further the knowledge and understanding of students about public service, the U.S. Government, and the Constitution, and increase the awareness among youth of the importance of public service. This legislation also establishes the Mark O. Hatfield Fellow's program at Portland State University. This course of study, and the fellowship in the name of Senator Hatfield, is very appropriate for the Senator has truly defined public service in the state of Oregon. Senator Hatfield began his political career in the Oregon Legislature in 1950 and moved on to become the youngest Secretary of State in Oregon history at the age of 34. Elected Governor of Oregon in 1958, Senator Hatfield became the state's first two-term governor in the 20th Century when he was re-elected in 1962. The Senator's federal career began in 1966 when he was elected to the U.S. Senate. He served as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and was a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Rules Committee, the Joint Committee on the Library, and the Joint Committee on Printing. Senator Hatfield is now a member of the faculty at the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University and George Fox University where he is continuing to lead the next generation of Oregonians. This legislation recognizes Senator Hatfield's legacy by supporting public service through the Hatfield School of Government. The Institute for Public Service and Constitutional Studies will provide support to partnerships that promote public service through teaching, research, and student support. I think Senator Hatfield summed up his theory on public service best when he spoke at the dedication of the Hatfield School of Government in 1997. He said, ``Throughout my career in public service I have stressed the importance of education and my deep personal respect for the teaching profession. I believe that some of my most important life's work has been my time in the classrooms, helping others learn about the great issues and the history of this country. The Hatfield School of Government brings both streams of my career--public service and education--together in a legacy that I hope will inspire many future generations, whose responsibility it will be to continue this great country's advancement into the next century and beyond.'' We still have a lot to learn from Senator Hatfield. The authorization of the Institute for Public Service and Constitutional Studies and the Mark O. Hatfield fellowship program will ensure that the future generations of Oregonians will continue the spirit of public service that Senator Hatfield has taught us. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of S. 440.