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Congressman Greg Walden
Congressman Greg
Walden
(R - OR)
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3/17/2006 -
Walden
Recognized
by Oregon
National
Guard in
Appreciation
of His
Continued
Support
WASHINGTON,
DC – U.S.
Congressman
Greg Walden
(R-OR) this
week
received a
certificate
of
appreciation
from Oregon
National
Guard
Adjutant
General Fred
Rees in
recognition
of his
continued
support ...
3/16/2006 -
Walden to
Visit
Central
Oregon March
22nd
WASHINGTON,
DC – U.S.
Representative
Greg Walden
(R-OR) will
return to
central
Oregon on
Wednesday,
March 22,
2006,
hosting
events and
meetings in
Crook and
Deschutes
Counties to
meet ...
3/15/2006 -
Walden to
Visit
Southern
Oregon March
22-23
WASHINGTON,
DC – U.S.
Representative
Greg Walden
(R-OR) will
return to
southern
Oregon next
Wednesday
and
Thursday,
March 22nd
and 23rd, to
host events
and meetings
in Jackson
and ...
3/15/2006 -
Walden
Receives
U.S.
Chamber’s
“Spirit of
Enterprise”
Award
WASHINGTON,
DC – U.S.
Congressman
Greg Walden
(R-OR) today
was
presented
with the
United
States
Chamber of
Commerce’s
prestigious
“Spirit of
Enterprise”
award for
his strong
support in
2005 ...
3/15/2006 -
Walden
Announces
Homeland
Security
Investment
for Fire
Prevention
Efforts in
Grants Pass
WASHINGTON,
DC – U.S.
Congressman
Greg Walden
(R-OR) today
announced
that a
$21,676
investment
from the
Department
of Homeland
Security’s
Assistance
to
Firefighters
Grant
Program (AFGP)
will be made
...
3/14/2006 -
Blumenauer,
Walden
Introduce
Legislation
to Improve
Oversight of
Ethics,
Lobbying in
Congress
WASHINGTON,
DC –
Congressmen
Earl
Blumenauer
(D–Portland)
and Greg
Walden
(R–Hood
River) today
introduced
bipartisan
legislation
aimed at the
critical,
but often
overlooked,
aspect of
ethics and
lobbying in
...
3/13/2006 -
Walden
Announces
2006
Congressional
Art
Competition
for High
School
Students
WASHINGTON,
DC – U.S.
Congressman
Greg Walden
(R-OR) today
announced
that the
2006
Congressional
Art
Competition,
An Artistic
Discovery,
is now open
to high
school
students
throughout
Oregon’s
Second ...
3/10/2006 -
Walden to
Visit
Heppner for
Annual “Wee
Bit of
Ireland” St.
Patrick’s
Day
Celebration
WASHINGTON,
DC – U.S.
Congressman
Greg Walden
(R-OR) will
visit
Heppner on
March 17th
and 18th for
the city’s
24th annual
“Wee Bit of
Ireland”
celebration.
During his
visit, ...
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March 24, 2006
Dear Fellow
Oregonian,
Today I will wrap up another busy week in Washington, D.C.,
and head home to Oregon for the 274th time since
first taking office. Needless to say I don’t make the
flights for the scrumptious airline food, but getting back
to central, southern and eastern Oregon makes the trek worth
it.
During the last couple of weeks, I have been able to meet
with folks from Lake, Klamath, Jackson, Josephine, Hood
River, Wasco, Deschutes, Jefferson, Umatilla, and Baker
counties here in the nation’s capital and with residents in
Sherman, Wheeler and Gilliam counties at three community
forum events I held this past Monday. Topics we discussed
in all of these meetings varied greatly and covered such
issues as forest health, energy and gas prices, salmon and
fisheries, health care and diabetes, public broadcasting,
economic development, education, economic development,
agriculture, renewable fuels, military personnel and current
military activity, drug prevention, taxes, and rural
electricity delivery.
I’m extremely proud to announce that the House of
Representatives passed this week—with overwhelming
bipartisan support—the
Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act, which I
wrote with Congressman Brian Baird, a Democrat who
represents southwest Washington. The House passed the bill
by a vote of 243-182, with 41 Democrats joining in support
of this common sense legislation. The bill, H.R. 4200, now
heads to the Senate for their consideration, which I hope is
prompt.
Thousands upon thousands of foresters, scientists,
firefighters, local government officials, and private
landowners agreed that federal forestland managers need the
authorities provided by the Forest Emergency Recovery and
Research Act for the future of America’s national forests.
The professionals who manage and protect our forests on a
daily basis support this legislation because it allows them
to use their expertise, hands-on experience and practical
knowledge to make timely and responsible decisions necessary
to improve the health, vitality and safety of our national
forests.
You can get more detailed information about H.R. 4200 on my
website, but the fundamental principle of the bill is
simple: give federal land managers the ability to restore
forests damaged by catastrophic events (such as wildfire
hurricanes or tonadoes) quicker, IF experts on the ground
determine that quick action is necessary. Keep in mind that
any action our professional foresters would choose to take
must comply with existing forest plans and with all of our
environmental laws. I personally don’t understand why it
takes the federal government years to act after catastrophic
events when those who manage state, local, tribal and
private lands move within months, weeks or even days. It
may not always make sense or be necessary to act quickly,
but when an emergency situation exists – such as heightened
threat of fire or bug infestation, severe damage to water or
soil qualities, risk of erosion, or increased safety hazards
for the public or forest professionals – I want to make sure
that our talented land managers are able to do their job and
restore the health, safety and vitality of our national
forests.
The
Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health, which I
chair, held hearings in Washington, D.C., and in national
forests throughout the country the past two years and we
went through fifty drafts of the bill to ensure that we
addressed concerns, answered questions, gathered as much
information as possible and had a very open process. I’m
grateful for the hard work and support shown by so many of
my colleagues and I look forward to working with the Senate
to get this bill to the President’s desk for his signature.
Before returning to Washington, D.C., this week for action
on the Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act, I spent
Monday, May 15, spending time in Gilliam, Wheeler and
Sherman counties meeting with residents at community town
coffees I hosted in each county. I was able to update folks
on things going on in Congress impacting our district, but
was also able to hear ideas, thoughts and concerns people
have on important issues. Traveling through the twenty
counties I represent helps me create my “to do” list and I
always enjoy meeting with residents.
During the numerous days I spend visiting with people in
central, southern and eastern Oregon most weekends and as
part of our longer District Work Periods, one thing I
consistently hear is deep concern, which I share, over the
rising cost of fuel. And not just gas – fertilizer, diesel,
natural gas and others. The House Energy and Commerce
Committee, of which I’m a member, has held a number of
hearings during the last few weeks taking a close look at
every aspect of the issue. Hearing topics and expert
witnesses covered supply and demand, price, delivery, crude
oil, price-gouging and fuel efficiency standards. The
Committee passed legislation yesterday authorizing the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to set fuel
economy standards and the Full House passed legislation last
week to protect consumers from price gouging. You can read
my announcement on House passage of the Federal Energy Price
Protection Act by
clicking here, or
read more details on the bill here.
As chairman of the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest
Health, I continue to focus on ways to increase the
utilization of woody biomass as a source of alternative,
renewable fuel. On Monday, May 1, I toured Bear Mountain
Forest Products in Cascade Locks to take a look at some of
the innovative techniques they are employing to use
biomass. I will continue to utilize the report I
commissioned last year by the Government Accountability
Office to find ways to enhance biomass development and
efficiencies.
This month, the House Subcommittee on Water and Power, of
which I’m a member, held a hearing on legislation I
introduced a few weeks ago with Senators Gordon Smith and
Ron Wyden to help the North Unit Irrigation District in
central Oregon enhance water delivery and conservation
efforts in the Deschutes River Basin. More than 900 family
farmers and ranchers in the District will directly benefit
from this legislation, which will increase instream flows in
the Crooked River and maintain delivery flows to irrigators
without increased diversion from the Deschutes Project. I
was pleased to welcome NUID District Manager Bob Ringering
and Board of Directors Chairman Richard Macy to DC for the
hearing, at which Mr. Macy testified before the
Subcommittee. You can
read more about the legislation here.
Also this month the House passed a very important piece of
legislation which I was proud to cosponsor. The
Respect for America’s Fallen Heroes Act (HR 5037) passed
with overwhelming support and established criminal penalties
for holding a protest or demonstration during a memorial
service or funeral being held for a member of the military
who gave the ultimate sacrifice while bravely serving our
nation. Despite philosophical differences on the military
or war, a memorial service is not the appropriate venue for
demonstrations. We need to respect the loss suffered by
families and loved ones of those who give their all and
ensure peace during the ceremony honoring the fallen hero.
We cannot and must not tolerate disruption and disrespectful
demonstrations during these somber times. More specific
information on the bill’s provisions can be found in
my announcement on its passage.
During the first week of May, the House Subcommittee on
Oversight and Investigations, of which I’m vice chair,
continued our series of hearings on the online sexual
exploitation of children. The tragic stories shared by
child victims before the Subcommittee are extremely
difficult to get your arms around. As a parent, I find the
crimes perpetrated against these innocent children to be not
only heinous, but very frightening. We’re taking a very
serious look at every aspect of this issue and the awful
crimes being committed against kids every day over the
internet. As we develop a legislative proposal to address
this significant, I encourage everyone to help educate kids
on the dangers they face. If you’re like me, your child is
probably more internet-savvy than you are…this is all the
more reason to make sure they know what they’re doing and
how to keep themselves safe. If you’re interested in
reading a little more about the hearings we’ve held, you can
visit the
Subcommittee’s website and check out some of the news
stories and testimony.
As you can see, there is a lot going on both in Oregon and
the nation’s capital. I look forward to updating you
further on legislation, activities and events I’m involved
in and, as always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts
and ideas. Feel free to contact me at anytime by sending an
email (click on the “Email” button on the left side of my
web page –
www.walden.house.gov) or calling my Medford office
toll-free from the 541 area code at 1-800-533-3303 or my
Bend office at 541-389-4408. It’s an honor to represent you
in the United States Congress.
Best regards,
Congressman Greg Walden
** ** ** **
2nd District Trivia
Where would one find the following line: “Land of the rose
and sunshine, land of the summer’s breeze; Laden with health
and vigor, fresh from the Western seas.”?
For the answer to this question and to take a crack at past
questions,
click here.
** ** ** **
Contact me!
You are welcome to mail
correspondence to my Washington, D.C. office, but due to security screening
delays, I encourage you to, call, fax or email if possible. You may also
send mail to my Medford and Bend offices.
Web:
www.walden.house.gov
Email:
http://walden.house.gov/contactgreg/
Toll-free from the 541 area code: (800) 533-3303
Washington, D.C.:
1210 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-6730
Fax: (202) 225-5774
Medford:
843 East Main Street, Suite 400
Medford, OR 97504
(541) 776-4646
Fax: (541) 779-0204
Bend:
Jamison Building, Suite 201
131 NW Hawthorne
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 389-4408
Fax: (541) 389-4452
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Where do I get information
about the federal government and its activities?
http://thomas.loc.gov - Thomas can guide you to current and past
information about specific legislation, congressional schedules, votes,
appropriations, nominations, appointments, the House, the Senate and various
committees.
www.whitehouse.gov - The main page for the White House can provide
information about the President and his administration offices.
www.house.gov - The home page for the U.S. House of Representatives is a
terrific link to information about members, committees, current and past
legislation, schedules and the legislative process.
www.senate.gov - The U.S. Senate's home page is a reference tool to
their legislation, members, schedules and committees.
www.walden.house.gov - As always, please feel free to visit my home page
for information about what I'm working on, press releases and other
important information for residents of the Second District.
www.usda.gov - The U.S. Department of Agriculture
www.doi.gov - The U.S. Department of the Interior
www.dhs.gov - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security
www.dod.gov - The U.S. Department of Defense
www.va.gov - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
www.doc.gov - The U.S. Department of Commerce
www.ed.gov - The U.S. Department of Education
www.doe.gov - The U.S. Department of Energy
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Offices of
Congressman Walden
Washington,
DC Office
1210 Longworth House Office Building
Washington,
DC 20515
(202) 225-6730 (202) 225-5774 Fax
Medford
(Main
District Office)843 East Main
Street, Suite 400
Medford, OR 97504
Ph: (541) 776-4646
Toll free in
Oregon: (800)
533-3303
Fax: (541)
779-0204
Bend
Jamison Building
131 NW Hawthorne,
Suite 211
Bend, OR 97701
Ph: (541) 389-4408
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