{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/enough-smoke-enough-fires", "Enough Smoke.  Enough Fires.", "2017-09-01", "2017", "2017-09", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Greg Walden", "W000791", "walden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Enough is enough.\u00a0\u00a0When Cycle Oregon and performances at the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland get canceled because of fires and the toxic smoke, it\u2019s long past time for Congress to address how federal forests are managed and how fires are fought (or not), including policies that affect firefighting in wilderness areas.\u00a0\u00a0\nWhen people in Central Oregon, the Gorge (or just about anywhere on the east side this summer) are told to stay inside, it\u2019s time for a change in federal policy so that decisions to let fires burn include a review of how doing so will add carbon and toxic pollutants into the atmosphere, threaten habitat and water quality and destroy private timberlands and property.\nIt\u2019s also time for the U.S. Senate to stop blocking our bipartisan legislation that has passed overwhelmingly in the House year-after-year which would help prevent catastrophic forest fires by allowing proper management. Further, the bill would provide resources to clean up after forest fires and restore the forests with new trees for another generation.\nThe House Resources Committee has once again approved legislation--Resilient Federal Forests Act--that solves the fire borrowing problem, but more importantly, gives foresters and firefighters new tools to help protect our forests, watersheds and airsheds from the kinds of disasters we endured this summer.\u00a0\u00a0I know we\u2019re always going to have fires, but we must find better ways to control and extinguish them.\nSoon the House will take up this measure and send it to the Senate.\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m convinced President Trump will sign it into law if only we can get it to his desk.\nThroughout the month of August, I traveled across our vast district meeting with veterans, small business owners, local community leaders, and even introduced the Secretary of Energy to eastern Oregon. These meetings are invaluable to my work as your representative in Congress, and help me update my \u201cto-do\u201d list to take back to the nation\u2019s capital. From improving the care our veterans receive at the VA to strengthening hydropower in our state and cleaning up nuclear waste, I heard from Oregonians on the ground who gave me a lot to add to that list!\nI hope you\u2019ll continue reading to learn more about my month of August as I met with Oregonians from Grants Pass to Umatilla.\nKlamath County\nKingsley Field Air National Guard Base, Klamath Falls\nI kicked off the month of August in Klamath County, with a meeting and tour of the Kingsley Air Base. Kingsley\u00a0is critical to our nation's security and military readiness, and is the only base in the world that trains future F-15 fighter pilots to defend our country, and our allies, in the skies.\nI want to especially thank Colonel Jeff Smith and the entire team at\u00a0Kingsley\u00a0for your service and for taking the time to meet with me.\u00a0\u00a0We\u2019re working together to make sure Kingsley is part of future defense missions and has the modern equipment and facilities necessary for the world-class effort they lead.\nOregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls\nAfter my meeting at Kingsley Air Base, I had the opportunity to visit Oregon Institute of Technology\u2019s geothermal plants. Oregon Tech is home to the world\u2019s first combined geothermal heat and power plant on a university campus, and is the only university campus in the United States heated by on-site geothermal energy. Oregon Tech is not only taking advantage of this great renewable resource in the Klamath basin, but also training students to go out and further innovate in the renewable energy space.\nIt was great to meet Oregon Tech\u2019s new President Nagi Naganathan, and see the cutting-edge work taking place on campus. \u00a0As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I\u2019m committed to making sure renewable energy and the latest technological advances are incorporated in federal law.\u00a0\u00a0The Committee is in the midst of reviewing the nation\u2019s electrical grid to assess its adequacy and security needs.\u00a0\u00a0Making sure we can connect next generation power sources to the grid, and making sure the grid can withstand cyberattacks and effectively manage the power load, are all part of our work.\nOn the Road\nUnfortunately, our skies were once again choked with smoke from wildfire -- like this one I saw on my way to Lakeview. We need to change federal law and get more active management in our forests to reduce fire fuels and create jobs. Thank you to all of the firefighters who have been knocking down intense fires across our state this summer.\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m committed to giving our firefighters new authority to get their job done.\nLake County\nMC Chuck Wagon Exhibit, Lakeview\nAfter my meetings in Klamath, I headed over to Lake County for a glimpse into history that is so unique to our part of Oregon.\nEarly in the year, I was invited to see the MC Chuck Wagon Museum in Lakeview and present an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of the museum's new flag pole. This exhibit is home to one of the greatest chuck wagon outfits in the West, and preserves an understanding of the way of life upon which ranching communities like Lakeview were built.\nI encourage you to visit the museum and check out the rich history preserved there.\nJackson County\nVA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (SORCC), White City\nClick here or on the image above to learn more about my meeting with veterans and VA officials in Jackson County\nIn Jackson County, I convened a meeting with veterans and VA officials at the VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (SORCC) in White City to get an update on their progress to improve care for those who have worn our nation\u2019s uniform.\nI\u2019ve heard repeatedly from veterans about the challenges of getting in to see a provider at some of the many VA facilities around the Northwest.\u00a0\u00a0Too often, these facilities have a difficult time recruiting medical providers, as SORCC officials told me earlier this year.\u00a0\u00a0\nIt turns out, the VA lacks the ability to compete with other private or other public employers when it comes to student loan reimbursements as a recruitment tool for providers. That\u2019s why I\u2019ve recently introduced legislation called the Doctors for Veterans Act. This legislation will help reduce wait times for Oregon veterans, improve their access to quality care in a timely manner, and help the VA recruit medical providers to care for veterans in rural and underserved areas in Oregon and throughout the country.\u00a0\nBy the way, my legislation to set allow medical scribes in the VA sailed through the House unanimously.\u00a0\u00a0This measure would test whether having a scribe do the paperwork will free up valuable medical providers to spend more quality time with more patients.\u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s worked in the private sector, and we think it can work for the VA.\nYou can read more about the Doctors for Veterans legislation here: https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-takes-action-reduce-wait-times-oregon-veterans\nMercy Flights, Medford\nPhoto courtesy of theDove T.V.\nFor more than a year, I\u2019ve worked with local and national ambulance providers to update federal funding policies to make sure that these first responders are adequately paid, especially for services provided in remote and rural areas.\u00a0\u00a0We\u2019re very close to legislation that will accomplish that while also cracking down where there is potential for waste or fraud.\u00a0\u00a0\nDuring the District Work Period in August, I went to the Rogue Valley International Airport to meet with Mercy Flights. Mercy Flights is a non-profit organization that provides critical emergency response to the local community in southern Oregon. \u00a0Several months ago, I worked with the Federal Aviation Administration to provide a more-timely processing of the training and certifications their pilots need.\nYou can learn more about my meeting with Mercy Flights here: https://thedove.us/7738-2/\nPhoto courtesy of theDove T.V.\nTimber Products, Medford\nThis summer, I organized a meeting with Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and leaders of the hardwood plywood mills in our region to discuss the unfair trade practices China has used to corner 54% of this market and threaten our family-wage jobs in mills like Timber Products in Medford.\u00a0\u00a0The Trump Administration is committed to helping fight back against Chinese companies when they don\u2019t play by the rules.\nHundreds of men and women in southern Oregon work at Timber Products\u2019 hardwood plywood plant in Medford.\nIn addition to seeing this modern facility and learning about what all goes into making hardwood plywood, which is primarily used for cabinets, we also discussed the need for access to more federal timber.\u00a0\u00a0For the fifth time in five years, the House is moving forward with major forest policy reform legislation, the Resilient Federal Forests Act, which will help protect these workers\u2019 jobs and put people back to work in our woods.\nThe timber industry is incredibly important to our economy and way of life in Oregon. During my meeting, we discussed the importance of pushing back against unfair trade practices from countries like China. You can learn more about my meeting at Timber Products here: http://ktvl.com/news/local/rep-greg-walden-visits-timber-products-to-discuss-timber-legislation-action\nJosephine County\nClick here or on the image above to read the Grants Pass Daily Courier\u2019s coverage of my tour of the old Spalding & Son mill site\nAs Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I\u2019ve directed an effort this year to update and reauthorize the federal Brownfields Program -- something that hasn\u2019t occurred in more than a decade.\u00a0\u00a0This important environmental stewardship program provides a federal partnership with states, local governments and private entities to clean up old, polluted sites and make these lands available once again as industrial sites.\nJust outside of Grants Pass, I joined local officials in a tour of the old Spalding & Son Mill site. The city of Grants Pass just secured assistance to begin the process of cleaning up this old industrial site through what is known as the \u201cBrownfields Program.\u201d The Brownfields Program has had great success boosting local economies in Oregon by redeveloping sites like the old Spalding & Son mill.\nThe House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved the Brownsfields legislation \u00a0in June. \u00a0We anticipate it coming to the whole House for a vote early this fall.\u00a0\u00a0You can learn more about this work here: https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-applauds-brownfields-assistance-secured-grants-pass\nDeschutes County\nClick here or on the image above to view a recap of my meeting with Forest Service officials\n\u00a0\nIn Deschutes County, I\u2019ve heard concerns about potential changes to access for some of the most popular trails in the Central Cascades Wilderness. I convened a meeting between local Forest Service officials and representatives of outdoor recreation and tourism groups to discuss the need for the\u00a0agency\u2019s proposals.\nDuring a very positive discussion, we heard concerns about limiting access and about making sure the Central Cascades Wilderness is not overcrowded and overused. As good stewards of our precious public lands we have to make sure that they don\u2019t get overrun, especially in the fragile alpine areas.\u00a0\u00a0As a native Oregonian, I want to make sure that we also continue to have responsible access to our public lands to recreate.\u00a0\u00a0I appreciated hearing the various viewpoints as the Forest Service works to strike the right balance so that we promote responsible use of the wilderness while not unnecessarily limiting public access.\nMeeting with local Forest Service officials and representatives of outdoor recreation and tourism groups in Bend.\n\u00a0\nJefferson County\nCrooked River Ranch, Terrebonne\nBack to the issue of our fire and smoke-filled summer and what we can do to reduce the risk. I organized a meeting at Crooked River Ranch with local officials and residents who are deeply concerned that federal lands immediately adjacent to the residences could catch fire in a way that could cause a major disaster at the Ranch. \nCrooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue Chief Rich Hoffman and Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Adkins took me on a tour of the area to drive home their concern. The community has worked hard to provide defensible space and reduce the risk of fire on the private lands. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the neighboring federal land where dense sagebrush, juniper and other fire fuels within the Wilderness Study Area (WSA) create a tinderbox each summer that puts the community in harm\u2019s way. \nHiking through the WSA while visiting with community members and local firefighters made clear the threat. I also heard from local BLM staff about how they would thin and manage the area to restore the landscape and mitigate fire if it were not restricted by federal policy under a WSA. It\u2019s time we make the commonsense change to the WSA boundary, and I\u2019m glad that my legislation to get that done -- the Crooked River Ranch Fire Protection Act -- is moving forward in the House. \nAll we\u2019re talking about is moving an arbitrary boundary back a few hundred yards to the edge of the cliff, which would allow the kind of thinning treatment that fire officials encourage every homeowner in Central Oregon to do.\u00a0\u00a0\nLearn more about this legislation here: https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-plan-protect-crooked-river-ranch-wildfire-moves-forward\nOn the Road\nFor more than 20 years, my wife and I owned and operated the radio stations in Hood River and worked closely with the local first responders when emergencies occurred.\u00a0\u00a0These brave men and women--mostly volunteers--drop what they are doing and race to save property and lives.\u00a0\u00a0Moreover, they spend countless hours in educational classes and hands on training so that they are as prepared and safe as possible.\u00a0\u00a0Annually, the Wy\u2019East Volunteer Fire and EMS Association pays tribute to those who lost their lives in service to the community.\u00a0\u00a0\nFire Chief Greg Borton invited to me participate in the Association\u2019s 15th Annual Memorial and BBQ at the Odell Fire Department. I praised and thanked those who serve and the families who support them.\u00a0\u00a0I also presented a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of the firefighters, police officers, and first responders who serve the good people of Hood River County.\u00a0\u00a0God Bless you all.\nUmatilla County\nMcNary Dam, Umatilla\nEnergy Secretary Rick Perry came to Oregon, at my request, to tour McNary Dam and discuss the importance of the Columbia and Snake River hydropower system to this region with local and regional leaders at an energy roundtable in Umatilla County. The Secretary was impressed with the size and scope of the dam and the tremendous, no-carbon-emitting power resource we have that\u2019s helping grow the economy in the Columbia Basin and the Northwest. \u00a0We were also joined by my Washington State colleague, Rep. Dan Newhouse for the tour.\u00a0\u00a0Bonneville Power Administrator Elliot Mainzer joined the Secretary and me in a round table discussion with community leaders and stakeholders after our tour of the dam. The Bonneville Power Administration plays a vital role in the Northwest, and I once again made clear my opposition to the Administration\u2019s idea to sell it off.\nOf course, Secretary Perry couldn't leave Umatilla County without a famous Hermiston watermelon!\nHydropower is incredibly important to Oregon\u2019s energy mix. At the Energy and Commerce Committee -- where I serve as chairman -- we\u2019re working to promote hydro and ensure Oregon consumers continue to have access to reliable and affordable electricity generated from hydropower and other sources including renewables, gas and nuclear. From data centers to value-added agricultural processing, economic opportunities continue to present themselves along the Columbia River and throughout the Northwest thanks to this abundant, affordable energy source.\u00a0\u00a0I know Secretary Perry left our region with a new appreciation for the importance of renewable hydropower and the role played by BPA.\nSecretary Perry holds the microphones as Rep. Dan Newhouse looks on during our news conference in front of McNary Dam.\nClick here or on the image above to view my remarks with Secretary Perry following our tour of McNary Dam\n\u00a0\nHanford Site \u2013 Richland, Washington\nThe next day, Secretary Perry and I joined Rep. Newhouse and Washington Senator Maria Cantwell to get briefings at the Pacific Northwest National Lab in Richland and to get an update on cleanup efforts at the Hanford Site -- which sits just 40 miles north of our district along the Columbia River. Our first stop was the Hazardous Materials Management and Emergency Response (HAMMER) Federal Training Center. We observed hands-on worker training at HAMMER, that\u2019s helping keep safe the thousands of employees who work at the Hanford Site and deal with hazardous materials on a daily basis. They are truly on the front lines of the cleanup effort and the top-notch training we saw at HAMMER makes sure Hanford employees can safely do their work.\nClick here or on the image above to view my remarks at the HAMMER training facility about the importance of cleaning up nuclear waste\n\u00a0\nBefore we began our tour of the Hanford Site, we took a few questions from local media and discussed the importance of cleaning up nuclear waste across the country. At the Energy and Commerce Committee, we passed bipartisan legislation that establishes permanent and interim nuclear waste storage that will facilitate in cleaning up sites like Hanford. \nThe Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act advanced through the Energy and Commerce Committee with significant bipartisan support -- on a 49-4 basis -- and fulfills the federal government\u2019s obligation to permanently dispose of spent nuclear fuel from our communities. \nHanford\u2019s nuclear waste is destined for permanent storage at the Yucca Mountain facility in Nevada. This legislation will make that happen.\nI was born in The Dalles and live in Hood River, so the Columbia River has always been part of my life.\u00a0\u00a0I am fully committed to cleaning up Hanford as soon as possible. The federal government not only has a legal obligation, but also a moral obligation, to get this job done for people who live along the Columbia and the communities surrounding Hanford.\nDuring our tour, I had the chance to speak before Hanford employees about the importance of their work and my priorities as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee to finish Yucca Mountain and clean-up sites like Hanford. Hanford employees are truly engaged in historic work, and they should know that the federal government has their back.\nTo learn more about our work at the Energy and Commerce Committee to clean up spent nuclear waste at the Hanford Site and across the country, check out my recent op-ed in the East Oregonian: http://www.eastoregonian.com/eo/columnists/20170626/walden-want-to-clean-up-hanford-finish-yucca-mountain\nBack to Washington\nWhile I only covered the highlights from some of my many meetings in August, as you can see the work I\u2019m doing back in the nation\u2019s capital directly relates to the problems, challenges and opportunities we have here at home. \nIf you\u2019d like to know more about what Congress IS getting done, click on www.didyouknow.gop", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/enough-smoke-enough-fires"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.3598456755280495, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}